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Boston Red Sox Celebrity Event Series raises more than $400,000

Event series benefits the new Golisano Children’s Hospital Surgery Center

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Rachel Crochet and Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet during Dinner on the Diamond. PROVIDED
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Tommy Ruch, Kyle Ruch, and Amy Ruch during Dinner on the Diamond. PROVIDED
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Paul Emerson, Bill Fortune, Vilma Fortune, Laura Hawkin, Sam Hawkin during Dinner on the Diamond. PROVIDED
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Sammi Sulio, Jayden Debrum, Bill Mitchell, and Laura Negron during Dinner on the Diamond. PROVIDED
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Randy Burden and Gary Tasman during Dinner on the Diamond. PROVIDED
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John Schultz, Sam Schultz, Kelly Schultz, David Thomas, and David Vilandry during Dinner on the Diamond. PROVIDED
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James Knox, Richard Fitts, Chris Simoneau, and David Rybicki during the 32nd Annual Celebrity Golf Classic. PROVIDED
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Joshua Torres, Nate Eaton, Tricia Williams, and Sean WIlliams during the 32nd Annual Celebrity Golf Classic. PROVIDED
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Pam Hackenburg and Dave Hackenburg during the Boston Tea Party. PROVIDED
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Geoff Hall, Addi Hall, Caitlin Hall, and Everly Hall during the Boston Tea Party. PROVIDED

The 32nd Annual Red Sox Celebrity Classic series raised more than $400,000 to benefit the new Golisano Children’s Hospital Surgery Center.

Events included:

Boston Tee Party, Feb. 13 at The Forest Country Club with an evening of heavy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and spirited auctions. Bidding opportunities included autographed sports and entertainment memorabilia, fine jewelry, and luxurious spa and destination packages. Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks and outfielder Rob Refsnyder were in attendance.

32nd Annual Celebrity Golf Classic, Feb. 14 at The Forest Country Club included a big-league golf tournament with 47 teams featuring Boston Red Sox players, major league greats and sports celebrities. On-course contests and an after-tournament dinner added to the excitement.

Dinner on the Diamond, March 5 at JetBlue Park was a family-friendly event with dinner, Red Sox celebrity appearances, autograph signings from pitchers Brennan Bernardino and Garrett Crochet and a silent auction with sports memorabilia and other items.

“For 32 years, this event series has played a vital role in transforming healthcare in our region, thanks to the generosity of our incredible supporters,” said Katy Martinez, senior director of development for Lee Health Foundation. “We are deeply grateful for our partnership with the Boston Red Sox and The Forest Country Club, as well as everyone who joins us year after year to uphold this cherished tradition and make a meaningful difference for the children and families who depend on our care.”

The event series has raised more than $15.8 million since 1993. This year, the series again supports the development of the new Golisano Children’s Hospital Surgery Center. Last year, more than 5,000 pediatric surgeries were performed at HealthPark Medical Center, addressing ENT issues, orthopedic needs, appendectomies, and more.

The new surgery center will offer four operating rooms, two endoscopy rooms, and expanded pre-op and recovery areas, all within a child-friendly environment tailored to young patients and their families. The center will directly benefit children and families by reducing wait times, increasing efficiencies, lowering costs and improving access to emergency services.

Major sponsors of this year’s series included: The Forest Country Club, Boston Red Sox, Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman, Stephenson Giving Fund, Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida and Marcoaldi Management.

Support for the pediatric surgery center is ongoing. To donate or learn more about this new facility, visit GiveGolisano.org/SurgeryCenter.

About Golisano Children’s Hospital

Golisano Children’s Hospital, a nationally recognized facility for safety and quality care, is one of five acute care hospitals within Lee Health. Established in 1994, Golisano is the only designated children’s hospital in Southwest Florida, with more than 500,000 visits a year, serving patients from six surrounding counties. Ranked as a Top Children’s Hospital by Leapfrog, a Solution for Patient Safety network hospital, an Asthma Friendly Hospital and a certified center for children with Autism, Golisano offers more than 30 specialty pediatric services in various locations across Southwest Florida. Lee Health opened the current hospital building in May 2017 which includes 135-beds and comprehensive neonatal and pediatric services. For more information, visit GolisanoChildrensSWFL.org.