Bradentucky Bombers host charity bout for Humane Society of Manatee County

The Bradentucky Bombers turned their home bout against Sugar Sands Roller Derby into a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Manatee County, with every ticket bought before 3 p.m. on event day using promo code MCHS sending $5 to the shelter. The charity night centered on the June 27 bout at the Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex in Ellenton, where doors opened at 4:30 p.m.

The setup made the fundraiser part of the action rather than a side note. Fans were able to help the shelter through ticket sales and raffles, giving the bout more than one revenue stream and tying derby’s fast, physical pace to a direct local payoff. The Humane Society of Manatee County listed the Bradentucky Bombers Charity Bout on its public events calendar at 5309 29th St E in Ellenton, underscoring how tightly the night was connected to the shelter’s own outreach.

For the Bombers, the event fit the identity they have built since Gigi RaMoan founded the league in 2006. The Bradentucky Bombers Roller Derby say they are based in Sarasota and Bradenton, have more than 60 members, and operate as a skater-run league with teams that include referees, non-skating officials and volunteers. Their competitive Women’s Flat Track Derby Association team is ranked No. 14 in North America South, a detail that places the bout within a serious competitive program even as the league leans into charity work.

That mix of competition and civic purpose is part of the Bombers’ appeal. The league describes itself as all-inclusive for cisgender, transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming participants, and it also stages fundraisers to support travel expenses, making community-backed events part of its operating model rather than a one-off promotion. Against Sugar Sands Roller Derby, the charity bout gave that model a public face and showed how local derby can move money as well as momentum.

The shelter’s mission gives the cause a clear local edge. The Humane Society of Manatee County says it exists to foster compassion and respect for animals through quality care, education and advocacy, and its veterinary clinic offers low-to-moderate-cost care for cats and dogs in Manatee County and surrounding counties. For pet owners in the area, the Bombers’ bout turned a night at the track into direct support for services that reach well beyond the rink.