SOS Save Our Summer Feed the Cape Smack Down Thursday
An event Thursday will raise food and monetary donations for the Cape Coral Caring Center.
The second annual SOS Save Our Summer Feed the Cape Smack Down will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Dixie Roadhouse. Open to the public, the cost is a minimum of $5 in food or cash.
“We need to make sure hunger is completely smacked down for the summer,” Julie Ferguson, the executive director of the Cape Coral Caring Center, said.
Attendees receive a ticket to place in a bucket in support of their favorite participating group. The one to collect the most tickets earns the title of Smack Down master and wins the companionship belt.
“All of those organizations will be trying to tempt you to put it into their bucket,” she said.
This year, the participating groups include the:
– Cape Coral Association of Realtors
– Cape Coral Construction Industry Association
– Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral
– Dixie Roadhouse
– Rotary Clubs of Cape Coral
– Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
– Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association of Florida
Four organizations took part in last year’s event, with the Rotary Club the winner.
“They have a desire to hold onto that title, but they will be challenged,” Ferguson said. “The competition was fierce. With more participants it’s going to be even more so this year.”
The inaugural Smack Down raised over $2,000 and about 750 pounds of food.
“It was a success,” Ferguson said.
Organizers are hoping to bring in $5,000 and 3,000 pounds of food with this year’s event.
“We literally go from having lots of food one day (at the food pantry) to having very little the next, so we’re always trying to keep it stocked during the summertime,” she said.
With entry, attendees will receive one free drink and a chance to win a Budweiser bicycle.
“There will be hourly line dance lessons,” Ferguson said.
Also, 50/50 raffles will be held throughout the night.
“It was a lot of fun last year,” she said. “Participate and help your favorite group do good.”
The SOS Save Our Summer Feed The Cape campaign kicked off last month at Rumrunners at the Marina at Cape Harbour. In its third year, the goal of the campaign is to bring in additional donations for the center from June through August to assist those in the community hit harder in the summer.
“During the summer months, times get very difficult. The need goes up dramatically and then they have the kids home during the summer,” Ferguson said. “It’s why we started the campaign.”
“To make sure that we have food and we can give it generously,” she said.
This year’s kickoff event raised around $4,000 and brought in about 500 pounds of food.
Last year, the campaign brought in about 7,500 pound of food and $36,000 worth of monetary donations in total. The first year, the campaign raised 10,000 pounds of food and $16,000.
This year, the campaign goal is 10,000 pounds of food and $40,000 in total.
As part of SOS Save Our Summer Feed The Cape, locations throughout the city have set up collection boxes where people can drop off non-perishables, like boxed and canned food.
For information, call 239-549-6900 or visit: www.feedthecape.com.
The Cape Coral Caring Center only assists Cape residents and there are income restrictions. For more information on eligibility, stop by the center between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.
For information, call (239) 945-1927 or visit: www.capecoralcaringcenter.org.
The Cape Coral Caring Center is at 4645 SE 15th Ave.
The Dixie Roadhouse is at 1023 S.E. 47th Terrace.