- December 31, 2025
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In a year that faced recovery, rescheduling and plenty of resilience, Longboat and her surrounding keys showed their grit — and community spirit — to rise above it all. And, despite the challenges, residents even managed to do what they do best: have fun. Here is a review of 2025 captured through our Observer lens.
One last splash
Oliver Sheckler, Karson Sheckler, Haydn Rozeboom and Heather Rozeboom enjoy a final visit to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium on July 6. The aquarium closed to the public as it prepared to open its new facility in the University Town Center area, the Science, Education and Aquarium in October.
360 Entertainment
The jumping team trio of brothers Ryan, Garrett and Travis Bouley pulls off a helicopter move even in less-than-ideal water-skiing conditions on Oct. 19 at Sarasota Bay. The Ski-A-Rees is a multigenerational tradition in Sarasota that performs through the season on Sundays at City Island.
Let them eat (watermelon) cake
Jack and Rose, the pair of Aldabra tortoises at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, celebrate their first anniversary there on Aug. 14. Their treat of the day was a watermelon “cake” with other assorted fruit and vegetables.
Sabraging, Garden Club style
Melody Arndt from Bay Isles is successful at a Champagne sabrage during the Longboat Key Garden Club’s first meeting at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. The resort welcomed the club with a special presentation on its wildlife-filled lagoon and floral décor.
Oktoberfest in January?
Divers cheerily waved their steins in greeting to attendees at January’s Sharktoberfest at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. The event, a bit out of place in January, was rescheduled from the fall because of the 2024 hurricanes.
Elvis has entered the building
Longboat Harbour kicked off its social season Jan. 25, at which musician Billy Lindsey, performing as Elvis Presley, gives lei necklaces to all the ladies in the audience, including Sharyn Ford.
Through the looking glass
Artist Michael George chats with visitors at the St. Armands Circle Art Festival on Jan. 26. The festival, which featured 200 exhibitors, was one of the first events to return to normal after the fall’s hurricanes.
Riding in style
Sarasota’s Zack and Greta Hamric sit in their 1956 Jaguar XK 140MC Roadster formerly owned by Hollywood stars Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The couple enjoyed showcasing the vehicle in St. Armands Circle Park during the Concours d’Elegance car show Jan. 11.
Answering the call
Responding to a manatee-in-distress call Feb. 26, Florida Wildlife Commission staff load up a manatee to take it to rehab at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton. The manatee, found in Longboat Key’s Bay Isles community, was showing signs of cold stress.
Meal time
Aquarists Yvanna Paez Mendez and Tammy Nguyen feed the southern stingrays at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort’s wildlife lagoon. Since the resort’s opening in 2024, the lagoon has become a major attraction with resort guests, with its nearly 3,000 Florida marine animals.
Nesting pair
In February, a pair of osprey made a busy intersection their home during nesting season. Drivers passing Gulf of Mexico Drive and Longboat Club Road kept their eyes on the developments through the month, as the nest grew and, we hope, so did their chicks.
Retirement gig
While Birdie McClaine plays his accordion, his companion Lady Haha sits and waits to perform tricks on St. Armands Circle. McClaine, who had a long career with the Ringling Bros. Circus, is now retired, and the duo travels and performs for passers-by for fun. “I’m basically retired,” he said. “So I just come out and play music with my dog.”
All together now
Marilyn Bobrin, Jane Goodman and Jo Bellezza harmonize during the Key of Sea choir performance. The choir, formed in 2001, performed its final two shows of the season at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church and The Players Club.
Hands-on training
A Longboat Key Fire Rescue crew forces a front door open at a house on Russell Street on March 13. The owners of the home allowed Fire Rescue to use it for training before its demolition, a valuable opportunity to practice hands-on skills, according to Assistant Chief Mike Regnier.
Man of the year
With costumed “friar” Rich Irr at the center of it all, members of the Longboat Key Club Friars ring in their annual dinner and awards ceremony March 25. The group honored Don Kreiss as its Inspirational Man of the Year and celebrated raising $15,000 in 10 days to support those affected by 2024’s hurricanes.
Dogs on parade
Emily Huynh, a volunteer at the dog parade with Sarasota Military Academy Prep, takes a moment to hold a puppy. The fundraiser, coordinated by the Bird Key Women’s Association, raised more than $9,000 for Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue before the event even started.
Last pole standing
After 10 years of planning and construction on Longboat Key’s underground utilities project, construction crews work on removing the last group of overhead wires and poles in May. “This is one of my favorite and best updates on the undergrounding project in almost five years,” Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman told the Town Commission on May 19. “It’s official: All service conversions are complete.”
Hidden treasure
Artist Annie Joy works over Memorial Day weekend to restore a mural at Save Our Seabirds created by Mirald Cake 15 years ago. The mural was discovered by maintenance staff while removing overgrown landscaping.
Wind racers
Vessels pushed their limits at April’s Bird Key Yacht Club Regatta, racing high winds and competitors to the finish. The regatta had 75 vessels compete.
Back to sea
Grimm touches the sand as staff prepared to carry the turtle into the Gulf during his rehab release April 23. He was one of two loggerheads Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium released after weeks of rehabilitation.
Careful inspection
One-year-old Nell Doyle, accompanied by father Kevin, carefully inspects an orange Easter egg at Sand Cay. In a tradition that has been around more than a decade, it was one of several egg hunts held on Longboat Key during Easter.
Derby Day
Debbie Coulter, Beth Otto, Jana Pendery and Terri Guthier get in the Kentucky Derby spirit on Saturday at Lo’ Key Island Grille. Lo’ Key owner Kevin Pass hails from Lexington, Kentucky, so he made sure to host a watch party for the event May 3.
In memory
Gemma Briggs plays the bagpipes while accompanied by Rear Commodore Saul Landesberg, Jay Plager and Vice Commodore Tony Britt during Bird Key Yacht Club’s tribute to the fallen for Memorial Day.
Festival time
Rob Vega shows the aluminum wiring he uses to craft his lightweight, tarnish-resistant jewelry at the St. Armands Circle Craft Festival on June 7. The third annual festival drew many visitors early to beat the heat.
Sweet release
Leah Sauers, 9, holds a butterfly in her hand until it is ready to fly at the Longboat Key Garden Club’s butterfly release July 5. The release, which is an annual tradition with the town’s Fourth of July Freedom Fest, was postponed after lightning canceled the parade. Garden Club President Melanie Dale said members appreciated having a moment to celebrate the work they’ve put into replanting the Butterfly Garden at Bicentennial Park.
New dunes
Coordinator Tammy Fagan lines up the next batch of sea oat seedlings to go in at Katie Pierola Sunset Park. Hundreds of volunteers came out July 26 to help Keep Manatee Beautiful plant sea oats. This year, the group has planted 12,000 seedlings on Coquina Beach and other parks along the shore to help restore the dunes from the 2024 hurricanes.
On the hunt
Sophia Haakman, a Sarasota Bay Watch member of several years and founder of the local chapter of the Florida Young Birders Club, holds a bay scallop she found during the Great Scallop Search of 2025. The Aug. 23 search netted a count of 20 scallops, a sign of the poor health of Sarasota Bay.
All hands
Firefighter/paramedic David Oliger helps Stephanie Stone, Irma Zunz and Zuleika Zunes apply AEDs at a Longboat Key Fire-Rescue class to teach residents the basics of CPR in July. “It just gives people a level of confidence that they can do something, no matter who they are or where they are,” Lt. Ron Koper said.
Longboat Julia
Christ Church of Longboat Key Pastor Julia Piermont addresses attendees of the 2025 edition of the fish fry at the church Aug. 27. When Piermont moved to the Gulf Coast from the Midwest, her husband said she needed a pirate hat and a pirate name — she chose Longboat Julia.
New chief in town
Longboat Key Police Chief Russ Mager is sworn in on his first day Aug. 4 as his wife, Beth, watches. Mager comes to the town from Delray Beach police, where he served for 29 years. “I’m excited to be here, and the people here have been so welcoming,” he said. “It’s just been a great transition to go from what comes to another or a whole new town, a whole new life.”
Turtle time
During its last turtle walk of the season, members of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch excavated a nest. Volunteers Sam DiGiammarino separates the hatched and unhatched, and Brenda Jameson collects the eggs from the nest while Caleb Jameson writes down the collected data. The 2025 season turned out to be a record one for sea turtles on Longboat Key.
Best challah
Irwin Pastor and Rabbi Howard Simon share a laugh while they craft the self-proclaimed “No. 1 Winner” challah dough during a workshop on Sept. 18 at Temple Beth Israel.
No name road
Florida Department of Transportation crews removed the Gulf of Mexico Drive sign from the intersection at Bay Isles Parkway. The signs remained down until the town of Longboat Key decided the name of the road would remain Gulf of Mexico Drive in October. In November, the signs were returned at the two intersections from which they were removed.
Water day
It’s a team effort getting lifeguard Cliff Talbott aboard as he plays the role of an unconscious victim for water-rescue training with Longboat Key Fire-Rescue. Fire-Rescue members teamed up with the Manatee County Beach Patrol Division for a three-day session starting Sept. 23 to sharpen their marine rescue skills.
Play time
Helios, a bare-eyed cockatoo at Save Our Seabirds, quite literally dives headfirst into enjoying the new enrichment toy he received through the avian rescue center’s new Beaks and Boxes campaign in October. The campaign allows donors to purchase enrichment toys for the animals via Amazon.
Jurassic Circle
They do move in herds on St. Armands Circle, where Brian Berry and Beth Pavlic-Berry rode their dinosaurs through the festivities for Fright Night on St. Armands Circle. Attendees were joyful for the annual event’s return after it was canceled in 2024 because of the hurricanes. “This is probably the busiest I’ve ever seen it,” said Patty Behrendt, who has enjoyed exploring the Halloween festivities on the Circle for years as Cleopatra and other historical figures.
Earn it
Drawing inspiration from the film “Saving Private Ryan,” Town Commissioner Steve Branham encourages citizens to “earn it” when it comes to the sacrifices of service members and their families. The retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral was the veterans tribute speaker at the town of Longboat Key anniversary and Veterans Day event on Nov. 8 at the Town Center Green.
Real resilience
Carol Perschel smiles as Longboat Island Chapel is announced as the winner of the Business Resilience Award. The award was one given by the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce at its annual awards banquet Oct. 23. The night highlighted the resiliency of Key businesses and organizations, including the chapel.
Flippin' for kids
Svetlana Ivashchenko, executive director of the Children’s Guardian Fund, joins Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key President Danielle Gladding in selling raffle tickets at the annual pancake breakfast fundraiser on Nov. 15 at Lazy Lobster.
How bazaar
Susan DiNatale supported the Christmas Bazaar at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church with her hand-painted seashell decorations Nov. 15-16. Although hurricane support was the focus of last year’s market, this year’s proceeds went to the group’s scholarship fund, which it hoped to get to $120,000.
Sign of the times
The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort added faux flora atop letters of its arch while the hotel and town worked on a solution to bring the sign into code compliance. In December, the Town Commission decided to revisit its sign code.
Medal of honor
Longboat Key firefighter/paramedic Aaron Maness and Training Capt. David Eggleston raise their hands to recite an oath before receiving their badges. The two had already completed their training but had not officially received their badges in a ceremony. Maness was later awarded the Medal of Honor by Fire Chief Paul Dezzi, an honor that had not been given out in 15 years.
