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Five exceptional, college-bound teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County were recognized on Tuesday, September 19, by ESPN Television sports analyst, author and philanthropist Dick Vitale. Vitale and his wife Lorraine awarded each recipient a $1,000 scholarship to help support their postsecondary education. The Vitales have been presenting college scholarships to deserving Boys & Girls Club members in Sarasota County since 1997, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 105 and amount of scholarship support to $105,000. “The Vitales are instrumental advocates for our organization who continue to help make the dream of a college education a reality for outstanding Boys & Girls Club members,” said Bill Sadlo, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. “This year’s scholarship recipients were chosen by Club staff for their commitment to their academic success and leadership.” The 2018 Dick Vitale Scholarship recipients include: • Wilmaryam Bosque, 18, a 12-year Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club member who recently graduated from North Port High School and is studying History at State College of Florida; • Zoe Bouck, 19, a Sarasota High School graduate who attended the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club for 12 years and is pursuing a degree in Social Services at State College of Florida; • Imari Pinckney, 18, a 2-year Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club member and graduate of Southeast High School who is seeking a degree in Health & Science from Valencia Community College; • Lindsey Richmond, 18, a Sports Medicine major at Broward College who graduated from Sarasota High School and attended the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club for 12 years; and • Rickey Tedesco, 19, a recent Venice High School graduate and current Florida Youth of the Year who attended the Robert and Joan Lee Boys & Girls Club for 11 years and is pursuing a degree in Commercial Music Performance, Audio Engineering and Production at Belmont University. “It is such an honor and privilege to support the great kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County with academic scholarships,” said Dick Vitale. “We hope these awards will inspire and empower the young leaders to follow their dreams in college.” In addition to personal contributions, the Vitales have helped raise more than $1 million for the organization’s award-winning programs that help children, ages 6 to 18, succeed in school, become leaders and adopt healthy lifestyle habits. The family also gives their time and energy through several motivational speaking engagements throughout the year, as well as, thousands of dollars to provide holiday gifts to local Boys & Girls Club members every December. The organization recently honored Dick Vitale at the 13th Annual Intertape Polymer Group Leadership Breakfast on September 14 for his commitment to empowering teens as leaders. About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County have played an integral role in the Sarasota County community for more than 48 years, providing daily programs and services to thousands of young people. The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The vision is to provide a world-class Club experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who walks through our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle. For more information, visit bgcsarasota.com.