ANNA MARIA – Executive Director Chris Culhane and the staff, board of directors and volunteers at The Center of Anna Maria Island are The Sun’s Persons of the Year for 2024.
The Center staff includes Director of Development Jillian Ptak, Operations Director Tyler Bekkerus, Marketing and Office Administrator Aris Thompson, Director of Customer Service Morgan Blackburn, Youth Programs Director Erica Nielsen, Sports Programs Manager Charles McCracken, Youth and Sports Coordinator Marissa Brink, Culture and Events Coordinator Raul Loera, Fitness and Wellness Director Chris Emkey and Front Desk Coordinators Tyler Brewer and Shelby Eikel.
Don Purvis chairs the board of directors that includes Daniel Anderson, Remi Drigan, Sheila Fusé, Elizabeth Hager, Caroline Leibfried, Christine Major-Hicks, Kathy Morgan-Johnson and Ben Webb.
The Center offers numerous athletic, fitness and wellness activities and initiatives for youths and adults, after-school programs, senior outings, dance classes, bingo, a book club and much more.
The Center hosts community events and fundraisers that include Lester Family Fun Day, the annual Murder Mystery performance, The Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament, The St. Patrick’s Day parade and more. In July, The Center and The Waterfront restaurant co-hosted the “Rise Up for River Benefit” fundraiser to assist with infant River Anasis’ ongoing battle with a rare immune deficiency disorder.
The annual Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series serves as a primary fundraiser for The Center. Taking place at The Center, this year’s series began with Sheena Easton, continues with The Wailers on Jan. 11 and includes Robby Krieger of The Doors, The Moody Blues’ John Lodge and The Infamous Stringdusters.
Culhane was already associated with The Center when he was named executive director in 2018. At the time, The Center was struggling financially and some Anna Maria officials feared the city might have to take over operations of the facility located on city-owned property at 407 Magnolia Ave.
Under Culhane’s leadership, The Center’s financial condition improved dramatically in the years that followed. The annual report for The Center’s 2023-24 fiscal year that ended in June notes The Center finished the fiscal year with a positive net income of nearly $35,000 and experienced a 50% increase in fundraising revenues that totaled $1.09 million. Ptak became Director of Development in 2023 and the report recognizes her efforts regarding the increased fundraising revenues.
“We are proud of the financial management that has enabled The Center to continue delivering on its mission and invest in the future of our community,” Culhane stated in the report. “We are also incredibly grateful for our community’s ongoing support, which makes all things possible.”
HURRICANE RELIEF
In 2024, Culhane and The Center played vital roles in the Island’s hurricane recovery efforts. The Center partnered with the Manatee County Tourist Development Council to host the Rock N’ Support hurricane relief concert at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto on Nov. 15 with Lynyrd Skynyrd as the headliner and Marcus King as the opening act.
According to Culhane and Anna Maria Oyster Bar CEO John Horne, the concert raised nearly $380,000. The Center, the Anna Maria Oyster Bar-affiliated “Shuckin’ Good Cause” initiative and the Women’s Resource Center then partnered to distribute $500 Rock N’ Support grants for hurricane-impacted full-time hospitality and tourism industry employees, and $250 grants for part-time employees, who work on Anna Maria Island, Cortez or north Longboat Key. As of Dec. 23, 680 grant applications were received and 628 applications were approved for a total of $293,500. Grants can still be applied for at www. centerami.org/rocknsupportgrant/.
Culhane and The Center also assisted Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan with her hurricane relief efforts.
“When I started receiving relief supplies at my dock in the wee hours the morning after Helene hit, I immediately called Chris and said, ‘Get The Center open. We are bringing supplies,’” Duncan said. “A handful of neighbors and friends pulled together and The Center relief efforts began. I organized off-Island supply donation drop-off locations and trucks to bring the supplies to The Center. It was truly amazing to see what unfolded so quickly.”
Culhane and The Center also partnered with Duncan and others on the “Let’s Give Thanks Together” community gathering that resulted in 400 free Thanksgiving dinners being served to community members at The Center on Thanksgiving Day.
Duncan praised Culhane’s leadership skills, his level-headedness, his open mind and his willingness to listen to others as situations arose and evolved. She also praised “the incredible Center staff” that helped Culhane implement The Center’s hurricane relief responses.
The Center is also currently assisting with the Stimart family’s Build Back the Beach post-hurricane shoreline replanting project taking place from Bean Point to Sycamore Avenue on Jan. 25-26. The Center is assisting with volunteer recruitment efforts and volunteers can register for one of three planting shifts at this link.
COMMUNITY PRAISE
During his recently-completed 10-year tenure as Anna Maria mayor, Dan Murphy had many interactions with Culhane and The Center.
“Immediately after the hurricanes, The Center stepped up and became the hub for the Island’s recovery,” Murphy said. “They not only provided hot meals and much-needed supplies, but they also became the focal point for volunteers from the mainland who wanted to help with the cleanup. I was amazed at all the good deeds they did. The Center played a critical role in restoring normalcy.”
In June, Murphy and the city commission provided Culhane and The Center with $50,000 to help replace The Center’s aging air conditioning system and $28,000 for a restroom remodeling and shower installation project.
When recommending commission approval of the funding requests, Murphy said, “I firmly believe that improving our own property is the right thing to do. I also like the way the community center has been running for the last couple years. There were times when I worried about having to take over that community center because it was adrift. I have to congratulate Chris and his staff on bringing it back in line. You’re running a good operation there.”
Regarding The Center’s hurricane relief efforts, longtime city commissioner and new Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short said, “The Center was amazing in its efforts to help Island residents after the hurricanes and I commend Chris, his team, the volunteers and the donors who all came together in a critical time of need. Their efforts helped redefine what The Center can do to support our Island.”
Former Director of Development Jim McDaniel said, “Chris has learned so well how to manage and balance his responsibilities. Whether it is donating a kidney or dropping everything to support a friend in need, caring for the Island and its people is his passion.”
