Fort Myers Beach resident Kevin Paradiso, picture here with Jason Ingream, the owner of Mangorita’s, won the hand crafted boat on Sunday. The boat was built by the late Pete McCagg. McCagg was very instrumental in getting the annual Shrimp Festival organized.
The boat was given away over the weekend by The Lions Club on what would have been Shrimp Festival weekend. The Lions were selling 2019 and 2020 Shrimp Festival T-shirts to raise money. The 2020 and 2021 Shrimp Festivals were both canceled due to COVID. The Lions Club typically raises over $60,000 each year during the Shrimp Festival. That money is distributed to local organizations in the community.
It took McCagg two months to build the boat. It was his favorite hobby and he built at least 50 of them. The boat pictured here actually has a motor in it.
Also pictured here with Paradiso is his daughter Marina, a 1st grader at Beach Elementary School.
Donations can still be made to the Lions Club HERE.