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!
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.
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.Â
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.
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.
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.
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 after the airboat tour.
We are so grateful for our partnership with Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS). Thank you for enriching the lives of our youth!
Club ‘Kid’ Alumni Spotlight: Emily Williams
Emily Williams first picked up a basketball while watching her brothers play in the house league at the Jim & Jan Moran Boys & Girls Club in Deerfield Beach, FL. At the time, she was too young to join—but that didn’t stop her from being inspired.
When Emily turned seven, she finally became a Club member and headed straight for the gym. Though she was the smallest player there, she never hesitated to compete with the older, bigger Club members. It was at the Club where she developed the fundamentals of the game and built the fearless mindset that would define her career.
Standing at just 5’2″, Emily went on to earn a Division I scholarship to play at Bethune-Cookman University—a remarkable achievement fueled by determination and heart.
Today, Emily continues to give back to the game. She is St. Thomas Aquinas’ first female basketball coach and, in her very first year, led the women’s team to a championship. In her spare time, she also coaches the Miami Suns Elite team.
We are incredibly proud of Emily and can’t wait to see where her passion and dedication take her next.
Generals Club Gathering: Honoring Doug Cady
Please join us in honoring our 2026 General of the Year, Doug Cady, President of AA Advance Air, Inc.
Doug has not only been a loyal 5 Star General Member, since 2009. He is also a “Club kid,” spending his formative years at the Kalamazoo Boys Club in Michigan.
The AA Advance Air, Inc. team’s continuous involvement in our Annual Generals Construction Career Day has had a tremendous effect on our BGCBC Club Members as well- exposing them to the vast amount of careers in the Trade Industry.
We thank Doug & his team over at AA Advance Air, Inc. for their unwavering commitment to our youth.
Please join us on April 23 at 6 p.m. for our Generals Club Gathering at Funky Buddah Brewery!
Bank of America-Financial Literacy
Recently, our Teens at The Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Foundation Teen Center were able to learn more about financial literacy and the power of investing through a workshop with Mr. Raymundo Piquion of Bank of America!Â
The Teens walked away with a better understanding of how to prepare for their financial future. Thank you to long time BGCBC supporter, Carla Taylor for making this possible. And a huge thank you to Raymundo for volunteering his time to pour into our teens.
March Work Anniversaries
Please join us to congratulate our Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County March Work Anniversaries! These individuals have shown dedication, disposition, and passion in all they do for BGCBC. Thank you, Happy Anniversary!
Ron Lewis
Shaping Futures
since 1992
Upcoming Events
Ranch Roam
Get ready for an evening filled with fun and adventure!
March 28th, 2026
“Alligator” Ron Bergeron’s
Green Glades Ranch
For more information contact:
Amanda McCarthy
(954)-537-1010 ext. 235
amccarthy@bgcbc.org
Generals Club Gathering
Join us for fun evening with interactive food stations, live music and dancing.
April 23rd, 2026
Funky Buddha
1201 NE 38th Street
Oakland Park, FL 33334
For more information contact:
Jamie Pignone
(954)-537-1010 ext. 202
jpignone@bgcbc.org
Bowling For Kids
Join us for a fun-filled day of bowling!
May 3rd, 2026
Bowlero Tamarac
8501 N University Drive
Tamarac, FL 33321
Attire: Hawaiian Theme
For more information contact:
Henry Estrada
(954)-537-1010 ext. 308
hestrada@bgcbc.org
Event season is finally here. Click here to peruse our upcoming events for the rest of the year!
Hope to see you all there!
