An evening filled with good times, games, and a casino-style atmosphere all to raise money for local charities takes place Friday night in Cape Coral.

The 12th annual “Casino in the Cape” goes down tonight at the Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral from 6 to 11 p.m., where all proceeds will benefit a trio of non-profits. The event, put on by the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Cape Coral Class of 2022, will feature gaming tables, 50/50 raffle, chance auction, silent auction, and live auction. Benefiting charities include The Guardian Angels For Special Populations, Cape Coral Caring Center, and Lee Builders Care. A donation will also be made to the Junior Leadership Cape Coral program from the proceeds.

“Casino in the Cape is one of the things we are most proud of as a Chamber of Commerce,” said Chamber president and CEO Donna Germain. “This event is completely facilitated by each graduating class. Sponsorships, auction items, planning, budgets, marketing, logistics, and all other aspects of the fundraising are done by them. We offer some guidance, but this is truly a class project.”

While 2023 marks the 12th annual event, the night was started by the Leadership Cape Coral Class of 2011, and the tradition has been carried on by every graduating class since. As a result, more than $200,000 has been donated back to local non-profit organizations throughout the years.

“They take everything they’ve learned, and every connection they made during the 13 weeks of their class program, and put it into this event with one goal: to raise as much money as they can for their selected charities,” Germain said “And of course, they hope to beat the previous class total — that’s all in good fun though. I am so proud of this class and all of the classes that came before them.”

Tickets are $70 per person, and include dinner, complimentary beverages, and an entry into the $1,000 Grand Prize Drawing.

Leadership Cape Coral is a proactive 13-week program designed to help the Cape Coral business community to learn about the infrastructure that drives the city. Participants meet with local dignitaries and community leaders, tour facilities that are not open to the general public, learn how to support the community, and establish a bond and form a network with classmates.

For tickets and more information on the Chamber, visit capecoralchamber.com. There will also be tickets available at the door.

The Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral is at 360 Santa Barbara Blvd.

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