Doc Ford’s St. Petersburg Pier restaurant donates backpacks, school supplies

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Aug. 18, 2025) – Fairmount Park Elementary children recently returned to the
classroom with all the necessities for a great school year, courtesy of employees at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar
& Grille on the St. Petersburg Pier. The team conducted a back-to-school drive to donate 25 stylish
backpacks featuring Spidey and Friends, Bluey, Paw Patrol and superheroes while also fulfilling the
Amazon wish list for essential supplies and the school’s dojo store, featuring an assortment of rewards for
positive behavior and participation.

Doc Ford’s employees raised over $400 to purchase the backpacks and fund the Amazon
purchases, which included crayons, markers, fidget toys, party favors, bubble wands, neon sunglasses,
reusable water bottles, snacks and pencil cases.

“Our team really embraced the idea of supporting a local school,” said Meredith Rickards,
general manager of the St. Petersburg Pier Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. “This was the first time we
participated in sponsoring a school and the team is already talking about doing it again.”

“Thanks to our community partner Doc Ford’s, you can make a difference in just a few clicks,”
said Andrew M. Akapnitis, Fairmount Park Elementary principal. “Your generosity supports real
classrooms, real kids and real learning. All items are shipped directly to our school and once they arrive, we turn them into smiles, success and stronger scholars.”

A Title 1 transformation school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, Fairmount Park
Elementary believes in the power of love, learning and leadership and is proud of the daily literacy breakthroughs and STEM innovations illustrating students’ promise, talent and potential. It created the
back-to-school Amazon wish list as a way for the community to help it stock up on much-needed
supplies.

“These items may seem small, but they make a huge impact in ensuring that every child starts the
year with confidence and dignity,” said Akapnitis. “Behind every great student is a classroom filled with
tools that make learning possible.”

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and parent company HM Restaurant Group have a long history of
philanthropy and community outreach, assisting local charitable groups committed to conservation,
community, education and the environment. With locations on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Jungle
Terrace and the St. Petersburg Pier, the restaurants have raised over $133,000 for the Golisano Children’s
Hospital of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers and John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg
through $1 donations from the sale of select cocktails.

Renowned for its legendary guest experience, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11
a.m. to 10 p.m.

The award-winning restaurant offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the
Caribbean Rim. Beloved for its sauces, spices and signature Yucatan shrimp served daily, Doc Ford’s is
highly regarded by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant. The restaurant is a
perennial TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The St. Petersburg Pier location was named the No. 1
restaurant for Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.

Contact:
Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and Public Relations, 239-275-5758,
[email protected]