For 25 Years YOU Have Made A Difference
Dear Friends,

By supporting the Taco Bell Charity Golf Classic, you are providing hope and opportunity to the kids who need us most throughout Northeast Ohio.   Please take a look at the life stories of 4 club kids profiled below…and know that YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE.  
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Richard Starr​
For most of Richard Starr’s life, his father has been in prison and several other male role models were incarcerated. His mother worked two jobs to feed her six children. Starr himself was on the path for trouble when he discovered Boys & Girls Clubs; it became his second home.

Buoyed by his Club experience, Richard became East Tech High School class president, a star football player and the 2007 Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year for Ohio. After graduation, he became a tireless advocate for Cleveland’s youth as a Club director in the neighborhood in which he grew up and later as Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio’s Sports and Athletics Director. Richard also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baldwin Wallace University. In November, Richard was elected to the city of Cleveland’s Ward 5 City Council seat.
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​Janella Blanchard
Janella Blanchard, who grew up in Cleveland’s Mount Pleasant Neighborhood, was the first person in her family to go to college. She acknowledges that it was her membership in the Boys & Girls Club that pushed her in that direction – one she had not considered. Club staff members helped her with everything from scholarship opportunities to filling out applications. Janella flourished at Bowling Green State University, finishing with a 3.6 grade point average. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Cleveland State University. Today, Janella is a high school career coach at Youth Opportunities Unlimited in Cleveland.
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​Rikki Kyle
Rikki Kyle’s interest in communications was forged at the Boys & Girls Club. Rikki, an East Cleveland resident who had been a Club and junior staff member, in 2016 became the first editor of Club News, a print publication for kids in the Cleveland Clubs. She was also president of Keystone Club, a leadership group, and youth ambassador to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. Rikki graduated from Beaumont School and then received her bachelor’s degree in communications from American University in Washington, D.C. Today, she is working for the public relations firm THE DOOR in New York City.
​Sincerely,

The Tournament Committee
Tom Cook, Mike Gorlitz, Joe LaRoche, Rick Nader, Jeff Scott,  Will Starks
Our Mission:
To inspire and enable young people who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio: 
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio was formed by the 2019 merger of Clubs in Cleveland, Akron, Lorain County and Sandusky. BGCNEO provides safe, fun places for kids ages 6-18 at 39 sites in five counties.
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Core programs:
  • Academic success: Our staff aims to improve literacy, enforce homework completion, expand access to technology, engage youths in the arts and prepare teens for college and careers.
  • Healthy lifestyles: Our programs nurture members’ overall wellbeing by promoting healthy habits and reducing risky ones.
  • Character and citizenship: Our programs encourage service to the Club and community, promote respect for self and others and build leadership skills.
PRIVATE DONATIONS
If you are unable to attend the event, please consider making a private donation.