ANNA MARIA – The Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria held its annual Roser Guild Thrift Shop Fashion Show and luncheon on Wednesday, March 18.
The clothing presented in the fashion show was selected from the Roser Guild Thrift Shop located across the street from the church and the modeled fashions were available for purchase during the show. The proceeds from the fashion show and luncheon will help fund Roser Guild scholarships, church programs and community outreach missions.
Master of ceremonies Kathie Rieder introduced the models and the clothing they modeled. – Lance Roy | Sun
Roser volunteer Kathie Rieder served as the fashion show’s master of ceremonies and the models walked to keyboard music performed by Roser Church Musical Director Edita Urbon.
Roser Church Musical Director Edita Urbon provided the fashion show music. – Lance Roy | Sun
The fashion show models included Senior Pastor Dirk Rodgers, Roser Facilities Administrator Charles Wade, Sharon Rowe, Mike Pescitelli, Ruth Caweln, Lillian Chin, Nancian Hall, Peggy Buck, Camrin Merritt, Kathryn Sanderson, Kathleeen Giest, Emily Glasscock and Emily’s son, Jackson Glasscock.
Roser Church Senior Pastor Dirk Rodgers opened the fashion show as the first model. – Lance Roy | Sun
Before the fashion show began, attendees enjoyed a Cuban-themed lunch served by church volunteers.
The lunch menu included a “1905 salad” prepared by Guild volunteers following The Columbia restaurant’s recipe that is shared at the restaurant’s website and featured in the “The Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook.”
The fashion show luncheon featured two menu items served at The Columbia restaurants. Facebook | Submitted
The classic Cuban sandwiches were purchased from the Ybor City-based La Segunda Bakery and were served with plantain chips. The black bean soup served over rice was prepared from scratch by the Guild’s volunteer crew that followed The Columbia restaurant’s recipe. The Tres Leche Bar Cake served for dessert was purchased for the event. Tickets for the sold-out fashion show and luncheon were $25.
Fashion show attendees enjoyed a “A Taste of Cuba” themed meal. – Lance Roy | Sun
After the fashion show, Rieder said the luncheon and fashion show went very well and featured many new models and new volunteers. She noted last year’s fashion show and luncheon was cancelled due to the hurricane recovery efforts.
Roser Church Video Specialist Emily Glasscock modeled a black pantsuit. – Lance Roy | Sun
Roser Church communications specialist Bev Hunsberger said she was very thankful for all the volunteers and models who participated and helped with the event.
The Roser Guild Thrift Shop that serves as an ongoing Guild fundraiser is located at 511 Pine Ave. Through May, the thrift shop is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Donations are accepted on Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m.
The Copeland family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the remembrance edition dedicated to the life and legacy of Pat Copeland, recently published on June 21, 2023. We are deeply moved by the AMI Sun family’s tribute to her.
The remembrance edition truly captured the essence of Pat’s remarkable life journey and the profound impact she had on our community. The articles, photographs, and personal anecdotes shared within its pages beautifully highlighted her numerous accomplishments, her unwavering dedication as a wife and mother, and her enduring spirit. It was a fitting tribute to someone who touched so many’s lives.
I must commend journalist Joe Hendricks for the love and care he poured into his article, the entire AMI Sun Staff, and the editorial team involved in creating this exceptional tribute. Pat especially loved the weekly cartoons by Steve Borggren, so it was such a nice surprise to see that even the weekly cartoon was in her honor. It was a wonderful portrait for those who knew Pat, and for those who didn’t, they got to know her.
The overwhelming condolences the family has received show the beauty and kindness within the island community that Pat cherished. Thank you to the City of Anna Maria for giving her a stately celebration by lowering the city flags in her honor.
On behalf of everyone who had the privilege of knowing Pat, I extend my deepest gratitude to the entire team at The AMI Sun. Your commitment to honoring her memory with grace, dignity, and authenticity is a testament to the importance of local journalism and its role in preserving the stories that shape our community.
A public memorial service will be held at 9:30 AM on Saturday, July 8, at Roser Memorial Church on Anna Maria, where friends and family will come together to celebrate Patricia’s remarkable life.
ANNA MARIA – Resident Carl Augostini believes every kid should have a bike and each Christmas season he donates refurbished bikes to the Light of the World International Church in Sarasota.
Charles Wade serves as the facility manager at Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria and is a member of the Light of the World International Church. Every Christmas season, Wade helps ensure the delivery and distribution of the bikes Augostini refurbishes.
“We did 10 adult bikes and six children’s bikes this year,” Augostini said, noting that number was a little lower than usual due to the loss of Roberta, his wife of 59 years, in November.
On average he said he refurbishes about 20 bikes a year.
“Both my kids, Craig and Carla, have been very helpful in getting the bikes ready,” Augostini said. “I gave five bikes to a halfway house in Sarasota this summer to help those guys out.”
Pastor Peter Greenidge picked up the bikes refurbished this year by Carl Augostini.
Pastor Peter Greenidge picked up the refurbished Christmas bikes on Dec. 14. The bikes were then distributed to children and adults at the church on Dec. 17-18.
“We enjoy helping out the kids and helping the church,” Wade said.
Augostini, a retired Xerox electrical engineer, has lived in Anna Maria for the past 25 years. He began his charitable bike refurbishing efforts about 13 years ago.
“I was rebuilding bikes for neighbors and I started accumulating bikes. I had taken care of all my neighbors and I had extra bikes one year. I asked Mike Selby, who was mayor at the time, if he knew anybody that I could give the refurbished bikes to who could distribute them to a charity. He gave me Charles Wade’s phone number and that’s how it started,” Augostini explained.
In 2020, those efforts resulted in Augostini being named the city of Anna Maria’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year.
When asked why he does this, the 84-year-old said, “I have the time and it’s a hobby for me. I think every young kid should have a bike growing up to get them out of the house and away from their cellphones, iPods, computers and all that. Most of the bikes come from junk piles that I pick up along the street when somebody throws them out. And a lot of people know I do this and they’ll bring bikes to me and leave them sitting in front of my garage doors. I already have close to 30 bikes ready to be refurbished for next year.”
ANNA MARIA – The city commission has approved an amended site plan that allows the Chiles Group’s Sandbar restaurant to continue to use one of its parking lots for paid public parking.
The commission approval granted on July 14 is for the parking lot already being operated at 9902 Gulf Drive, between Magnolia Avenue and Spring Lane.
As he did during the preliminary Planning and Zoning Board review on June 27, City Planner Chad Minor said the site plan approval process was initiated after the city’s code enforcement department discovered in February that the parking lot was being used for paid parking, which was not an allowable use of that property.
Minor said the paid parking lot is one of nine parking lots the Chiles Group owns or leases to serve the Sandbar. He added that the lot is located in the residential/office/retail zoning district where paid parking is allowed. The commission-approved site plan brings those 28 paid parking spaces into compliance with city code and those spaces will continue to provide paid parking for beachgoers and other visitors.
The parking fee is $5 an hour or $30 for eight hours. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The automated payment kiosk installed in February is provided by the Sarasota-based Easy Parking Group owned and operated by Joshua LaRose. LaRose recently told The Sun the fee to park there is $5 an hour or $30 for eight hours.
Commission discussion
During Thursday’s meeting, Commissioner Jon Crane said, “This is gonna be the first time we’re going to have a paid parking lot in the heart of the city. I would have liked a more full-throated debate focused generally on whether we want paid parking in our city, rather than a site plan amendment that kind of makes that a side-door issue. Having said that, I’ve got no objection to this particular site plan amendment.”
Commission Chair Carol Carter asked Crane if he wanted the commission to discuss paid parking in general at a future meeting.
“No, I think once the camel gets his nose under the flap of the tent it’s over,” Crane said. “If we allow paid parking on a piece of private property in the ROR district it’s going to be harder to deny it and there are a lot of properties that might be affected. I think we’ve already kind of made the decision if we approve this site plan amendment.”
Regarding other properties being used for paid public parking, Minor said those properties would have to meet and maintain their city-imposed parking requirements before offering any additional paid parking to the public.
“I think they would be far and few between,” Minor said. “This one is unique in that they’re able to serve the needs of their property and they have an excess of parking spaces. If they did not meet the parking standards for the Sandbar itself, I wouldn’t be in front of you today.”
Public input
During public input, city resident Kris Wisniewski noted the Sandbar is required to have 129 parking spaces and with one parking lot now being used for paid parking still has 161 parking spaces for its patrons.
“Year-round, this seems like a pure money-making parking lot. Only during season would you get close to using that,” Wisniewski said.
The paid parking lot provides 28 parking spaces for the general public. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Deanie Sebring said, “I’m excited they decided to have paid parking and have it available for people that want to come to the beach. Everybody knows I would like to get rid of parallel parking on Pine and it would be wonderful if these people could park there.”
“This is a practical way to solve a huge problem we have on the Island, which is parking,” Chiles Group representative Brooks O’Hara said.
“Now we can provide 28 additional parking spots. It just makes too much sense,” Commissioner Mark Short said.
“It’s a good thing. It just has to be done right,” Mayor Dan Murphy added.
Minor said if the restaurant fails to maintain the required number of parking spaces, the paid parking lot would become non-compliant with the city code.
Roser parking
Public input from city resident and Roser Memorial Community Church trustee Dan Devine triggered additional discussion regarding the past, current and future use of the church parking lots for paid parking.
“We’ve got records going back 12 years documenting paid parking at our church. We have four lots that are ROR. I see no reason why (Ed) Chiles should not be able to use his lots for paid parking as long as he’s meeting his regulations. Paid parking is one of two options. The second option is for the city to buy property to provide public parking,” Devine said.
In February, the city commission adopted revisions to the city’s off-site parking requirements. At that time, it was noted the church has parking agreements with several nearby businesses that use the church parking lot. Roser trustee Dave Cheshire told the commission those parking agreements are based on donations from each business rather than a specific fee sought by the church.
Several nearby businesses have parking agreements that allow them to use the Roser Memorial Community Church parking lot. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I was told by one of your trustees just a few months ago that you were not offering paid parking, that you were taking donations. If you’re offering paid parking that’s a change of use,” Murphy told Devine.
“No, it’s a grandfathered, legal, non-conforming situation,” Devine responded. “We are grandfathered in and it becomes a taking if you deny it. We have the same rights. I believe Chiles has every right to rent his parking spots and I feel the church has no problem with that as well.”
“Dave Cheshire came here and said it was not operating a paid parking lot, and he’s a representative of the church,” Murphy replied. “I specifically asked him if Roser is offering paid parking and the answer was ‘no we are not.’ There’s nothing grandfathered.”
Thursday’s discussion prompted additional debate about paid parking at the Roser Church.
Minor said city staff is not aware of the Roser parking lot being used for paid parking. He said the church has to first meet its own parking requirements but would have the same right to use its excess parking spaces for paid parking.
ANNA MARIA – This year’s Anna Maria Island Garden Club flower show was considered to be the club’s biggest and best show yet.
Featuring flower and plant arrangements designed by garden club members, the two-hour show took place Wednesday, March 16 in the Fellowship Hall at Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria.
Show director Ginger Huhn developed this year’s Paradise Found theme and the 10 categories that included Sea Shells, Sunrise/Sunset, Bridges, Paradise (using exotic flowers), Au Natural (using native plants or flowers), Drifting Along (using driftwood), Under Water Beauty, Swaying Plants (using palms), Horticulture, Potted Plants and Sunny Beaches (fairy gardens featuring sand).
This arrangement was entered in the Sea Shells category. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I was thinking about how wonderful this Island is, so I incorporated bridges, seashells, sunrise, sunset and the natural plants and trees we have here,” Huhn said.
This year’s show included more than 70 entries.
“This is the largest show we’ve ever had. As you can see, the interpretations are widespread,” Huhn said.
This arrangement was entered in the Sunny Beaches category. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Some of the flowers, plants and other natural elements were grown by club members and some were purchased. The show focused on how the elements were arranged. Upon arrival, attendees were given 10 tickets and asked to place one ticket beside their favorite arrangement in each category. The arrangements with the most tickets per category were deemed People’s Choice Award winners and small prizes were awarded.
“This is new. We’ve had judges in the past that would judge the different categories,” Huhn said.
The show featured a silent auction that allowed attendees to bid on the arrangements offered for auction, with some arrangements not offered for auction at the request of those who designed them.
Proceeds from the silent auction will help pay for AMI Garden Club activities.
“We’ll use the money for beautification, education and charitable giving,” said club member and past president Zan Fuller. “We have some big projects in the making. We’re looking to work with all three cities on Anna Maria Island because they all support the garden club. The club has been in existence since 1953 and this flower show’s been in existence for several decades.”
Tina Wolfe’s “A Bridge to Peace” arrangement was a People’s Choice award winner. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
People’s Choice Award winner Tina Wolfe designed the “A Bridge to Peace” arrangement that received 113 votes, the most in the show. Her arrangement featured a wooden bridge and a Buddha statuette as centerpieces.
“It’s actually a sushi bridge. A friend gave it to me and I never did anything with it,” Wolfe said. “When I saw the different categories, I decided to use that bridge to make something tranquil and peaceful. A friend of mine had this Buddha and these other pieces. The succulents and other flowers gave it a flowing, Zen feeling. I wanted a water garden with a creek on both sides, so I used marbles and a mirror. It all came together nicely.”
Wolfe’s friend, Emily DiSammartino, provided some of the elements used in the arrangement, including the Buddha statuette from Hong Kong and the Saki cups her brother got in Japan while serving in the Navy.
Dianne Phinney’s arrangement featured sunflowers and sliced grapefruit.
Dianne Phinney entered her flower arrangement in the Paradise category. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“There are actually two vases in there, with the smaller one in the center holding the flowers,” Phinney said. “I cut up grapefruit and lined the larger vase with it. I like the pink color. Some of the flowers I bought and some are from my yard. The Confederate Jasmin was growing on my fence.”
Featuring dried fungi, Ginger Wyss entered her arrangement in the Au Natural category.
“I was going to enter the exotic flowers category using birds of paradise,” Wyss said. “One of my birds broke so this is my second choice. I went in my box of dried plants, picked out what I had and put it together this morning.”
AMI Garden Club members hosted and participated in the annual flower show. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The AMI Garden Club has 100 members and meets in the Fellowship Hall at noon on the second Wednesday of the month. The club has a Facebook page that provides more information on their events and activities.
On behalf of the garden club, Huhn has posted a series of “AMIGC Flower Arrange Tutorial” videos online at Vimeo.com.
“You can go online and see the basics of making an arrangement,” Huhn said.
ANNA MARIA – The city has a newly-amended ordinance that addresses business parking in off-street parking areas.
Adopted by the city commission on Feb. 23, the new off-street parking regulations are set forth in Ordinance 22-899. The amended ordinance revises section 90-3 of the city’s code of ordinances.
According to Mayor Dan Murphy, the amended ordinance applies to new off-site parking agreements and business uses only. It does not apply to off-street parking agreements and business uses in effect before the amended ordinance was adopted.
The amended ordinance contains new language which states: “Parking spaces located off-site shall be clearly marked in a manner approved by the city to indicate that they shall only be used as off-site parking for the particular business.”
The amended ordinance still includes pre-existing language which states: “Off-street parking facilities shall be located on the same lot or parcel of land they are intended to serve. When such an arrangement creates undue hardship or is impractical, parking facilities must be located within at least 300 feet of the perimeter of the development. Such location for off-site parking must be approved through the site plan review process.”
During Wednesday’s meeting, Murphy noted Roser Memorial Community Church has off-street parking agreements with multiple local businesses. He also noted there are several other privately-owned off-street parking lots in Anna Maria.
Roser parking
Roser board members David Cheshire, Alan Ward and Dan Devine attended Wednesday’s meeting. Cheshire chairs the church’s board of finance and he addressed the commission regarding the church’s shared parking agreements.
“We do support some nearby businesses who need additional off-site parking. In return they provide liability insurance that helps protect Roser and they also make a contribution to our maintenance costs,” Cheshire said.
Roser Church board member David Cheshire addressed the mayor and city commission during the off-street parking discussion. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We do this using shared parking that is compatible with our church uses. Several of the nearby business that have agreements with us are closed on Sundays, or they move all of their equipment before Sunday morning, or they don’t use our property until after the services. We’re protecting our church attendance. That comes first,” Cheshire said.
Murphy said, “As long as it doesn’t come across that you’re running a commercial parking lot on your property. There’s legal ramifications to that. That is strictly on a donation basis. You’ve got several clients now and we’re not trying to change anything there. But if you go out and seek new clients, according to this ordinance, you’d have to mark them (the parking spaces) as their parking.”
Roser Church currently has shared parking agreements with the Anna Maria General Store, gRub restaurant, Sato Real Estate, Beach Bums and AMI Golf Cart rentals. The spaces shared with the church provide parking for those business patrons and employees.
The Roser Memorial Community Church provides shared parking for five local businesses. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In reference to the Chiles Group-owned parking lots located near the Sandbar restaurant, Murphy said, “Ed Chiles tried to have paid parking in a couple of these lots. They had signs that said public parking and they had a kiosk where you could put money in. We stopped it because if you’re charging people to park it’s a change of use of the property and it requires a permit and a site plan to go forward.”
Regarding the revenues generated by Roser’s parking agreements, Murphy said, “Is it a donation or have you told people here’s how much you owe?”
“It’s a donation,” Cheshire replied.
“You’ve never told them this is what you’ve got to pay?” Murphy asked.
“We do not say it’s either this or no. Hopefully, they recognize the value we bring and they contribute accordingly,” Cheshire replied.
“I didn’t want to treat Ed any differently than what you’re doing. As long as we understand you’re not setting a fee or a dollar amount,” Murphy said.
Chiles did not attend Wednesday’s meeting, but he was contacted later in the week and asked about the Chiles Group’s paid parking.
“We have had paid parking on lots we own in Anna Maria for several years. We appreciate the positive comments we’ve received about having our lots available. We look forward to working with the city as they work to expand our model for others to be able to have expanded parking. Parking appears to be the primary issue our city and all of the Island faces. We are happy to do our part,” Chiles said.
Ed Chiles’ W.E.L.D. Inc. owns the off-street parking lot on the left and Robert Hynton owns the off-street parking lot on the right. – Manatee County Property Appraiser Office | Submitted
Ordinance 22-899 and Sec. 90-3 of the amended and previous version of the city code do not specifically reference paid parking and an online search of the city’s entire code of ordinances revealed no specific references to paid parking.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Cheshire said each of the church’s parking partners has a map that indicates where their designated spaces are located.
Cheshire said the church plans to install ground-level parking bumpers that specify which business shares which spaces with the church. As of last week, the shared parking spaces in the Roser parking lot near the food pantry and thrift store had no parking bumpers.
According to both the amended ordinance and the previous version of Sec. 90-3 of the city code, “Nonresidential parking spaces shall be designated with a parking bumper with the parking bumper not to exceed five inches in height.”
Commissioner Jon Crane noted that during Sunday church services Roser’s shared spaces are not fully guaranteed to be available for their parking tenants.
“If a restaurant gets permitted by us under the notion that they have 15 spaces guaranteed by Roser, then we gave them credit we shouldn’t have. I don’t care if you share parking, but I do care that these people are supposed to have a certain number of spots,” Crane said.
Crane said a business that does not provide the full number of required parking spaces would be operating “under false pretenses.”
Ward noted the newly opened gRub restaurant is not open on Sundays but the church would like some flexibility should the needs of their parking partners ever change.
Murphy said the amended ordinance is a temporary stop-gap measure and the city’s parking code will likely need to be revised again after the pending Reimagining Pine Avenue safety improvements are completed.
During past discussions, the commission was divided regarding the potential elimination of some or all of the 53 parallel parking spaces along Pine Avenue that currently provide public parking.
ANNA MARIA – If you’ve ever stepped into the Roser Guild Thrift Shop or attended one of the church’s events, you’ve likely seen Peggy Nash hard at work volunteering, taking photos or helping someone else out with whatever they need.
If you’re lucky, you’ve had one of her famous orange cookies.
Peggy Nash enjoys an after-Christmas visit with some of her family members at her home in Anna Maria. – Submitted | Peggy Nash
Known affectionately as Mrs. Peggy, Nash has been a force for good in the Anna Maria community for more than 40 years. After moving to Anna Maria in June of 1977 with her husband, Bob, Nash said she joined Roser Memorial Community Church the first Sunday after they arrived.
In speaking with The Sun on Dec. 30, Nash recalled the move to Anna Maria fondly, noting that her son, Clark, encouraged the couple to relocate to the Island community and that her husband bought their first home before she’d even seen it. They relocated to another home in Anna Maria to accommodate the tower needed for Bob’s tarpon fishing in 1982 and Nash has lived there ever since.
“I feel very blessed,” Nash said. “It’s a nice community.”
Though the community has changed over the years, Nash said she embraces the change, including the visitors who frequent the homes on either side of hers.
Roser Church Trustee Alan Ward and Guild members Margaret Atwood and Peggy Nash join together to ceremonially open the door to the Roser Guild Thrift Shop, officially reopening the store to the public during a grand reopening ceremony Nov. 9, 2021. – Kristin Swain | Sun
“To me, it’s the best place in the world to live,” she said.
The location close to the church, Nash said, has been a blessing because it allows her to spend her days doing what she loves – volunteering to help better the church and community.
As one of the founders of the Roser Guild Thrift Shop, Nash can frequently be spotted checking in new merchandise, straightening shelves and helping customers. In addition to her volunteer work at the thrift shop, Nash is an active member of the women’s guild, the Roser missions committee, which distributes funds to local nonprofits, the Naomi Circle, All Island Denominations, Church Women United and the church’s Grief Share ministry. She’s also a Stephen Minister and volunteers with the Roser-Robics senior workout group. When she has a free moment, Nash can be found taking photographs at church and local events, writing press releases to accompany those photographs to local media outlets or baking batches of her orange cookies to give out at events.
In celebration of her 90th birthday, Nash made dozens of orange cookies and packaged them individually to be given out to everyone in attendance that Sunday at Roser.
The urge to volunteer and give back to the community is something Nash learned from her grandmother and mother and something she’s passed on to her four sons and their families, who she said help out their communities in any way they can.
Speaking about Nash, Roser financial administrator Matt Meehan said her strength, especially in how she approaches life changes, is an inspiration to many.
Charles Wade stops by the Thrift Shop to give Peggy Nash a hug Dec. 30. – Kristin Swain | Sun
“I’ve learned a lot from her,” Charles Wade, facilities administrator at Roser, said of Nash. “She’s very, very, very active. We appreciate her and everything that she does.”
“She’s so involved in almost any event, any church event that’s going on. If you go there, you’ll see Peggy there. She’s always around and very engaged. She has a really, really amazing energy,” Brandon Kouri said. Kouri is the assistant director of music ministries at Roser. “She just seems like she’s doing so much all the time. She always has her camera; she’s always snapping wonderful pictures all the time.”
“When I came here in November of 2020, she was one of the first people to greet me. She was sending me emails before I even got here saying ‘we can’t wait for you to be here.’ Every week she’s checking in with me to make sure I’m okay,” Roser pastor Rev. Dirk Rodgers said, commending Nash for her involvement in the church.
“If I described her in one phrase, she’s a constant encouragement. I hope I have that energy in five years, let alone when I get to be her age. I wish I had that energy now,” he said. “She’s definitely an encouragement and example to all of us.”
“She does a lot to bring the community to Roser and Roser to the community,” office administrator Nikkiah Jaworski said. “She just does a ton, as much as she can possibly do, she’ll do and then some. She’ll go the extra mile and never complains.”
“She’s just really, really an amazing lady,” Craig Ramberger, director of music ministries at Roser, said of Nash, adding that he’s nicknamed her the Energizer Bunny because she “just never seems to stop.”
Though she doesn’t see herself stepping away from her volunteer work in the community that she loves, Nash said she hopes to slow down a little bit in the coming year to allow other people to step up and get involved. Wherever people feel led to volunteer, if it’s in a local church, with a theater group, with animals, at a community center or any other organization, she said she hopes they will embrace the challenge and work to make a positive difference in their communities.
“Groups, churches, they always need volunteers,” Nash said. “I hope more people will step up and get involved.”
ANNA MARIA – After months of renovations, the doors of the Roser Guild Thrift Store are open to the public and quite a lot has changed on the inside.
Members of the Guild and some of the volunteers who worked on the building renovations met Nov. 9 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store followed by a tour of the newly refurbished interior.
Rev. Dirk Rogers gave a blessing of the store before Guild members and thrift store volunteers Peggy Nash and Margaret Atwood joined hands to cut the ribbon. They were then joined by church Trustee Alan Ward to unlock the door, officially reopening the shop for the first time in more than a year.
The store, 511 Pine Ave., is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Staffed by volunteers, the proceeds generated by the store help the Roser Guild provide scholarships, community programs and support to Roser Church and other local organizations.
ANNA MARIA – Roser Food Pantry chairman Jack Brennan is one of those people who feels obliged to take on tasks others are unwilling or unable to do.
In addition to chairing the food pantry, Brennan also serves on the city of Anna Maria’s Historic Preservation Board.
In recognition of his community-minded efforts, Brennan has been named as one of the Sun’s Persons of the Year for 2020.
The Roser Food Pantry was founded in 2010 under the leadership of Roser Memorial Community Church members Pam and Major Leckie. Brennan was not part of those formative efforts, but he’s served as the church’s food pantry chairman for the past four years.
In that role, he guides the operations that provide free food for Anna Maria Island residents in need. The food pantry also assists Island employees who live off-Island. It also provides Publix gift cards to residents and workers who qualify.
During a recent visit to the food pantry, Brennan was asked how 2020 compared to past years in terms of donations received and the demand for assistance.
“It’s been very surprising. Demand has been low and donations have been high. The donations have been terrific. It’s only now picking up to our average of 100 bags of food distributed per month. For a while, it was 40-50 bags a month. I’m not sure why demand this year has been low, except that so many food banks and food kitchens have opened up because of COVID-19,” Brennan said.
Roser Food Pantry chair Jack Brennan displays a document pertaining to the food pantry building renovations that began in 2009 and were completed in 2010. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As chair, Brennan often purchases needed food items at Publix. While shopping, he tries to find ‘buy one, get one free’ offerings that save the pantry money. He also helps organize the volunteers.
“At first, I did it because my wife, Lynn, volunteered and I assisted her. Then Lynn got so busy with the museum and other things and I took it over more or less by default. I enjoy it. I enjoy the people and I enjoy the volunteers,” Brennan said.
He noted the food pantry could currently use a few more volunteers because some of the more vulnerable volunteers have taken a temporary hiatus due to the pandemic.
$30,000 donation
Brennan recently learned the Roser Food Pantry would receive up to $30,000 from the Mayors Feed the Hungry organization that’s been assisting Manatee County with the distribution of COVID-19-related federal CARES Act funds.
The $30,000 contribution is intended to offset food distribution expenses the pantry has incurred since the pandemic arrived in Manatee County in March.
Brennan recently met with Roser Memorial Community Church Financial Administrator Matt Meehan to ensure that the food pantry services justified a $30,000 donation. They did.
“I don’t feel right taking a $30,000 donation if I didn’t do what was necessary to get that donation. The donation is going to help a lot,” Brennan said.
Blessing Box
Located at 511 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria, the food pantry has a new Blessing Box affixed to the exterior wall that faces the street. Inside the Blessing Box are food items that can be taken at any time by those in need.
The inspiration for the Blessing Box occurred in August, when the Brennans were vacationing in the Hendersonville, N.C. area and Jack saw a newspaper story about a local church’s Blessing Box.
The Roser Food Pantry in Anna Maria now features a Blessing Box that can be accessed any time. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It dawned on me that that’s my way of being open not just Mondays and Wednesdays, but 24/7. This is something that will always be available every day, 365 days a year,” Brennan said.
Brennan said the Blessing Box might provide free food for those who are reluctant to visit the food pantry during regular hours.
If you’d like to volunteer, donate food or money or need food assistance, call 941-778-0414 or visit www.roserchurch.com/food-pantry/.
Historic preservation
Brennan serves as the acting chair of the three-member Anna Maria Historic Preservation Board which also consists of Thom Wagner and Gary McMullen. Brennan said the volunteer board should ideally consist of five members and two alternates.
This year, the board has nearly completed its efforts to formally certify The Island Players theater and the Anna Maria Historical Museum as historic structures.
The board can also assist a homeowner or building owner or property owner who wishes to have their structure or property voluntarily certified as historic.
Brennan said a historic designation could provide a homeowner with property tax relief and may also provide relief from FEMA’s 50% renovation rule – a federal rule that limits the value of the annual improvements that can be made to an existing ground-level structure.
Jack Brennan is assisting with the efforts to certify the Anna Maria Historical Museum as a historic structure. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Brennan serves on the preservation board in part because of a previous research request that Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy made of him. Murphy made his request after the Urban Land Institute released its Anna Maria Island report in 2015. The report recommended a greater Island-wide emphasis on historic preservation.
“I did almost two years of research,” Brennan said. “I like being involved with the city, but I do not want to be a commissioner and I do not want to be the mayor.”
Praise offered
Charles Wade serves as facilities administrator at Roser Memorial Community Church and works closely with Brennan on the food pantry operations.
“Jack is a very good person. He’s very close with us as a Christian and as a fellow man who loves to help people. The food pantry is his passion,” Wade said.
“Jack’s into so many different things but he’s always got humanity in mind and he’s always looking to do good things. He’s just a great person,” food pantry volunteer Dale Dohner said.
“Jack is the ‘Jack of all trades.’ He is the foundation of our Historic Preservation Board and he is literally doing God’s work with the food pantry. What a wonderful world it would be if we had more Jack Brennans,” Murphy said.
ANNA MARIA – Carl Augostini thinks every kid should have a bike, and he spends his own time and money trying to make that happen.
Each year, Augostini and Charles Wade team up to provide bikes to local kids and adults in need.
Augostini repairs and refurbishes the bikes, and Wade helps put the bikes into the hands of those who want and need them. Wade is the facilities administrator for Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria.
Carl Augostini refurbished 12 children’s bikes this year. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On Friday, 25 bicycles stood in Augostini’s driveway waiting to be picked up.
“We’ve got 13 adult bikes and we have 12 children’s bikes,” Augostini said.
Augostini was asked where the bikes came from.
“The junk pile. My friends and neighbors drop them off and I take them and rebuild them. I start in January, right after Christmas, and I work all year on them. I’ve got a pile of old ones now waiting to get refurbished,” he said.
When asked why he does this, Augostini said, “Because I think every kid should have a bike. And if they can’t afford it, I’m one of the guys that’s going to get them one.”
Carl Augostini refurbished 13 adult bikes this year. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Augostini, a retired electrical engineer, said he had no particular affiliation to bicycles when he started this project several years ago. He said he met Wade about 10 years ago, when then-Mayor Mike Selby put the two men in touch with one another.
“I had a bunch of bikes and I asked Mike how I could donate them to somebody. He gave me Charles’ name. I contacted Charles and he finds a home for them each year,” Augostini said.
“The church I go to, Light of the World, is picking them up today and we’re going to have a big Christmas event in Sarasota on Saturday for the kids – and for adults who may need bicycles to get around and get to work. It’s all about giving,” Wade said.
“We’ve been doing this for 10 or 11 years. I got involved because I love helping people, giving and doing the things God allows me to do. Carl is the bike man. I watch him and tell him he’s very talented at what he does. He usually has 15 bicycles, but this year it was 25,” Wade said.
Wade said one of the Light of the World pastors told him the need for bicycles is even greater this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic challenges the pandemic has created.
“There’s so many kids wanting bicycles whose parents lost their jobs or some other situation happened. If we can get bicycles to them, that’s a beautiful thing,” Wade said.
Augostini expressed his thanks to all who helped make this year’s bike donation possible.
“I want to thank all my neighbors and friends that drop off the bikes, and I’ve got some donations to help pay for tires and tubes, which have gone up in price, and parts that I need. A lot of the parts I take from bikes that are unrepairable. I thank all those people that have been a great help,” Augostini said.
He also thanked his wife for her neverending support of his efforts.
“My wife, Roberta, keeps me going,” Augostini said, noting he already has approximately 30 bikes to use for next year’s project.
This year’s fleet of refurbished bikes were displayed in Carl and Roberta Augostini’s driveway Friday afternoon. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The couple’s son, Craig Augostini, and Craig’s wife, Lisa, were also on hand Friday. They live in Rochester, New York and are visiting for the holidays.
“He’s an inspiration,” Craig Augostini said of his father. “He’s something else. He’s a fantastic guy. My sister and I look to him as the greatest. We always had bikes and he taught me how to fix my bikes, mini-bikes, motorcycles and cars. I’m very mechanical, just like him.”
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church St. in Bradenton Beach, is conducting a food drive on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Donated food will be delivered to the Roser Food Pantry in Anna Maria for distribution to local residents and employees in need.
The food drive will benefit the Roser Food Pantry in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to Roser Food Pantry chairman Jack Brennan, the food pantry currently needs canned chicken, Vienna sausages, Spam and other canned meats. The pantry is already well-stocked with canned tuna. The pantry needs canned fruit but is already well-stocked with canned vegetables.
Brennan said the food pantry can use anything made by Chef Boyardee that comes in a pop-top can, but the pantry is currently well-stocked with boxed pasta, including macaroni and cheese dinners.
The pantry needs Capri Sun juice boxes or pouches, soft drinks, soda, Gatorade and other sports drinks.
Brennan said the Roser Food Pantry also needs paper goods, including paper towels, toilet paper and napkins.
Brennan said the food pantry does not currently need soup, cereal or bottled water.
Those who cannot donate to Saturday’s food drive can always donate food, supplies or financial assistance directly to the Roser Food Bank, 511 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria. The pantry is staffed to receive donations on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to approximately noon.
Food donations can also be made across the street in the Roser Memorial Community Church’s administrative office at 512 Pine Ave. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. using the Publix shopping cart located near the main door.
For information on how to receive food pantry assistance, or to provide additional support, please call 941-778-0414. You can also visit the Roser Food Pantry online at www.roserchurch.com/food-pantry.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Priscilla Seewald may be gone but she’s left behind the positive impact she made on not only her community but also the people in it.
Seewald passed away on July 22 and was honored with a memorial service Aug. 8 at Roser Memorial Community Church where she was a long-time member. Due to COVID-19 precautions, the service was limited to 50 people with priority given to Seewald’s family, however, they did give permission to the church to live stream the service on the Roser YouTube channel for all of her friends and family who couldn’t be present.
A Holmes Beach resident for many years, Seewald leaves behind her husband, Bruce, daughter, Lisa Turner, and son-in-law, Wayne Turner, along with two grandchildren, Rutger and Angelica Hope Turner, as well as a sister, Judith Stermer and her family. Seewald also leaves behind a legacy of many years of service on Anna Maria Island.
Many Island residents will know Seewald from her volunteerism. She could be found helping stamp booklets at the entrance of homes on The Center of Anna Maria Island’s Tour of Homes, ringing bells during the holidays to help raise money for the Salvation Army and serving as a volunteer at Anna Maria Elementary School.
Seewald also was a former president for and award-winning lifetime member of the Anna Maria Island Garden Club. When not volunteering elsewhere, her friend Beth Bernet recalled Seewald delivering flowers to friends, neighbors, church members who were homebound and others that were on her mind.
Bernet said she recently received a message from Seewald offering to deliver flowers to her, not because of an illness but because she said she wanted to give them to someone that wouldn’t ordinarily receive flowers.
At Roser, Seewald was an active member, deacon, mission committee member, music committee member, Sunday school teacher, Roser Women’s Guild member, food pantry volunteer, thrift shop volunteer and a favorite teacher of the children at Roser’s annual Vacation Bible School.
“I got to take pictures at Vacation Bible School as co-director. I got to run around to all the stations, and I loved going to Priscilla’s station because you could hear a pin drop,” Bernet said in a July 26 tribute to Seewald during Roser’s church service. “She commanded attention as she taught those children those Bible stories. And she also always got to be the one to give out M&Ms to the children, so it was a favorite station and not only because of Priscilla. All of those little hands stretched out waiting for those M&Ms, it was just, I’ll always think of Priscilla when I eat M&Ms.”
Seewald also worked with All Island Denominations and the Roser Food Pantry to ensure that the less fortunate children attending Anna Maria Elementary School would have enough food over summer break.
“Priscilla is an example of how we want to be a saint,” Bernet said.
“Priscilla Seewald was a very special Christian friend to many of us who are a part of Roser Church and the Guild,” friend Peggy Nash said. “We will always remember her friendly smile, laugh and willingness to help many of us. She was fun to be with. Priscilla was always happy to help and will be greatly missed by many of us.”
“Heaven gained a great new angel and we lost a great lady,” Peggy Anthony said of Seewald.
In addition to remembrances by her friends, Nancian Hall wrote several poems dedicated to Seewald, all of which can be viewed online. In lieu of flowers, Seewald’s family asks that memorial donations be made in her honor to the Roser Food Pantry.
ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria General Store owner Brian Seymour and Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose provided the Roser Food Pantry with a significant boost during this time of increased need.
On Thursday, April 2, Seymour and general store team members Tom Powers, Mason Jones and Kristen Karnok made a large delivery to the food pantry at 511 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.
“Our initial order was $6,000-$7,000, but unfortunately about 20% of it did not come in this week. We will continue to reorder every week until we fulfill our commitment to the food pantry,” Seymour said as they unloaded the pickup truck and golf cart filled with non-perishable food.
“We bought everything from canned vegetables, soups, cereals, snacks, rice, beans, canned fruit, shelf-stable milk and much more. We tried to think of as many items as possible that would be shelf-stable and last the longest so those who need to utilize the food bank have food that lasts,” Seymour said.
“This idea to donate food to the Roser Food Pantry was the brainchild of Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose and myself. We read the article in The Sun about the need here and how much Roser’s doing to for the local community, especially the workers out here who are out of work,” Seymour said.
“Steve wishes he could be here, but he was in Colorado when the stay in place order was given, so he’s still there,” Seymour said.
Seymour thanked Rose’s business operations manager Patty Prudente for her assistance.
“The Roser Food Pantry is a place on the Island that offers assistance to everybody, and if anybody can help the food pantry we encourage that too,” Seymour said.
Roser Facilities Administrator Charles Wade and Mason Jones, Brian Seymour, Kristen Karnok and Tom Powers from the Anna Maria General Store unloaded the donated food. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Seymour said the food delivered was purchased from H.T. Hackney, the distributor that supplies his general store at 503 Pine Ave.
“I can buy it at wholesale cost, so if anyone wants to make monetary donations that money will go further if you donate to the store and we purchase goods. One hundred percent of the donations will go toward the food pantry,” Seymour said.
Those who want to assist with a personal check can make it out to the Anna Maria General Store and write Roser Food Pantry donation in the memo line.
“We’ll take cash too,” Seymour said.
Seymour said the Anna Maria General Store plans to remain open, even though business has slowed.
Appreciative chairman
Food pantry chairman Jack Brennan said he’s okay with the general store accepting financial contributions on the pantry’s behalf and he appreciates Seymour’s offer.
“It’s pretty nice what the community has done for the Roser Food Pantry. We had the money to purchase food, but we just couldn’t get the products. The Roser Food Pantry greatly appreciates the fact that Steve and Brian recognized our short-term situation and came to our aid,” Brennan said.
Brennan also thanked Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter and All Island Denominations for getting the word out that the food pantry was having trouble finding groceries due to the coronavirus situation. He also thanked those who’ve swung by the food pantry recently to drop off food or financial contributions.
Roser Facilities Administrator Charles Wade and food pantry chairman Jack Brennan put away the donated food. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Brennan said he recently went shopping for the food pantry and got several dirty looks from other shoppers who thought he was hoarding for himself.
“I didn’t want to do that again and that’s when Carol put out the memo that we needed help,” Brennan said.
He said he thought it was a memo from the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce that caught Rose’s eye and that inspired him to help.
The donated food will extend the food pantry’s inventory by the three to five weeks. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Brennan said the food donated by Rose and Seymour would extend the food pantry’s ability to help others three to five weeks.
If you need food, call the Roser Memorial Community Church office at 941-778-0414 to schedule an appointment.
ANNA MARIA – Serving Anna Maria Island residents and employees, the Roser Food Pantry in Anna Maria needs your help assisting others in need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Food pantry chairman Jack Brennan is asking those who can help to do so by bringing any and all non-perishable food items, paper products and personal hygiene products to the Roser Memorial Community Church office at 512 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
These items can also be brought directly to the Roser Food Pantry across the street at 511 Pine Ave. from 10:30 to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Brennan said this is currently more of a supply issue than a financial issue because the food pantry is having trouble purchasing the food and supplies it needs to assist those in need.
Although the current need at this time is for non-perishable food items and supplies, financial contributions to the food pantry are also always welcomed. Donations can be made online by visiting the church website and clicking on the “missions” link at the top of the church’s homepage. Donations can also be made by calling the church office at 941-778-0414.
Need food?
If you need food, call the church office at 941-778-0414 during regular business hours to set an appointment to visit the food pantry on a Monday or a Wednesday between 11 a.m. and noon or so.
Island workers and residents who are not already signed up for food pantry benefits will be asked to fill out a short application that will make them eligible to immediately receive food pantry benefits.
ANNA MARIA – A child born three months premature on April 19, 2016, to Roser Community Church Facilities Administrator Charles Wade and his wife, Brenda, still faces a rocky future. Her parents and Roser officials are asking the Island community for help in the form of prayer and money.
Arianna Wade weighed only 11 ounces when she was born and, at that time, she was the smallest ever born at Sarasota Hospital. She became known as the “Miracle Baby” and on Dec. 19, 2016, Arianna came home from the hospital. She was considered to a great Christmas present for Charles and Brenda. On Dec. 12, 2018, Arianna played the part of Baby Jesus in the annual Roser Walk to Bethlehem.
‘Miracle Baby’ Arianna Wade is now three years old.
Arianna has been undergoing ongoing treatment at St. Petersburg Children’s Hospital, and when she recently went in for a routine procedure to open up her airway, doctors discovered there was nothing more they could do for her. They referred her to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Once again, the church and family are asking for help in the form of prayers and money. Those wishing to help with the upcoming expenses may go to www.roserchurch.com/give to donate online (use the Arianna Miracle Fund line item) or make checks payable to Roser Church and note “For Arianna” on the memo line. Donations can be dropped off at the church office or mailed to Roser Church, PO Box 247, Anna Maria, FL 34216. The money that comes in will be distributed to Charles Wade on a monthly basis.
