“WOBURN — Wow! The ‘wow factor’ was much in evidence on Saturday as many members of the general public were overwhelmed and had their first look at the new James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club.
President Donaghey was quick to point out, “I want to first and foremost thank Mayor Scott Galvin, Rich Haggerty and the entire City Council who helped us ‘rise from the ashes’ in our ‘darkest days’ when we were going to be ‘essentially homeless for one year.’” Donaghey also exclaimed in a smiling fashion when he thought, “OMG — the city might bill me for all the times I called their cell phones saying ‘Help.’”
The club, he pointed out from a podium in a sun-filled parking lot to attendees, is now “rebuilt and ready to serve the youth of the area. Because of our expanded building we can now easily double the youth we serve.”
He had special praise for other public officials in attendance like Senator Cindy Friedman “who is new to her position. She helped Sen Ken Donnnelly (now deceased) secure our temporary home at the old Clapp School.”