Golisano Children’s Hospital Rumrunners’ Celebrity Chef Night raises $110,000 to help children & families in their fight against cancer

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Aug. 27, 2019) – The 16^th annual Rumrunners’ Celebrity Chef Night raised $110,000 to support Barbara’s Friends, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida’s Cancer Fund, which assists children and their families in their fight against cancer.
The popular event, held Aug. 14 at Rumrunners restaurant at Cape Harbour, attracted more than 175 guests and featured culinary creations from local celebrity chefs including Chef Todd Johnson and Chef Ralph Centalonza of Rumrunners, Chef Harold Balink of Harold’s Restaurant, Chef Norman Love of Norman Love Confections and Chef Melissa Talmage of Sweet Melissa’s Café. Cancer survivors and Golisano Children’s Hospital patients Avery McCaskill and Cali Trepkowski, along with their families, were also in attendance to share their stories, inspire support, and have fun as “mini chefs” alongside the celebrity chefs.
The event featured a champagne toast drawing to win a custom-made Mark Loren Designs piece valued over $2,000, a silent auction featuring hand-signed memorabilia from the worlds of sports and entertainment, as well as travel and entertainment packages to some of the most desirable destinations and popular events in the country. A live auction was filled with one-of-a-kind packages.
Over the past 16 years, the Celebrity Chef Night has raised more than $1.5 million to assist children and their families in their fight against cancer.
The event sponsors made the evening possible: Century 21, Truline, Boater’s Landing, Cat Country 107.1, Scanlon Auto Group, Wingward Construction, Tom & Beverly Fewster, Thomasina Schott, Liz Erikson Marnul, OVAG International, Omni One Title Services, and Secure Shredding, Inc.
About Golisano Children’s Hospital
Established in 1994, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida has been named a “Top Hospital” by The Leapfrog Group for the past three years. It is the only recognized children’s hospital between Tampa and Miami. Lee Health opened the new 128-bed Golisano Children’s Hospital in May 2017, relocating the children’s hospital from the adjacent HealthPark Medical Center. It includes comprehensive pediatric services including a 24-hour pediatric emergency department, hematology-oncology unit, milk lab, Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center, and Level II and Level III NICU with 64 private rooms. Golisano Children’s Hospital is proud to have been named Soliant’s 2018 Most Beautiful Hospital in the U.S., a recognition determined by popular vote. For more information, visit GolisanoChildrensSWFL.org.
About Barbara’s Friends – Helping Kids With Cancer at Golisano Children’s Hospital
Established in 1995, Barbara’s Friends provides equipment, staffing and services to support lifesaving cancer care for children from across southwest Florida at Golisano Children’s Hospital. The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program is the only program of its kind in Southwest Florida, and has served over 3,500 patients since opening. No child is denied treatment or turned away as a result of their family’s inability to pay for care. For more information about the Barbara’s Friends fund and supporting child patients in your community, please call Lee Health Foundation at (239) 343-6950 or visit BarbarasFriends.org.