Josh Kraft, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, former U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, and Robert Cashman, president and CEO of Metro Credit Union, are
pictured at the 100th meeting of the Jordan Boys and Girls Club Breakfast Series. Frank was the featured speaker at the milestone event.
The Jordan Boys and Girls Club celebrated the 100th event in its monthly Breakfast Series with an appearance by former Congressman Barney Frank Feb. 7 at the clubhouse on Willow Street
The Breakfast Series, in its 18th year, is a fundraiser for the youth club that was started in Chelsea by Josh Kraft. The new Jordan and Boys Clubhouse opened its doors ten years ago.
Mark Robinson, breakfast chairperson and master of ceremonies, recalled how the Breakfast Series came to be.
“When we first started, we were in the basement and had a meeting – Richard Voke, Mark White, Jay Ash, Josh Kraft, and myself and we tried to figure out ways to raise money, and one of the ideas we came up with was a breakfast series,” said Robinson.
The list of speakers is a prodigious one, containing heavyweights from the world of sports, business, politics, and journalism.
That impressive array of speakers includes New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, New England Patriots president Jonathan Kraft, Boston Red Sox owner John Henry, Massachusetts Governors Deval Patrick, Mitt Romney, Michael Dukakis, and Ed King, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, and former Boston Mayor, the late Kevin White, father of breakfast committee member Mark White.
“Twice Bob Kraft brought the Super Bowl championship trophy to the breakfast,” said Robinson.
City Manager Jay Ash, a featured speaker at one of the breakfasts, attended the 100th breakfast. Boston Herald sports columnist Steve Buckley, a former speaker, was also in attendance.
Josh Kraft, the current CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Boston and former executive director of the Jordan Boys and Girls Club, presented Boys and Girls Club sweatshirts to Mark White and Mark Robinson in recognition of their support of the club and leadership of the Breakfast Series.
Michelle Lopez, executive director of the club, also thanked Robinson for his efforts.
“I especially want to thank Mark Robinson for giving so much of his time over the past two decades to make this series successful,” said Lopez.
Frank delivered an interesting talk chronicling his 32 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and his 40 years of public service.
After graduating from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Frank became the chief of staff for Mayor Kevin White and won election in 1972 for a seat in the Mass. House of Representatives. He was elected to Congress in 1980, succeeding the Rev. Robert Drinan as the representative for the Fourth District.