Wahoo Willie’s fundraiser assists local musician
Local musician Stephen Clark wanted to do something special to support Frank Thomson, a longtime musician who has been performing on Fort Myers Beach for decades. Thomson suffered a heart attack on Christmas Eve and has been recovering from surgery.
Clark helped organize a benefit for Thomson recently at Wahoo Willie’s, which went beyond Clark’s expectations. Clark was among the musicians who performed at the Fort Myers Beach restaurant to raise funds for Thomson. Donations and a silent auction on items donated by Wahoo Willie’s, Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant and Smokin’ Oyster Brewery ended up bringing in thousands of dollars more to Thomson on top of a GoFundMe page which has now raised $10,450 towards a goal of $11,000.
Clark said folks who attended the benefit, donated $2,889 into a tip jar at Wahoo Willie’s, with another $2,570 being raised through the silent auction. A 50-50 raffle brought in $418 and attendees purchased $2,800 in Wahoo Willie’s and Snug Harbor Waterfront gift certificates which went towards supporting Thomson. Clark himself donated an additional $538 to Thomson.
Clark, who regularly performs around Fort Myers Beach, said he hopes the funds can cover Thomson’s bills for a few months while he recovers.
A fundraiser at Wahoo Willie’s on Fort Myers Beach was held to raise funds for local musician Frank Thomson, who has been performing on Fort Myers Beach for decades. Photo provided
“I know this will cover Frank and Regina’s bills for a few months. Hopefully, Frank will be back up to speed by then. I believe live music is very much a part of the Fort Myers Beach vibe and Frank has been a constant presence on the beach for 30 years. Musicians don’t have 401ks, paid vacations or medical leave. No play, no pay. I just hoped our community would recognize the importance of music here and step up with a few extra tips for Frank, and boy did they.”