Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County dedicates sports field to Pat and Charlene Neal
With the help of a substantial donation by Pat Neal, chairman of the board at Neal Communities, and his wife, Charlene Neal, Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, an afterschool and summer program that offers hope and opportunity to every child in the community, has broken ground on its new facility.
The longtime Lakewood Ranch-based builder and philanthropist and his wife will make $200,000 contributions over the next five years, totaling $1 million for the nonprofit’s Invest in Kids campaign. The couple’s donation will underwrite the new flex field at the Club.
With less than $200,000 needed to close out the $7.5 million Invest In Kids campaign to rebuild the physically and functionally obsolete DeSoto Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 1 to celebrate the start of construction. The new campus will serve up to 600 kids, more than double the number currently served by the nonprofit.
“The more that we invest in our kids, the more that they provide back in our community,” said Dawn Stanhope, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County. “We cannot thank Pat and Charlene Neal enough for doing just that. Our sports programs are a vital part of Boys & Girls Clubs’ initiatives, and with their help, our members will enjoy great outdoor space for years to come.”
The new Flex Sport Field at the DeSoto Club campus will be named the Patrick and Charlene Neal Field.
“Philanthropy is a major part of everything we do at Neal Communities and investing in children is an important cause,” said Pat Neal. “Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County provides life-changing experiences for young people to learn, grow and build supportive relationships. We feel humbled and fortunate to bolster its mission to improve the lives of young people in our community.”
Pat Neal founded Neal Communities in 1970, and since then, the award-winning homebuilder has created over 70 successful communities and built over 13,000 homes throughout southwest Florida.
Charlene Neal is the vice president of design at Neal Communities and the president of Charlene Neal PureStyle, a full-service retail interior design company she founded in 2007. She oversees the design for all new communities and the styling and decor in the models for Neal Signature Homes and Neal Communities.
About Neal Communities
With over 40 years of building award-winning homes, Neal Communities has over 70 successful communities throughout southwest Florida. The Lakewood Ranch-based builder was named the Professional Builder 2015 “Builder of the Year” and was named one of 2012’s “America’s Best Builders” by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No. 1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked nationally among the top 50 builders by BUILDER Magazine.
To date, Neal has built over 13,000 homes in southwest Florida. As the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding, Fiducia Insurance and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. The company’s honors and accolades include numerous Parade of Homes awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.