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Louis and Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust names Boys & Girls Club in Arcadia Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County announces expansion, receives unanimous support from City of Arcadia Contact Name: Sara Bealor Contact Email: sbealor@bgcsarasota.com Contact Phone Number: 941-366-3911 The Louis and Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust has provided Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County with a lead gift to expand the organization’s sixth Boys & Girls Club location at 14 School Ave. in Arcadia. With authorization from Eric Kaplan and Dean Hautamaki, co-trustees of the Louis and Gloria Philanthropic Trust, the site will be named the Louis and Gloria Flanzer Boys & Girls Club. Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County began operating this facility in July 2018 and started providing children, ages 6 to 11, with year-round programs that help them excel in school, become leaders and adopt healthy habits. Children also receive healthy meals and snacks and foster meaningful relationships with peers and trusted mentors. The Club is currently serving at maximum capacity with nearly 75 children participating in programs each day. Earlier this year, the City of Arcadia transferred the lease of the Smith-Brown Recreation Center that sits adjacent to the building to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. The goal is to transform the structure into a multi-purpose gymnasium for youth with designated space for physical activities, project-based learning and healthy education that further fosters their personal development. The facility will also be available for community use outside of the Club’s operating hours, and will become a valuable community asset. “We are honored to have a Boys & Girls Club on the Smith-Brown Campus,” said Bill Sadlo, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. “This lead gift from the Flanzer Philanthropic Trust will allow our organization to serve more deserving youth in Arcadia and expand our current slate of programmatic opportunities.” On July 16, the City of Arcadia Council unanimously approved the organization’s plans for renovation. The renovation will include tributes to the Smith-Brown’s significant impact on the community, as well as, local trailblazers such as Coach Richard Bowers. Other key partners of this expansion project include The Gardener Foundation, Bill & Mary Ann Becker, Peace River Citrus Products, Inc., James M. Doss Foundation, Janice S. Kelly Memorial Foundation and Hoyt Architects. Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County is also nearing completion of the Arcadia Community Matching Challenge where all donations in support of the programs at the Louis and Gloria Flanzer Boys & Girls Club will be matched 1:1, up to $400,000, by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. For more information, visit bgcsarasota.com or call 941-366-3911. About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County has been a leading youth-serving organization in Sarasota County and its surrounding area since 1970, and provides enriching after-school and summer programs to thousands of youth, ages 6 to 18, at six Club locations and four school sites. The organization’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need services the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The programs are designed to empower youth to excel in school, become leaders, adopt healthy habits and create plans for success after high school graduation. For more information, visit bgcsarasota.com or call 941-366-3911.