March 27, 2009 8:35 pm

Yankees Luncheon Benefits Boys & Girls Clubs

Carrying baseball jerseys, pictures, posters and boxes of balls, more than 700 fans sought autographs from current and former players and coaches at the annual New York Yankees Luncheon today.

The event, which brought fans from across the country to the Tampa Convention Center, raised more than 0,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay. Local elected officials and dignitaries were among the guests.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi spoke about the upcoming season.

Adele Smithers of the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation said the Bay area’s 22 clubs “help save lives” by encouraging healthy lifestyles for the more than 3,000 youngsters who attend daily.