Letters to the editor

+ Historical Society reflects on its past year, looks forward to 2011
Dear Editor:
It is a good time to be reflective, the first month of the new year. This past year has been a good one for the Longboat Key Historical Society Inc. It was my first year as president after serving four years on the board of directors. We made money at three fundraising events and had good attendance for our four speakers. Our new year has begun, and we have an excellent speaker event planned for 7 p.m. Jan. 20, at the Longboat Key Center for the Arts.

Our three fundraising events last year were the “Elegant Dinner” in April at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort; “The Pioneer Fish Fry” in October at Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub; and the town of Longboat Key’s 55th birthday party and wine tasting in November at Harry’s Continental Kitchens.
All together these events provided fun and funds for our membership and guests. We made more than $3,000 on special events this past year.

All of our speaker events were well attended with about 75 people at each event. I spoke in February about my favorite subjects: my family and our history on Longboat Key and Longboat Key wildlife and environmental issues. Michael Saunders was our March speaker, and she spoke about “Longboat Key Real Estate: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” Our last speakers were Murf Klauber and Tim Field at the Elegant Benefit Dinner. Murf explained his long tenure at the Colony by telling stories about famous guests and by showing photos from the past. Field gave an excellent presentation on the history of the development of Longboat Key.

This past year, The Observer Group donated a new computer and printer/scanner to our Historical Society. This will help us to keep up with the past and the future, as we will attempt to collect and label old photos and documents into a digital library from which the whole community will benefit. We will also use it for membership, newsletters, e-mails and website purposes. We would also like to thank our members and corporate sponsors who helped with their contributions this year.

This past year our corporate sponsors were Michael Saunders and Co., First Bank, Kenneth Kandefer CPA, Harry’s Continental Kitchens, Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce, Longboat Key Center for the Arts, a Division of Ringling College of Art and Design, and the Longboat Observer.

The Longboat Key Historical Museum, located at 6826 Gulf of Mexico Drive, in Whitney Beach Plaza, is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 387-8323 or e-mail: [email protected].
Tom Mayers
President of the Longboat Key Historical Society

+ Article misrepresented resident’s cell-phone tower views
Dear Editor:
In your Thursday, Jan. 6 edition “7 in 11” article on Jim Eatrides, you write that I have “bemoaned a (cell) tower going on the chapel’s site.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. I have been, I am and I will be unalterably opposed to a 150-foot or 15-story tower anywhere on this very special island. Longboat Key, and everyone who loves this island, should be too!
Jeremy Whatmough
Longboat Key