Jennings Honored for Service at Boys Club of Mount Kisco

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. - The late Wilfred E. Jennings was always there for the children who belonged to the Boys Club of Mount Kisco.

Whether that was to make sure they had a safe and fun place to gather and socialize no matter what the weather, to advise and support them during life’s ups and downs, or to teach them basketball or woodworking, as a program supervisor and natural mentor, Jennings went above and beyond, now-grown former club members recall.

(He also was an essential part of the village’s Camp Iroquois, family members said.)

“He actually was a second father to us, believe it or not,” Ray Buzzetto told the Village Board recently.

Now they are grateful to have the chance to return the favor.

Formed to come up with some sort of tribute to Mr. J, as he was affectionately known, a committee came up with the idea for a pocket park complete with a bronze plaque, flagpole, gravel path, flowers, and an English herb garden.

To be called Jennings Garden, it would be built on a small patch of village-maintained land located between Gatto and Lieto Drives.

(The Boys Club is now called the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester. Girls were participating in programs even before the nonprofit’s name change.)

Mayor Michael Cindrich noted at a recent Village Board meeting that the project already has the support of nearby residents.

“I think it’s going to be supported by anybody that had any interaction with Will Jennings,” he said, looking back to the 1950s when the club “really was in its infant stages of providing a service to the village.”

An African-American, Jennings was a WWII and Korean War veteran and a U.S. Postal Service worker. He and his wife, Elva (nee Perkins), had four children: Wilfred, Paul, Audrey (Albert), and Karen (Richardson).

He supervised programs at the Boys Club and was such an integral part of its success and eventual growth that a leadership award in his name is given each year to an “outstanding young person,” Cindrich said, also noting that there’s a jersey with Jennings’ name on permanent display in the club’s gymnasium “right over the basketball hoop.

The garden would be dedicated to both Jennings and his son Wilfred Alexander (Alex), who tragically drowned at the age of 12 while fishing at Croton Lake.

“We thought it would be fitting and proper to put the father and son back together,” said Luke Scala, a committee member and one of Alex’s childhood pals.

Richardson spent the first 50 years of her life in Mount Kisco. Now living in Maryland, she’s part of the committee.

“My dad loved humanity. He loved people working together. He never saw color. He just saw people for being people. And that’s what he instilled in me and all the young people who grew up under him. We can all work together and be together,” she said via ZOOM.

Although the garden will be named in honor of her dad and brother, Richardson said that she sees it as more of a tribute to the town for recognizing the importance of fatherhood.

Scala’s own life was positively impacted by Jennings taking him under his wing.

“My mother and father taught me right from wrong, but Mr. Jennings taught you how to apply it to the world. How to deal with each other. How to love each other,” Scala said.

He was “a remarkable man who touched so many people’s hearts and really changed my heart that at 12, I understood the world better than most people in their 90s,” Scala added.

Learning how to treat others “is a gift that I wouldn’t give away for anything,” Scala said.

Making the garden dream become reality is obviously going to take money.

“The more funds the committee raises for the project, the more beauty we can put in the middle of Mount Kisco so that all people can enjoy the beauty of Mr. Jennings, the beauty of his heart, the beauty of his soul. What he left behind was a group of friends (that) I will love until the day I die,” Scala said.

Paraphrasing the Greek proverb that reads: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in,” he closed with: “Let this generation plant the trees so the next generation can sit in the shade.”
Cindrich pointed out that the park project is not being funded by the village, but by private donors.

“Hopefully, there are successful young men and women who went through the Boys and Girls Club who learned something about life from Will Jennings and they will contribute,” he said.

(Checks can be made out to the Village of Mount Kisco, Will Jennings Fund.) 

The donations will be placed in an escrow account. The balances will be made available to the committee “and anyone else who wants to see where the money’s going,” Cindrich added.

“Hopefully, we’re on the right track,” he said, noting that it would be great if the project were completed in time for the village’s sesquicentennial, or 150th anniversary,  next year.

Cindrich noted that originally the committee had gathered numerous signatures on a petition asking that Jennings’ name be placed on the Wall of Honor in Leonard Park.

Unfortunately, that couldn’t be done because the rules require that honorees be unpaid volunteers.

“So it doesn’t matter how good he did; he’s not considered eligible. So maybe we’ll change that at some point at time,” he said.

Dennis Munson, a semi-retired swim coach who’s been with the club for more than 50 years, knew Jennings both as a child and a longtime colleague.

Calling Jennings a “great guy to work with” and someone who “gave a lot of himself to the community,” he said he thinks the proposed tribute is “great.”

“He made you feel comfortable, welcome, that he really cared about you. I’m a lucky person,” Munson said.

Barbara Cutri, who attended the club as a child, had fond memories to share as well.

It was 1964, and the 10 year old’s mother had enrolled her in swim lessons through the village recreation department and modern dance at the club.

Jennings met her at the door on her first day, giving her a smile, a warm handshake, and greeting Cutri with: “Welcome young lady to the Mount Kisco Boys Club.”

Cutri loved swimming but was “not a fan of modern dance.”

Jennings “in his kind and gentle manner” convinced her mom to let her give woodworking a try.

Cutri was delighted “NOT to have to perform in a yellow tutu as a daffodil.”

She remained a club member through high school.

Jennings demeanor made a huge impression on Cutri.

“Even in difficult situations when youth were not behaving, Mr. Jennings would handle the situation with a calm, cool, relaxed manner. His method was not discipline but guidance and direction. He would follow up with youth and make sure they were having a good day. He was a mentor, father figure to many, and a beloved and admired staff (member),” she said.

Inspired by Jennings, Cutri realized that she wanted to have a “similar impact” on young folks.

She eventually became a youth development professional, a preschool teacher, a childcare director, and then program director. Cutri retired as the club’s director of operations in 2019 and is still a member of its staff.

Former club member Raymond Buzzetto of Brewster won’t forget Jennings either.

He was at the club one cold and blustery winter day with two other boys.

“We must have had at least 12 inches of snow on the ground so I asked Mr. J: ‘Why are we open? We only have three kids here’,” Buzzetto recalled.

“His response was: ‘It’s worth opening the club just for one kid.’ And he meant that,” he added.

(Buzzetto also remembers Jennings stopping club members on the street when they turned 18 and reminding them to “sign up for the draft.”)

“I still talk about this great man today. He helped me during my childhood, something for which I will be forever grateful,” he said.

Jennings could just sense when someone was having a bad day.

He would try to boost their spirits by shooting baskets, playing pool, anything to get their mind of their troubles.

That support was crucial. “We wouldn’t be the people we are today without it,” Buzzetto said.

Joining the Village Board meeting via ZOOM, was committee member James Dawson.

Born and raised in Bedford Hills, he knew the Jennings through his church, Saint Francis AME Zion Church in Mount Kisco.

In order to get to the club, Dawson and friends would either hitch a ride from Bedford or take the bus.

Alex was the first person that he knew who died, said an obviously still heartbroken Dawson.

The garden project will provide “a little bit of closure for me,” he added.

With a winning personality very much like his dad’s, Alex was a popular kid.

Tall for his age, he also was a natural athlete. Dawson believes Alex would have had a bright future in any sport or career that he had chosen to pursue.

Dawson thinks that Jennings losing his own son “at such an early age may have led him to adopting all of us as his own.”

If anyone acted out, Mr. J always handled things calmly and carefully.

“He didn’t have to raise his voice. He could speak in a mild manner, and you know you had to listen to him. When people scream and shout, you tend to tune them out,” Dawson said.

Jennings would also not tolerate any kind of bigotry or prejudice, Richardson said, recalling that all her dad had to do to squash that type of behavior was give the perpetrator “a look.”

Dawson thinks it’s fitting that the garden is to be named for both father and son.

“People who didn’t know them should know who they were. They’re teaming up together again, looking down on us,” he said.