Cal Erb Profile

Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix

If you're going to the Grand Prix power boat races this coming weekend... you have one of our neighbors to thank. One of the founders of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix off shore racing weekend, started to benefit Suncoast Charities for Children, is longtime Lido Shorian Cal Erb.

Longtime Lido Shorian Cal Erb

At age 87, Cal is still the Treasurer for Suncoast Charities for Children, a non-profit organization that provides annual grants to local agencies that serve children and adults with special needs. In addition to the powerboat race... Suncoast Charities also produces Thunder by the Bay Motorcycle Festival and the 4th of July Fireworks on Sarasota Bay, with proceeds benefitting children with special needs.

Cal says he never expected the race, started in the Bay 34-years ago, would turn into Sarasota's premier event. He recently told SNN-TV News, " I thought we'd do it for a year or two, make our money to help kids and it's over." Now, some three-thousand children are helped each year by Suncoast Charities.

But we're just getting started telling you about this uber active but low profile neighbor of ours. Cal is also a founder of Sarasota Crimestoppers, and remains Vice President after years as it's president.

One of Cal's proudest moments was carrying the Olympic Torch down Sarasota's Main street on July 4th, 1996.

As for retirement, apparently that's not yet in the cards. An accountant, specializing in restaurant management, Cal still goes to the office everyday.

Cal lives with wife Pam Erb on Lido Shores Bayside at 1320 John Ringling Parkway. They married in 1982 and moved into Lido Shores in 1984. Back then most of the homes were still from the 50's and 60's. The "Bobby Vinton" home was still the most expensive home in Lido Shores.

According to Pam, the view of the bay and downtown Sarasota is "...the most captivating and mesmerizing aspect of the home. Lido Shores also offers a unique and eclectic feeling of community. We love our neighbors who often join us in cocktails on the patio. We have a favorite ritual each evening of watching the tide come and go."

Cal participated in the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay

But Cal isn't the only go-getter in the community centric, hard working Erb family. Pam served as LSPOA President in the mid 1990's during the time of the Larry Saslaw lawsuit over rights to our beach easement. The case was settled in our favor under Pam's watch on the Board.

Pam also had quite a career, spending the major part of her life in health care administration. She's been the Director of Nursing at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Vice President at Tampa General Hospital, selected for a Johnson and Johnson fellowship at the Wharton School of Business, and past President of the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives.

Thanks to this dynamic duo for making Lido Shores and Sarasota a better place to live.

Cal and Pam Erb at a recent LSPOA Annual Meeting

Click on link below to watch SNN-TV News interview about the Grand Prix Race and an interview with Cal Erb. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5cshMkRJgd4#

~Bob Thill

bthill@icloud.com