A (Stanley) Cup Full of Inspiration at the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton

You could say after-care Friday at the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton was a championship kind of day.

Just ask 10-year-old Bella Vega, who called it “one in a million.”

The children at the club got a close-up look at the Stanley Cup, thanks to Florida Panthers COO Rob Stevenson, who stopped by during his personal day with hockey’s most iconic trophy.

“It’s like I’m in a dream. I never thought I’d be able to see it,” said Vega.

Each member of the Stanley Cup winning team and organization gets a turn with the trophy to celebrate and share it in their own way. Stevenson, a Boca Raton resident, chose to bring the Cup to the Boys & Girls Club, hoping to spark inspiration among the young people the club serves.

Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton kids with the Stanley Cup trophy

“I hope it brings inspiration. Not everybody is going to try to win a Stanley Cup, but what is their Stanley Cup? I think about it that way. I want every kid to have what their Stanley Cup is, the thing at the center of what they’re trying to do in life, and when you have that North Star, you’re never gonna go wrong,” Stevenson said.

According to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Spencer Oakes, the Panthers have 100 days to travel and celebrate with the Cup from mid-June through mid-October. The trophy that arrived in Boca Raton was the very same one the team hoisted on the ice after clinching their historic 2025 win. Only one other Stanley Cup exists, and it remains on permanent display in Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame.

Jaene Miranda, Mickey Zitzmann, Linda Dolbrus, Jessica Miley, Tanesha Monroe, Steven Schiff, Nicole Miranda

Stevenson, a former active-duty Navy SEAL and current Navy Reservist, shared his day with the Cup across several South Florida stops, including the Navy Reserve Center in West Palm Beach, Big Shot Rides (the shop behind the Panthers’ “Famboni”), Boca Beach House, Spanish River Christian School, Vincenzo’s Pizza, and an evening gathering with friends and family.

“This is not just victory, This is family, grit, determination, sacrifice, teamwork, camaraderie all wrapped into one,” said Stevenson. “This trophy has so much energy that other trophies don’t. I like to joke that you have to give a piece of your soul to try to win this thing… and so many people give those pieces and don’t win it. It keeps those pieces, and when you do win it, it gives that energy back to you. It’s so important for kids to feel that, to understand what this really means and what it’s about. That’s why we came here to the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton.”

Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board Member Mickey Zitzmann says the moment was one these children won’t forget.

“It’s just an amazing opportunity for these young kids to see the Stanley Cup, to see a championship trophy, but also to be a part of something that most people never get to experience,” said Zitzmann.

“These kids are our future champions. They are the Stanley Cup champions of Boca Raton. We lean into the Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton, and we’re very grateful that the Panthers are doing the same,” he added.

Mickey Zitzmann, Rob Stevenson and Paige Kornblue

The Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton helps youth of all backgrounds build the confidence, character, and leadership skills needed to become responsible citizens. The club currently serves about 100 children each day after school, but the need is much greater; the goal is to serve 300 children daily once funding and facility capacity allow. You can support the Club’s mission by taking a tour to see the impact firsthand, attending or volunteering at fundraising events, contributing to the effort to expand and build a larger facility, or simply spreading the word about the incredible work being done to help area at-risk youth.