Santa’s coming to town!
The Center of Anna Maria Island will host the 24th annual Lester Family Fun Day at its facility, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
The event has been sponsored by Chuck and Joey Lester for years. Chuck Lester died in April 2024, but Joey has carried on the tradition.
The event will feature an array of festive activities, highlighted by Santa Claus arriving at noon with the Manatee High School drum line. Children in attendance will have the opportunity to meet Santa and receive small gifts.
Another highlight is the golf ball drop at 2 p.m., when a helicopter will hover over a flag on the soccer field and drop numbered golf balls, sold for $50 each to sponsors. The closest ball to the flag wins the raffle.
Balls cost $50 for one or $100 for three, and can be purchased on the center’s website, centerami.org, or by calling 941-778-1908.
DJ Freeze will spin tunes for the event, which will also feature pony rides, inflatable play structures, crafts and cookie decorating for kids.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream from Duffy’s Tavern, Anna Maria Oyster Bar and the Small Town Creamery, respectively, will be available for purchase.
Admission is free, but activity tickets will cost 25 cents apiece.
The event will benefit the center, which may need some financial assistance after dropping $322,352 into the red after the first quarter of fiscal 2025-26, which began July 1.
While program revenue has gone strong through September, resulting in $70,298 in income, fundraising has lagged at $21,522.
Neither number makes much of a dent in the $218,441 the center has racked up in general/indirect/administrative expenses.
So far, the nonprofit has recorded a $126,621 loss in net ordinary income through September.
However, that’s not where the deficit stops.
More than half of the current deficit can be attributed to $195,731 in capital expenses, including field maintenance, new sod, fence and roof repairs, as well as a new scoreboard for the outdoor field.
While the center went $186,685 into the red through September of fiscal 2024-25 and finished in the black, this year’s hole is nearly two times deeper.