Boys & Girls Clubs return with leadership breakfast

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto counties made a celebratory return with its 15th annual Intertape Polymer Group Leadership Breakfast on Sept. 9.

Supporters returned to the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club after a year away for a breakfast event that recognized local figures who have worked to empower teenagers. This year's breakfast honored two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, who played college football at Ohio State and for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals, and Lisa Bechtold, executive director of the Take Stock in Children Sarasota nonprofit.

Boys and Girls Clubs CEO and President Bill Sadlo updated the audience on the organization's activities before letting the honorees have their time to speak.

Griffin accepted his award privately and addressed the audience through a livestream. 

Bechtold, who had recently returned from taking her son  to college, spoke about how much the award meant to her and her appreciation for all the people in her life who helped her get to where she was today.