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Above: Standing: Charles Meyer, John Ferring, Robert Albrecht, William Green, Lethorne Johnson, Matt Fitch, Douglas Mikiel, James White, Amy Nienhaus, Gary Mueller, Richard Stegmann, Walter Ballinger, M.D., Herschel Wilson, Frank Robinson, Sr., Tim Hanser, Frank Mueller and Leroy Wright.
Seated: Donald Fahey, Anne Price, Ph.D., Mary Vercer, Barbara Ellis, Karl Grice, Rev. William Gillespie, Martin Mathews, Thomasina Hassler, Tamee Reese Becton, Rev. Earl Nance, Jr., Delores Mars, Raymond Maritz and Tom Barta.
Not Pictured: Terry Baer, Dickey Ballentine, Donald Beattie, Jimmy Bell, Nathaniel Bishop, Judge Lackland Bloom, Dexter Bordes, Richard Casey, Harold Clark, Michael Clark, Thelma Cook, John Dill, William Drake, Martin Duggan, Jonathan Ford, Richard George, Stephen George, Frank Grice, Richard Grote, Robert Grote, Shirley Hardge, Jo Ann Harmon, Lin Hart, Lawrence Hickey, Tony Hooper, Stephen Jones, Nicholas Karakas, David Landesman, Mike Mayweather, Judson Pickard, Jr., Jean Rau, Major James Reddick, Charles Ruprecht, Barry Shelton, Reuben Shelton, Ed Shields, Chief Neil Svetanics, Robert Trice, Debbye Turner, M.D., Wendy Wiese and Bill Wilkerson.
Mathews-Dickey Boys’ Club
As coaches for neighborhood youth baseball teams, Martin Mathews and Hubert “Dickey” Ballentine, shared a dream of channeling young men’s energy onto the fields and off the streets. This modest idea has grown in big ways since the two men joined forces in 1960. Today, Mathews-Dickey Boys’ Club serves about 40,000 young men and women between the ages of 5 and 18.
The club, housed in a modern facility at Kingshighway and Penrose, was dedicated as a model for the country by President Ronald Reagan in 1982. It features two basketball courts, an Olympic-size swimming pool, locker rooms, a dance classroom, a computer lab and education center. In addition, the grounds have a park with baseball, football, soccer and softball fields. Of particular interest is the Hall of Fame filled with the Club’s historical memorabilia and gifts from world-class athletes as well as business and political leaders who have generously supported the Club.
“Both the Club’s activities and facilities are a model for youth programs around the country,” says Barbara Washington, vice president of Public Relations and Special Events for Mathews-Dickey.
She continues, “When Mathews-Dickey started, it was a trendsetter in terms of integration and diversity.”
Washington emphasizes that the teamwork among the youth, volunteers and staff who come from all backgrounds, cultures and economic conditions is a strength of Mathews-Dickey’s. The active board of directors includes 47 members who represent a variety of professions. Current Chairman of the Board is the Rev. William G. Gillespie.
The Club’s emphasis remains on education and athletics. Mathews-Dickey activities include:
- Summer Day Camp – Now in its 25th year, eight-week program offers more than 2,500 young people ages 6 to 13, opportunities for recreation, education, cultural awareness, entertainment and job training.
- Recreation and Athletics – This program brings families together, helping the Clubs’ young members develop strong characters through athletic activities.
- Education – The four-tiered approach offers tutoring and mentoring from community volunteers, computer literacy, an after-school program and the Summer Scholars program. The White House recognized the Club as a 21st Century Learning Center.
- Motivation Vocation and Preparation Program (MVP) – The Club created MVP to coordinate a community-wide effort to have a positive impact on the lives of “at-risk” youth as an alternative to gang involvement.
- “The Sky Is The Limit” career-readiness program – This unique program links young women from 12 area schools with businesswomen from diverse backgrounds. It includes mentoring, career training and the opportunity to earn scholarships.
These successful youth programs, which encourage youth into productive lives, are the result of tireless work from volunteers and fund-raising.
It all started with just two volunteers, Ballentine who developed the athletic programs that attracted the kids and Mathews who discovered he had a gift for fund-raising. The early years were challenging. According to Washington, Mathews worked two jobs to keep the Club going. Eventually, the Club’s board of directors hired him and Mathews continues as the president and CEO.
“Mathews-Dickey Boys’ Club impacts life in St. Louis,” Washington says. “We have excellent partnerships with area businesses who support us and in return the Club is helping kids with social needs. There’s so much more we can do together for tomorrow’s workers.”
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