Over $15K Raised for Fire Victim Relief Fund

On April 13, 2024, there was a tragic fire in Bocas Town. A fundraising campaign was launched on April 29 to support the clean-up efforts and create a victim relief fund for the employees and owner-operators who lost their primary source of income.

The final fundraising results: $15,417.80 total

$3,027 was raised in the original on-line campaign
$5,000 was donated by Hannig Environmental Research Organization (HERO) as part of the 2-1 matching on donations after May 6
$6,031 was the result of the June 8 event
$1,359.80 was collected through other donations and collections that came in from post-event raffle tickets and auction prize payments.

Thank you, thank you, thank you and THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to everyone who donated money, contributed auction and raffle prizes, attended the June 8 event and volunteered your time to this wonderful community effort.

This fundraising campaign was organized by Rotary Club Bocas del Toro, Floating Doctors, Give and Surf, The Bocas Breeze and Space Bocas.

Cerveceria Nacional Panama, Filthy Friday and Tropical Bar Discotec made significant contributions to the June 8 event’s entertainment (stage, sound, fencing).

The entertainment was also supported by equipment contributions from Octavio Fernandez Berroeta, Enrique Saldaña Paz, Daniel Ayora of Panama Sailing, Evan Trainor and Michael Haight of The Monkey Bowl.

A special thank you to the bands and DJs who donated their talents and their craft for the June 8 event. Each was invited with option to charge for the event (suggesting a discounted rate for the cause), but in the end, every artist performed free of charge, in solidarity with the effort (all bands and DJs pictured at the bottom of this page):

Los Que La Forman
The Beaches
Los Chekas
Los Zaguates
Chicha Fuerte
White Coffee
The X-Pats
DJ Fat
DJ Kenny West

Thank you to the volunteers of Rotary Club, Floating Doctors, Give and Surf and other friends who worked the entrance, beer tent, raffle ticket sales and otherwise spent the day keeping our event in motion.

A special thank you to Bocas Pharmacy for discounted printing and for making an extra June 8 flyer for the pharmacy to display to the street view on their glass windows.

Thank you to Evan Trainor and Reinaldo Escobar for running the sound for the event.

Thank you to Caribbean Flavor by Derrick, Chivi Pan, Marina and Erica for your participation. Their vendor fees during the June 8 event supported the cause.

Thank you to Liby Cheung for donating 100% of Space’s bar profit for the day and to Space manager Alejandro Fernandez and the rest of the hardworking Space Bocas crew. This is a Bocas bar with a firm commitment to social responsibility.

Tons of gratitude to Mr. Ted Hannig for the very generous donation via the HERO organization. The announcement of the 2-for1 matching surely enticed people to donate.

A special acknowledgment to the anonymous Bocas Breeze reader who decided to purchase two round-trip FlyTrip tickets to enter into the raffle as a way to “spice it up.” And spice it up it did! The raffle ticket sales were a big contribution.

I have heard one case already of a business getting a new customer as a direct result from being found in the list of raffle prizes. Amazing! Of course it’s all to support a good cause, but people are also noticing which companies choose to participate in these initiatives. Support these businesses (and the nonprofits) that contributed to this community effort! Organized by category:

TOURS & ACTIVITIES

Sportfishing Bocas del Toro
La Loma Jungle Lodge (Chocolate and Permaculture Farm Tour + Lunch)
La Coralina Island House Spa
Bocas Dive Center
Panama Sailing
La Tierra del Encanto (new trails in Bahia Honda/Playa Larga)
Wild Cane (Chocolate Affair event)
Panama Dive School
Cosmic Crab Mosaic Workshop
Boquete Nature & Music Fest 2025

RESTAURANTS & BARS

The Floating Bar
El Ultimo Refugio
Bibi’s on the Beach
The Hummingbird
Tequila Republic
Pane E Vino
Raw Fusion
Cosmic Crab Cafe/Atlantis Pool Bar
Blue Coconut
The Wings House
Tacolicious
Nachyo Momma’s Taco Bar
JJ’s at Bocas Blended

ACCOMODATIONS

La Coralina Island House
Carmen’s Place
Toucan Bay
Cosmic Crab Resort
Casa Blanca
Casa Loma
The Hummingbird

SERVICES, RETAIL AND MORE:

Jorgensen Artworks
Lil Spa Shop
Jungle Blends
Jen Heflin
Bocas Soldadura de Alumunio
Fabian Cold Services
Finca Montezuma
Aqualy Water
Marina (seamstress and custom clothing/accessories)
Caroline Skorska Surf Board Art
Island Art Bocas
Bocas Bouncy Castle
Turquoise Treasures (Cosmic Crab gift shop)
Breeze Card

NON-PROFIT/VOLUNTEER

Bocas Chess
Papa Gato Animal Welfare
Give and Surf
Floating Doctors
Rotary Club Bocas del Toro

An acknowledgment to the individuals representing the groups that organized this effort (pictured left to right): Emily Talentino, Soli Iglesias, Samantha Horn, Libby Cheung and Nicholas Corea.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. There is most likely a thank you or 12 that might be missing from this list, but the truth is, there was so much community unity and collaboration on this effort, it would be impossible to acknowledge everyone who deserves a shout out for putting their grain of sand into this mountainous movement to help those affected by the April 13 fires.

Despite the tragic circumstances, it is moments like these where Bocas del Toro and its community’s greatness shines.

More photos from the June 8 Rock ‘N’ Relief Fundraising event:

Los Que La Forman band

The Beaches

Los Chekas

Los Zaguates

Chicha Fuerte

White Coffee

The X-Pats

DJ Fat

DJ Kenny West

“Sucker Punch” by Julie Jorgensen