Sanibel Captiva Land Sea Air Event To Benefit CCMI

The 2nd annual Land Sea Air event will be held Saturday, March 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva. Arriving in style or in a unique way is the idea for this fundraiser where guests choose their method of transportation by land, sea or air. Cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres are served, there's entertainment, and a live and a silent auction.
The event raises funds for Community Cooperative Ministries Inc., the umbrella agency for the Everyday Café and Marketplace, Home Delivered Meals, Community Montessori Preschool and Social and Homeless Services. "Guests really went all out last year in being unique and fun in their arrivals from driving an antique 1906 Ford Model N to a cow-themed convertible, antique Rolls Royce and even decked out golf carts," said Tracey Galloway, CEO of CCMI. "It was exciting to see the helicopter and sea plane circle above before landing nearby and we can't wait to see how creative our friends and neighbors are in their choices of arrival this year." Ticket prices begin at $250 and depend upon the type of arrival method chosen by guests, including a sea plane, helicopter, yacht, fire truck, chartered boats, personal watercraft, limousine, parasail, kayak, golf cart, or celebrity chauffeur. According to organizers, attendance will be capped at 100 couples. Last year, the event raised $75,000.
"With the money we raised last year, we were not only able to continue helping our community but also develop new and innovative ways to fight hunger and homelessness," said Galloway. Those things included opening Southwest Florida's second customer centered Choice Marketplace, establishing Baby U classes for expectant families, serving more schools last summer with CCMI's Mobile Food Pantry, converting the former Soup Kitchen into the Everyday Café and Marketplace and adding more schools and students to its weekend backpack program. "The latest astonishing statistics we are seeing is that over 700 Lee County school children are considered homeless," Galloway said. "And if they are homeless, I guarantee they are also hungry." CCMI has been refocusing its hunger-fighting efforts toward implementing sustainable customer-choice centered models for long-term hunger elimination. This re-examination of the traditional soup kitchen setting changes both the mindset of those who serve and those being served, as well as the physical spaces and delivery model created for the distribution of food. CCMI's Everyday Café and Marketplace concept makes food more easily available to everyone in the community who is hungry. The market model also decreases the stigma associated with standing in line for a hot meal or groceries and reduces significant waste in the preselected grocery bag model. "We can and did make a difference," said Galloway. "When hunger affects our community, it impacts everyone of us in some way, and if everyone of us does a small part to impact change, change will happen."
Tax-deductible sponsorship opportunities are available from $1,000 to $20,000. For more information or tickets call 274-0001. South Seas Island Resort is offering a special rate of $249 (plus resort fee and taxes) for event guests and sponsors on Saturday, March 10 by calling 472-7565.