Best anniversary present in like, ever: Planned Boys & Girls Club in West Palm gets $5M boost from island couple

Some people are just really, really good at gift-giving.

Julie and Mike Connors, for example.

At the dinner dance celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Boys & Girls Clubs, the couple delivered a surprise gift.

A $5 million surprise, to be exact.

The donation is intended as the lead gift for a new clubhouse to be built in the Dreher Park area of West Palm Beach.

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The couple, who serve in leadership positions for the annual fundraising gala, are longtime proponents of the organization and its mission to serve youth.

"We think that, if you believe in yourself, there are no limits to your success," Michael Connors said. "Boys and Girls Clubs deliver an environment where young people can see what's possible, learn to believe in themselves and become successes."

The surprise announcement of the Connors' gift was made by West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James.

Plans call for a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in District 5 near Southern Boulevard to help an estimated 500 members graduate from high school with a plan for the future.

“The Connors’ gift to build a newclub was the ‘icing on the cake’ for this milestone year,” said Jaene Miranda, president and CEO of the county Boys & Girls Clubs.

“Thanks to the Connors’ unwavering philanthropy, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County will be able to reach the children who need us most. Without the support of amazing donors like the Connors, our clubs would be unable to fulfill our mission.”

Recovery from the pandemic-related economic downturn continues in the clubs' service areas, where as many as 95% of members live at or below the poverty line, Miranda said.

Club programs include hunger-relief, mentoring and resiliency programs.

In 2021, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County distributed more than 675,000 nutritious meals to children who otherwise would have gone hungry.

“The effects of the last two years along with the rising cost of food and labor are addressed through our clubs’ programming, which is crucial to the communities we serve." Miranda said.

"Thanks to the generosity shown by our supporters, our club members will be able to continue to focus on reaching their full potential.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach couple give five million to help build Boys & Girls Club