CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — The Boys and Girls Club of Cheektowaga is officially open. On Thursday, a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Alexander Community Center.
The club is set to serve 100 kids starting Tuesday, the first day of school.
Cheektowaga Chief of Police Brian Gould, who is credited as being a major part of the effort said, "Through the dedication and generosity of our community, we will be able to provide the youth of Cheektowaga a safe after school activity staffed by positive role models."
Assemblymember Monica Wallace helped secure start-up funding for the club.
"As a working mom and I know a lot of people here are working parents, it really spoke to my heart. I know how important it is to make sure your kids are cared for and they are safe when you are at work," she said during the ceremony.
The club was also dedicated to a Western New York war hero, Williamsville native and Marine Gunnery Sergeant Aaron Kenefick.
"Aaron was a fun-loving 6-foot-3, baby blue eyes, and the biggest heart and spirit that you could ever imagine," said Kenefick's mother, Susan Price.
Kenefick was a Marine for more than 12 years before he died in 2009 during an ambush in Afghanistan.
"He loved being a marine what it meant to him was the world, he died doing what he loved best," Price said.
Kenefick's friend, retired Sergeant Major Eugene Miller, was one of the last people to see Kenefick. Miller spoke about how much this dedication would mean to him.
"This is tremendous and this is great. And I am hoping that some kids come through and inquire who was Aaron Kenefick? Cause I'll tell you what, we have stories to tell, and his legacy will live on because of things like this," he said.