BOCA RATON, FLA. (WSVN) - This year’s annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance raised money for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County.
Auto magnates and philanthropists Rick and Rita Case founded the three-day charity event.
“For 13 years, this event has continued to grow, the Concourse d’Elegance. We are right up there at the top of the concourses in the U.S. We’re matching up there with Pebble Beach. That’s our goal, to be as great as Pebble Beach,” said Rita. “The money that we’re raising for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County continues to grow from this event.”
The event benefits more than 1,200 at-risk youth who belong to the Boys and Girls Club.
2014 Indianapolis 500 Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick were honored with lifetime achievement awards at the event.
Palm Beach non-profit Wheels from the Heart gifted a car to a single mother at the main event, Sunday.
She said, “This is amazing. I’m speechless. I thank you guys for the opportunity. I’m very blessed. Thank you. I try my hardest to be the best parent I can be. My kids believe, they know I’m the best mother they have, but I really appreciate this opportunity, and I just want to say ‘Thank you, thank you’ to everyone.”
Former Tonight Show host and car collector Jay Leno was this year’s special guest.
“It’s always great fun, actually,” Leno said. “It’s great because I’m on the West Coast, so these are all cars that I don’t see very often, so it’s a lot of fun.”
The event also celebrated Bentley’s 100th anniversary.
Canadian car enthusiast Vernon Smith came down to show off one of his rare classics.
“I was invited down to this prestigious Concours D’Elegance show, so I decided to show my ’57 [Cadillac] Eldorado Brougham with a stainless-steel roof,” Smith said. “In 1957, Cadillac built 400 of those only. The car was so advanced that if the rear door was ajar, the car would not go into drive.”
Now in its 13th year, the event has raised more than $10 million for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County.
Brian Quail from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County said, “What I’m so proud about is that charity navigator, who evaluates non-profits in our country, we’ve won their four-star award eight years in a row. Only four percent of 6,000 non-profits have achieved that level, and we’re proud to do so.”
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