BGCS Advocates Recognized at Fundraiser in Stamford

From the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford:

The Boys & Girls Club of Stamford (BGCS) formally recognized three major advocates of the organization at its 2016 City Chic fundraiser in The Palace Theatre at the Stamford Center for the Arts in Stamford. More than 350 guests attended the event on Thursday, March 24, including Stamford Mayor David Martin, State Sen. Toni Boucher, BGCS Board members and staff, business and individual supporters and young club members themselves.

“This year’s City Chic was a huge success, thanks to the generosity of our event’s sponsors and attendees,” explains Michael Cotela, BGCS executive director. “In a single evening, our organization netted over $300,000 to fund the wide range of BGCS programs that help boys and girls in the Stamford area, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”

The focal point of the evening was the presentation of special awards to three dedicated BGCS supporters: Corporate Partnership Award to the Law Firm of Shipman & Goodwin LLP of Stamford, Greenwich, Hartford, New Haven, Lakeville, New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Guardian of the Community Award to Dominic Franchella, Owner of Stamford Ford Lincoln and Lifetime Achievement Award to John Griswold of Stamford.

“These 2016 honorees have enabled the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford to expand and strengthen our programs and community outreach, and we greatly appreciate their tremendous support, “ says Scott Centrella, BGCS board president. “Their hands-on involvement and extremely generous financial and in-kind contributions enable us to make a meaningful impact on the lives of the local youth we serve every day

Corporate Partnership awardee Shipman & Goodwin LLP is the lead sponsor of the BGCS ”Diplomas2Degrees” program that shows young members how to set short, medium and long term goals throughout the school year, in order to reach their ultimate goal of graduating on time. The law firm also is a Supporting sponsor of the BGCS’s Corporate 5K road race and City Chic fundraiser. The firm selected BGCS as the beneficiary of its “Lawyers Retreat” in 2012 when more than 80 attorneys from all of the firm’s Connecticut offices and Washington, D.C. location rolled up their sleeves and tackled a variety of landscaping, painting and building projects at the Club’s Stillwater Ave. location. Every year, attorneys and staff personally raise funds for BGCS’s summer camp and school year programs by organizing “Jeans Days” and other office events in Stamford and Hartford.

Guardian of the Community awardee Dominic Franchella, owner of Stamford Ford Lincoln, and his staff have helped BGCS in many ways over the past seven years, giving more than $75,000 through charitable gifts to children and their families. Stamford Ford Lincoln's generosity has ranged from donating a 16-passenger van to transport children when the organization’s van was destroyed by fire, to hosting charitable events at the Club including the “12 families of Christmas” when 12 BGCS families were given gift certificates to local supermarkets to purchase their holiday meals. A BGCS family’s dream came true when they received an all-expenses-paid vacation to Disney World and, most recently, Franchella and his team purchased and delivered holiday gifts for eight BGCS families. In addition, Stamford Ford Lincoln holds an annual toy drive, Fill-a-Ford, where they fill a Ford F-150 with toys to deliver to the BGCS during Christmas.

Lifetime Achievement awardee John Griswold is a past chair of the Board of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford and is a member of the National Board of Trustees of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He has provided leadership in many areas throughout his 50 years of involvement with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stamford, imparting organizational vision, business expertise and fundraising resources. He was awarded a special proclamation at the event by State Sen. Toni Boucher for his lifetime of service to the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford.

The 2016 City Chic presenting sponsors were the Ashforth Company and GE Asset Management. BGCS Chief Development Officer Christine S. Larsen managed the gala with Event Chair Karyn Ward of The Ashforth Company. The evening featured entertainment, refreshments, silent auction and raffles and a live auction emceed by Stamford’s own Bobby Valentine. Special highlights of the evening were the Boys & Girls Club’s West African Drummers and Dancers group and words of thanks from Bryanna Rosa, the 2015 BGCS Youth of the Year, who told how the club has made a difference in her life. Additionally, Clayton Fowler, the chairman and CEO of Spinnaker Real Estate Partners, LLC in Norwalk, stepped forward during the evening and announced that his firm would match the funds raised for the Live and Silent Auctions and for the Club’s Wish List, resulting in a match gift of $50,000.

The Boys & Girls Club of Stamford (BGCS) has provided after school activities and youth development services in the city since 1927. The organization provides young people, ages 6-18, with a safe environment in which to learn, grow and develop positive relationships with peers and caring adults. The 501(c) 3 organization provides innovative programs at two locations to nearly 1,500 members, most of whom live below the poverty level in Stamford. Programs focus on five core areas: Character & Leadership Development; Education & Career Development; Arts; Health & Life Skills; and Sports & Recreation. Further information is available through the Stamford Boys & Girls Club website.