- February 19, 2025
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Attendees got their drink bracelets at the front. ofthe tent and made their way inside.
Tammy Sachs and Shannon Gault
Hope Zerilli and Zach Raymond from Republic National
Sue Wertman and Ann Quackenbush
Attendees filled trays with food from the 22 restaurants.
Donna Letcher, Rick Konsavage, Brittney Konsavage, Steve Jensen and Carol Jensen
Attendees could bid on silent auction gifts throughout the day.
Doug Withers and Michael Garey
Cole and Regina Jellicoe
Vincent Merlino and Manny Rodriguez from La Norma
Troy Torman, William Koreinek and Yakasay Villa from Crab and Fin
Crab and Fin served shellfish on a bed of ice.
Kathy Pendleton, Cynthia Craig and Debi Nettlow
Kelly Erdmann from Nothing Bundt Cakes
Margit Thompson, Dashiell Bacon and Simon Bacon
Steve Mislyan of Blues Pig started warming up the crowd.
Blues Pig played the Lawn Party again.
Steve Mislyan of Blues Pig started warming up the crowd.
Zach Schield, Jamison Urch and Brian Kolesa served the Longboat Key Fire Department's chili.
Amy Whitt, Ray Arpke and Brooke Thompson from Euphemia Haye served their famous Caesar salad.
Susan Kerstan from Tropical Shores Popcorn
The Pirate's Gold popcorn was a hit throughout the day.
Lynn Larson, interim police chief George Turner and Lori Rice
The massive tent seated hundreds of people after they grabbed several plates.
Laura and Bruce DuLong
Michael Garey updated the raffle prize money count.
Lynn, Ella and Harry Christensen
Charlotta Langley and Jennifer Allen
A path led around the tent to the rest of the restaurants, which were arranged in a U around the inner tent.
Cyndi Seamon, Jack Brill, Antoinette Brill and Kim Roberts
Andrew Vac served as emcee.
Tammy Sachs, Robin Lee Harris and Chris Sachs
Colleen Moffett and Todi Garay from Crisp Waffle Company
Lynn Larson sold more raffle tickets throughout the afternoon.
Commissioners Penny Gold, Debra Williams and BJ Bishop
Secur-All sponsors Jim and Laura Rogers, David Brownstein, Feliz and Maggie Plascencia and Sandra Smith
Platinum sponsor and Unicorp National Development President Chuck Whittall kicks off the raffle drawings.
Svetlana Ivashchenko draws a raffle winners.
Chuck Wittall and Svetlana Ivashchenko draw raffle winners.
Chuck Wittall and Andrew Vac read out the grand prize winner.
Kiwanis President Michael Garey and grand prize winner Monica Verinder
Michael Drake and Rick Konsavage
Sponsors Sue and Woody Wolverton drew the raffle winner for the Lobster Love package.
Adam Hughes celebrates after winning a year of dining on Longboat Key.
Adam Hughes celebrates after winning a year of dining on Longboat Key.
The Kiwanis Lawn Party has long held the title of biggest fundraiser and biggest social event on Longboat Key. On Dec. 4, the 2021 party earned a new honorific: Biggest Town Center Green event to date.
After a year off due to the pandemic, the event came back with a boom with 800 people at the new Town Center Green, an idea Longboat Key leadership has had for years that is finally coming to fruition.
"My dad would be so happy to see this," Suzy Brenner, daughter of late town commissioner and vice mayor Dave Brenner, said. "He really believed in a town center on Longboat Key. He would be thrilled."
Brenner was one of more than 800 people at the inaugural event on the Town Center Green, which is on Bay Isles Road behind Publix, and spent the day visiting food booths and taking in the new town venue. In the center was a massive tent that held hundreds of people at tables and around the edges were 22 restaurant booths, several wine booths and another tent for seating.
"The energy is definitely very excited," Children's Guardian Fund Executive Director Svetlana Ivashchenko said. "I didn't know what to expect. It's been a while since we've had an event like this. I'm grateful for everyone who came out, a lot of kids are going to be helped from this."
With 22 restaurants represented, lines stayed short as attendees were able to wander up, grab a small plate and head to one of the other 21 booths. Despite the crowd, attendees said the Town Center Green venue never felt overly congested.
"I'm impressed because I thought it was going to be smaller, but it's very organized and well done," said Longboat Key resident and seasoned Lawn Party-goer Jennifer Allen.
Several booths, including Chick-fil-A and Viento Kitchen and Bar, ran out of food over the course of the afternoon and closed up shop a bit early. The Longboat Key Fire Department was a hit new "restaurant" represented this year and served their firefighter chili with all the fixins, while Euphemia Haye, which has been at the Lawn Party since its conception, served up Chef Ray Arpke's famous Caesar salad. At the Harry's Continental Kitchens table, the Christensens visited with customers new and old. They've also been part of the Lawn Party since the beginning.
"Over the years, there were years it was so congested that you'd have a line, so now it's easier for customers to not have to wait in a line and just be able to grab their stuff," Lynn Christensen said.
Though the party was scheduled to end at 2 p.m., the festivities stretched out a bit longer. Emcee Andrew Vac began calling up the Children's Guardian Fund speakers right around 2 p.m., and the raffle winners were announced just after the hour.
Monica Verinder took home the grand prize 50/50 pool, which had risen to a take-home of $27,000 over the course of the day. The Doris M. Carter Family Foundation also put $20,000 towards Children's Guardian Fund's take-home, bringing the total from the raffle to $47,000. The money will go towards the foster children served by Children's Guardian Fund, and particularly towards tutoring for the children.