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From NAPLES 68 Annual Farm-City BBQ
to AFRICA Celebrate community, agriculture

with Love and the next generation of leaders

this Thanksgiving

Part 2 of 3

SPONSORS Wednesday NOVEMBER 26 2025 11:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m.
TO DATE INCLUDE: Collier County Fairgrounds 751 39 Avenue NE Naples, FL 34120
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• Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee
• Alico Citrus • Sunshine Ace ollier County’s beloved pre- made Farm-City BBQ one of the most
• Naples Lumber • Arthrex Thanksgiving tradition, The well-attended and beloved annual events in
• Ave Maria Development CFarm-City BBQ, is back for its Collier County,” said Budd, co-founder of
• Rycon Construction 68 year! This cherished gathering of food, PBS Contractors. “We consider it ‘the family
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• Stock Development fellowship, and purpose will be bringing together reunion for the business community’, including
the business of farming. Everyone is welcome.
• Waste Management thousands of attendees made up of the business It’s a casual event with great food and great
By Lisa Spiller, buffalo and rhinos in our first few hours in • Cogent Bank • PBS Contractors community, elected officials and neighbors– conversation that thousands look forward to all
donned in cowboy hats, jeans and boots–on
Luxury Travel Advisor the bush. When the stars came out at night, • Bank of America November 26, 2025, at 11:30 am at year.” Budd has chaired the event for the last
we settled into bed, our adrenaline remaining • Brian A. Glaeser State Farm the Collier County Fairgrounds. three years and has been involved for over
I first traveled to Africa in 2016 after high, and were startled by the clamor of What began decades ago as a simple gesture 20 years.
galloping hoofs, it seemed, right through our • Motorola Solutions Inc The event takes place during National
raising my paddle in a live charity tent! My husband jumped out of bed, peered • Naples Airport Authority of support between local farmers and business Farm-City Week, a time set aside during
leaders has grown into an opportunity for
auction during a golf tournament out the tent, and spotted a herd of zebra • Naples Gun Shop leaders from the coastal and interior regions of Thanksgiving to celebrate and recognize the
charging by, their white stripes glowing in beneficial partnerships between rural and urban
to bid on a safari. I came home from From Capetown, we drove to the Cape the moonlight. So magical a moment, I • Peninsula Engineering the county to feast on locally grown food, give communities that make our food supply safe
Winelands where we visited multiple world- thanks for a thriving community and support
that charity event on a euphoric would argue they were unicorns! We woke • Q. Grady Minor and plentiful.
class wineries and tasted our way through the next morning to marvel at the muddy the next generation of youth on the day “Countless people in our community
high, prize package in hand, and, the stunning hillside vineyards and valleys of • Stantec • Stifel Nicolaus before Thanksgiving.
monkey prints all over our front porch, and prepare, transport, market, and retail the food
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. The wines • Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Mgmt. This wildly popular, fun event includes
after a year of advance planning, pictured them trying to break into our tent, grown right here at 300 farms on almost
of South Africa are delicious, the hospitality • BMO Wealth Management networking, live-music by Back Country Boys
we embarked on an adventure that world-class and the dramatic scenery is and scavenge for the biltong, spiced nuts and Band and a hearty steak lunch served with 150,000 acres in Collier County,” added
apples we stashed in our backpacks. • Chaffee Consulting • Coleman Padilla, Community Relationship Manager of
turned out to be the best vacation we spellbinding! Over the next five spectacularly Immokalee-grown vegetables as well as beer RCMA, whose organization supports children
From the Cape Winelands we flew to the • Taylor • Klaus, et al and wine. As a true, heartfelt display of service
ever had! east coast near Zululand, where we spent two memorable days, our Safari guides and • DeAngelis Diamond • EK Consulting and tradition, volunteer business leaders man in farm working and low-income families in
trackers maneuvered miles of bumpy dirt Immokalee. “Our goal with the event is to
luxurious nights on the wild Indian Ocean at • Manning Napier the grills and sides are served by Collier County
e arrived in Cape Town, South roads winding through African bush to commemorate the interdependence of the
The Oyster Box Hotel. The Oyster Box Hotel elected officials who volunteer as celebrity
Africa for three days of pre- search for the big five. We were endlessly • Manuel Padilla Construction vibrant network of farmers and business
transports you to old world British Colonial servers.
Wsafari exploration. We strolled surprised by hundreds of wild elephants, • Planning Alternatives owners who support the economy and our
glamour. A national treasure, the Oyster Box is Elyse Lipman, CEO of Lipman Family
the vibrant modern Victoria & Albert zebra, giraffe, lions, leopards, hyenas, rhino, people. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to
popular with those in the know for afternoon • Premier Commercial, Inc. • UES Farms will serve as Honorary Chair and Russell
Waterfront, photographed the colorful cape buffalo, kudu, nyala, monkeys, wild consider the food on our tables and where it
tea and the weekly curry dinner, which is not to Budd and Gloria Padilla will serve as Co-Chairs.
architecture of the Jewish quarter, hiked boar, baboons and ostrich. The animal • Naples Daily News • Life in Naples comes from while raising funds to support
be missed! “This event is a celebration of community
the colorful Kirstenbosch Gardens, rode behavior we witnessed up close within • Gulfshore Business our future leaders.”
Our finale was a five night safari in connection and mutual appreciation that has
the cable car ride up Table Mountain and sometimes inches of our safari jeep was
Zululand, which included a combination of • Florida Weekly
cruised the stunning coast and countryside mesmerizing, and the photos and videos we SPONSORSHIPS AND TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT FARMCITYBBQ.COM
Safari conservations and accommodations in
stretching down to the Cape of Good Hope, captured, priceless. BENEFITS
Hemmingway-style tents as well as a traditional
where we spotted our first wild baboons, Africa is captivating. It is a destination
Safari Lodge. Our tent was heavy canvas Proceeds benefit the youth development
ostrich and penguins. We spoiled ourselves that remains in your heart and beckons you programs of Collier County 4H, Collier
mounted on a platform, with all the comforts
with fresh oysters for breakfast daily, drank to return. Since that first journey, I not only County Junior Deputies, Key Clubs of
of a hotel room including a king bed, electricity,
outstanding, inexpensive local wines and returned to South Africa with my husband, Collier County and Youth Leadership
running water and a private ensuite bathroom.
dined in a selection of modern, sophisticated I also have had the incredible opportunity Collier. Youth represented from the
Here we were one with nature. Animals roamed
restaurants offering cutting edge farm to experience Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, beneficiaries will be on hand to serve
freely around us and seemed accustomed to as volunteers and assist with a variety
to table fresh ingredients. Our guide Gambia, Angola, Ghana, Senegal, the Ivory
humans being in their wild kingdom. Our of fundraising opportunities.
enlightened us about South African politics, Coast, and Morocco.
first game drive was an adrenaline rush as we
the history of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela’s Where to next? TICKETS
encountered zebras, elephants, giraffes, cape
tragedy and triumph and the country’s Gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda. $35 per person for the steak lunch or
current struggles beyond the tourist’s gaze. $45 per person for a steak lunch and
drinks package.
@
Lisa is a professional travel advisor affiliated with Preferred Travel & Company. Contact Lisa Spiller: Lisa PreferredNaples.com 239-261-1177 THE PRICES WILL INCREASE FOR
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