The Desert Ridge Community Association Joins Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale at the 2016 Blue Door Ball Youth of the Year Awards Gala
Contributed by: Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale
On February 20, 2016, at the esteemed Arizona Biltmore Resort, over 600 attendees filled the Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom to celebrate the eight (8) Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale Youth of the Year nominees. Co-title sponsors of the event, Tiffany & Bosco and Great American Title, helped honor Club members who were chosen for their exemplary community service, academic success, volunteerism, and leadership within their individual clubs. The “Blue Door Ball” is the annual gala event for the Clubs to highlight all the Youth of the Year finalists and to award the honor of “Youth of the Year” to one outstanding club member. Arris Austin of the Thunderbirds Branch was awarded the 2016 honor. Arris went on to represent the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale at the State competition in April and did extremely well representing his fellow Club members.
The Desert Ridge Community Association sponsored a table at the event and joined guests who enjoyed a reception complete with hors d’oeuvres, jewelry and wine raffle drawings, a photo booth, and the main event – a sit down 3-course dinner and a live auction. Throughout the evening, each Youth of the Year candidate delivered amazing inspirational speeches, celebrating their individual accomplishment along with what “the Club” has meant to each of them personally. Time and time again the kids spoke of mentors at the Club who had profoundly made a difference in their life journey. The event concluded with a post-party featuring live music and a raffle provided by Tiffany & Co.
All in all, the wonderful evening was able to bring community members, Club staff and Club kids to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of young people in our neighborhoods. It is through the dedicated supporter of sponsors and partners (such as the Desert Ridge Community Association) that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale are able to bring out-of-school-time programs to the young people of our community. Through great mentoring, great programming and a dedicated place “the Club” more than 18,000 youth in the greater Scottsdale community are able to have opportunities to create a future that is bright with potential. As the slogan goes, “Great Futures Start Here.” The Vestar Branch of BGCGS – and the entire organization, its board, staff, and volunteers – are especially grateful for the support and partnership that Desert Ridge Community Association has given. The Club is truly grateful for its partners in youth development and looks forward to many more opportunities to serve the kids in our neighborhoods… together.
