The Bills Backers of Southwest Florida was officially formed in May 1992 by Tom Austin, who served as our first Club President. The founding Board of Directors consisted of three officers and six board members.
The first seated officers were: Tom Austin, President, Julius Salgado, Vice President, and Shirley Trippany, Secretary/Treasurer. The first seated board members were: Michelle Austin, Skip Bentley, Lu Ann Boyle, Cy Brancato, Don Brown, and Bill Johnson. This board was seated for the first two-year term. It was decided, however, after the first year to add another position to the Board of Directors. The Board unanimously decided to appoint David Trippany to a board position to complete the second year of the term. The Bills Backers of Southwest Florida are members in good standing of Bills Backers International and governed by By-Laws drafted by the founding and current Board of Directors.
The club's first home was Pott's Sports Bar, which we outgrew after the first year. The club's second home was B.T. Boomers, a sports bar that was indeed fitting to host the Bills Backers of Southwest Florida. After two years it was decided that a change was in order and the Club moved to R.J. Gators. That relationship lasted only one year and the Bills Backers was again seeking a home. This time, a new local sports cafe was very interested in the Bills Backers and continually recruited the Club. In 1996, Shoeless Joe's Sports Cafe (affiliated with Holiday Inn Select) officially welcomed the Bills Backers of Southwest Florida to their new home.
As the Bills Backers of Southwest Florida ended the 2007 Football Season, their relationship with Grove Street Grill and Discotheque also ended at the request of the owner. We again found our club without a fan club home where our membership could meet and cheer our team on to victory. Through the dedication and hard work of the Board of Directors, in May of 2008, Alli Gators, an establishment in Ft Myers was in the process of becoming a "Sports Bar" and welcomed the Bills Backers of Southwest Florida with open arms. Alli Gators is extending to club members a 10% discount on their game day checks, which is by far the best deal our membership has ever seen! So be sure to check out Bills Backers of Southwest Florida as well as Alli Gators on game days, you will be glad you did!!!
Through the years, the Bills Backers of Southwest Florida has evolved into one of the largest and most active chapters within Bills Backers International. We have made annual activities commonplace while other chapters in Bills Backers International could only watch in envy. We pride ourselves on all of our activities, but truly stand proud when we refer to our charity work in Southwest Florida and Buffalo. We are also very proud of our accomplishments with our Annual Player's Weekend, which has become an event recognized by the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Bills Alumni Association.
The Board of Directors and entire membership of the Bills Backers of Southwest Florida would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to Alli Gators on game days, the official home of the largest and most active chapter within Bills Backers International. GO BILLS!!!
