Freedom Boat Club promotes second year of Big Brothers Big Sisters campaign
Freedom Boat Club announced its second year of a national campaign to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, a 113-year-old volunteer-supported mentoring network. The more than 300 BBBS affiliates across the country serve more than150,000 children, professionally matching adult volunteers (“Bigs”) with children 6-8 years old (“Littles”) in life-changing friendships.
In 2016, the Freedom Boat Club corporate franchisor organized its first-ever nationwide charitable campaign involving its franchise network to support BBBS. In the first year of the campaign, clubs hosted boating events and organized fundraising initiatives, which raised and contributed more than $61,000 to BBBS.
“Our corporate and franchise clubs really felt good about working together and giving back in our respective communities,” said Freedom Boat Club President and CEO John Giglio, who has since accepted a position on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast. “We are very pleased to host events that provide many at-risk young people with an opportunity to experience boating and to hopefully create positive memories that will last a lifetime.”
While Freedom Boat Club owner/operators often support a variety of charitable groups in their markets, the concept was to choose one major organization where the entire Freedom Boat Club network could work together and make a significant contribution.
“We appreciated Freedom Boat Club’s first year of contributions, and heard great things from our affiliates across the country regarding the boating events hosted by their clubs,” said Pam Iorio, CEO and president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “The Bigs and Littles really enjoyed boating and having opportunities to participate in an activity many had never experienced before.”
Continuing its campaign theme, “BOATING BIG! ALL ABOARD FOR THE LITTLES,” Freedom Boat Clubs throughout the nation will collaborate with local BBBS affiliates to host a variety of approved fundraising initiatives and special events. This year’s campaign will conclude with designated “All on Deck” boating parties on Saturday, Sept. 16 held throughout the nation.
Fundraising activities that will benefit BBBS include a mix of member and vendor solicitation initiatives, earmarked funds off of 1x membership fees and local activities held in cooperation with BBBS affiliates.
For more information about Freedom Boat Club and its BOATING BIG! ALL ABOARD FOR THE LITTLES campaign, contact FBC Chief Marketing Officer Wanda Kenton Smith at wanda@freedomboatclub.com or visit www.freedomboatclub.com.
For information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, visit www.bbbs.org.
