BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (April 25, 2023) – The 2023 Champions 4 Children SWFL (C4C) charity event featuring NFL, NBA, MLB, Olympic and Collegiate athletes, a country music concert, golf, great barbeque and a fun day of racing Kentucky Derby style all to raise money for three children’s charities is just days away. The three-day event takes place on Thursday, May 4 – Saturday, May 6, right here in Southwest Florida.
Blessings in a Backpack, Valerie’s House and CureSearch for Children’s Cancer will be the beneficiaries of the tenth annual C4C at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa and other venues across the region.
The C4C event brings in famous personalities from a variety of sports and the entertainment world for three days of fun and generous giving.
Thursday night features a poker tournament at Land Rover Fort Myers from 6-9:30 p.m. The buy-in is $250 and is limited to 90 participants. Registration is available at https://www.
On Friday night attendees will enjoy an amazing concert from three fabulous musical acts. Country music sensation JT Hodges brings his incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm back to the C4C stage once again. Joining Hodges in the lineup will be country singer James Otto, who’s hit “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” was the number one country single of 2008 according to Billboard. Also taking the stage will be Fab Four tribute band Boots and Suits Beatles Tribute Experience, covering all of the great Beatles hits from the Cavern days to 1965.
This year’s concert will take place at The Forest Country Club’s beautiful outdoor practice facilities. For the first time in the history of C4C, the concert will be open to the public. Guests will get access to the show plus all of your food and drinks. A limited number of tickets are available and can be purchased at https://www.
Saturday wraps-up the event with a full day of activities starting at 9 a.m. with the annual golf event at The Forest Country Club. Four-player teams and a champion will enjoy friendly competition, a putting contest, prize holes, interaction with all the champions throughout the entire tournament, and drinks, all while raising money for children.
Players can begin checking in at 7:30 a.m., enjoy a putting contest, a breakfast snack, and beverages. Throughout the course, there will be donation and prize opportunities, as well as multiple local restaurant partners providing small bites and beverages.
Then, from 5:15-9:30 p.m., The Forest Country Club plays host to the Kentucky Derby Dinner and Auction. Sponsors, guests and champions can expect this Kentucky Derby-themed extravaganza to include watching the race, fantastic food, drinks, music and dancing along with a stunning online and live auction.
Some of the stars participating in this year’s C4C event are from right here in Southwest Florida including former Major League Baseball player Adam Piatt and FGCU wrestling coach Pat Milkovich.
Also on hand will be former Penn State Nittany Lion and Cincinnati Bengals running back Ki-Jana Carter, the No.1 pick in the 1995 NFL Draft; John Cangelosi, a member of the 1997 Florida Marlins World Series championship team; Marco Rivera, who won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 1997; plus many more legendS.
“This event is a great opportunity to help support the children of the Southwest Florida community,” said Austin Shanfelter, founder and chairman of C4C. “This is a heartfelt mission for our champions, and they are committed to giving of their time to be part of this great event each year.”
Sponsorships, without golf, are available for purchase until May 3, 2023. To find out more about the event or become a sponsor please visit champions4childrenswfl.com, or email Champions4ChildrenSWFL@gmail.
About the nonprofit beneficiaries
Blessings in a Backpack feeds nearly 7,000 school children on the weekends. Valerie’s House is a place where children go for support and comfort after the loss of a family member. CureSearch drives innovation to overcome barriers in finding cures for children’s cancer.
About Champions 4 Children SWFL
Founder and chairman Austin Shanfelter; his wife, Pam, who is director of volunteers and events; and daughter, Meghan, who is director of events and communications, created the nonprofit to raise money for local charities by using the C4C event, celebrity athletes and entertainers. Through the first nine years of the event, over 2,500 attendees and 150 sponsors have helped raise approximately $800,000.
