Beach Bash for Stump Pass scheduled for end of January

■ BY SUE ERWIN
The Friends of Stump Pass (FOSP) will be hosting a “Beach Bash for Stump Pass” event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25.
This inaugural fundraiser will be held at the Lighthouse Grill at Stump Pass Marina in Englewood.
“We’ve accomplished a lot of great things in a very short time,” said Carol McCoy, chairperson for the organization. “We’ve sold many tickets so far, and hope the event will be full soon.”
This fundraiser will help the FOSP provide the park rangers with a much-needed all-terrain vehicle to use on the trails and beaches at Stump Pass Beach State Park.
At the Beach Bash, guests will be greeted by the Caribbean sounds of second-generation steel drummer Harold Antoine and will enjoy a buffet of tasty light bites catered by the Lighthouse Grill. There will be a cash bar. The ticket also includes a complimentary boat ride out to Stump Pass and back. Spaces are limited. Weather permitting. 
For boat reservations, contact Clif at Floridaclif@gmail.com. There will also be a silent auction at the event.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online on Facebook or at eventbright.com. Enter the keyword “stump.”
“We have a need to transport bird- stewarding volunteers to the south end of the park,” McCoy said. “That’s a long trek carrying a birding scope, chairs and other equipment. We are also looking for friends to support the park. A form is available in our brochure that can be found at the park or our Facebook page.”
The FOSP entity is less than two years old. A group of residents who were passionate about the park approached the Barrier Island Parks Society in 2017 and worked with park rangers to get volunteers trained and educated.
FOSP volunteers will have a table setup at the Englewood Seafood Festival on Dearborn Street on Friday, Jan. 24. They will be selling raffle tickets for a chance drawing for a 7-day condo stay at Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee.
“We were very fortunate to have a donor gift it to the organization,” McCoy said. “I believe is the week that Epcot is hosting a flower festival – so it should be a nice time.”
Tickets are $25 or five for $100. The winning ticket will be drawn the Beach Bash.
“By joining us, you’ll be supporting our efforts to train new volunteers for the 2020 bird nesting season, purchase necessary equipment for our park rangers and much more,” McCoy said.
Volunteers are in the process of ordering shirts and hats with a new logo for the organization. They will be available at the Englewood Earth Day celebration in April. Volunteers will also be in Boca Grande for the annual Lighthouse Day celebration on Saturday, April 4.
Reserve your tickets soon – only a few were remaining at press time.
Friends of Stump Pass Beach State Park is a subdivision of BIPS, Barrier Island Parks Society, Inc. BIPS is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. All funds will be used exclusively for Stump Pass Beach State Park. 
For more information, email friendsofstumppass@gmail.com.