# Southeast Florida Port Workers Raise Funds for Scholarship Initiative
International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1526, representing workers at Port Everglades, hosted the Second Annual Southeast Florida Golf Classic in Key West on February 2, 2026. The charitable tournament successfully generated thousands of dollars directed toward the local’s scholarship fund, supporting educational opportunities for members and their families.
The fundraising event reflects broader efforts within the maritime labor community to invest in workforce development and education. Port Everglades, one of the busiest cruise and cargo ports in the United States, relies on skilled longshoremen for critical cargo handling operations. By establishing and maintaining scholarship programs, Local 1526 addresses the need for qualified personnel entering the maritime sector while strengthening ties within its membership base.
Such initiatives carry particular significance as the maritime industry faces ongoing workforce challenges and generational transitions. Scholarship funds enable longshoremen’s families to pursue higher education while reducing financial barriers to career advancement within and beyond the port industry. The second iteration of the Southeast Florida Golf Classic suggests sustained commitment to this objective, with the tournament gaining traction as an annual community engagement effort that combines professional networking with philanthropic outcomes for port workers across South Florida.