Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana hosted their first large-scale public celebration in over a year on Thursday, with the return of their annual golf outing fundraiser. Hosted at the White Hawk Country Club, every attendee made a gracious donation to further Clubs’ mission to enable Northwest Indiana youths to reach their maximum potential.
The golfers took to the greens at White Hawk Country Club, some experienced veterans and others total beginners – all sharing the common goal of supporting Club members across the Region. Ryan Smiley, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, was excited to see such a strong turnout after the long hiatus of public events.
“There’s no better feeling than gathering together in person with so many people who are all incredibly generous and supportive of our Clubs,” he said. “There’s 55 foursomes and 220 total golfers out there on the course, and the venue is totally new to us which is super exciting. Seeing everyone come together makes it a really special day.”
Smiley noted that the Clubs are working on a wide variety of projects and they are seeing attendance spike. The funds raised will go a long way to accomplishing all of their goals.
“There’s a lot of great things happening right now. Kids are coming back to the Clubs and we’re almost at our pre-COVID summer numbers,” he said. “Marcus Steele Jr, a member of John Will Anderson Gary Boys & Girls Club, was named Midwest Youth of the Year. We also broke ground on a multimillion dollar facility in Valparaiso. That’s possible because we have so many people out there who believe in our mission and want to help our kids.”
A huge variety of businesses stepped up to help sponsor the event, including Presenting Sponsor CAPTRUST. Tim Rice, principal at CAPTRUST, said the financial advisement firm has been a longtime supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana – including sponsoring the golf outing for more than half a decade.
“We believe these Clubs make the community a better place, and lift up those that need assistance,” Rice said. “We’re also excited about what they’re doing in developing young men and women into good citizens, and giving them the opportunities they need to excel in life. It’s imperative that we help make the community a better place.”
CAPTRUST team members do more than offer their financial support; they also regularly volunteer with the Clubs.
“If you’ve never been by a Boys & Girls Club, please go by for a tour because amazing things are happening in there,” he said. “If people just go and check it out, they’ll be amazed and want to be a part of it, and want their children to be a part of it.”
To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana or to make a gift, visit www.bgcgreaternwi.org.
