A wonderful night for the community, and for Southwest Florida hungry
The 17th annual Taste of Boca Grande, held on February 4 at the Boca Bay Pass Club, was a wonderful night for all who attended. A lively crowd enjoyed great food and drink under a tent on the edge of the Gulf, then danced the night away to live music provided by the Brett Foreman Band. The event, which benefited the Harry Chapin Food Bank, would not have been possible without the support of the Boca Beacon, your readers, and many others. We are deeply grateful.
The event raised $62,750. Since the food bank can turn every dollar donated into $8 worth of food, that generosity will provide $502,000 worth of food to families in need in our communities!
The food was spectacular in quality, variety and creativity, paired with top shelf wine, beer and cocktails provided by our food and beverage partners. They include Beach Road Bistro, Boca Bay Pass Club, The Boca Grande Club, Coral Creek Club, Eagle Grille and Miller’s Dockside, Farlow’s on the Water, Fusion Restaurant, The Gasparilla Inn & Pink Elephant, Howard’s Restaurant, Kappy’s, The Loose Caboose Restaurant, Placida Grill, Prime Time Steak & Spirits, Seminole Casino, South Beach Bar and Grille, The Temptation Restaurant, 3rd Street Bistro & Bar and The Waverly. We appreciate their culinary artistry and philanthropy!
Any successful event like this involves a lot of hard work. The Taste of Boca Grande committee members, Tony Zaranti, Brian Corcoran, Kathy Hawken, Dawn Havens and Nick and Helen Kaiser, worked with dedication and enthusiasm for months to make this happen. Special thanks to the Boca Bay Pass Club for donating the beautiful setting for the event. The Club staff was professional, the service impeccable. Our media partners, including the Boca Beacon and Gasparilla Magazine, helped publicize the event and highlighted the chefs and their gourmet dishes. Thank you for all your efforts to help in the fight against hunger.
Taste of Boca Grande was made possible by many wonderful sponsors: A special thanks to The Seminole Casino Hotel and the Boca Bay Pass Club. Other generous sponsors included American Audio, Banyan Tree Yoga & Pilates, B’nT Liquors, Big W Law, Boca Beacon and Gasparilla Magazine, Boca Grande Club, Boca Grande Real Estate, The BRC Group, Coral Creek Club, Coral Creek Airport & Boca Grande Jet Center, Englewood Bank and Trust, Fugate’s, Galloway Roofing, Gasparilla Pools, Gasparilla Vacations, Grande Aire Services, Gulf Coast International Properties, Gulf to Bay Sotheby’s International Realty, IMS Innovative Marine Structures, Italiano Insurance Services, James Griffith Salon, Key Agency Insurance, McHugh-Porter Builders, Inc., Michael Saunders & Company, Paradise Exclusive Properties, Parsley-Baldwin Realty, Phillips Landscape Contractors, Safety Harbor Builders, Shremshock Surveying, Statewide Pest Control Services, Thoroughbred Golf Carts and US Tent. We thank them all for supporting us.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s event!
Sincerely,
Richard LeBer
President and CEO
Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida
