Mote receives $10,000 donation from Sarasota Bay Cup

In April, Bird Key Yacht Club returned as the Sarasota Bay Cup host after a two-year hiatus with change in mind.

The club decided to make the regatta a charitable event and chose Mote Marine Laboratory as the beneficiary.

On April 22, 74 sailboats took to the waters of the Sarasota Bay for fun and competitive race.

Now, three months later, Mote Marine Laboratory has accepted a check for $10,000 from Bird Key Yacht Club resulting from the Sarasota Bay Cup: The Mote Marine Laboratory Regatta.

“The Club is thrilled about the overall success of this year’s regatta. We met our objectives and at a recent meeting even confirmed our commitment to continuing the partnership with Mote for the 2018 cup,” Bill Jacobs, 2017 Race Chair, said in a statement from Mote.

Next year’s race, which will continue the partnership between the club and Mote, will take place on April 21, 2018.

In the meantime, Mote encourages residents to explore local waters.

“The positive impact of the Sarasota Bay Cup extends far beyond just Mote Marine Laboratory and Bird Key Yacht Club”, Mote President and CEO, Dr. Michael P. Crosby said in a Mote statement. “This event brings together participants from so many different yacht clubs and diverse stakeholders in our region who are passionate about sailing, Sarasota Bay and our shared marine environment. In doing so, the regatta participants also helped support our Mote scientists’ efforts in leading today’s research for tomorrow’s oceans.”