Proceeds help support Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County, Valerie’s House
The Calusa Sportsman Foundation’s fourth annual Inshore Benefit raised $177,000 to support a pair of nonprofit organizations serving children and families in Southwest Florida.
The two-day fishing event, which was held at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, started with a Captain’s Dinner and raffle on Sept. 6 before the fishing tournament, awards dinner and live auction on Sept. 7.
On Sept. 30, representatives from the Calusa Sportsman Foundation presented $88,500 checks to Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County and Valerie’s House, with the two nonprofits splitting the proceeds.
“These funds that our community has helped achieve will go towards renovation projects and program enhancements that will allow growth and additional opportunities to the children and their families they serve,” said Mike Dannenhauer, founder of the Calusa Sportsman Foundation. “We are truly honored to be a part of these initiatives and humbled to know that our contribution will help make an impact to those around us.”
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. The mission of Valerie’s House is to help children and families work through the loss of a loved one together and go on to live fulfilling lives.
Valerie’s House was the sole beneficiary during the event’s first three years. The Foundation added Boys & Girls Clubs as a beneficiary in 2024. Over four years, the Inshore Benefit has raised $645,000 in charitable support.
“We were ecstatic to be selected as a new beneficiary of the Calusa Sportsman Foundation, which over the years has generated incredible support for charitable causes in our community,” said Denise Gergley, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County. “Our After-school Program and Summer Enrichment Camp continue to grow, so securing additional support allows more children and teens to access programs that will help them reach their full potential.”
“The Calusa Sportsman Foundation has been one of the largest supporters to our children and families over the past three years, and we have formed many relationships, including volunteers and connected with new Valerie’s House families thanks to this partnership,” added Angela Melvin, founder and CEO of Valerie’s House.
The Calusa Sportsman Foundation was founded by Mike Dannenhauer, Mark Wiles and Jeff Richards, who lead the organization today along with board members Darin McMurray, Dave Nitsche and Sean Russ.
Event Sponsors
Juniper Landscaping was the Grand Charter Sponsor. Additional sponsors included Wayne Wiles Floor Coverings (Hat Sponsor), Five County Insurance Agency (Shirt Sponsor), Better Buildings Inc. (Beverage Sponsor), Lennar (Buff Sponsor), Mike Patrick Electric (Awards Dinner Sponsor), All About Closets (Bucket Sponsor), The Nunez Law Firm (Ruler Sponsor), Hooters (Captains Dinner Sponsor), Boone Distributors (Scoring Sponsor), MasterBrand (Raffle Sponsor), Conditioned Air (Towel Sponsor) and Royal Shell (Auction Sponsor).
Platinum Sponsors included Boatmaster, Builders, Conte Wealth Advisors, Daltile, EverGreen Erosion Services, Extreme Companies, Lee Mar Building & Construction Corp., MAB Homes, Miloff Aubuchon Realty Group, Mohawk, Proflex, Shaw Floors, Shoreline Florida Supplies and Wildcat Renovation.
Gold Sponsors included Boyce Solid Surface Solutions, Bozac Site Development, Classic Floors by Ferrazzano, Coastal Marine Group, DEC Contracting Group, Emser Tile, Finlay Plumbing, Happy Floors, Jackson Citrus, Pacific Peak, R.S. Walsh Landscaping and Timberlake Cabinetry.
Silver Sponsors included Captain Steamer, Cougar Companies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers Memorial Gardens, Frank R. Jenkins Custom Homes, Knox Technology, Stanley Stephens Company, Tesoro and Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions.
Additional sponsors included Glazzio Tiles, Karastan and Republic.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County
Established in 1974, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County serve children and teens through school-based, neighborhood and community club locations. The nonprofit’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. After-school and summer programs focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation. For more information, please visit BGClee.org or call 239-334-1886.
About Valerie’s House
Valerie’s House opened its first location in Fort Myers, Florida in January 2016 and has served more than 5,000 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, and Hendry counties. The organization provides a safe, comfortable place for children to share, grieve and heal together following the death of a close family member. Valerie’s House has three Southwest Florida locations: 3551 Valerie’s House Way in Fort Myers, 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples and 233 East McKenzie Street in Punta Gorda. Valerie’s House also expanded into Northwest Florida in 2021 with a home in downtown Pensacola. For more information, visit www.valerieshouse.org.
About Calusa Sportsman Foundation
The Calusa Sportsman Foundation is a group of prominent business leaders in the community that have come together to host fundraising events for the avid sportsman. The founding members of this organization are Mike Dannenhauer (Five County Insurance), Mark Wiles (Wayne Wiles Floor Coverings) and Jeff Richards (Better Buildings, Inc.). They are dedicated to creating fun outdoor activities with an overall goal of helping less fortunate residents in SWFL. These lifelong residents share a deep sense of community stewardship that is coupled with a passion for the camaraderie their events provide. We hope that you will join them in support of this great cause.
