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Builders Care, the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA) raised a record total of $116,000 during the seventh annual BBQ, Bands & Brew event held Sunday, April 3 at the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. Presented by All Star Equipment Rentals and Sales, the fundraiser attracted more than 7,500 guests, featuring live music, local barbecue restaurants, vendors, a barbecue competition, the fourth annual Poker Run, a cornhole tournament and activities for children. Funds raised from the event benefited Builders Care, which provides emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged residents in Lee County.
“With the help of about 175 volunteers, a dedicated board of directors and our hardworking staff, we produced another amazing event to benefit Builders Care, achieving a 38 percent increase in funds raised over last year’s event,” said Christi Pritchett Sarlo, executive director of Builders Care. “We thank the local bands, vendors, sponsors, fantastic weather and phenomenal Southwest Florida community for making this day such a success.”
Live music was performed throughout the festivities by Soapy Tuna, Rocker, Deb & the Dynamics and The Alter Ego Band of Fort Myers, and nine barbecue vendors and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love provided delicious food for guests to enjoy. A team of celebrity judges voted BurgerQue as winner of Best BBQ in Town. Other winners included Best Side Dish by Famous Dave’s, Best Ribs by MOFO’s, Best Chicken by Sweetwater Wings & Ribs, Best Pork by BurgerQue, Best Presentation by Famous Dave’s, and for the seventh year straight, the People’s Choice Award went to Jonesez BBQ.
The seventh annual BBQ, Bands & Brew was presented by All Star Equipment Rentals and Sales as title sponsor. Other sponsors included Ferguson, Sunset Air Conditioning, Gateway Charter School, Cape Coral Plumbing, Moen, Minto Communities, Stock Development, Action Automatic Door & Gate, Banks Engineering, Brent’s Music, Carter-Pritchett Advertising, Everglades Farm Equipment, Five County Insurance, Florida Hydronic Solutions, Florida Weekly, Grabber Construction Products, Happenings Magazine, iHeartMedia, Kinetico Quality Water, Land Solutions Inc., Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC), J Steakley Wealth Management, Juniper Landscaping, J.W. Craft Portable Restrooms, Lightning Wireless Solutions, N Square, Nilles Design Group, Priority Marketing, Promotional Incentives, Sarlo Power Mowers, Southern Gulf Equipment, Stevens Construction, Suncoast Beverages/Budweiser, and WINK-TV.
Builders Care is the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA). Its objective is to provide emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means. To date, Lee BIA Builders Care has put more than $3.8 million in construction services back into the community at no cost to homeowners in need. Builders Care enlists the volunteer services of Lee BIA members and leverages grants and donated materials to provide construction and remodeling services to qualified homeowners throughout Lee County. Certified Building Partners include Stock Development and Minto Communities. Major supporters include Cape Coral Plumbing, Ferguson Enterprises, Nilles Design Group, Priority Marketing of Southwest Florida, Sunset Air and The Aubuchon Team of Companies. Builders Care is headquartered at the Lee BIA offices at 10501 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Suite 118 in Fort Myers. The Building Industry Association (www.BIA.net) is a 50-year-old association affiliated with National Home Builders Association and Florida Home Builders Association to serve the local building and related industries to strengthen our community by advancing a professional building industry through advocacy, education and services. Donations can be made online at www.LeeBuildersCare.org, or to the Builders Care general fund at BB&T Page Field branch at 4959 South Cleveland Ave. in Fort Myers. More information is available by calling 239-938-0056.
