PHOTO GALLERY : Celebrating Paul Thorpe

Paul Thorpe is shocked by the 120 people waiting for him as he steps through the door.

Mayor Suzanne Atwell, Danny Bilyeu, Bishop Henry Porter and Gail Moore

Sandy Thorpe with her mother in law JoAnn Thorpe, friend Mike Pender and husban Paul Thorpe III

Ron Soto presents Paul Thorpe with a plaque from the Sarasota Downtown Merchants Association.

Don Adamec presents Paul Thorpe with a collage board of Thorpe through the years.

Phil Pagano with Mary and Terry Hart

Peter Fanning and Dina Lareau

Paul Thorpe walks into a room full of 120 people for his surprise party.

Paul Thorpe is overwhelmed when he enters the surprise party.

Mayor Suzanne Atwell presented Paul Thorpe with the key to the city.

Doug Brough, Diana Sanders with her husband Rick and Bill Carman

Dede Curran, Eileen Wallace and Susan McLeod

Chris Baer, Ron Soto, Wendy Getchell, Don Adamec, Ron Soto’s wife Kim and father Fred

A Slice of Heaven made the cake.

A Slice of Heaven made the cake for the party. They designed it to reflect Paul Thorpe and his achievements in downtown Sarasota.

Barbara Strauss put a photo of Paul Thorpe age 12 onto a photograph from a 1928 Sarasota Parade and joked that he really was at the first Sarasota parade. Paul Thorpe organizes the Sarasota holiday parade every year.

Mayor Suzanne Atwell presents Paul Thorpe with the key to the city.

Allie and Jim Cantonis and Connie Thomkins

Guests silently wait to surprise Paul Thorpe as he walks through the door.