Every year Boys Town New England honors a person, group, or company that has gone above and beyond to help children and families, but this year the event focused on something a little different—Boys Town turning 100.

On September 29, 2017, the Boys Town New England Spirit of Youth Gala was held at the Providence Biltmore Hotel where 200 guests were in attendance to celebrate Boys Town helping children and families across the nation for 100 years.

The evening started out with a few words from Board Chair Lee Silvestre and Executive Director Bill Reardon, followed by Community Developer Marcy Shyllon who spoke about the new Community Engagement Project the site is currently working on. Attendees were also able to hear a first-hand account of Boys Town's impact on the community from Yefri Acevedo, a former Boys Town youth.

However, an evening of celebration did not stop there. Throughout the night, guests were able to participate in some games of chance as well as a silent auction. Guests had a variety of items to choose from to express their competitive edge such as Celtics tickets, a signed Boston Bruins jersey, and a large care package for your canine companion. The highest bid was on a two night stay in New York City and $500 gift card to spend on Broadway tickets.

With the help of incredibly generous guests and members of the community, Boys Town New England was able to reach their goal of $75,000 by the end of the night. "The money raised will help all of our programs, but more specifically will help pay for Common Sense Parenting and Community Engagement," Ashley Medeiros said.

Through generous donations and the kind-hearted spirit of community members, Boys Town can continue to serve children and families for another 100 years!