Tony Caridi to speak at annual Boys & Girls Club dinner
VIENNA — The Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg will hold its 21st annual Dinner at 6:30 p.m. today at Grand Pointe Conference Center where sportscaster Tony Caridi will be the guest speaker.
Caridi has worked for the West Virginia Radio Corp.’s Metronews Statewide Sportsline for over 20 years. Caridi is a multiple winner of the state’s sportscaster of the year award and has broadcast nationally on ESPN, Westwood Radio and regionally for the Big East and Atlantic 10 television networks.
There will be a VIP reception with Caridi before the dinner at 5:30 p.m.
Now in its 21st year, the dinner raises operating funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg.
Executive Director Ben Shuman said they have set a goal to raise $20,000 with the dinner.
The club, at 1200 Mary St. in Parkersburg, charges $20 per child per year to take advantage of all of the programs available there.
It costs around $500 a year to provide services to each child.
”The other $480 for each child comes through the community,” Shuman said. ”We get no money from the city, county, state or the federal government.”
The club provides homework help and tutoring, health and fitness classes and teaching citizenship skills. Over the last year, the club provided 37,000 meals and snacks to kids.
The dinner is a major fundraiser for the club that helps boys and girls, some who will attend the dinner and sit with sponsors. The club serves over 1,250 members, ages 6-18, and the money will be used to serve over 200 children a day in the summer and for general programing, Shuman said.
Later in the evening, the club will introduce the Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg’s 2017 Youth of the Year, Paige Martin.
About 150 people have confirmed to attend the dinner.
Local support allows the club to do what it does, Shuman said.
”It is the community that allows us to be able to make a difference in the lives of these kids,” he said. ”We are looking forward to having a great night out.”
Those interested in purchasing a ticket or table can still contact the club at 304-485-6434 or pay at the door.
Corporate tables of 10 are available for $1,000 and VIP tables are $1,250. Individual tickets are $125.