Former Supervisor John Jenkins was remembered at a Woodbridge event.
Local golfers participated in the John D. Jenkins Fore the Kids Golf Tournament on October 7.
Proceeds from the annual program, which was held at Old Hickory Golf Club, are benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Prince William County/Manassas.
A video about Jenkins and the clubs was shown.
The General Heiser Boys & Girls Club in Dumfries, the Hylton Boys & Girls Club in Dale City, and the Martin K. Alloy Boys & Girls Club of Manassas are the branches located in the Prince William County area.
In addition to recreational activities, the clubs offer programs that engage youth. The wide range of programs focus on various topics, including cooking, leadership; and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
“It’s something that’s for everybody, ‘cause we don’t have just sports,” Irvin Laurendine from the Boys & Girls Club explained. “It’s not just a daycare where they sit there and watch them. We are interactive and we’re into their lives.”
The Boys & Girls Club is viewed as a safe space for many children. That’s what is was for Teja Washington, who — growing up — spent time in the children’s hospital.
“On top of being a sick kid, I was a very shy kid,” Washington said. “You could find me in a corner with a book for the first two years I started going to the Boys & Girls Club, and, eventually, some of my favorite counselors brought me out of my shell.”
Jenkins served with the Boys & Girls Clubs for many years.
Prince William County’s longest serving Supervisor was heavily involved in the community, but he wouldn’t let that prevent him from carrying out his role on the board.
He attended and participated in every meeting, according to Past Board Chairman Jason Hickman.
“He would always ask me before or after, during the meetings, ‘What can I do? What can I do to help?’ And that’s really — that’s what we all should be doing is how can help each other, how can we help the community, how can we make this a better Prince William,” Hickman said.
