Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County goes Western

Steak and Burgers 2019 served as both a fundraiser and celebration of the Youth of the Year.

By Niki Kottmann
| 11:00 p.m. February 1, 2019

Black Tie

Giddy-up, everyone, it’s time to throw on your cowboy hat and relive the fun from Steak and Burger 2019.

Guests were dressed in their Western best at the annual Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County fundraiser Feb. 1 at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club. Everyone was greeted by young club members at the gate, beyond which they could pose in the photo booth, hang out with goats, sheep and pony in the petting zoo or learn more about the five Youth of the Year candidates.

Those candidates were Lei’Asha Battle, Raven Gibson, Katherine Hernandez, Isabella Whitby and Leonela Tase Sueir, all of whom were introduced by emcees Alejandro Horn and Rickey Tedesco (the 2018 Youth of the Year for Sarasota County who went on to win 2018 Florida Youth of the Year).

As Horn said in the Western-style video at the start of the program, it was a tough competition, but Leonela Tase Sueir came out on top and earned the title of 2019 Youth of the Year.

The evening also celebrated Outstanding Alumnus Mack Reid, a 46-year veteran of programming and administration with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.