Boys and Girls Club of Porter County Hosts 16th Annual Steak & Burger Dinner

It’s always a special night when kids are the guests of honor. On Tuesday night the Boys and Girls Club of Porter County hosted their 16th Annual Steak & Burger Dinner, which gathers kids and community supporters together to celebrate and raise money for children to be a part of their clubs. The event also featured various speakers, as well as handing out a few prizes and honors.

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“Tonight gives the opportunity to bring our kids together with our sponsors and donors to talk about the impact we have not only in these kids’ lives in but all of the kids’ lives throughout our clubs every day,” President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County Ryan Smiley explained. “This event sets itself apart because it really puts our kids first and lets the community come together to interact with them one-on-one. It lets the kids tell them their club story and let them really see the impact they can have on the children in our community.”

The Boys and Girls Club tradition of letting the kids be the guest of honor and the adults take the back seat, along with the adults eating a burger with the kids being treated to a steak, is something that the kids love being a part of just as much as one would think. Portage Boys and Girls Club member Sanja Kirova, who was also awarded this year’s Porter County Youth of the Year title, relayed that this event is something she has always looked forward to.

“I’ve been a part of the dinner for the past three years now, but it’s equally exciting each year,” Kirova stated. “I love being a part of this night to let people know about what the Club is all about and why we love it so much. Everyone that goes to the Portage Club with me are like my siblings and I love them from the bottom of my heart. It’s been such a great experience and I want everyone to know that.”

The dinner gathered hundreds of club members and donors together at mixed tables where everyone got to know each other over their steak and burgers. Once the kids ate up their Salisbury steak and the adults topped off their burger, the event continued with a jam-packed second half.

Keynote speaker Bobby O’Donnell took the stage to talk about his life changing experience from the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. O’Donnell touched on the theme of the night - to face your biggest fears, to go the extra mile, and accomplish great things.

After O’Donnell left the stage, it came to the Club member's favorite part. 42 selected kids from all of the Porter County Clubs were awarded with bicycles courtesy of Family Express. Quickly following gifts for some of the current members, the attendees got the opportunity to gift some future members. The night ended with an auction-style round donations, which raised over $20,000 by the time it was done. The money raised will waive the membership price for families so that more kids can join the already 1,100 members in Porter County.

In all between the dinner, speakers, awards, and fundraising the message of the night was resounding and clear - the Boys and Girls Club can change kids’ lives. The support from the community at this year’s Steak and Burger Dinner showed that as long as they’re involved the Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County will be around to change lives well into the future. Boys and Girls Club of Porter County Foundation member Michael Simpson said that the lives of his nephews have been changed because the Club, and there are more kids who deserve the chance to experience being a part of something that can make a difference for the better.

“[The Boys and Girls Club] is a place that is safe, fun, educational; it added value to their lives and gives them a path to a great future,” Simpson stated. “There are many examples of how much of a difference the clubs make in a kid’s life - regardless of the financial situation - throughout Porter county. It makes a huge, huge difference and every kid should have the opportunity to experience being a part of it.”