Around Town: Bill Sadlo

By Julie Milton | Photo by Janet Combs

As a product of the original Fruitville Road Boys Club, Bill Sadlo knows all too well how important the positive experience is for our youth at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota & DeSoto Counties. Since 1987, he worked through the ranks at the organization, serving for the past fourteen years as its  President & CEO, giving back and helping to ensure the same support and opportunities for the youth of today as he experienced in his youth. The Clubs have grown greatly in numbers and importance over the past several years, and Bill proudly tells us of the vital programs and initiatives that need our support along with his vision for the Clubs’ future.

As a young boy in Sarasota during the summers, you benefited from the enriching programs at the Fruitville Road Boys & Girls Club.  Please tell us about your positive experiences during those years and how it shaped your life.

My family moved to Sarasota from Long Island, NY, when I was six. My parents both worked so they enrolled me in the Fruitville Boys Club (now Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club) so I would have a safe place to go after school and during the summer. Sarasota was a lot different than Long Island, but the Club introduced me to kids from all different backgrounds and helped me to forge connections with adult role models. It helped me settle into my new home. The Club was also where I learned to wrestle which later earned me an athletic scholarship to Appalachian State University. 

I had initially planned to follow in my grandfather and older sister’s footsteps and go into teaching. I wanted to be a high school sports coach and a teacher. Working for a nonprofit had never occurred to me back then. But in 1987, I received a call from a high school friend asking if I would help coach wrestling at the Club. That call ended up changing my entire career trajectory. I immediately started as a counselor and wrestling coach and returned every summer break from college. When I eventually transferred out of Appalachian State to the nearby University of South Florida, I volunteered at the Club year-round.

When former Executive Director, Mack Reid came on in 1989, he took the Club to a new level, and I gained an important mentor. He would eventually hire me for my first full-time job. Right after I graduated college in 1992 with a degree in secondary education, I was asked to be an assistant program director. I continued to move up in the organization before becoming President/CEO in 2011 when Mr. Reid retired. 

The Club provided me with a safe space to grow and benefit from positive mentorship. Now, I have the opportunity to give back and help ensure the next generation receives the same support, and even greater opportunities.  

You have been CEO at Boys & Girls Clubs Sarasota & DeSoto Counties (BGCSDC) for the past 14 years.  How have the clubs changed during this time?

Our organization is approaching its 55th year of serving youth. Until 2020, we operated as Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. That year, we identified a need to expand our reach to DeSoto County and opened our first Club outside of Sarasota County, officially becoming Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.

This name change ushered in a new era, strengthening our commitment to creating even greater opportunities for those we serve. Since then, we’ve been delivering on bold initiatives —including capital projects and enhanced programming and safety efforts in Arcadia, Newtown, and North Port—expanding our impact and empowering more youth than ever before.

Today, we operate 11 sites across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, serving more than 3,700 local youth. This includes six full-service Boys & Girls Clubs and five school-based sites, where children receive programs and support after school.

The program model has evolved significantly over the years, now with a stronger focus on academic success, character and leadership development, healthy lifestyles, and college and career readiness. Our goal is to empower youth with the skills and support they need to succeed in whatever path they choose.

What are some educational programs and initiatives at the Clubs that help kids and teens thrive?

Our impact continues to expand, reaching more youth each year. In 2024 alone, we served 3,783 local youth across all Club locations through our programs and services.

However, one of our greatest challenges remains raising awareness and helping the community truly understand the depth of our mission. We often hear comments like, “I had no idea you did all of this!”, especially after giving a Club tour.

Slowly but surely, I think the community is beginning to recognize the breadth of programming we offer, particularly through transformative teen initiatives like the Perlman Price Young Entrepreneurs Program where teens are starting their own businesses and STAR (Students Taking Active Roles) Leadership Training Program where 50 Club teens served as full-voting members on local community boards last year, gaining valuable leadership experience and making a real impact.

Beyond leadership development, we are deeply committed to education. Our organization’s award-winning Great Futures Academy provides intensive, out-of-school instruction in key subjects like reading, math, and science for Club members ages 6-12. Designed to support academic success, the program helps youth reach grade-level benchmarks, advance on time, and prevent summer learning loss. It also offers homework help, tutoring, educational activities, and project-based learning.

The results speak for themselves. Last year 97% of participants advanced to the next grade on time, and for the past four summers, 100% of our youth have maintained or improved their math and reading skills through our summer programs.

On March 7, 2025, BGCSDC held its Youth of the Year Celebration, which celebrates club members who demonstrate exceptional leadership and service, academic excellence, and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.  Tell us about the event and who was named “Youth of the Year.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year program has celebrated the inspirational journeys of teens across the nation since 1947. The program recognizes Boys & Girls Club members who demonstrate exceptional leadership and service, academic excellence, and a commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. It fosters a new generation of leaders, fully prepared to thrive and lead in a diverse, global world. Eligible teens compete for the prestigious National Youth of the Year title through local, state, regional, and national competitions. The national winner becomes a role model, ambassador, and spokesperson for 3.6 million Boys & Girls Club members across the country, earning academic scholarships and life-changing opportunities such as networking with celebrity alumni, securing internships with national partners, speaking at major conferences, and engaging with top leaders and elected officials.

Since 2012, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties has proudly celebrated six Florida Youth of the Year winners, one state runner-up, three Southeast Youth of the Year winners, one regional runner-up, and one National Youth of the Year.

Each year, we host the Youth of the Year celebration, formerly known as Steak & Burger. This year, we decided to give the event a fresh twist while preserving some of the traditional elements like the casual Western-themed attire.

We welcomed over 225 guests to celebrate five exceptional teens competing for the prestigious Youth of the Year title. Each finalist dedicated countless hours to completing questionnaires and refining their essays before advancing to the county-wide competition, where they faced in-depth interviews with judges in the final round.

Only one teen could take home the top honor, and that was Ava M., a senior at Pine View School who will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point this fall. In April, Ava will represent our organization at the 2025 Florida Youth of the Year competition, where she’ll have the chance to earn academic scholarships, speak at national conferences, and connect with elected officials and community leaders.

It was a tough competition and we are proud of all of them. Each of the finalists proudly represented their Club, embodying its mission and exemplifying the life-changing impact of Boys & Girls Clubs but only one could be named the winner.

BGCSDC recently launched a groundbreaking behavioral health program.  How is this new program addressing mental health problems for children and teens?

Launched in March of 2024, this initiative is designed to empower children and teens ages 6 to 18, along with their families, by providing critical mental health resources in a safe, supportive environment. This program reflects BGCSDC’s commitment to holistic youth wellness, ensuring members have access to certified professionals who can help them navigate emotions, build resilience, and develop healthy coping strategies.

Each of BGCSDC’s six Club locations is staffed with at least one dedicated Master of Social Work (MSW) professional, providing immediate, on-site support to help youth manage in-the-moment behaviors and successfully re-engage with their peers and activities. This expert team is devoted to delivering high-quality care, offering members a trusted space to decompress and address emotional challenges.

Club members can access the program through various referral avenues, including self-referrals, parental or guardian requests, recommendations from Club directors or school counselors, and internal referrals from the MSW team. By integrating mental health support into the Club experience, BGCSDC is ensuring that every child has the tools and resources they need to succeed.

You can learn more about this program on our website and in the March 2024 issue of Scene, where it was featured in the Education Matters section. 

Over the next decade, what do you envision for BGCSDC?

It’s essential that we position ourselves to keep pace with the rapid growth and evolving needs of our community. By investing in the future and education of youth across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, we are prepared to make a lasting impact. We are focused on driving positive outcomes in four key areas: Health & Wellness, Character & Leadership, Academic Success, and Life & Workforce Readiness.

At BGCSDC, we’re committed to enhancing the Club experience by expanding our reach and capacity to meet the growing needs of our community. We’re already expanding our impact in Newtown, North Port and Arcadia through capital initiatives that, once complete, will give thousands of children and teens access to our programs and professionals in state-of-the-art, 21st Century facilities. Academic success remains a top priority, with literacy and STEAM education serving as cornerstones of our strategy. Through a multi-faceted approach, we provide comprehensive support that prepares youth for lifelong success.

As our community continues to grow and technology rapidly evolves, the demand for innovative programming and expanded services will only increase. Access to cutting-edge technology, digital literacy resources, and subject matter experts will be critical in preparing the next generation for academic success and future careers.

Our goal is simple: to create meaningful change through innovation and strategic investments. By prioritizing these key areas, BGCSDC is paving the way for great futures for the youth and families we serve now and for generations to come.

Funding for all BGCSDC programs is vital to its continued success. Please share BGCSDC’s current challenges and needs.

It costs our organization $2,500 per year to provide a child with access to our high-quality programs and services, but the true cost for families is just a fraction of that price. Many of our Club members attend for free, while others receive scholarships at significantly reduced rates. Every child at BGCSDC benefits from financial assistance. As our community grows, so does the need. 

Our ability to provide award-winning programs to the youth and families we serve is made possible by the generosity of an incredible community. Thanks to the support of our donors and partners, we’ve been able to expand our impact and create life-changing opportunities for local youth. We are truly grateful for those who have played a vital role in helping us get to where we are today and those who continue to support us. We invite anyone who is interested in joining our efforts to empower local youth to come take a Club tour by calling 941-366-3911.

When Bill Sadlo isn’t working with the kids at one of the Clubs, where can we see you around town? 

My wife and I became grandparents over the past two years, and these days, I’m happiest spending time with them, grilling out at home, fishing down in the Keys, or making memories out on the boat with family and friends. These are the moments that mean the most.