The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester (BGCNW) recently hosted its 27th gala at which it honored philanthropic community leader Seema Boesky. There were more than 220 attendees at Crabtree”™s Kittle House in Chappaqua, including Club staff and teen members.
Ӣ Club CEO Alyzza Ozer welcomed the guests and highlighted many of the ClubӪs outstanding accomplishments, including:
Ӣ Where the event was held June marks the 13th year that 100% of the ClubӪs high school seniors are graduating on time and going to university;
Ӣ BGCNWӪs Marlins swim team has won the Boys & Girls Club of AmericaӪs National Championship for the past 21 years and for the first time in its 52-year history was recognized by USA Swimming with a Bronze status.
“BGCNW”™s Keystone Club tied for first place for the Bedford 2030 Greenlight Leadership and Innovation Award. The winners were applauded for their advocacy skills, which is one of the Club”™s key programming differentiators.
Boesky, who has been a passionate supporter of the Club for 48 years, attributes this, in part, to the values her parents instilled in her about the importance of giving back.
The event also featured club alumni Marc Lener, M.D., who is a clinical psychiatrist, clinical psychiatric researcher, educator and social entrepreneur, who credits much of his success to the Club. He was three years old, a transracially adopted child, originally born in South Korea, living with his parents in Mount Kisco, when he attended the Club
“Community isn”™t just about giving to the needy or the underserved ”” each of us will struggle and succeed along the way; it”™s about creating a space to allow humans to elevate other humans. In this time of tension and division, we need to focus on community and the ties that bind us,” Lener said.
The evening concluded with a live auction, which included an opportunity to go horseback riding and have breakfast with Martha Stewart at her Westchester estate. It sold for $25,000. All the event proceeds go to helping the Club to continue to inspire and enable young people, especially those who need them most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.
