Claws for a Cause was for the birds this month

Neighbors lined up for boxed lobster lunches from The Maine Line food truck, a local favorite.

By Lesley Dwyer
| 7:10 a.m. July 18, 2022

Longboat Key
Neighbors

The Maine Line food truck delivered lobster and discounts to Whitney Plaza on July 15 for the second installment of Claws for a Cause.

The food truck already had a loyal band of followers and quickly gained more since last month’s event. Neighbors pulled up on golf carts and chatted with friends as the truck's staff served boxed lobster lunches in the parking lot.

July's cause of the month is Save Our Seabirds. The Maine Line donated a gift card, Design 2000 and Driftwood Beach Home and Garden donated 10% of the day’s profits, and Ultra-Yacht pulled up an all-electric Duffy boat next to the food truck to raffle off a $499 cruise for six.

“We’re donating it to a very worthy cause,” Ultra-Yacht CEO Ed Kolodzieski said. “We’re blessed to be in an environment that’s got great nature, and any time we can do something to help people appreciate nature, we would like to do that.”

Winner Steve Howard will enjoy a two-hour cruise sipping champagne around Sarasota Bay on a Duffy.

Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteers operated an educational booth for visitors to learn more about nesting sea turtles and what they could do to help them and the water they swim in.

One of the displays, a miniature neighborhood, both recommends and advises against different household chemicals and asks, “Which neighbor are you?” It’s a visual example illustrating the cause and effect of water overflow on an island surrounded by gulf and bay. What neighbors treat their lawns with can directly help or hurt local marine life.

But this event was for the birds. CEO of SOS, Aaron Virgin, said the bird rescue is about to undergo some major changes that require a lot of fundraising. New aviaries are first on his list. To make a donation, call 388-3010.

Save Our Seabirds CEO Aaron Virgin fundraises for new aviaries.

A miniature neighborhood illustrates the effects household chemicals have on the local waterways.

Conrad Panza, Steve Cohen, Larry Panza and Eric Bell. (Photos by Lesley Dwyer)

Ultra-Yacht with an all-electric Duffy boat on display.

Ed Kolodzieski says of the raffle prize, "We're donating it to a very worthy cause."

The Maine Line food truck serves boxed lobster lunches at Whitney Plaza.

Save Our Seabirds is July's charity of the month.

Bus Fischer orders lunch from the Maine Line food truck at Whitney Plaza.

author

Lesley Dwyer

Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.