South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
BOCA CONCOURS FOUNDERS CELEBRATE 10TH YEAR
Editor’s Note: This article was first published in City & Shore Magazine on Feb. 5, 2016.
Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance cofounder Rick Case says he’s looking forward to this year’s celebration of vehicular obsession, Feb. 19-21, once again benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County.
“It’s an exciting year, a combination of Jay Leno and the 10th anniversary, and we will feature a Classic Car Club of America Grand Classic, one of only four held a year in America,” says Case, who co-founded the annual event with his wife, Rita. “That is going to be huge – these are the best cars in the country.”
The three-day event kicks off Feb. 19 with the duPont Registry Live hangar party and mingle-fest at Boca Raton Airport’s Atlantic Aviation. The Grand Gala Dinner at Boca Raton Resort & Club Feb. 20 features the comedy of Leno, who will also serve as an honorary judge at the concours Feb. 21. The Boca Raton Resort & Club grounds will be packed with automobiles and motorcycles from throughout history, gourmet food and wine plus, Case adds, family-friendly fare.
“It’s a family event — not just for car lovers,” he says.
At the Grand Gala, Rick and Rita will receive the Lifetime Achievement
Award — a move the founders of Rick Case Automotive Group opposed at first. “I put on the show — I can’t honor myself,” Rick says. However, event organizers insisted that it was appropriate on the 10th anniversary, and he conceded.
Rick and Rita Case have been involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County for three decades, founding 14 events, including the Yacht Rendezvous, which celebrated 28 years in November. In 2015 the Boca Concours attracted about 5,500 attendees. To date, the event has generated more than $8 million for the BGCBC.
Brian Quail, president/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, says the Cases have been instrumental to the success of the organization. “Either through the creation of fundraising events, the donation of their own personal contributions, developing relationships to the betterment of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County or donating bikes to our members, [they] have always been there for our members,” Quail says. “Thousands of young people live in a better world because Rita and Rick Case care.”
Rick Case explains the reason for their support in simple terms: “It’s a way to raise money for our kids, to build more clubs and get more kids off the streets, to keep them in school and out of jail.”