History
Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club is a local affiliate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a national organization whose mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach thier full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. BCGA serves 3.3 million boys and girls across America at over 4,000 club locations, employing 11,000 full-time and 40,000 part-time trained youth professionals, plus tens of thousands of volunteers.

Our Club was formed on May 12, 1947 when it was incorporated as the Associated Boys Club of Locust Valley, Inc.  Great efforts were made to serve area youth, but lack of an adequate meeting place was a hindrance.  Milward W. (Pidge) Martin, who was Pepsi-Cola’s chief attorney treasurer, and Edith Hay Wyckoff, editor of the Locust Valley Leader joined forces and initiated the first steps.  Mrs. George P. Baker Jr. and her family took the final step that made everything possible.  They made a donation to purchase the land on Forest Avenue and build the original clubhouse.  Dedication of the Grenville Baker Boys Club took place on December 5, 1950 in memory of Mrs. Baker’s son, Grenville, a decorated Air Force Captain and Harvard graduate, who met an untimely death in 1949. 

Once the club house was built, growth began quickly. The local communities supported the Club financially through football sponsorships and fundraising events. Membership grew at a steady rate and by 1969, 600 boys were members of the Club. Around this time, the Girls Club of Locust Valley was incorporated and in 1981, a merger between the Grenville Baker Boys Club and the Girls Club of Locust Valley took place to form the Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club.

Through the 80’s and 90’s, the Club recognized the changing needs and interests of children and worked constantly to expand existing programs and begin new ones. While football was the original program offered at the Club, today we offer programs in five Core areas: Education & Career Development; Sports, Fitness & Recreation; The Arts; Character & Leadership Development; and Health & Life Skills. The Club currently serves more than 2,000 youngsters, with more than 200 kids coming to the Club daily. We continue to be generously supported by the community through our signature events: Clothing Sale; June Gala; and our Pidge Martin Golf Tournament. With all the changes over the years, however, one thing has remained the same: our core promise to our kids to provide a safe and nurturing environment and to have a positive impact on their lives.