Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands returns as gold sponsor of the 2026 Florida Python Challenge
Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands is continuing its commitment to environmental conservation as a returning gold sponsor of the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, an annual initiative that protects the Florida Everglades ecosystem from the threat of the invasive Burmese python.
Hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Python Challenge is a 10-day competition, to be held July 10-19, that encourages the safe and humane removal of nonnative Burmese pythons from Florida’s designated public lands.
“We are honored to stand behind this initiative and its efforts to inspire the community to take an active role in protecting the Everglades and the ecosystems that surround it,” said Geoffrey Roepstorff, CEO of Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands, a lifelong Floridian, state-contracted python hunter and check-in station volunteer for the Florida Python Challenge. “The invasive Burmese python presents a significant danger to our native wildlife and natural habitats, and we firmly believe it is our collective duty to safeguard the environment we all value.”
This is the fourth consecutive year that Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands has supported the Florida Python Challenge, reflecting the bank’s founders’ passion for conservation. As a gold sponsor, the bank is helping fund grand prizes for the competition, which includes $10,000 for the registered participant who removes the most pythons.
The python removal competition begins at 12:01 a.m. on July 10 and ends at 5 p.m. on July 19. Hunters wishing to register can learn more at FLPythonChallenge.org.
About Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands
Edison National Bank is Lee County’s oldest locally owned and managed community bank, serving individuals and business owners with offices in Fort Myers, as well as its Bank of the Islands offices on Sanibel and Captiva. Founded in 1997, Edison National Bank is strongly rooted in the community and actively supports civic and charitable causes through both donations and volunteerism. Bank of the Islands is proud to be the winner of more than 50 “Best of the Islands” awards including “Best Island Bank” numerous times. Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands is a Member FDIC and has retained a 5-Star Superior Rating from BauerFinancial for more than a decade. For more information, call 239-466-1800 or visit EdisonNationalBank.com or BankoftheIslands.com.
