South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Bocaire C.C. joins charitable outpouring during pandemic
With all the challenges facing so many just trying to persevere through these trying times, the Bocaire Country Club in Boca Raton didn’t hesitate to step up and lend assistance.
The club’s community leaders spearheaded a drive that reaped big rewards for many charitable causes where money, food and essential supplies are desperately needed during the pandemic.
Bocaire not only provided financial assistance to Boca Helping Hands but also broadened the scope of giving throughout the city with a “Sheets to Masks” initiative for the THOS Fashion School of Design, a generous supply of non-perishable goods to Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services and even pizza deliveries to local firefighters.
Bocaire’s board of directors, working closely with general manager Maggie Green, set the wheels in motion for all those causes.
“We are proud of our members, our employees and our greater community for stepping up and giving where and when it’s needed most,” said Alex Fisher, who presides over the board and oversees such charitable work.
By involving members in all aspects of the endeavors — from collecting cotton sheets and pillowcases for the THOS school to buying canned food and other products from area stores for JFS to ordering for the pizza party at Boca Raton Fire Station 52 on Pheasant Way — the community just east of Military Trail has been able to accomplish its mission of mercy on many levels.
Bocaire’s fundraising drive resulted in a check for $5,000, which Fisher presented to Boca Helping Hands. The nonprofit provides food, medical and financial assistance to those in need as well as education, job training and guidance to foster selfsufficiency.
“We depend so much on people who care … and communities like Bocaire are the biggest reason why we are able to carry out our mission,” said Greg Hazle, executive director of Boca Helping Hands. “They are an inspiration for us.”
The THOS Fashion School of Design near Mizner Park began an initiative back in March to have its students sew protective masks for health care workers and others on the front line. After learning about the school’s efforts from a Sun Sentinel story, Bocaire reached out to find out what they could do to help.
Informed that the greatest need was for material like the sheets and pillowcases to make the masks, Bocaire Country Club donated bag after bag of items — enough to fill an SUV.
“They brought us so much. We are so grateful,” said Letty Sanchez, the school’s owner and design mentor. “We have made about 150 masks from [their donation], and we still have more in reserve to make even more masks. That shows how supportive those at Bocaire have been to us.”
The Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services sent out an urgent request to help restock their shelves with nonperishable food items for families in need. Once again, Bocaire responded with numerous bags and boxes filled with 200 pounds of especially needed items like tuna, peanut butter and cereal.
“We are very appreciative of Bocaire and all the communities who have supported our food drives during these tough times,” said Danielle Hartman, president and chief executive officer at the Rales’ JFS. “These are items that many shoppers don’t think twice about when putting in their carts, but to those who depend on us these are luxuries that they are thrilled and grateful to receive.”
Hartman noted that more and more people are in desperate need of the food that the local JFS provides, and large donations such as what Bocaire brought to the Jacobson Family Food Pantry go a long way toward filling that need.
To donate to the above-referenced organizations, visit www.bocahelpinghands.org, www.ralesjfs.org or www.thosfashionschoolofdesign.com.