Longboat Key Firefighters Association raises over $20,000

The Longboat Key Firefighters Association raised around $20,000 on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the third annual Longboat Key Firefighters Golf Classic.

Over 130 firefighters, families and local sponsors gathered for a round at the Harbourside Golf Course at the Longboat Key Club before rejoining in the dining room for a lunch buffet and to discover who won. 

“It was a really, really successful tournament,” Association president Jose Rivera said.

The amount raised rivals what the event brought in last year, Rivera said. The money will go towards scholarships, adopting a local family for the year and cancer prevention, said outgoing Association president Bryan Carr. Firefighters face a rate of cancer over 60% higher than other members of the community. 

“We’re trying to build up (our fund) so we can help whenever it’s needed,” Rivera said. “We want to be able to help anyone in the community. We’re trying to have that nest egg.” 

As for scholarships, the Association tries to give out four scholarships per year to two students from Manatee Technical and Sarasota Technical Colleges. This year, they will be able to give each student $750, though they hope to be able to raise that in future years, said Rivera. 

“We want to just have a benevolent fund,” Rivera said.