Mighty Mussels create 'Mussel Up for Southwest Florida' charitable fund
The Floridant/10228431

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Floridant -- The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels have established a charitable fund, Mussel Up for Southwest Florida, to support local nonprofits that are helping make the region a better place to live and raise a family.

The team is hosting numerous fundraising events throughout the 2023 baseball season, including custom jersey auctions, ticket specials and VIP suite sales, to generate proceeds for Mussel Up.

"After Hurricane Ian, so many people, businesses and organizations around the country asked how they could help the region recover, and the Mighty Mussels were one of them," said Managing Partner John Martin. "The difference is, we're here to stay. Southwest Florida is our home, and although the franchise has contributed to many causes over the years, we wanted to take a leadership role in supporting our community for the long term."

Children and youth sports will continue to be primary charitable causes, along with hurricane relief and recovery, the environment, animal welfare, cancer research, education and others.

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The first major fundraising initiative of the 2023 season was the Children's Advocacy Center Night on April 8, when players marked National Child Abuse Prevention Month by wearing custom jerseys featuring blue pinwheels, the national symbol for child abuse prevention. Fans and community members were able to bid on game-worn jerseys to support the Children's Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida, which works to improve the lives of children and their families through a coordinated response to child abuse and neglect, offering them a safe and friendly environment in which to heal. The nonprofit provides abuse determination services, pet therapy, therapeutic counseling, advocacy, parenting education and prevention programs in Lee, Hendry, Glades and Charlotte counties.

"We couldn't do it without our community partners," said Julie Boudreaux, CEO of the Children's Advocacy Center. "All our services are free at the organization because of community partners like the Mighty Mussels and others that help the Children's Advocacy Center."

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The Mighty Mussels have three upcoming custom jersey nights and auctions to raise support for nonprofits:

• May 3 (Islands Night): Supports civic organizations on islands most affected by Hurricane Ian.
• June 9 (Defenders of the Diamond Night): Supports Mussel Up for Southwest Florida.
• July 2-3 (Independence Day Weekend): Supports Keep Lee County Beautiful.

"We want to amplify awareness for local nonprofits and shine a light on all the good things they are doing in the community," Martin said. "As Southwest Florida's baseball team, that's what we should be doing – we want to have a good time and do great things in the community."

About the Mighty Mussels

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are the Low-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit MightyMussels.com or call 239-768-4210. Follow the Mighty Mussels on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.