JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Community First Cares Foundation and Pete’s Bar in Neptune Beach will celebrate the bar’s grand reopening with a matching grant and ticketed fundraising event to support beaches-area nonprofits.
“Joys & Toys” will be held at “The Backyard at Pete’s” one of the newest features after renovation and improvements at the bar.
Community First Cares Foundation and Pete’s Bar owners are making matching grants to the fundraiser with a goal of raising $30,000 for the three charities to split evenly.
Additional donations and funds will be raised at the event which also features a toy drive. Attendees who donate toys to the drive will receive additional VIP benefits at the event. The beneficiary nonprofits are BEAM, The HEAL Foundation and Beaches Go Green.
“We’re excited to give back to the Beaches community for its strong and continued support of Pete’s for the last 90 years,” said Shahab Deraz, partner. “This giveback event will not only showcase the renovations at Pete's and the creation of "The Backyard" but it will also highlight BEAM, HEAL and Beaches Go Green which continue to have such a great impact on the beach’s communities.”
The “Joys & Toys” Event will be held Sat., December 10 from 1 to 5 p.m. and is $20 per ticket. Event tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite here. All of ticket proceeds, seed grants and other donations will benefit the three nonprofit organizations.
“The Community First Cares Foundation is proud to work with Pete’s on a commemoration of the newly refreshed bar while also giving back to our beaches,” said Missy Peters, executive director of the foundation. “BEAM, HEAL and Beaches Go Green do amazing work in our community and we’re looking forward to helping them fund projects to support their missions.”
Community First Credit Union is Pete’s Bar business banking and lending partner and provided the capital for the extensive indoor and outdoor improvements including new bathrooms in addition to “The Backyard at Pete’s.”
Pete’s Bar was the first bar to open in Duval County after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. It sits at its original location at the corner of First and Lemon Streets.