After each school day, nearly 150 children meet their friends and mentors at what they say is one of the coolest clubs in town, the Hoboken Boys & Girls Club on First and Jefferson streets. The club is a place where first through eighth graders can learn, play and socialize with one another and the staff of 10 adults, who help students with their homework, supervise sports activities, teach arts and crafts and assist them with the club’s computers. But once a year, the club opens itself up to the rest of the community for one of their greatest events, the Annual Steak and Burger Dinner. Wednesday, May 17 will be the Hoboken Boys & Girls Club’s third annual dinner and will take place at the Washington Street Elks Club. The dinner, including the reception, will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The dinner is designed for adult sponsors to catch up with the kids in the club and teach them about the careers and lifestyles of local grown-ups. Each child is seated next to one sponsor, and everyone from bank presidents to Kiwanis Club leaders buy a seat to share an evening with local youngsters. “This dinner is really a way for our kids to meet the adults in community,” said Hoboken Advisory Board President John Parchinsky, the organizer of the dinner. “It gives the kids the opportunity to learn about different careers and what the people in their neighborhood do and the night offers adults to learn about the kids and the club. And there are no speakers; we let the kids and adults bond by talking to each other and playing table games.” A former 10-year club member and current volunteer, Alonzo Robinson, 18, said that the evening is particularly special for the children. “When the kids talk to the sponsors that night, their faces are like ‘wow,’ ” said Robinson. “Some of these kids come from the projects or from homes where no one went to college or anything, and when they see the adults talking about what they do and how they made it in life, they think ‘so can I.’ There aren’t that many people in their lives that can set that example.” This year will be 13-year-old Nicholas Calicchio’s third Steak and Burger dinner, and he said he’s looking forward to it, because it’s always fun. “We meet new people, really nice people,” said Calicchio. “The people I was with last year wanted to talk about me and the sports that I play, and the food is great and we play games and win prizes.” Jesenia Valderama, 10, said she enjoys going because she gets to dress up. “We have to look nice and be very polite,” said Valderama. “You have to say things like ‘excuse me,’ ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ ” Although it’s called a steak and burger dinner, the dinner is served as a buffet that offers an array of different entrees for everyone, including vegetarians. This year, Frankie & Johnny’s will be supplying the food, Park Pastries will be providing the dessert and Starbucks will be supplying the coffee. The Amazing Incredibles jazz band will be the entertainment for the evening. The event is $100 per person, which buys a place setting for both the sponsor and one child. For more information or to buy a seat, call 333-4100, ext. 120.
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