Lawn Party seeks to fatten grants, scholarships

Think of the children.

That’s what you can tell yourself if you feel guilty about splurging on extra calories and beverages at the Longboat Key Gourmet Lawn Party Dec. 6.

Sure, the event might not be good for your waistline — but it is good for the children who benefit from the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key’s annual event.

Last year’s Lawn Party raised more than $50,000 for local children’s charities and scholarships, which helped the Kiwanis Club donate $38,000 to local children’s charities and grant 37 scholarship awards totaling $66,000 for local students during the calendar year.

This year, the club is aiming higher, with the goal of raising $70,000 at the Lawn Party.

The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 6, at the Longboat Key Club’s Islandside driving range, 361 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Tickets are $25 in advance; $30 at the gate.

Purchase tickets on Longboat Key at the Mobil Station, 400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, SunTrust Bank, 510 Bay Isles Road, Ace Hardware, 4030 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Lazy Lobster of Longboat, 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive, or the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, 5390 Gulf of Mexico Drive; on St. Armands Circle at Edward Jones, 443 John Ringling Blvd., or Lynches Pub & Grub, 19B N. Blvd. of Presidents; or online at lbklawnparty.org.

Lawn Party check list
Don’t forget the following items when you attend this year’s Longboat Key Gourmet Lawn Party:

Tickets — This one’s a no-brainer, but this year, we recommend guarding your ticket extra tightly. At press time, just 150 event tickets remained. For reserved seating, just four tickets remained, while reserved tables of 10 were sold out.

$100 cash or check or a major credit card — A $100 raffle ticket buys you a one in 500 chance of winning the grand prize of $20,000 cash, plus the opportunity to win one of four other prizes.

Cash — It’s the final year Edith Barr Dunn will organize her famous 50/50 raffle, so bring plenty of cash to win even more cash.

Trays — With only two hours to taste food and beverages from 40 restaurants and vendors, bring trays to stock up on multiple samples, or purchase trays at the event.

The restaurants
• Blue Marlin Grill
• Bridge Street Bistro
• Bridge Tender Inn & Dockside Bar
• Café L’Europe
• Chart House Longboat Key
• Columbia Restaurant
• Crab & Fin
• Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
• Euphemia Haye
• Harry’s Continental Kitchens
• Island Time Bar & Grill
• Kacey’s Seafood & More
• Lazy Lobster of Longboat
• Lido Beach Grille
• Longbeach Café
• Louies Modern
• Lynches Pub & Grub
• Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub
• Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant
• O’Shuck’s Raw Bar & Grill
• Plymouth Harbor
• Publix of Longboat Key
• Resort at Longboat Key Club
• Sand Dollar Rooftop Restaurant
• Seabreeze Coffee & Tea
• Tommy Bahama
• Tyler’s Ice Cream
• Village Idiot Pizzeria

RAFFLE PRIZES
The Kiwanis Club seeks to sell out all 500 raffle tickets to raise money for scholarships.
Here’s what you could win with a $100 ticket purchase:

GRAND PRIZE
$20,000 cash

SECOND PRIZE
“A Year of Delicious Dining”: 50 gift cards from Sarasota and Manatee County restaurants

THIRD PRIZE
“Pack Your Bags”: A weekend getaway to Usepa Island in Charlotte Harbor as guests of U.S. Rep. Vern and Sandy Buchanan

FOURTH PRIZE
“Fore!”: Twenty rounds of golf for four at the Longboat Key Club or the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, plus a $500 Nike golf bag

FIFTH PRIZE
“Bucs & Bolts”: Two Stadium Club tickets and a parking pass to the sold-out Packers vs. Buccaneers football game Dec. 21 and two Club Level tickets to the Penguins vs. Lightning hockey game Dec. 23