4th Annual Evening Honoring the U.S. Military

Benefitting the Lauderdale Yacht Club Sailing Foundation

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

6:00 PM Cocktail Party • 7:30 PM Dinner

Lauderdale Yacht Club

LYC Sailing Foundation Hosts Successful 4th Annual Evening Honoring the US Military

Fort Lauderdale, FL – May 16, 2024 – The Lauderdale Yacht Club Sailing Foundation (LYCSF) successfully held its 4th annual fundraising dinner on May 9th, 2024, setting sail for an unforgettable evening that honored the brave men and women of the US Military.

Sage Steele, American television anchor who was raised in a military family, emceed the elegant waterfront event. The evening brought together community members, sailing enthusiasts, esteemed military and civilian performers in town for the Air Show and many veterans for a night of celebration, appreciation, and fundraising. Guests enjoyed heartwarming tributes to our military heroes, and heard from young people who shared their enthusiasm and experiences with sailing.

“This year’s event was a tremendous success,” said Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Co-Chair of the LYCSF 4th Annual Evening Honoring the US Military. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, sponsored, or donated, for helping us raise critical funds.”

The LYCSF uses sailing to empower youth which fosters leadership, teamwork, and resilience. Funds raised at the event will directly contribute to:

  • Empowering youth through community sailing programs, cultivating life skills and leadership qualities.
  • Funding grants for aspiring young sailors to compete and scholarships for underserved children interested in sailing.
  • Providing sailing programs for children of fallen military personnel.

“We have grown to meet the needs of our community’s children through the sport of sailing. We offer these transformative programs that make a real difference in the lives of children through the sport of sailing,” said Beth Rielly, Chair of the LYCSF.

The LYCSF would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the event chairs, committee members, sponsors, donors, underwriters, and volunteers who made this event a resounding success.

For more than 10 years, the Lauderdale Yacht Club Sailing Foundation (LYCSF) has been dedicated to favorably impacting the lives of young people from all social and economic situations through the sport of sailing.  We provide opportunity to children who would not otherwise have the resources to learn to sail.

The Foundation funds incredible programs such as:

To date, the LYCSF has supported more than 1,000 children. Last year, we provided more funding and programs than ever as the demand has increased. We feel strongly that sailing builds character, self-reliance, independence, self-respect, and leadership skills.

Thank you for your consideration for our young sailors.

For more information or questions, contact sara@howleygroupllc.com or (954) 249-7771.

View Photos from Event

Sage Steele
Event Emcee & Broadcast Journalist

We are excited to announce Sage Steele as the emcee for our 4th Annual Evening Honoring the Military. Sage is currently the host of The Sage Steele Show on Bill Maher’s podcast network, Club Random Studios. This highly respected broadcaster is best known for her 16-year tenure at ESPN, where she hosted SportsCenter, as well as various live events, such as the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals and The Masters. Outside of sports, Sage has hosted events like The Scripps National Spelling Bee and The Miss America Pageant. With a journalism career that began in local markets and led to regional networks, Sage has a wealth of experience in the industry.

Dedicated to philanthropy, Sage serves on the boards of The Boys & Girls Club of America, The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. She also volunteers with organizations like The Alzheimer’s Association and is active in her local church. A proud mother of three, Sage’s personal life reflects her commitment to family and community.

Sage comes from a military family, which is what inspired her to emcee our event. Her father and uncle are West Point graduates and Army veterans. Her father, Gary Steele, was the first black varsity football player at West Point during the mid-1960s. We’re honored to have Sage Steele host our 4th Annual Evening Honoring the Military.

Thank You to our Sponsors

Military Sponsors

The Robert T. Friedman Family Foundation

John Ulbrich Charitable Trust, Inc.

Table Sponsors

The Rielly Family

The Drum Family

Malcolm Farrel & Pamela Flaherty

Jeff & Michele Thomas

Craig & Ann Cadwalader

JD & Mary Rulien

Robert & Lorrie Roschman Family

The Carroll Group of Morgan Stanley

Sherra & Todd Payne Family

Underwriters

The Rick & Rita Case Family Fund

The Hudson Family Foundation

The Lozick Family Foundation

Robert T. Friedman Family Foundation

Ross Family Fund

John Jay Mann, Jr. and Sandi Mann

Joseph & Judy Sebring

Jack & Susan Loving

The Geary Family

George & Maryanna Uznis

James Maus

Eric Hill

Richard & Christine Welch

George & Maryanna Uznis

Dr. Harry & Ann Marie Moon

David & Lisa Burgess

In Kind

Donate Directly to our Young Sailors

Gold Star Sailing Camp — 18 Kids
Everglades Tour $400
Teambuilding Excursion $500
Lifejackets (total for 18) [Generously Provided by The Geary Family] $550
Painting Party for the kids [Generously Provided by Dr. Harry & Ann Marie Moon] $700
Bowling Party and Dinner [Generously Provided by Richard & Christine Welch] $850
Lodging/Accommodations for 1 Gold Star kid (18 needed) [1 Provided by TOTE Group] $1,100 per sailor
Lunch for the Camp [Generously Provided by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital] $2,000
Breakfast for the kids for the week [Generously Provided by David & Lisa Burgess] $2,000
Ground Transportation for Camp [Generously Provided by The Lozick Family Foundation] $2,500
Gold Star Sailing Swag Bags! Any amount appreciated! Each year we provide the Gold Star kids and coaches with sailing essentials including: rash guards, backpacks, shirts, shorts, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen. Up to $15,000
Learn to Sail Scholarships — Teaches a Child to Sail for the Summer $1,000 per sailor
City of Fort Lauderdale Summer Sailing Camp — 38 children for Summer 2024
2-week beginner summer sailing camp for a child $600 per sailor
Lunch for Camps [Generously Provided by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital] $2,000
Competition Grants — Provides funding for a young sailor to compete internationally $1,250 per sailor

Event Chairs

Jennifer O'Flannery, Ph.D. & Peter Anderson, CFP®

Event Committee

Niki Curry-Hill

Pam Flaherty

Ashley Kozich

Gina Jenkins

Johnny Mann*

Austin Payne

Beth Rielly*

Bettina Roberts

Kristie Roe

Dave Rulien*

JD Rulien

Stephanie Toothaker*

Haley Weigle

Sara Callari

* Board Member

Board Members

Beth Rielly
Chair

Greg Bellows

Mike Bondurant

Niki Curry-Hill

Malcolm Farrel

John Kelly

Johnny Mann

Robin Meagher

Nick Peirson

Vilhelm ROberts

Karl Ryder

Buzz Smith

Denny St. Romain

Dave Rulien

Stephanie Toothaker