- TAMPA, Fla.— Three major Port Tampa Bay fundraisers donated nearly $146,000 dollars to local charities in the Tampa Bay area this year. The Port Tampa Bay Golf tournament, Port Tampa Bay Anchor Ball, and the first-ever Port Tampa BAYSLAM Fishing Tournament donated these funds to Tampa Port Ministries, the Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation, Florida Sports Hall of Fame Charities including Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Hurricane Irma relief efforts.

“We’re grateful for the money raised for Tampa Port Ministries and the Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation,” said Steve Finnesy, Chaplain with Tampa Port Ministries. It allows us to support the operations of the Port community, providing basic needs to international seafarers and keep them connected to their loved ones. It also generates scholarships to local high school students interested in pursuing careers in the Maritime community. We’re so thankful to Port Tampa Bay for their continual generosity over the years.”

The Port Tampa Bay fundraisers are longtime annual events - this year’s BAYSLAM fishing tournament held last Friday was an inaugural event. The tournament is a one-day, five species, catch and release inshore fishing event that was considered the first and only true downtown Tampa fishing tournament.

In addition, Port Tampa Bay donates the use of its facilities to third party charities. Hillsborough Community College Foundation, Global Special Operations Forces, National Pediatric Cancer Foundation and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society all have benefitted from the use of the Port’s cruise terminals on days when ships are not in port.

“Port Tampa Bay has been a tremendous help and corporate citizen over the years and we appreciate the leadership’s commitment to our fundraising efforts,” said Stephen Shear, Executive Director of HCC’s Foundation.