- December 26, 2024
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Suncoast Charities for Children held a Casino Night fundraiser Aug. 26 as part of its Suncoast Summer Fest series. The event capped off the series, which featured several events throughout the summer, including a golf tournament, a fun run, a fishing tournament and Fourth of July events.
The Sarasota Event Center was filled with patrons gathered to try out their luck in the name of a good cause. The Casino Night event raised $20,000, which will benefit a new children's therapy fund in honor of Ron Foxworthy, a former Suncoast Charities board member and one of the original founders of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival.
Because of rising health care costs, many families lack the insurance coverage required for certain therapies. This scholarship fund will help children with special needs receive the care they need, such as speech, physical, occupational, feeding and aquatic therapy. The James M. Doss Charitable Foundation provided the seed money for the scholarship.
The funds raised during Summer Fest are particularly important to benefit local children, teens, and adults with special needs and their families during a time of year when donations typically slow. Suncoast Charities supports six local nonprofits throughout the Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto and Charlotte County areas. Last year, the Suncoast Summer Fest raised $154,000.