A night of giving and appreciation turned into an all-out concert and dance party as SanCap Cares raised more than $650,000 for pediatric health programs at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
The 19th Annual SanCap Cares Island Celebration, a staple of the spring event calendar, focused on giving thanks for the impact the Sanibel and Captiva communities have had in creating a world-class children’s health care center in Southwest Florida.
“Because of you, children’s lives have been saved. Because of you, families have been transformed,” said Armando Llechu, the chief administrative officer at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
“There is no doubt that Golisano is Sanibel and Captiva’s baby. You helped make that building possible,” Llechu continued. “But it’s more than just a building. It’s about the life-saving programs and services that you have made possible.”
The night at The Sanctuary Golf Club kicked off with a festive cocktail hour, with a variety of food and wine pairings and an opportunity to support the Give-to-Give silent auction. Decorated with Norman Rockwell prints and featuring displays of needed equipment to enhance current programs and services, the Give to Give is a popular feature of the event and has helped fund transport ambulances in past years and have now added specialized pediatric wheeled cots to further improve the transport operation. Other featured items this year were specialized “costume” like hospital gowns, sleep sacks, and weighted blankets. More sophisticated items included a lifelike computerized preemie training simulator, arthroscopic surgical instruments, pediatric ophthalmology funding, and support for several mental and behavioral health programs.
The event moved into the main dining room for an exquisite plated dinner followed by a brief program by the Golisano team, showcasing the progress the hospital has made in tackling the many pediatric healthcare needs in our community.
But it was the after dinner entertainment that made the night even more memorable. The Island Celebration shed the usual auction and live cash call, and turned the microphones over to national music act The Modern Gentlemen. The Los Angeles-based quartet performed an hour-long set of hits, while guests danced and sang.
“We remain amazed by how our community has supported children’s health care through all these years,” said Valerie Tutor, member of the SanCap Cares committee. “This was a night to say thank you. We changed things up and had a blast. And our guests loved it and supported the mission, and for that, we are grateful.”
The SanCap Cares event is historically one of the last fundraising events of the season. Started by a group of concerned mothers in 2001, it now has raised nearly $16 million for Golisano Children’s Hospital in its nineteen years.
The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company once again served as Presenting Sponsor of the event, underwriting the cost of the dinner and entertainment.
SanCap Cares will mark its 20th year next season, and planning is underway for another memorable night.
If you would like to learn more about SanCap Cares or Golisano Children’s Hospital, please call Jeff Muddell (239) 984-0381 or email SanibelCaptivaCares@gmail.com.

Written by Valerie Tutor for the 2019 issue of Island Scene magazine