The “unofficial” 2020/2021 season-opener for Fort Myers Offshore, which raised $25,000 in college and vocational school scholarship funds in its 2019/2020 season, the 14th annual Turkey Run is set for Saturday, November 28. Registration for the Southwest Florida event is open now and will stay that way until 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving day.

Next week’s Turkey Run is one of two designated fundraisers for the 2020/2021 Fort Myers Offshore season. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

The run, which is the first of two designated fundraisers for the FMO season will follow its traditional, 100-mile course from the Sanibel Island Bridge—the starting point for all FMO  happenings—to Punta Gorda for lunch at the Village Brewhouse in Fisherman’s Village. Participants can run on the protected Intracoastal Waterway or the Gulf of Mexico.

“With most of our Canadian members still not traveling we’re not sure what to expect for a turn-out,” said Tim Hill, the president of the club. “We average about 30 boats for this event. It’s really the ‘unofficial’ kick-off of our season as it has gotten cold enough up north for our seasonal members to retreat south for the season with their boats. It usually draws a huge spectator crowd in Charlotte Harbor that comes out to watch the boats arrive and raft up in front of Village Brew house.”

Participants are asked to donate no less than $100 per boat, according to an email from the nonprofit organization. Interested members can register by clicking here.

To help with planning, Hill is urging existing FMO members to register early and for interested, would-be members to join the club as soon as possible so they also can sign-up for the run.

“Captains can sign up at the event but we prefer them to do that beforehand on our website,” said Hill.

The FMO Turkey Run returns to Punta Gorda for lunch at the Village Brewhouse.

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