Wish Book
Jan. 22, 2025
Making wishes come true …
In The Islander Wish Book, we present the needs of organizations in our community, a community seeking to rebuild, recover, reopen after the devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
While the Wish Book would normally have published during the week of Thanksgiving, the storms sent us scrambling just to bring you the news, let alone a special section. And we thought, what better time to revive the Wish Book than the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day.
After all, we all love AMI.
The community groups with wishes in this guide help families and individuals, teach and mentor children, assist the
elderly and the less fortunate, all with the goal of making Anna Maria Island a better place to live.
So, in the Wish Book, we offer a special way for you to return the care and commitment and help these groups continue to serve islanders and our neighbors.
Your contribution, however small or grand, is deeply appreciated.
And to our generous sponsor advertisers, we offer thanks for making this publication possible.
Please, give with your heart.
Here’s wishing you all the best in 2025!
— Bonner Joy and all our friends at The Islander
Please, give with your heart.
Please, give with your heart.
All Island Denominations
All Island Denominations unites the island churches — CrossPointe Fellowship, the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, Harvey Memorial Community Church, Roser Memorial Community Church and St. Bernard Catholic Church — to help those in need.
Organized and funded by the island churches, AID has been serving Anna Maria Island since 1982 and expressly sent a wish that all have a happy new year.
AID wishes for:
• Financial donations to AID, P.O. Box 305, Anna Maria, FL 34216, or call 941-7252433. If no callback is received, contact one of the island churches.
• Financial contributions and canned or cellophane wrapped food items to the Roser Food Pantry, P.O. Box 247, Anna Maria. FL 34216.
For more, call an island church.
AMI Chamber of Commerce
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, representing 580-plus members, helps newcomers settle, businesses thrive and tourists navigate on the island.
The chamber wishes for:
• Success for “all our businesses” in 2025.
For more, call the chamber at 941-7781541.
AMI Concert Chorus & Orchestra
The Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra traditionally performs concerts and creates performance opportunities for professional and volunteer musicians.
AMICCO also fosters the development of youth musicians through an annual competition.
AMICCO wishes for:
• New board members who are passionate music appreciators and would like to be involved in promoting and producing musical events in our community and creating a vision for our future.
• Two people to act as treasurer and secretary.
• Volunteers to digitize the music library.
• Volunteers to move equipment from a storage unit to performance spaces.
• Suggestions “on how we can add our music to your groups as our vision is to be the voice of great music for the community and beyond!”
• “Musical financial angels” to support the group.
• Venue “to call home.”
For more, email info@amicco.org.
AMI Historical Society
The Anna Maria Island Historical Society museum, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, shares the history of the island with people from all over the world.
AMIHS shares stories and displays antiques, collections and collectibles from the island’s early days.
AMIHS also recognizes preservation achievements and provides speakers for organizations wishing to present the island’s history.
The historical society is rebuilding its “charming gem of a museum” with plans to again open the doors “for all to enjoy.”
AMIHS wishes for:
• Document scanner for preservation of historic collections.
• Donations for restoration of artifacts and replacement of display cases, office furnishings.
• Recordings of live narratives from people who grew up on AMI.
• Bakers to make Settlers’ Bread, which is sold to fund the Pat Copeland scholarship program.
• Volunteers for the Heritage Day Festival and other committees.
• Docents to greet visitors.
For more, call Carolyn Orshak at 608444-0084.
Anna Maria Island Privateers
The mission of the Anna Maria Island Privateers is to “develop, promote and support activities for the betterment of youth and community in Manatee County.”
The group raises money for scholarships and hosts a series of events for children and adults, including parades and parties.
The Anna Maria Island Privateers wishes for:
• A covered building and/or land for the Skullywag, sleigh and other items.
• Gift cards for lights, batteries and office
supplies.
• Sail tarps.
For more, go online to amiprivateers. org.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch
The volunteer-driven Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring protects and collects data on nesting sea turtles and shorebirds on the island.
In partnership with the island community, through public education and cooperation, the nonprofit’s mission is “to assure a suitable habitat for people, sea turtles and shorebirds, the ecosystem of the island and surrounding waters.”
For 2025, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring wishes for:
• Latex or nitrile gloves.
• Gas gift cards to fuel ATV vehicles.
• Home Depot and Lowe’s gift cards to purchase equipment.
• Amazon gift cards for office and field supplies.
• Sherwin Williams gift cards for paint.
• IT services for maintaining a website and computers.
• On-island garage for UTV storage October-April.
• Use of a flatbed trailer for ATV transport.
• Legal consultation for contracts and documents.
• Laser cutting of wooden adopt-a-nest plaques.
• General donations.
For more, go to islandturtlewatch.com or email info@islandturtlewatch.com.
Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island
The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island, in the Island Shopping Center, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, supports local artists and promotes arts education.
AGAMI provides scholarships, sponsors tours to museums, contributes funding to school programs, hosts demonstrations and operates the Artists’ Guild Gallery, where artists display and sell their work.
The artists wish for:
• Art supplies to be passed on to school art departments, especially paint brushes, pastels, acrylic paints, clay, paste and all kinds of art-project papers.
Please, give with your heart.
For more information, call AGAMI’s gallery at 941-778-6694.
The Island Players
The Island Players theatrical group stages productions in its cozy theater at the corner of Gulf Drive and Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.
The group’s mission is “to continue to bring high quality and professional entertainment to the community for the cultural enrichment of all and to provide a stage for young people to learn and enhance their experiences in the performing arts.”
The Island Players wishes for:
• Volunteers in every area to “come and be part of our family.”
For more, go to theislandplayers.org or text 941-920-1362.
Friends of the Island Library
The Friends of the Island Library exists to help the island branch of the Manatee County Public Library System achieve its mission to “nurture imagination, promote lifelong learning and enrich the community.”
The nonprofi t asked Aaron Drake, the branch supervisor, to provide its wish list.
The wish list includes:
• iPad tablets.
• Card tables for games.
• Folding table for outreach events.
For more, call the library at 941-7786341.
JoshProvides Foundation
JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation, founded in 2008, helps people diagnosed with epilepsy and other seizure disorders and their families, including on Anna Maria Island.
Through the distribution of seizure alert devices, transportation assistance and medical services, JoshProvides offers a helping hand to improve the quality of their lives.
JoshProvides wishes for:
• Donations to provide seizure detection watches to children, which can be sent to JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation, 5428 Sundew Drive, Sarasota, FL 34238.
• Uber or Lyft gift cards so people diagnosed with seizures and prohibited from
driving for six months can get to medical appointments.
• CVS or Walgreens gift cards for antiseizure medications.
• Amazon gift cards to purchase safety helmets and cooling vests for children diagnosed with seizures.
For more, go to joshprovides.org, email info@joshprovides.org or call 800-7062740.
Keep Manatee Beautiful
Keep Manatee Beautiful, the local chapter of Keep America Beautiful, is fulfilling its mission to help prevent litter.
KMB accomplishes this with its Adopt-AShore locations covering the entirety of Anna Maria Island. KMB also conducts cleanups throughout Manatee County, including on streets and highways and preserves.
KMB wishes:
• Nonprofits that need things get their wishes fulfilled.
For more, email 941-795-8272. Also, visit www.manateebeautiful.com.
Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island
Saturday mornings, members and guests of the Anna Maria Island Kiwanis Club traditionally gather for breakfast meetings.
The group meets at Bradenton Beach City Hall to share news, trade jokes, sing songs, make friends, listen to speakers and plan civic projects.
Outside the meetings, club members host and coordinate an Easter sunrise service on the beach, sponsor K-Kids at Anna Maria Elementary and the Builder’s and Key clubs at State College of Florida, as well as help the Salvation Army with bell-ringing for holiday donations at the Publix Super Market in Holmes Beach.
The club wishes for:
• New members.
• Nonperishable food and diapers and other items for the island’s food bank in Anna Maria.
• Volunteers to ring the bell for the Salvation Army at the island Publix Super Market through the next Christmas holiday season.
For more, contact president John Chappie at jchappie2@tampabay.rr.com or 941920-1826.
Mayors Feed the Hungry
The Mayors Feed the Hungry conducts community food drives.
Since its beginnings in 1987, the program has collected and distributed more than 650 tons of food and more than $4,500,000 in given food gift cards to the hungry in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Implemented by former Sarasota Mayor Fredd Atkins, the program is endorsed by local mayors and county commission chairs.
Contributions are 100% tax deductible.
The Mayors Feed the Hungry wishes for:
• Cash donations to purchase food gift cards.
• Grocery donations to local food pantries.
For more, go to mayorsfeedthehungry. org or call 941-350-6075.
Ministry of Presence
The Ministry of Presence Inc., established in 1995 in Bradenton by a Haitian-born priest and a sister, is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing a better life for children in Haiti.
The Rev. Ron Joseph and the ministry’s board of directors administer programs that aid in the health, feeding, clothing and educating of Haitian children.
The Ministry of Presence wishes for:
• Tents and canopies.
• Sleeping mats and/or bags.
• Linens.
• Games and toys.
• Cash donations for medical supplies, bottled water, water purification supplies. For more, contact The Islander at 941778-7978.
Off Stage Ladies
The Sunday before an opening night at the Island Players’ playhouse in Anna Maria is known as “Long Sunday.”
This is when the actors and the stage crew gather for a lengthy rehearsal to perfect the production and the Off Stage Ladies serve a feast.
The group supports the Island Players — now in its 76th season — in other ways and also meets during the fall-winter-spring season for social lunches.
Please, give with your heart.
Off Stage Ladies wishes for:
• Local restaurants to donate entrees or gift cards to support the Long Sunday feasts.
• New members.
• Flashlights for ushers in the theater.
• $25 donations to help keep the theater beautiful.
For more, email at roeduncana@gmail. com or call 941-932-2798.
Roser Food Pantry
The Roser Food Pantry, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, is stocked largely with donations from island residents and island churches.
Operators of the pantry provide groceries regularly to islanders in need.
The Roser Food Pantry wishes for:
• Canned fruit, vegetables, meat or meals.
• Crackers, cookies, drinks, cereal and snacks.
• Dry rice, potatoes and pasta.
• Paper goods — toilet paper, tissues and paper towels.
• Bottled water.
• Laundry detergent.
• Volunteers for the food pantry. For more, call 941-778-0414.
St. Joseph Food Pantry
The St. Joseph Food Pantry, 2704 33rd Ave. W., Bradenton, provides food to individuals and families in need, including members of the island hospitality workforce.
The pantry relies in part on donations from parishioners and churches, including St. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach.
The pantry wishes for:
• A box truck to replace one that’s “showing its age.”
• Nonperishable food items, including smooth peanut butter, canned vegetables, tomato sauce, canned meats and tuna, dry pasta, boxed stuffing, instant potatoes and mac-and-cheese boxes.
For more, call 508-335-1926.
Tingley Memorial Library
Tingley Memorial Library, 111 Second St. N., Bradenton Beach, is a nonprofit institution that has existed to provide books, meeting and reading spaces, and other library services to people in the island cities and the surrounding population.
In December 2024, the city announced the library would be closed and the space used for storm-recovery operations and meetings. A decision about reopening was expected sometime this winter.
In the past, Tingley has wished for:
• Magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
• Florida-themed books.
• Gift certificates for book purchases.
• Volunteers.
For more, call 941-778-1005.
Wildlife Inc.
Wildlife Inc., Education and Rehabilitation Center is a nonprofi t in Bradenton Beach. Thousands of injured, sick and displaced birds, mammals and reptiles are rescued each year.
Ed and Gail Straight, with animal-loving volunteers, run the operation from their home, with a mission to preserve and protect native wildlife through education and rehabilitation.
Wildlife Inc. wishes for:
• Gift cards for food, supplies and cages, including cards from Petco, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon and Staples.
• Gas gift cards.
• Paper towels and toilet paper.
• Pecans, almonds, nuts in shells.
• Mini Miracle Nipples to feed newborns.
• Letter-size computer paper.
• Postage stamps.
For more, call 941-778-6324 or go to wildlifeinc.org.
Also operating on AMI
The following organizations also provide services to the AMI community but did not respond to The Islander’s requests for lists by press time:
• The Annie Silver Community Center at 23rd Street and Avenue C in Bradenton Beach was founded by entrepreneur Annie Silver to promote friendship among neighbors.
For more, contact Jim Hassett at 413-4416823 or bicyclejimbb@gmail.com.
• The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, operates with the support of donors, memberships and program fees and hosts a variety of programs for adults and children, including educational and after school programs, camps, sports leagues and fitness opportunities.
For more, call 941-778-1908 or go online to centerami.org.
• The Cortez Village Historical Society is an all-volunteer nonprofi t dedicated to preserving Cortez’s past and to protecting its future.
For more, email cvhs2016@aol.com.
• The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage in Cortez is “dedicated to the promotion, education and preservation of Cortez and Florida’s commercial fishing and other traditional maritime cultures including the environment upon which these communities depend.”
For more, go to www.fishcortez.org or email fishpreserve@gmail.com.
• The Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez, offers a snapshot of old Florida through a collection of informative exhibits, educational programs, community events and research materials. For more, visit floridamaritimemuseum.org or call 941-708-6120.
• The Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island supports many community projects, including literacy programs at Anna Maria Elementary and beach cleanups.
For more, go to Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island on Facebook.
