Flint, Mich. – Oct. 16, 2008 – The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint has established a Community Hero Award in honor of Quicken Loans/Rock Financial President Patrick McInnis, a Flint native who is a long-time supporter of the club. The inaugural award, named the Patrick McInnis Community Hero Award, was presented to McInnis last night at the Boys & Girls Club’s annual dinner and was given in recognition of his many contributions to the club and Flint area youth.
The Patrick McInnis Community Hero Award will be presented to a deserving individual or group each year that exhibits extraordinary leadership or contribution in an effort to positively affect the Club.
“It’s an honor to have this award presented in my name. I grew up in Flint, and both the community, and Boys and Girls Club, are very near and dear to my heart,” said McInnis.
“I’m grateful that so many community-minded people have done such wonderful things for this community and this wonderful organization that serves our local youth. I look forward to recognizing many of these outstanding folks with the Patrick McInnis Community Hero Award in the years to come,” he continued.
McInnis began his relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint in 2006, with the Rock Financial Kids Tech Program, which provided students with new personal desktop computers and computer training.
He realized the positive effects of a thriving Boys & Girls Club on kids in the Flint community and helped foster relationships with other organizations that benefited the Boys & Girls Club. For example, Rock Financial, in partnership with the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Shock organizations, aided the completion of a $100,000 renovation of the Club’s Rock & Shock Teen Center, which includes a basketball court, game center and an area for education and tutoring.
McInnis’ support sent a strong message to the philanthropic community and helped the Club gain funds necessary to install new bleachers and floor in their gymnasium. Last year, Flint’s Mayor presented McInnis a key to the city.
It was this willingness to invest in his home community that led to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint naming this award in recognition of McInnis.
The Boys & Girls Club of Flint provides programming in five core areas including Sports, Fitness & Recreation, the Arts, Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development, and Health & Life Skills to 1,400 local youngsters.
The annual cost for a student to participate in the Club is just $10. The club’s actual costs of providing services, approximately $350 per child, is defrayed by contributions from grants, foundations, individual donors and partners like McInnis, Quicken Loans (Rock Financial), Detroit Pistons, Detroit Shock and the Pistons-Palace Foundation.
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