The Boys & Girls Club of Geneva marked its 30th anniversary by hosting the Finger Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce's August Business After Hours mixer at the Geneva Community Center.
The Aug. 12 gathering at 160 Carter Road included guided tours led by club Grants Manager Stephanie Annear and an outdoor reception beneath the recently dedicated Mark & Belinda Venuti Pavilion. Chamber members gathered despite rain for the networking event and anniversary celebration.
The club opened on Goodman Street in 1996 after local leaders and Hobart College alumni identified a need for youth mentorship. It expanded with the opening of the Geneva Community Center on Carter Road in 2009.
Today, the organization provides more than traditional after-school care. Its regional programs include food-security work with Foodlink, Toddler Time and the First 1000 Days early-childhood initiative.
Executive Director Stephanie Hessler discussed the club's accomplishments and its plans for the next 30 years during a presentation with club and chamber staff. Chamber President Miranda Odell highlighted the role of community organizations and thanked the club for its work and participation in chamber programs.
The chamber will pause its Business After Hours series in September while holding its annual Membership Harvest Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 24, at Climbing Bines in Penn Yan.
The next Business After Hours mixer is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Finger Lakes Power Systems, 3333 Skyline Drive in Penn Yan. Admission is $10 for chamber members and $20 for nonmembers unless they have a season pass, and reservations can be made by emailing info@flxchamber.com or calling 315-789-1776.
Business After Hours events are generally held from 4 to 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month and are open to the public, according to the chamber.
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