Each year for the past 55 years, the Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society has hosted the Summerset Sailing Regatta. Sailing Clubs from up and down Florida’s west coast converge on Fort Myers Beach for a weekend of great racing and social events. In recent years, the racing has been held off Fort Myers Beach the first weekend in October.

In addition to great racing and camaraderie for the sailors and crew, the real beneficiaries to this event are the youth in the same communities where the sailors came from.

Boats pay entry fees and the CMCS solicit sponsorships to offset costs so that it can end up with a profit. This profit is then distributed back to the communities in the same percentages as where the entries and sponsorships came from.

This year with the COVID-19 virus, CMCS officials debated whether to have the regatta or not. The CMCS decided to proceed but without social events and without sponsorships.

Amazingly, the organization still ended up with 32 boats in four classes. Due to an unforeseen response from sailors and unsolicited sponsors, the CMCS was still able to give back $7,200 to young sailors and marine enthusiasts.

The breakdown of the distributed funds for 2020 is:

$6,000 to the Fort Myers / Cape Coral area

* $1,000 to the Ostego Bay Foundation for Youth Marine Education

* $5,000 set aside to the Edison Sailing Center for Youth Learn-to-Sail Scholar-ships

$600 to Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte area

* $200 to Charlotte Harbor Youth Sailing

* $200 to Learn-to-Sail Inc

* $200 to Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing

$600 to Naples/Marco Island area

* $200 to Naples Community Sailing

* $200 to Marco Island Community Sailing

* $200 to the Freedom Waters Foundation

Much thanks again to all of the participating boats and loyal sponsors. Hopefully, things can get back to normal in 2021.

For additional information about the Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society, visit its webpage at www.cmcs-sail.org or call 239-278-3733.