Tre Boston Foundation named superheroes
John Kelly, Iris de Hoyos, Mike Rosario and Kim Hart-McPherson, of the Tre Boston Beyond Belief Foundation, after receiving the Hanley Foundation Prevention Superhero Award at the CCPD. /CHUCK BALLARO
They might not wear a cape and a mask, but Tre Boston and his mother, Iris de Hoyos have been superheroes to the kids of Southwest Florida through their Tre Boston Beyond Belief Foundation.
The Cape Coral Police Department and the The Hanley Foundation feted them with the Prevention Superhero Award for their work, from holding football camps to helping youth in ways you don’t see on camera.
The award was given during the annual report presentation from Drug Free Lee, a collaboration with numerous partners to raise awareness of drug prevention resources through education and inspiration.
The presentation not only served as affirmation for all the work the foundation has done, but served as a changing of the guard for the foundation.
De Hoyos accepted the award (Boston is working for the ACC Network and could not attend), saying that Tre loves the community and kids and wants them to make good choices, since one bad choice can take or break a life.
“There are so many chances to make the right decisions and those are important and imperative how you make the right decision and make a difference and who you want to be and the direction you take,” de Hoyos said. “We have to make the decision to not drink or use drugs to be able to advance our lives.”
De Hoyos said when Tre was a child, they didn’t have the money to give back, so they gave their time, going to candlelight vigils and feeding those who are homeless at soup kitchens.
“Now, Tre uses the NFL and the ACC not for football, but as a platform to bring attention to the needs of the community and the people to do the greater good and make the right choices,” de Hoyos said. “To let kids know to not drink underage if you want to be something in life, you have to get past that.”
De Hoyos also surprised everyone by announcing she is stepping down as executive director at the foundation and will become the board chairperson. Mike Rosario, the foundation’s athletic director, will become the new executive director. He tearfully took the baton.
“The foundation is so much bigger than Tre, Iris, and me. We wouldn’t be able to do the camps we run without the people who come and help,” Rosario said. “We’re grateful for the community partnerships and we look forward to them in the future.”
Kevin Mace, regional prevention coordinator for the Hanley Foundation, said they like to showcase people who are doing good prevention work.
“Prevention starts at home. Iris started to tell Tre at an early age to make good decisions. That’s what the Hanley Foundation is all about,” said Mace of the foundation that helps 27 counties throughout the state. “Tre has been a big supporter for Drug Free Lee and the Drug House Odyssey and he’s a star that doesn’t go out and talk about himself, he just goes out and does it.”
Previous winners include Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno and school board member Mary Fischer.
Among the things the Beyond Belief Foundation does is hold an annual football camp, provide holiday meals for those in need, coordinate programs for the underserved, and support for the Drughouse Odyssey drug prevention program.
The foundation’s mission is to educate the underprivileged and underserved and focusing on education to obtain their future goals, without exploiting those who are most vulnerable.
De Hoyos said they can’t do it unless everybody works together and remembers it takes a village to make everyone strong.
“You keep doing what you’re doing. It’s not going unnoticed. And if you ever need help, we can all reach out to each other. There’s a power in numbers. We are the village,” de Hoyos said.
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To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com