AdventHealth honors Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties with inaugural Blue Flame Legacy Award

Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties received AdventHealth’s first Blue Flame Legacy Partners in Purpose Award on Sept. 15 in DeLand, recognizing its role in supporting the health and future of children and families in West Volusia. The award spotlights how community health depends not only on medical care, but also on safe spaces, mentoring and youth opportunity.

Why it matters: - AdventHealth’s inaugural award puts a spotlight on the role youth-serving nonprofits play in community health across West Volusia. - The recognition frames child well-being as more than medical care alone, linking health outcomes to safe spaces, mentoring and educational support. - Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties reaches children and teens with programs that can shape long-term academic, social and workforce outcomes.

What happened: - Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties received AdventHealth’s inaugural Blue Flame Legacy Partners in Purpose Award on Sept. 15. - The honor was presented during the Blue Flame Legacy Healthcare Awards in DeLand at the new AdventHealth DeLand property. - The award recognizes the Clubs’ impact on the health, well-being and futures of children and families across West Volusia.

The details: - BGCVFC provides support beyond the school day through academic enrichment, character and leadership development, health and wellness programs, sports and recreation, the arts and workforce-readiness experiences. - AdventHealth’s recognition was shared as part of the Blue Flame Legacy Healthcare Awards program in DeLand. - The Clubs thanked the AdventHealth DeLand and Fish Memorial Foundations for honoring the organization and investing in a healthier future for West Volusia. - Dr. Camesha Whittaker-Samuel said the award belongs to the staff, board members, volunteers, donors, partners and families who help make the Clubs places where young people feel safe, supported and seen. - Whittaker-Samuel said those supporters are helping children build healthy, productive and promising futures. - Lorenzo Brown, CEO of AdventHealth’s Atlantic Coastal Region, said community partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs matter because a caring adult and a place to belong can change a young person’s future. - Brown said the Clubs’ impact on young people across West Volusia is why the organization was deserving of the Partners in Purpose Award.

Between the lines: - The award signals a broader strategy from AdventHealth to recognize local organizations that influence health outside the hospital setting. - The partnership model suggests community trust and youth development are being treated as public-health assets, not just philanthropic add-ons. - The recognition also elevates West Volusia as a focus area for collaboration between health care and youth services.

What's next: - BGCVFC is likely to continue leaning on community partners, donors and volunteers to sustain its programs for children and teens. - AdventHealth’s acknowledgment may encourage additional investment in youth-serving organizations tied to health and opportunity in West Volusia. - The award could help strengthen visibility for the Clubs’ work across the region.