History
Father Charles P. Maxwell launched the Boys’ Club of St. Louis on October 3, 1929 on the second floor of St. Vincent’s Parochial School. Under the sponsorship of the St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese and Cardinal Glennon, Fr. Maxwell’s new club was the first officially affiliated boys’ club in the State of Missouri.
By 1933, GSBC had an active membership of over 1,200 boys. It had proved itself worthy of community support and was admitted to the St. Louis Community Chest – the forerunner to the United Way. Over the next 30 years, GSBC moved a number of times before completing and occupying the current 36,000+ square foot facility at 2524 South 11th Street in 1959. In May 2006, to honor Eugene P. Slay, who served as President and CEO from 1993 until his passing in 2011, the Club was renamed the Gene Slay’s Boys’ Club of St. Louis. To reflect its expansion to serve girls on a full time and permanent basis, the Club was renamed the Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club of St. Louis in 2015.
Initially a recreation center and safe haven, GSGBC continues to meet the needs of the changing demographics through program enhancement. GSGBC provides high quality and holistic programs that respect and meet the needs of at-risk youth through academics, leadership building, health, athletics, and the arts. GSGBC improves the lives of at-risk and underserved youth who subsist in South St. Louis, while positioning them for post-secondary success.
Eugene P. “Gene” Slay
Club Alumnus & Namesake
A devoted husband and father, an outstanding businessman and philanthropist, Gene was often described as both a teddy bear and tiger.
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Eugene P. Slay was born in 1927. Gene was one of seven children growing up on Hickory Street in south St. Louis. Gene was a sports enthusiast throughout his life. At McKinley High School, he excelled in football, baseball, track, and wrestling. He was offered an athletic scholarship to Saint Louis University but World War II had not yet ended and he was drafted for military service. He proudly served from 1945 to 1947; he was in the 7th Division of the U.S. Army, serving his tour of duty in Korea and Japan.
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He believed it was an honor to give back and truly cherished the opportunity to be such a pillar in the philanthropic community. He was involved in countless charities and has been commended for his efforts decade after decade, including The Backstoppers, the St. Louis Italian Open for Children’s Charities, St. Louis Rams Chapter of NFL Alumni, Faith House, and the APDA.
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As a boy, he was a member of the St. Louis Boy’s Club and found himself continually going back to the Club on South 11th Street to help and contribute toward the development of young people in need. He served as President of the Club and became Chairman of the Board in 1993. He pursued his dream of creating an endowment to support the growth of the Club. Through his leadership, a premier annual golf outing at Norwood Hills Country Club was initiated and became the cornerstone of the fundraising to accomplish his dream. In 2006, in recognition of his long-term contributions, the St. Louis Boy’s Club was renamed the Gene Slay’s Boys’ Club of St. Louis in his honor.
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He believed that to be successful, one must know where he came from to truly know where he was going. His legacy will be the many lives he touched young and old, near and far, and the obvious ways he left the world a better place than he found it.
Father Charles Maxwell – Founder
In 1929, Reverend Charles P. Maxwell was named by Archbishop Cardinal Glennon as the first “Catholic Youth Director of St. Louis.” Maxwell’s mission was to work with all boys, regardless of race, color, or creed. Maxwell selected the “slum area” or “Soulard Police District” which had the highest boy population and the highest juvenile delinquency rate in the city.
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When the Boys’ Club of St. Louis opened its doors on October 3, 1929, their home was the abandoned St. Vincent’s Parochial School building located on the southwest corner of 9th and Park Avenue. The three-story building was remodeled to offer a gym, game room, showers, and other necessary facilities. To finish construction, Father Maxwell solicited money and materials from friends, St. Louis businesses, and professional people. On opening day over 400 boys registered as members. By 1933 the club had an active membership of over 1,200 boys.
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Father Maxwell was instrumental in leading the campaign to construct our Soulard Campus. Throughout his service to the Boys’ Club, he simultaneously carried on his duties as Pastor of a large St. Louis Catholic Church parish. Father Maxwell served as Chairman of the Board of Directors from our founding in 1929 until his sudden death on April 5, 1955.