Kiwanis Club ready to serve up Lawn Party

It’s that time of year.

The seventh annual Longboat Key Kiwanis Club Lawn Party is almost here.

The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Islandside Driving Range of the Longboat Key Club, 220 Sands Point Road.

As snowbirds make their way back to the island, event co-chairman Bob Gault has seen the hype build.

“Well, there’s a lot of enthusiasm, which we’re excited about,” he said. “We have sold about 30 tables of 10 ... which is a good place to be right now, and I think we will sell out if things keep going the way they are.”

On average, the event sells between 800 and 1,000 tickets. Gault, who is co-chairing the event with fellow Kiwanis members Asima Palmer and Glenn Peterson, estimates this year’s attendance will be 800 or 900, but hopefully it reaches 1,000.

“We’ve got a big space and a lot of restaurants and plenty of seating, so I would say we could go up to about 1,200 and [people] would still be comfortable, and I don’t think we’ll hit that number. I wish we would.”

Set for this year: 28 restaurants.

“The vast majority, if not all, are repeats,” Gault said. “They know it’s a great community event, and I think it’s important to remind everyone why we’re doing it.”

The lawn party benefits the Kiwanis Club’s scholarship fund.

“We’re not doing it just to have fun. It is a very fun party, but it really does help 25 to 30 kids a year get a scholarship,” Gault said.

One of the biggest revenue generators for the lawn party is the raffle, known for its grand prize of $20,000.

This year, other prizes include a VIP trip to Universal Orlando Resort, an overnight package from Zota Beach Resort and a golf package from Longboat Key Club. Raffle tickets are $100 each and can be bought from any Kiwanis Club member; The Lazy Lobster, 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive; or SunTrust Bank, 510 Bay Isles Road. The same goes for tickets, which are $50 each. Tables of 10 are $450.

Along with event sponsors, the lawn party is made possible with volunteers. Cardinal Mooney High School students volunteer each year by helping set up, serving water, clearing tables and cleaning up after the event. The Longboat Key Public Works Department also helps with setup and tear down. Project manager James Linkogle will perform with the Blues Pig Band.

Gault also said it’s important to remember that weather is a non-issue.

“This event is going to go on rain or shine,” he said. “We don’t have a co-chair in charge of weather, but the weather is usually good this time of year, and we have some huge tents and the restaurants are covered, and the seats are covered, so if we have a little spritz, the show goes on.”