Jenkins, Jr., Victor B. - 1966
In 1933, Jenkins was a bachelor lawyer-become-judge looking for a way to serve the youth of a Depression-hit neighborhood. He formed a boy’s club for youngsters living in the vicinity of 35th and Jefferson streets and named it Jefferson Athletic Club. Youths of the neighborhood flocked to the center, ultimately causing Jenkins to relocate the quarters to a larger facility on Lincoln Street. The Exchange Club of Savannah, of which Judge Jenkins served as president, later undertook sponsorship of the club as a project. The proceeds from the Coastal Empire Fair, sponsored by the Exchange Club, benefited mainly the JAC as well as several other youth organizations. Eventually, the name of the club was changed to the Jenkins Boys Club. To this day, it is regarded as one of the most complete youth organizations in the Southeast region. Alumni of the club advanced into high school, collegiate, and professional sports; and many of them are among Savannah’s leading citizens. Some are inductees in the Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame, a tribute to the vision and faith in youth of Judge Jenkins.