BRADENTON BEACH – After not being able to hold the event last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Anna Maria Island Privateers were excited to resume their annual “Christmas in July” event at The Drift In on Bridge Street.
The event featured live music, a buffet of Island food, raffle prizes and more. While the event was a great party and everybody attending appeared to be indulging in lots of food and a little bit of rum, it was all for a great cause that the Privateers are passionate about.
“This is to help with the many things we do throughout the year. This is mostly to help with our Christmas families that we help in December,” said Dallas of the Privateers, explaining that proceeds will help families with children who may be having difficulties financially around the holidays.
A large food buffet was open to anyone attending for a cost of $10 and featured dozens of dishes and desserts provided by Privateers as well as local restaurants including the Bridge Tender Inn, Seafood Shack, Pizza Social, The Moose Lodge, Smoqe House and The Cheesecake Cutie and Cafe. A lotto board and “booze basket” valued at $500 were also up for grabs with all the proceeds going to help Island children.
Even Santa Claus was in on the action, taking a break from toy-making and bringing his sleigh to The Drift In parking lot for pictures with anyone who just couldn’t wait until December. It was also a rare chance to see Santa in board shorts, sandals and a straw beach hat. He certainly appeared to be enjoying his Anna Maria Island vacation.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Fourth of July Parade originally scheduled for Sunday, July 4 will now take place Saturday, July 3 instead.
The schedule change was requested by Pastor Ed Moss and other leaders from the CrossPointe Fellowship church in Anna Maria.
The July 3 parade will begin at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach at 10 a.m., proceed through Holmes Beach and end near City Pier Park in Anna Maria.
On Thursday, June 10, the Anna Maria City Commission approved an amended special event that reflects the date change. The Holmes Beach Commission recently took similar action and the Bradenton Beach Commission is expected to do so on Thursday, June 17.
Church letter
Thursday’s discussion was prompted by a letter Moss sent Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and all five Anna Maria commissioners on Monday, June 7. The letter was sent on behalf of Moss and other CrossPointe Fellowship church leaders.
“Because the Privateers celebrate and honor our country’s freedoms and independence for all Americans, we have elected to change the July 4th Parade to July 3rd to allow Island church parishioners and followers of Christ to attend Sunday morning services without any disruption. We apologize if this change causes any further inconvenience but we believe in freedom for everyone in this Island community that we love so much.” – Privateers’ statement
“We assume the issuing of a parade permit for a Sunday morning was an oversight. Please rectify this action by changing the permit to Saturday morning, July 3rd, or Sunday afternoon, July 4th. We have asked the Privateers to request this change. We have a good relationship with the Privateers and appreciate their community involvement,” the letter said.
The Privateers store their “Skullywag” parade and event vessel in the CrossPointe Fellowship parking lot.
The Privateer’s store their “Skullywag” parade vessel at CrossPointe Fellowship. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“As leaders, we should encourage and protect our country’s long-standing tradition of worship, discipleship and church fellowship on Sunday mornings and do nothing to distract from it. A Sunday morning parade would be viewed by some as highly disrespectful. In and around 10 a.m. Sunday, citizens need the roads to access their churches,” Moss’s letter said.
Commission discussion
When addressing the commission, Privateers’ president and parade chairperson Kim Boyd said this was the first Fourth of July to fall on Sunday since she became a Privateer four years ago.
Privateers President Kim Boyd asked the Anna Maria Commission to amend the special event permit to allow for a Saturday parade. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I can assure you this parade was not scheduled on July Fourth to show disrespect or be malicious in any way to anyone in this community. The Fourth of July means a lot to me, to the Privateers, as well as many Island residents and lovers of this Island – as well as Americans everywhere for the simple yet profound reason of celebrating our freedom and independence,” Boyd said.
“Another freedom we, as Americans, enjoy is the right to worship. It was brought to my attention that our parade on July Fourth would interfere with that freedom and the Island church services and possibly keep parishioners from being able to get to their church because of traffic disruptions. I besiege you to grant the Privateers the permit change and allow us to celebrate our freedom and independence with this community we love so much on Saturday, July 3rd,” Boyd said.
“This is good with all three cities. I think it’s good with you all. I think it’s good with everybody,” Moss told the commission.
The CrossPointe Fellowship church in Anna Maria is located along the Gulf Drive parade route. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Boyd noted the date change could lead to higher law enforcement costs for the Privateers. Boyd said the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies who agreed to escort the July 4 parade on an off-duty basis are not available on July 3. She said Florida Highway Patrol troopers are available that day, but their services would cost approximately $720, which is about double what the sheriff’s deputies would cost.
Boyd said Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer volunteered to escort the parade through all three cities. Murphy noted that unlike sheriff’s deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers, Tokajer doesn’t have law enforcement jurisdiction in Anna Maria. Murphy said he would check on that with the city attorney. He recommended commission approval of a modified special event permit, with the caveat that some type of bona fide professional law enforcement personnel accompany the parade.
On Friday, Murphy said the law enforcement will have to be provided by the Sheriff’s Office or the Florida Highway Patrol.
Commissioner Jon Crane said the next time the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday he would like the parade held later that day: “I’d like to see it at a different time of day so people can pray and then salute the flag on July Fourth.”
Commissioner Joe Muscatello asked if the parade could be held on Monday, July 5. Boyd said it could not because she and several other Privateers have to work that day.
Commissioner Mark Short noted Saturday is check-in and check-out day for most of the Island’s vacation rentals – which may also impact some businesses’ ability to participate in the parade.
Matthew Grunfeld, Rector of the Church of The Annunciation in Holmes Beach, said, “I wish to express my thanks to the city officials here in Anna Maria, the city officials in the other cities and the Privateers for making this amendment to the parade time.”
Commission Chair Carol Carter said she didn’t realize the Fourth of July was on a Sunday when the commission initially approved the Privateers’ special event permit. The commission unanimously supported the requested date change.
ANNA MARIA –The Anna Maria Island Privateers, a non-profit organization dedicated to giving back to the community, held their annual Snooks Adams Kids Day on Saturday, May 29 at the Anna Maria City Pier park.
The event is held annually the first Saturday after the end of the school year, and this year, after COVID-19 had restricted most Privateers events for some time, the group was more excited than ever to show area children a great time.
The event was founded by the late Holmes Beach Police Chief and Privateer Snooks Adams when he began bringing children from Anna Maria Elementary School to the beach for a picnic and games. When Adams retired about 25 years ago, he asked the Privateers to take over the event, and it became known as Snooks Adams Kids Day.
“I go to different businesses around the Island and try to get donations of hot dogs, pizza and gift cards for our treasure chests for the kids when they win games. They can get ice cream, a cookie from one place, a cupcake from another,” said Chairperson Terry Rapert, whose pirate name is “Cookie.” She is in her fourth year chairing the event.
After parents sign up a child, the child is given a pirate quest to complete. The only way they can solve the quest is to walk around the event and ask questions of the many pirates on hand. Once the child has used the clues given to them by the pirates, they can redeem their correct solution for a prize bag filled with goodies from the Privateers and Island businesses. Also on hand are officers from the Holmes Beach Police Department.
“In this day and age with all the negative publicity concerning the police, we’re just trying to get out here and be a smiling face,” said Sgt. Brian Copeman of the Holmes Beach Police Department. “We have some gifts to give out, and we’re trying to just build the rapport that we’re on the same side of everybody else, and just trying to help our community out.”
As Privateer pirates entertained the kids with temporary tattoos, food, games and storytelling, parents seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the children.
“I’ve grown up on the Island and we’ve been coming to this event for years. We really missed it last year, so we’re happy to have it back,” said Maggie VanWormer, a first-grade teacher at Anna Maria Elementary who brought her two children to Kids Day.
“I really like when the fire truck comes; we’re going to have to try and wait around in the heat for that,” VanWormer added, speaking of the highlight of the day according to most attendees. The Holmes Beach Fire Department brings a fire truck and sprays down children and parents, a welcome break from the 90-degree heat, and the end to an event that brings joy to many in the community.
BRADENTON BEACH – Kids on Bridge Street got a surprise Saturday night, a visit from Santa Claus at the Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Christmas in July on Bridge Street at the Drift In. The Privateers and Drift In raised $2,500 for next year’s scholarships by holding raffles and serving a potluck dinner inside the bar. In the parking lot, people enjoyed cool refreshments while listening to live music from Dos Max.
Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar employees Dana Coty and Carlee Griffin paired up and purchased the winning ticket for the liquor basket. Bridge Tender employee Denise Hendricks purchased the winning ticket for the Lotto Board that contained $320 in lottery tickets and two $50 bills.
Drift In manager Doreen Flynn said she was happy that some local employees won those raffle prizes. She also noted that Santa Claus took a break from his summer vacation and made an appearance at the annual fundraiser. She also thanked Privateer Shelly “Fireball” Hill and Pines Trailer Park resident Ellen Scott for making this year’s Lotto Board and assisting with the fundraising efforts.
Privateer Tim “Hammer” Thompson said the first $1,000 raised Saturday night will go toward the purchase of Christmas gifts for this year’s adopted Christmas family or families. The remaining $1,500 will be placed in the Privateer’s scholarship fund.
“It all ends up going to kids one way or another,” Thompson said, noting that a similar fundraiser will take place in December.
When it came to fundraising, the Anna Maria Island Privateers shot a hole in one when they scheduled a Putt-Putt Pub Crawl last Saturday that went from Bradenton Beach to the city of Anna Maria and back.
Fifty-two golfers tried their luck at the nine stops, where each pub owner built a customized hole for putting.
Privateer Tim “Hammer” Thompson reported Nathan Talucci took first place with a score of 17. Nancy Ksiazek and Kevin Sims tied for second with scores of 18. He said Dr. Scott Kosfeld made the most holes in one with two, Lisa Nelson had the most strokes on a single hole with seven and Pamela Lazaroff had the most mulligans, though that number was not supplied.
Privateers President Jamie “One-eye” Van Deusen said the participating pubs showed imagination in crafting their putt-putt holes.
On this hole at The Anchor, golfers had to sit on a toilet while putting toward the hole. This fellow also took time to catch up on his reading. – Darla Tingler | Submitted
The competitors rode the Privateers’ parade ship, the Skullywag, to each stop. They began at the Fish Hole on Bridge Street, where they tried a difficult hole from the golf course. From there, they went to the Anchor Inn and the Waterline resort in Holmes Beach, Slim’s and Harry’s in Anna Maria, and then back south to the Ugly Grouper, D Coy Duck’s and the Freckled Fin in Holmes Beach, ending at the Drift In in Bradenton Beach.
Fish Hole owner Jake Spooner had a difficult time with this unique hole at Harry’s Grill in Anna Maria. – Tom Vaught | Sun
Perhaps the most unusual hole was at the Anchor, where contestants had to sit on a toilet to shoot. The toilet was full of golf balls and there was a sign welcoming all to “The Anchor Country Club” with a “World famous mini toilet golf course.” Golfer Dennis Goehler posed for pictures on the toilet reading a copy of The Sun before he took his shot.
The stop at Waterline took them to some green space near the inlet. Thankfully for pub crawlers, there were no dead fish in those waters. Golfers had to shoot into a plastic seashell after going around obstacles and the holes at many of the remaining stops proved difficult.
It was a fun way to spend a hot afternoon and several Privateers said they would likely host the event again next year.
