Welcome From Bonnie Brae's CEO and Board President

We cordially invite you to the tenth annual Bonnie Brae Polo Classic! By attending and enjoying this year’s gala event, you are directly helping the more than 150 children and youth served each year on Bonnie Brae’s 100-acre Liberty Corner campus.  Highlights of the past year include:

· Success in a competitive State bid process which awarded Bonnie Brae a contract to convert twelve of our existing beds into twelve beds for a younger, more challenging population.  Within weeks of being awarded the new contract, we had several eight year-olds running around our campus.  These younger boys have brought new life and energy to all who are working with them.

· Success in August in bringing a record number of our students, 91 to be exact, to Canada for a week’s vacation of swimming, fishing, go-karting and just general fun.  As you struggle with plans for your own family’s summer vacation, just imagine the logistical challenge of moving 91 students and an equal number of staff members across an international border!

· Continued contributions by our Ambassadors to other non-profits at the local level and serving as a model program for a similar residential center in Reno, Nevada.  For the first time this year, our Ambassadors passed thousands of water bottles to 23,000 thirsty runners in New York City’s Tunnel to Towers Run.

· Additional performances of our own Bonnie Brae Knights Precision Drum Corps, who will perform for you at the Polo Classic. They had a truly remarkable year.  In January, the Knights were the only group from New Jersey to march in the President Obama’s Inaugural Parade!  The Knights have also opened at a national conference for 1,200 child welfare professionals in Washington, DC.   They performed at a second national conference and then performed for hundreds of international guests at Downtown Disney.  The Knights continue to play for local events at the Matheny School and the Far Hills Country Day School.

· The Brae Builders, featuring eight of our older students, worked two full days a week at a Habitat for Humanity site in Bridgewater. They were active in every phase of the construction and helped complete affordable homes for two single parent families. All of our Brae Builders have been named as Volunteers of the Year by the Bridgewater Habitat for Humanity!

All these wonderful accomplishments are made possible by the generous contributions of our donors and sponsors.  Without your help, we could not bring hope to so many boys who have arrived at Bonnie Brae with nothing.  Without your help, we could not instill the core values which have led so many of our alumni to become productive citizens.  Thank you!

        Steve Parker                                                                                                                   Bill Powers, MHA, MPA

        President, Board of Trustees                                                                                            Chief Executive Officer

About Bonnie Brae

From The Executive Director