100 Club of Arizona Raises Record $1.5 Million with a $1 Million Investment from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation at Annual Heroes Gala.
The 100 Club of Arizona, a nonprofit organization that supports firefighters, police, public safety officers and their families, raised a record $1.5 million with a $1 million investment coming from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation at the 2024 Annual Heroes Gala called “Boots & Badges” on Saturday, April 20 at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. The event honored a firefighter and a police officer of the year who were nominated and selected by a vote of their peers. Additionally, Bob & Renee Parsons were honored as this year’s Community Hero and Heroine of the Year.
“Over $1,500,000 was raised at our Annual Heroes Gala, in large part thanks to a transformational gift of $1,000,000 directly from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation,” said Angela Harrolle, president & CEO of the 100 Club of Arizona. “Their remarkable generosity, coupled with the unwavering support of our dedicated attendees, underscores our collective commitment to honoring those that serve and assist Arizona’s courageous first responders in their time of need.”
The 100 Club of Arizona honored the following:
Police Officer of the Year recipient: Officer Broque Draper. A call to a homeless encampment changed the lives of Apache Junction police officer Broque Draper and his wife Lismary. During the call, Draper met a homeless six-year-old girl, with whom he connected immediately. Months later, the girl and her newborn sister needed a home where they could be well cared for. Draper and his wife immediately stepped in to become emergency foster parents for the siblings, with the newborn being just three days old. The couple have fully welcomed the girls into their family and are now in the process of adopting the sisters.
Firefighter of the Year recipient: Glynn Ross. Firefighter Glynn Ross was driving Phoenix Fire Engine 925 westbound to a call for service when an accident in the eastbound lanes pushed a sedan in front of the firetruck. Ross reacted quickly, performing an evasive maneuver to avoid a dangerous full impact to the side of the sedan. Ross put himself at greater risk performing this maneuver, but ultimately minimized harm to passengers in the sedan and his colleagues in the fire engine. As a result of his actions, the other three crew members were evaluated and released with minor injuries following the collision, while Ross sustained significant injuries to his lower left leg, knee, rib cage, shoulder and head and was transported by ambulance to the nearest trauma center. Several immediate surgeries and a subsequent stay in a physical rehabilitation center, followed by additional surgeries were necessary for Ross’s recovery.
Community Hero and Heroine of the Year recipients: Bob and Renee Parsons. Bob and Renee Parsons are dedicated to the safety of Arizona’s police officers, firefighters, and their families. The couple’s foundation has supported the 100 Club of Arizona since 2013 when the Yarnell Fires struck northern Arizona and claimed the lives of 19 wildland firefighters. Their support has evolved over the years to become more focused on helping first responders and their families get the mental health and wellness treatment they need to continue to show up on and off duty. With this new gift, the Parsons have committed over $9.5 million to 100 Club of Arizona.
“I believe that first responders are the foundation of our society—without them cities will descend into chaos” said Bob Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation and author of a new book, Fire in the Hole. “But our first responders carry scars that we can’t always see as a result of their brave service to our community. This is why Renee and I support 100 Club’s mental health programs, so that help is available and stigma free.”
The 100 Club of Arizona provides much needed support to public safety agencies, their members and families statewide. Today, services have expanded beyond financial assistance to include funding for enhanced safety equipment, assistance with confidential mental health services and scholarships.
“When someone picks up the phone in their darkest hour, in the heat of a moment when they’re deathly afraid, our first responders are always there, ready to answer the call,” said Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “100 Club of Arizona serves a critical need, ensuring our first responders know that they, too, have support when they need it most.”
To conclude the event’s program, attendees also had the honor to hear from Phoenix Police Officer Tyler Moldovan and wife, Chelsea. In 2021, with less than one year on the force, Tyler was shot eight times in the line of duty resulting in incredibly severe injuries and a long road to rehabilitation. Tyler and Chelsea have received on-duty-injury support through 100 Club of Arizona since the tragic incident and shared their heartfelt gratitude to the organization and its supporters.