Jim Larkin, Shannon Lane and Ed Hemann
FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 25, 2013) – Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café at the Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers kicked off the start of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament with a tip-off party on Thursday, March 21.
The event, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., included complimentary appetizers, draft and domestic beers and wine, and silent auction items with proceeds benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County.
Shoeless Joe’s also began televising the NCAA tournament games on its more than 40 TVs.
“We had a great start to what we hope will be a Championship run for our own FGCU Men’s Eagles basketball team,” said Jim Larkin, general manager Crowne Plaza Hotel Fort Myers and board chair of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County. “What an exciting beginning, and we will continue to root on the Eagles as they shine a great spotlight on Southwest Florida.”
Now in its 39th year of providing quality youth programs in Lee County, the Boys & Girls Clubs or Lee County provides more than 30,000 hours of service to more than 420 young people in our community. More than 1,300 youth demonstrated academic success, character and leadership and healthy lifestyles last year from the agency’s programs.
“These youth rely on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County to provide a safe place to explore their interests and learn valuable life skills,” said Shannon Lane, Director of Operations for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lee County. “This cannot be accomplished without the generous support of businesses and individuals in our community.”
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs is to inspire and enable young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Membership dues are $10 per school year so that all children can have access to our programs. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County relies upon the philanthropic support of individuals, corporations and foundations in order to sustain and grow its services.
For more information, contact Shannon Lane at 239-334-1886 or slane@bgclc.net.
Mary Larkin and Kelly Behrens
Lili and Ray Racila
Auction items
Lee Bellamy and Kevin Healey
