Longboaters top Santa's nice list

It’s no secret that Santa Claus makes his list and checks it twice before  Christmas Eve.

This year, we thought we’d help and make a nice list for him.

Throughout the holiday season, these Longboat Key groups have collected toys, money and other donations for local charities.

Longboat Key Garden Club

Members donated money to purchase toys and clothing for two classrooms of children at Children First. Each child received a book, a learning toy, a wish list toy and an outfit.

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church

Each year, the church’s Men’s Club and Women’s Guild hosts a Christmas Concert to celebrate the holidays with church members. This year, admission to the concert was an unwrapped toy that would later be donated to Catholic Charities for distribution to local children in need.

Longboat Key Kiwanis Club

Every year, the club rings the bell for the Salvation Army outside of Longboat Key’s Publix. Usually, the group is a top fundraising post. In 2016, the club raised $14,037.43, about $540 a day. This year should be no different.

Longboat Key Police Department

The Police Department is home to Longboat’s Toys for Tots donation box. All the toys donated will be distributed in the Sarasota-Manatee county areas. Donations were hoped to range from new toys, clothing, bikes books, sports gear and any other items that would put a smile on a child’s face.

Christ Church, Presbyterian, of Longboat Key

On Dec. 2, the church held its third annual toy and food collection for Turning Points and Our Daily Bread in Bradenton. They were able to fill “carloads” of children’s bikes, unwrapped toys and nonperishable food for the organizations. Church members also went caroling Dec. 9 to various locations including the Longboat Key Police Department, Plymouth Harbor and Westminster Towers.

Longboat Island Chapel

Cuddly bears got a dress up makeover by volunteers before sending them off to the Salvation Army of Bradenton. They will be donated as gifts to local children.

L’Ambiance Condominiums

At L’Ambiance’s employee holiday lunch, employees and residents not only enjoyed an afternoon of holiday fun, but they also collected unwrapped gifts to go to the Children’s Guardian Fund. They challenged other Longboat Key residences to do the same.

Longboat Harbour Condominiums 

At their annual holiday party, residents had a small admission fee to pay. To get to their cups of good cheer, residents were asked to bring an unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots.