By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
With a red carpet rolled out and student artwork taking center stage, Bowling Green’s Be Better Foundation is preparing to turn its first major gala into a springboard for the future.
The event, aptly titled “Growth Over Time,” marks a milestone moment for the young mentorship organization led and founded by Matt Karaffa and Tony Lake. They have spent the past 16 months steadily building a program that pairs adult male mentors with boys in the Bowling GreenCity Schools.
In the fall of 2024, the idea grew from a conversation among Lake, Karaffa and his wife, Alyssa, who is principal at Conneaut Elementary. By January 2025, the foundation was official and connected 10 Conneaut boys between 8 and 11 years old with 10 community mentors, who serve as consistent, stabilizing male role models and help bridge the gap between home and school.
The foundation expanded its reach in the current school year to establish official partnerships with two additional elementary schools—Kenwood and Crim. Currently there are four boys in each, with a goal to add one more at each school. Two additional mentors have been added at Conneaut, bringing the total to 20.
The founders said the growth has been driven by hands-on recruiting, close partnerships with schools, and a philosophy centered on presence over perfection.
Sometimes the impact arrives quietly.
One mentor recently received a handwritten note from his mentee and shared it with Lake. The unexpected note said how much the mentor has meant to the youth. The mentor told Lake. “Some days it doesn’t feel like I’m making any kind of difference at all. And then I get things like this.”
As the program has grown, so have the needs.
A night designed with purpose
The foundation board had talked about doing a fundraiser for a while, to raise funds to support the activities and needs of the program, but also to increase awareness of the work they are doing and the success they’ve had in a relatively short amount of time.
They decided to host a gala event for their first large fundraiser. Set for the newly revitalized Clazel Theatre on March 6 from 6:30 to 10 p.m., the gala blends celebration with mission.
The Clazel is a beautiful space in the heart of downtown Bowling Green, Lake said.
“Everything just lined up at the right time,” Karaffa said. “It’s a good opportunity to be in town and utilize the space for something like this.”
When guests arrive, they will walk down the red carpet, take photos at a photo booth and enter into the space where food will be out and the bar will be open, Lake said. Clint Corpe from WBGU-FM’s The Morning Show is the emcee for the event.
Guests can expect live music from the Bowling Green High School Jazz Band, a bourbon and wine pull, and powerful testimonials from mentors and school staff.
But the centerpiece will be a live auction of 10 tree-themed art pieces created by the Be Better students during an after-school program. The featured tree art celebrates the growth of the organization, boys and mentors, and is also a visual metaphor for the organization’s steady, intentional growth.
The first set of prints will be auctioned at about 7:45 p.m. The last set of five art pieces will be auctioned at about 8:30 p.m.
“In between, there’ll be music in the background, stories from mentors, comments and feedback from teachers and administrative staff who will share perspectives on what the foundation has done for students and to talk how staff see the full-circle impact,” Karaffa said. “And that is really the main purpose.”
They could have created a short video to get their point across, he said. “But until you talk to someone… Tony’s going to have a different story than I do, and our mentors will have their own stories. The main point of the gala is to raise funds, raise awareness, and get more people involved.”
How to attend, support the event
The “Growth Over Time” Gala isn’t just a celebration of what’s been done — it’s an investment in what comes next for the students and families involved in the program
The gala, on March 6 from 6:30-10 p.m. at the Clazel, 127 N. Main St., is intended as an “elegant” event, but that doesn’t mean black ties and gowns, Karaffa said. Cocktail attire is the preferred dress for the event.
For tickets or other ways to support the event, visit the event website at bit.ly/46sMbSP
Breaking down barriers
Funds raised from the gala will go directly toward expanding opportunities for mentees — especially by removing financial and transportation hurdles that often keep kids from participating in community programs.
“I think our overarching goal… is that none of our kids (within reason) are excluded from experiencing the things they want to because of money or the ability to get there,” Lake said.
Beyond one-on-one mentoring, the foundation has already begun investing in the broader community, helping fund sports teams and sponsoring fifth-graders with financial need so they can attend school camp.
Beyond mentoring
While the program focuses on youth, the founders say the transformation runs both ways. Mentors frequently report personal growth, stronger family relationships, and a deeper sense of purpose.
In fact, Karaffa noted the experience has helped him become “a better father.”
Looking ahead, the founders hope Growth Over Time will become an annual tradition — one that not only sustains their work but strengthens the entire community.
“The tide raises all ships,” Lake said. “That’s kind of what we want to do — not just for the kids, but for the adults, too.”
If the foundation’s first 16 months are any indication, the roots they’ve planted are only beginning to spread.
