Blair, a senior at Tampa Preparatory School, has been an active volunteer in the Tampa Bay community for years. In addition to donating his time to Feeding America, Metropolitan Ministries and the Sustainable Living Project, he tutors Elementary and Middle School students from St. Peter Claver. After tutoring these kids for a while, Blair realized the lack of steady role models in their lives and a need for a non-academic outlet. From his own personal experience, he found that athletics can have a positive impact on work ethic, discipline and attitude. In addition, coaches and leaders can serve as positive role models for kids and teach them the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle.
From this, Bo has decided to pursue an initiative to build a track to be used by the St. Peter Claver School and the Nick Capitano Boys and Girls Club. After input from the head of school, school psychologist and physical education teacher, they concluded that this initiative will positively impact about 240 kids and that the benefits of daily exercise for the mind and body are irrefutable. This will also give St. Peter Claver track athletes a proper facility to train, which can help them reach their full potential. Blair believes increasing kid's self-confidence will help them in all aspects of their lives, including academics.
Bo Blair becomes the 282nd Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through this evening's game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $14.2 million to more than 300 different non-profits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2016, the Vinik's announced that the community hero program will give away another $10-million over the next five seasons.
