Five Adopt-A-Club sponsors partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County to host festive holiday parties and surprise local youth with toys and gifts.

GL Homes, Hertz, FineMark National Bank & Trust, Ocean Church and Suncoast Credit Union provided over 200 children and teens with a memorable experience of a festive holiday party that included gifts, hot cocoa, sweets, music and photos with Santa Claus.

Hertz, which sponsored Boys & Girls Clubs’ 2022 Back2School Bash and donated a custom passenger van, hosted members of the North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts School Club for a party at the rental car company’s corporate headquarters in Estero. There, children and teens enjoyed a holiday party featuring Christmas crafts, tasty treats and had their photos taken with Santa in front of a custom Christmas-themed vehicle. Hertz employees donated and wrapped toys, games and gifts off the club’s wish list so each child could bring home a present.

GL Homes, a custom Florida homebuilder, hosted a holiday party in addition to serving as presenting sponsor for Boys & Girls Clubs’ annual Holiday Gift Drive. Over a five-week period this fall, GL Homes, along with support from local businesses and Southwest Florida residents, donated more than 1,200 toys, board games, dolls, stuffed animals, electronics, sporting goods and gift cards. On Dec. 9, parents of club members visited the Park Meadows Community Club for the second annual Christmas Toy Giveaway, browsing a selection of items before choosing gifts for their children. Then on Dec. 14, GL Homes hosted a holiday party at the Renaissance Preserve Neighborhood Club in Fort Myers, where 60 children not only received gifts of their own, but also had opportunities to choose gifts for their parents or guardians. The goal was to allow children to experience the pride in giving as well as receiving during this holiday season.

Two GL Homes employees even made special appearances as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Members at all our locations received equally festive parties and gifts to take home thanks to FineMark, which hosted the Pueblo Bonita Neighborhood Club; Ocean Church, which hosted a joint party for Lehigh Acres Community Club and Varsity Lakes Middle School Club; and Suncoast Credit Union, which provided a party for members of the Park Meadows Community Club.

Established in 1974, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County serve children and teens through school-based, neighborhood and community club locations. The nonprofit’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. After-school and summer programs focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation.

For additional information, please visit BGClee.org or call 239-334-1886.