FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2016
Media Contact: Maria Curreri
561-683-3287 / mcurreri@bgcpbc.org
Event Contact: Kristen Cummins
561-683-3287 / kcummins@bgcpbc.org
Boys & Girls Clubs of Delray Beach Honors CEO of Seagate Hospitality Group, Tony Wilson and
Delray Beach Youth of the Year Club member, Karah Pierre
Delray Beach, FL – The Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach hosted the fourth annual Be Great Celebration Dinner to benefit the Delray Beach Club members on Friday, March 11, 2016, at the Delray Beach Marriott. The dinner raised over $132,000 for the Delray Club and honored Tony Wilson, Chairman, President, CEO of Seagate Hospitality Group, and the Youth of the Year of Delray Beach, Club member Karah Pierre. Over 200 supporters attended the dinner.
Mr. Wilson was presented with the Forrest and Frances Lattner Award, the “Be Great Award” which recognizes a member in the community for their outstanding achievements and dedication to the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach. The Seagate Hotel & Spa is a great supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach annual Holiday Trunk Show which takes place every year at said hotel. In addition, Mr. Wilson’s most endearing role to date is that of helping Santa each year while hosting story time at the Seagate Hotel for the members of the Boys & Girls Club.
At the event, Chip Sander, General Manager of the Seagate Hotel & Spa, on behalf of Mr. Wilson and Seagate Hospitality Group, presented the Club the most special gift to date. Sander announced to attendees that they were making a gift of $25,000 as an endowment fund towards the Youth of the Year Program. Through this endowment, each year, for twenty-five years, the Youth of the Year recipient will receive a $1,000 scholarship to help cover their academic expenses. The Club is most appreciative of the Seagate Hospitality Group for this generous gift.
Present at the dinner was 2015 Youth of the Year Kyra Dobard, who had the honor of introducing 2016 Youth of the Year Karah Pierre and presenting her with the commemorative Youth of the Year plaque. Ms. Pierre, age 15, is the first recipient of the new scholarship fund. The Youth of the Year competition is a national Boys & Girls Club of America program that enables local organizations to compete with other Clubs regionally and nationally for the title of National Youth of the Year. Karah is an honor roll student from Atlantic Community High School, President of Future Business Leadership of America, an exemplary community volunteer, an inspiring natural leader, and has been a member of the Delray Beach Boys & Girls Club for the past 10 years. During dinner, Karah gave a moving speech where she shared with the crowd her experiences growing up in the Club and how the Club has helped her develop her goals and aspirations for the future, earning her a standing ovation.
The Be Amazing presenting sponsors of the dinner were Art and Diana Bauernfeind and Beau and Carrie Delafield/Goldman Sachs. The Be Great sponsors were ARA, A Newmark Company, Brenda Medore, George P. Swift, Jr. Foundation, John and Jorgette Smith and The Lynch Family/The Plastridge Insurance Agency. The dinner’s Be a Hero sponsors included Alex and Juliet Warner/Gulfsteam Boat Club and Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth C. Ambrecht. The Be Great Celebration Dinner had several Be a Friend sponsors including Bill and Sugar McCauley, Joe and Tandy Robinson, John and Tracy Backer/Gracey-Backer Insurance Agency, Robert and Dorinda Spahr/Precision Turbines and Victoria Wood/The More Group. Table sponsors include Delray Beach Boxing Children’s Foundation, Mason and Lisa Delafield, Muriel Losee and Guy Pratt, Greg Reynolds/Northern Trust, Rich and Emily Wilson and Tom and Kirsten Stanely/Cecil and Carol Stanley.
The Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach would also like to extend a special thank you to Delray Beach Florist, Southern Audio Visual and Lynn University’s Communications Department.
For more information regarding the Be Great Celebration Dinner, please contact Kristen Cummins at kcummins@bgcpbc.org. For details about the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach, visit www.bgcpbc.org or call (561) 683-3287.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County
Founded in 1971, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County is a not-for profit youth development organization dedicated to promoting the educational, vocational, health leadership and character of boys and girls in a safe, nurturing environment. The Clubs provide more than a safe, fun and constructive alternative to being home alone – they offer a variety of award-winning developmental programs to help youth build skills, self-esteem and values during critical periods of growth. The thirteen Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Palm Beach County serve more than 8,000 children ages 6-18. For more information, please visit www.bgcpbc.org or call 561-683-3287.
