Club Highlights
Keystone Installation
We are proud to celebrate all our Keystone Clubs for all officially chartering Basic this year!
Over 130 Keystone Members and Advisors from across BGCBC came together for our Keystone
Installation with incredible Club Spirit. Members and Advisors took an oath to the Keystone
mission, and in honor of Bullying Prevention Month, our service project this year focused on
unity as we committed to standing together to support one another and cancel bullying. The
energy was unmatched, and every club showed true unity
and KEYSTONE pride.
Keystone Clubs provide leadership development opportunities for young people ages 14 to
18. Youth participate in activities in four focus areas: teen outreach, academic success, career
preparation and community service. With the guidance of an adult advisor, #KeystoneClubs aim
to have a positive impact on members, the Club and community.
Comedy For Kids Sold Out Event
What a night filled with laughter and purpose! Thank you all for supporting our 2nd Annual “Comedy
For Kids” Sold Out Event. Together, we’re helping keep our Marti Huizenga Club (Hollywood,
FL) strong, vibrant, and ready to serve even more youth in our community.
Lauderhill Club Alumni Christopher Barnett Comes Back
We had the honor of welcoming back, Christopher Barnett one of our former Club members, who returned to reconnect and reflect on the impact the Lauderhill Club had on his life growing up.
What made this visit truly special was that he brought one of his daughters along Kennedy Barnett who is now proudly serving as a member of our Board of Directors. Watching them walk through the halls together, sharing stories and seeing how the Club continues to change lives across generations, was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do every day.
Seeing our mission come full circle through our alumni and their families inspires us to continue building Great Futures for generations to come.
Lights on Afterschool
We had a celebration of our Lights on Afterschool, a STEM program, with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, City of Lauderhill, Museum of Discovery and Science and City of Sunrise. Through hands on projects, our Club members learn to think logically, creatively, and collaboratively, building the
confidence to tackle complex challenges in and beyond the classroom.
Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) Special Visit
MODS was proud to welcome Wayne and Lucretia Weiner our generous supporters for a hands-on visit to learn about our “Fueling Great Futures Through Stem” program.
During their time with the students, they observed a working dog training demonstration from the Fort Lauderdale Police, City of Fort Lauderdale and even joined in a collaborative problem-solving activity “Mystery at MODS”, where they helped the group track down our (fictional) missing sloth,
Zazou.
Their engagement went beyond observation; it was mentorship in action. We are grateful for their
continued support and belief in experiential learning as a tool for empowerment.
Successful Teen Job Fair at Gary Wendt Teen Center
Our Gary Wendt Teen Center located in Sunrise, FL hosted a successful Teen Job Fair. Thank you TJ
Maxx & HomeGoods, Publix Super Markets and Smoothie King for providing our teens a chance to
explore job opportunities, receive résumé assistance, and contribute to our “Career Closet”, helping them to prepare professionally.
We also had our Lauderhill Club and Leo Goodwin Foundation Teen Center participate. This job fair
offered valuable resources and real-world connections for our Club members.
Advancing Leadership. Advancing Impact.
BGCBC was one of the organizations chosen to participate in Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Advance Leadership Program (ALP) in Dallas, TX.
Our discussions centered on being an even stronger force for youth advocacy and how, as leaders, we can leverage our collective resources to serve even more youth across Broward County. We even had a special virtual visit from BGCA President & CEO Jim Clark.
Thank you to everyone including Greg Kimbrough who made this learning opportunity possible. Your dedication and teamwork continue to help move us forward.
A Special Thank You to Privee at the Colonnade Outlets!
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Privee at the Colonnade Outlets for graciously hosting
our Cattlewomen on October 16th. The evening was filled with great company, shopping, and a good time enjoyed by all!
Interested in becoming a Cattlewoman and getting perks like these?
Contact Amanda McCarthy, Director or Events at amccarthy@bgcbc.org for info!
Miami Dolphins – Huge Support
Thank you to the Miami Dolphins for the numerous ways you support our organization. Together, you’ve helped us empower our Club members through academic, athletic, and personal development while promoting wellness and bridging opportunity gaps. We want to also thank our Board Chair, Peter Oldbury, for being a part of this check presentation.
Our partnership is about shaping future leaders on and off the field.
Recently, our Fred DeLuca Teen Center and Harold “Hackie” Reitman, M.D. Club participated in a voting seminar led by the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. During the session, the teens learned about the importance of voting and the voting process.
They also took part in a mock election where two candidates created campaigns and delivered speeches. In addition, they heard from Senator Dr. Rosalind Osgood and a representative from the Broward Supervisor of Elections office.
Thanks all for an incredible event for our youth!
Best Selling Author Visit – Kwame Mbalia
Bestselling author and vivid storyteller, Kwame Mbalia celebrated the release of his new book “Jax Freeman and the Tournament of Spirits” at our Harold “Hackie” Reitman M.D. and Carver Ranches Clubs. Our Club members got to see the value of storytelling and how powerful imagination can be!
We thank Kwame for brining your stories to life and inspiring our youth one chapter at a time. And we’d like to extend a huge shoutout to Jay’s House Bookshop, a local favorite bookstore, for setting up this awesome book signing event.
Thomas D. Stephanis Club and Hierholzer Teen Center Visit
Because of supporters like Carla Taylor and Jessica Busacca our Club members have the tools,
mentorship, and inspiration they need to soar even higher. Their belief in what’s possible helps keep the spark alive for every child who walks through our doors. Thank you for visiting our Thomas D. Stephanis Club and Hierholzer Teen Center in Pompano Beach, FL. We appreciate you investing in brighter futures.
Congrats Nicole Melendez, BGCA LeadershipNext Graduation
Congrats to our very own Nicole Melendez, BGCBC Vice President of Strategy, on graduating from Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s LeadershipNEXT program.
We are so proud of you for always demonstrating leadership in all that you do. Thank you for continuing to represent our Broward youth and BGCBC in such a positive and impactful light.
Congratulations Shana Rodriguez, Marti Huizenga Club Alumni
We want to give a huge round of applause to Shana Rodriguez!
A former Youth of the Year and proud Marti Huizenga Club alum, Shana has been promoted to Police
Sergeant with the Hollywood Police Department.
From the Boys & Girls Clubs to public service, she continues to lead by example.
We’re proud of you, Sergeant Rodriguez!
Round Up with Walmart
November Work Anniversaries
Please join us to congratulate our Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County November Work Anniversaries! These individuals have shown dedication, disposition, and passion in all they do for BGCBC.
Thank you, Happy Anniversary!
Maya Burke
Shaping Futures since 2023
Upcoming Events
Event season is finally here. Click here to peruse our upcoming events for the fall,
winter and rest of the year!
Hope to see you all there!
