Club Highlights – May 2026
MAY CLUB HIGHLIGHTS 20th AnniversaryGenerals Club Gathering! We had a blast at our 20th Generals Club Gathering at Funky Buddha! This year, Doug Cady, President of AA Advance Air, Inc., was honored with the Generals Club Leadership Award. And one of our very own, 2025 Youth of the Year, Nashon H. from our Leo Goodwin Foundation Teen Center addressed our Generals regarding his interest in the electrical field. Nashon is one of the many Club members who attended our Annual Generals Construction Career Day in March. The Generals Club was founded by visionary leaders Terry Stiles, Tom Miller, Bob Case, and Kurt Langsenkamp, and continues to thrive under the dedicated leadership of Chair Krystyna Ermer. An Award of Gratitude was presented to Bob Case for his many years of heartfelt passion poured into The Generals Club Program. All proceeds from The Generals Club Gathering directly support the continuation of this impactful program, helping to provide vital opportunities and resources for our youth at BGCBC. We thank our 2026 Generals Club Members: 20th Anniversary VIP GeneralJA&M Developing, LLC – Annie Mecias-Murphy 5 Star GeneralsAA Advance Air, Inc. – Doug Cady C. Davis Electric Co., Inc. – Mike Gagliano Nielson, Hoover & Company, ACRISURE – Chuck Nielson Slade Construction – Jeff Slade Steel Fabricators – Max Turner Stiles Corporation – Ken Stiles Thermal Concepts – Krystyna Ermer Rita & Rick* Case FamilyGary Wendt Associate GeneralsAll Atlantic Benefits – John Tolan, Brandon Kress, Veronica Ferrari Empire Lighting Resources – Bob Caggiano FPL – Sean October Verizon Business – Vincent Peragin Associate GeneralsAction Roofing – Anthony Perera Amalgamated Construction – Das Khan ANF Group, Inc. – Al Fernandez, Nelson Fernandez Charland Rurey Construction – Bill Charland, Tim Rurey Hotwire Communications – Brian LaTorre Inspected – Ian Cohen Scaff-Tech, LLC – Edward Rodriguez William R. Nash – Ryan Nash Thank you to all our staff, supporters, community partners and Board Chair, Peter Oldbury for helping make this happen! Join our General’s Club Today Read More 14th Annual Bowling For Kids Event We are so grateful to all of our supporters, staff and community partners that came out for “Bowling For Kids” event supporting our Marti Huizenga Club. This Club has long been a staple in the City of Hollywood, serving as a safe and supportive space for generations of youth and families. Your generosity keeps our Clubs and Teen Centers going. Donate Today College Decision Day From acceptance letters to final choices, our Teens are officially committing to the next chapter of their journey. With confidence, courage, and the support of their mentors, families, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, these future leaders are heading to colleges and universities ready to thrive. Whether they’re the first in their family to attend college or continuing a legacy, this moment represents hard work, resilience, and a bright future ahead. Join us in celebrating our scholars as they say, “Yes!” to their future. Empower Our Youth The Jesus Luzardo Family Foundation Scholarships The Jesus Luzardo Family Foundation awarded scholarships to 10 graduating seniors who maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and demonstrate outstanding character and academic excellence, helping them further their education. Help us congratulate our amazing graduates! Ben S. – Carver Ranches Club Richard R.- Carver Ranches Club Zyann D. – Carver Ranches Club Winson C. -Florence A. DeGeorge Cub Luigi M.- Fred DeLuca Teen Center Naomy J. – Marti Huizenga Club Delanie C. – Marti Huizenga Club Timothy S. – Lester H. White Club/NFL Yet Center Hervinica B. – Leo Goodwin Foundation Teen Center Marlee M. – Leo Goodwin Foundation Teen Center This effort reflects the foundation’s mission to support academic success and expand opportunities for our youth. We are so gracious to Jesus and The Jesus Luzardo Family Foundation for their continuous support of our mission. Hair Braiding Superstars Congratulations to the 14 Club members who graduated from our Hair Braiding Class Program! In collaboration with the City of Hollywood and under the instruction of Ms. Ashley Williams from 1 Salon Life Academy, participants learned the fundamentals of hair braiding and earned their Salon Assistant and Hair Braiding certificates. Big thanks to City of Hollywood and 1 Salon Life Academy for supporting this initiative! Click Here to Get Started STEM in action In partnership with The City of Deerfield, our youth at our Jim & Jan Moran Club, had the privilege of exploring math in motion, discovering the science behind bubbles, and even got the chance to dive into hands-on activities that brought real-world problem solving to life. Programs like these spark curiosity, build confidence and show our youth what’s possible when learning is interactive, engaging and fun. We thank the City of Deerfield for their unwavering dedication to support our youth! Shape Bright Futures with Us Impact 4 Good Hosts a Bike Build Teamwork brings great joy during Impact 4 Good’s Bike Build event, hosted at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. Because of the incredible hands-on effort from our partners and volunteers, 20 brand new bikes complete with helmets and locks are now headed home with Club members, giving them freedom, confidence, and a whole new way to explore their world. Thank you Impact 4 Good for partnering with us. Fuel Bright Futures Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Educators make a lasting impact by inspiring confidence, encouraging growth, and helping students and our Club members reach their full potential. Afterschool Professionals Appreciation week is a meaningful time to recognize their dedication, patience, and the difference they make every day. 2026 Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Conference We were proud to represent Broward County at the 2026 BGCA National Conference in Charlotte, NC. Bringing together leaders from across the country, the conference was a powerful reminder that the work happening locally at BGCBC is part of a much bigger movement dedicated to empowering young people everywhere. We returned inspired, energized and equipped with new ideas, strategies and connections that will directly strengthen the experiences we create for the
Club Highlights – March 2026
Club Highlights Role Models Who Inspire featuring Dr. Ben Carson When dynamic leaders lead by example, young minds are shaped! Through our “Role Models Who Inspire” program, we are honored to welcome and thank Dr. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon, academic, author, and government official, for enlightening our Teens at JM Family Teen Center in Deerfield Beach, FL. It’s meaningful moments like these that mold the path for our youth—showcasing the importance of success through hard work, dedication, integrity and leadership. Big thanks to our dedicated Board Member, Thomas Godart for all the support! Get More Info Welcoming Rear Admiral Ryan M. Perry into The BGCBC Hall of Fame We are proud to announce Admiral Ryan M. Perry as one of our highly esteemed 2026 BGCBC Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees. Rear Admiral Ryan M. Perry (retired) is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is a 1997 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Perry holds a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College and is accredited in public relations and military communication. Perry was a proud member of William E. Slaughter Club/ S. Robert Levine Club, formerly the North Lauderdale Club, where he learned life skills, and was presented with life-changing opportunities that guided him to where he is today. We are so honored to recognize him! Join us to congratulate him. Watch Video Read More Congrats, Chris Gentile! The 2025 W. Errol Sewell Leadership Award, also known as the Southeast CEO of the Year Award, is one of the highest honors a CEO can receive within the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Movement. Named after W. Errol Sewell — a transformational leader who helped establish more than 1,000 new Clubs nationwide and expanded the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement into public housing, schools, Native lands, and U.S. military installations — the award recognizes CEOs whose leadership strengthens the Movement through vision, integrity, and an unwavering focus on youth. We are proud to share that our very own Chris Gentile, Co-CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, has been recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America with the W. Errol Sewell Leadership Award. Chris exemplifies Sewell’s legacy through his strategic leadership, deep community partnerships, and steadfast commitment to ensuring every young person has access to high-quality Club experiences. This recognition reflects not only his personal excellence, but also the strength, passion, and dedication of our entire organization to the mission of enabling all young people — especially those who need us most — to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Congratulations, Chris. Your leadership continues to inspire us all. Topgolf Tournament: Fore the Kids Event We’re proud to celebrate the success of our 2nd Annual Topgolf Tournament Fore The Kids—an incredible event dedicated to supporting the Club members and teens we serve. Thanks to the generosity of our community, this event directly benefits our Thomas D. Stephanis Club and Hierholzer Teen Center, where teens gain access to academic support, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities that help them succeed both in school and in life. Programs like these play a critical role in improving academic outcomes, building confidence, and preparing our teens for brighter futures. We are especially grateful to Christy and Larry Hierholzer for their continued dedication and passion for empowering young people. Their support, along with the incredible partners that include Publix, J.R. Dunn Jewelers, AEF schools, The Bridge Group, All Atlantic Benefits and the Murphy Family all helped to make this event possible and impactful. Your support empowers our teens to succeed both academically and beyond. Thank you for investing in their future. We can’t wait to see the continued impact. Shape Futures, Together Generals Construction Career Day Success! The 2026 Generals Construction Career Day, hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, welcomed more than 200 teen Club members, ages 14–18, for a high-energy, hands-on career exploration experience as we proudly celebrated 20 years of impact at the Leo Goodwin Foundation Teen Center/William E. Slaughter Club/S. Robert Levine Campus in North Lauderdale, FL with support from City of North Lauderdale Commissioner Darrell (Dee) Lewis-Ricketts. The event featured top construction and trade industry partners who led interactive learning stations with live demonstrations, hands-on activities, and direct engagement in fields such as roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, general contracting, engineering, and project management. Teens rotated through multiple stations, gaining insight into career pathways, certifications, earning potential, and apprenticeship opportunities while also building workplace readiness skills like communication, teamwork, and professionalism. We also highlighted alumni success stories, including Rick Case Vocational Scholarship recipients Jimmy Arneus, now enrolled in the HVAC program at Sheridan Technical College, and Zaden Jeantinord, pursuing Automotive & EV Technology at Universal Technical Institute. The day inspired and connected youth to real opportunities in the skilled trades, while providing companies with an organized, engaging platform to directly impact the future workforce of Broward County. Thank you to our staff and industry professionals who continue investing in the future of our workforce. Get Involved International Automotive Excellence Gala Recap The 19th Annual International Automotive Excellence Gala was an unforgettable evening celebrating leadership, innovation, and impact within the automotive industry. We were honored to recognize two remarkable leaders:– Rusty Wallace – 2026 Racing Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient– Teddy Morse – 2026 Dealer Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient The Gala raised critical funds for our youth development organization helping ensure our youth have access to mentorship, opportunity, and safe spaces to grow. A special thank you to our staff, supporters, community partners, board members and all who share the commitment to making this event a success year after year. Read More A Day in The Glades! Recently, some of our Club members went on an Everglades extravaganza! From an airboat ride to watching native animals interact in their natural habitats was educational and so much fun! The alligators and birds were seen while on the airboat ride, while the snakes, turtles, American crocodiles, and lizards were seen in enclosures
Big News: Dolphins Camp, MODS & a Brand-New Teen Center!
Club Highlights Incoming: New Florence A. De George Teen Center We are honored and excited to share the great news that Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County has secured a $400,000 state appropriation to build a brand-new Teen Center at our Florence A. De George Club in Davie FL! We want to thank Senator Dr. Barbara Sharief and Representative Michael Gottlieb for their commitment to helping Broward’s youth and believing in their future. We appreciate you taking time to tour our Club and meet our Club members. This upcoming Teen Center will allow us to serve our youth ages 13-18 with the tools they need. With this investment, we’re able to continue to focus on our 4 pillars of impact: Academic Success Character & Leadership Health & Well-Being Life & Workforce Readiness We also want to say a huge thank you to our partners: TSE Consulting, and every supporter who contributes to help keep our mission going. Help Support Our Youth Development Organization Today! Carter’s X BGCA Cause Campaign Afterschool academic support helps kids stay on track throughout the school year, while fun and engaging summer programming combats summer learning loss in areas like math and reading. Help youth achieve academic success by donating at checkout at your local Carters Inc. Your donation will allow Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County to continue offering programs that inspire a love of learning in and out of the classroom. Learn More About The Initiative Manheim by Cox Automotive X BGCA Cause Campaign We’re proud to partner with Manheim by Cox Automotive as they kick off their annual fundraiser to support Boys & Girls Clubs across the country! Now through August 31, Manheim locations nationwide are rallying together to raise funds that directly support STEM programming at local Clubs—like Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. These programs spark curiosity, build critical thinking skills, and prepare young people for the careers of tomorrow. Thank you, Manheim, for helping to open doors and create brighter futures through the power of STEM! Join The Cause Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County at MODS This incredible new partnership will provide a safe and supportive environment, promote academic, social and emotional development and enhance a love for learning in an immersive museum setting that inspires curiosity, imagination and creativity. Our Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County at MODS “Fueling Great Futures Through STEM” program will engage youth from diverse backgrounds, foster a sense of belonging, provide mentorship and guidance and open doors to youth who might otherwise lack access to enriching experiences in a museum. We want to thank our generous supporters Wayne and Lucretia Weiner and UKG for their in-kind contributions. Their support is helping us fuel futures and shape tomorrow’s leaders. Read on About the Program Components 4-Session Entrepreneur Course Facilitated by Jonathan Fichman Congratulations to the Teen Club members at The Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Foundation Teen Center on completing our 4-session entrepreneurship course, facilitated by Jonathan Fichman. Over several weeks, our Teen Club members learned how to develop business ideas, create business plans, and deliver professional presentations. Then they had the chance to proudly showcased their final pitches to a panel of judges. All Club members received certificates of completion. The top three business presentations were awarded gift cards ranging from $50 to $100, and our first-place winner Avery B also received an iPad to support the launch of their business. We’re so proud of their hard work and can’t wait to see what they do. Visit www.bgcbc.org to learn more about us. BGCA Presents Dove Self Esteem Project We are so ecstatic that our Club members were a part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America presents Dove Self-Esteem Project event! Thank you to all our Lauderhill Club members and staff for helping make this happen. Watch the Recap Video Congrats, Chris Gentile! We’re thrilled to celebrate yet another proud moment for one of our very own, Chris Gentile, Co-CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County on his appointment to the Board of Directors for the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs. Chris has dedicated a decade to empowering our Broward County youth and strengthening our South Florida community far beyond our blue doors.Now, he’ll bring that same unwavering passion, vision, leadership and commitment to support Boys & Girls Clubs across the entire state of Florida! Congratulations, Chris, on this well-deserved recognition! We are so proud of you and the incredible work you continue to do. We can’t wait to see you shine throughout our great state. Florida “Club Kids” just gained another fierce advocate! Read More About His Significant Milestone Back-to-School Initiatives/ Events We are so thankful to the following individuals/companies who helped our Club members/Teens gear up for the new school year. Bradley Chubb – Back-to-School Bash at Lester H. White JCPenney – Back-to-School shopping experience in Broward Mall Manheim by Cox Automotive- Backpack & School Supplies Donations donated to Rita & Rick Case Club members Ed Morse – Shop-With-A-Cop (New kicks for some of our lucky Club members) Florida Blue- Back-to-School Event in Sunrise Your generous donation of backpacks, supplies, shoes and more, gets our youth ready to learn, dream and achieve. Thank you for helping us shape futures! Miami Dolphins: A Fun-Filled Day at Training Camp Our Marti Huizenga Club members were ecstatic to join Bradley Chubb and the Chubb Foundation for a memorable day in Miami Gardens. From a private tour of the facilities to sitting on the field (VIP style) for an up-close view of training camp, our youth had a blast! Special thanks to Bradley Chubb and Chubb Foundation for the continued support of our youth! Shape Futures With Us Summer M.O.S.T. Program Topgolf Fun with a Purpose! Our Summer M.O.S.T. program, powered by the Children’s Services Council of Broward County helps us take learning beyond the classroom with an exciting field trip to Topgolf! Through this real-world adventure, Club members sharpened focus, built teamwork, and had a blast—all while staying active
