Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County\u2019s annual Evening at the Ballpark welcomed 225 guests and raised $160,000 to support programs that serve local children and teens.<\/p>\n
Held March 18 at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, the event brought together baseball-themed activities, interactive games and a lively concourse reception at Fenway South. Guests stepped onto the outfield grass for dinner, where Boston Red Sox players Carlos Narv\u00e1ez, Nate Eaton and Payton Tolle signed autographs and offered attendees an inside look at the game during the Player Panel discussion.<\/p>\n
From the field beneath the Green Monster, the evening underscored how Boys & Girls Clubs create environments where young people are encouraged to grow in confidence, take on leadership roles and envision what comes next in their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not just providing after-school or summer programs,\u201d said Denise Gergley, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County. \u201cWe believe every young person has the potential to succeed when they are surrounded by the right guidance and opportunities. Our clubs give youth a place to be seen, supported and challenged, helping them build the skills and confidence they need to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Telicia Carter, a club member recently named Lee County\u2019s 2026 Youth of the Year, and Junior Youth of the Year Lorenzo Simpson shared how their experiences at the club helped them build confidence, discover their voices and step into leadership roles among their peers.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore I joined, I was nervous to speak up or try new things,\u201d Simpson said. \u201cThe Boys and Girls Club taught me to believe in myself and go after my goals. It\u2019s a place where everyone\u2019s welcomed and valued, no matter where they come from.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the youth presentations, the evening continued with a silent auction, raffle and \u201cCall to Heart,\u201d reinforcing the connection between community generosity and meaningful outcomes for local youth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis event was a reflection of what\u2019s possible when our Lee County community shows up for youth,\u201d Gergley said after the event. \u201cWe\u2019re grateful to our sponsors and everyone who joined us, and because of that support, additional children and teens will have the opportunity to grow, succeed and see what\u2019s possible for their future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Boston Red Sox hosted the event and contributed $10,000 to support Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County\u2019s programs. The Minnesota Twins also donated $5,000 to support the organization\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
Evening at the Ballpark\u2019s Hall of Fame Sponsor was B&I Contractors. VIP Sponsors included CVS Health, Charles Schwab, Frank R. Jenkins Custom Homes, Pacific Peak and Seagate Development. Grand Slam Sponsors were Storm Smart and Home Tech. Home Run Sponsor was Lake Michigan Credit Union.<\/p>\n
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County<\/p>\n
Established in 1974, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County serve children and teens through school-based, neighborhood and community club locations. The nonprofit\u2019s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. After-school and summer programs focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation. For more information, please visit BGClee.org<\/a> or call 239-334-1886.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County\u2019s annual Evening at the Ballpark welcomed 225 guests and raised $160,000…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":116360,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":["post-269020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}