Boys Town Texas

Texas Spirit of Youth Gala Honors USAA Commitment to Children

It was a night of hope and celebration of youth at Boys Town Texas’s Spirit of Youth Gala Oct. 9.

Nearly 450 guests gathered at the Westin Riverwalk to raise money and awareness, and recognize USAA with the Spirit of Youth award.

“It was a night to be remembered,” said Wade Rascoe, Boys Town Texas Executive Director, who presented the Spirit of Youth Award to Barbara Gentry, USAA Senior Vice President of Community Affairs, on behalf of USAA. “Our renowned recipient USAA made this the best Spirit of Youth celebration. There was a sense of ‘La Familia’ throughout the evening and all who attended were moved by the evening’s events.”

USAA, a fully integrated financial services company for military members and their families, is a generous supporter of Boys Town Texas since the site’s inception in 1989. It helped bring Boys Town to Texas, and has contributed more than $800,000 towards the site’s programs helping severely at-risk youth. USAA also provides Christmas gifts for the youth each year.

As part of the evening’s festivities, John Peters, Boys Town Texas alumnus, told the guests about the hardships he faced as a youth and how Boys Town was always there to help him.    

“Upon my return to Boys Town I started to take it more serious as a place to find friends, build relationships, and grow as a person with integrity,” said Peters, 19,who attends Texas College. “Boys Town provided me with a stable home to call my own. They taught me how to cope with change, build relationships, and meet goals.”

“Everybody was in tears,” said Elizabeth Collet, Boys Town Texas Development Director, describing the audience’s reaction to Peter’s speech. “It was a wonderful presentation.”