Doc Ford’s donates $5,500 to 68th annual Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille on Sanibel Island is a grand sponsor of the Sanibel School Fund’s Blue Ribbon Golf Tournament. The restaurant donated $4,000 to the May 2 event which raises money for the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools on behalf of The Sanibel School, consistently ranked as one of the top K-8 schools in Florida.

The golf tournament and the May 1 Casino Night dinner reception are the primary fundraisers for the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics program. The STEAM curriculum exposes students to a variety of careers, including solar power, computer engineering, aviation, biomedical sciences, space exploration, agriculture, marine biology and more. The Sanibel School Fund was established in 2002 to provide enrichment programs for Sanibel School students and shifted its main focus to developing a world-class STEAM program in 2019.

“We are proud to donate to The Sanibel School Fund for a second consecutive year,” said Joe Harrity, partner with HM Restaurant Group, which manages Doc Ford’s. “We have been a strong supporter of the school over the years and believe in the work it’s doing to get more students interested in and excited about STEAM careers.”

The Blue Ribbon Golf Tournament begins at noon with a helicopter golf ball drop at The Sanctuary Golf Club. For more information, visit sanibelschoolfund.org.

Education and environmental initiatives are at the core of HM Restaurant Group’s philanthropic philosophy and support of homegrown nonprofit organizations throughout Southwest Florida. The company sponsors the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Beer in the Bushes and Wines in the Wild fundraisers, The Cause for Conservation gala and raises money for the Sea School environmental camp for high school students. HM Restaurant Group also supports F.I.S.H. of SANCAP, Sanibel CARES and other organizations.

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is the title sponsor of the “Ding” Darling Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament. Founded in 2012, the competition has raised over $1.57 million for conservation and water-quality research at Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The 14th annual tourney is May 15, 2026.

The restaurant also donates $1 from specialty cocktail sales to the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and Captains For Clean Water’s commitment to improving the health of the Florida Everglades and Florida Bay.

With locations on Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Pier, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Revered for its legendary guest experience, the award-winning restaurant offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim and is known for its sauces, spices and signature Yucatán shrimp. Doc Ford’s is beloved by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant and is a perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The pier was named the No. 1 Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.