Longboat Key Foundation postpones inaugural golf tournament

The board of the Longboat Key Foundation unanimously voted to postpone its April 18 inaugural golf fundraiser. 

The Longboat Key Foundation became an independent 501C3 organization earlier in 2020. The board wanted to hold the event to kick off its independent foundation and share its mission: To support the island, the environment and the people who make it work. 

"It's become apparent that this is going to be a long-term problem," board member Tom Dabney said. "It's the worst timing because this tournament would have provided us with funds that we could have used to help people on the island."

The Longboat Key Foundation hopes to set up a "nest egg" of sorts to help Longboat Key as a whole. The organization maintains seven funds to help the island's environment and people. In the past, when the foundation operated under the Sarasota Community Foundation, Dabney said they have helped with scholarships for hospitality workers on the island. Right now, Dabney wishes they had a fund set up to help the island's workers. 

"Normally this time of year, they would be making good money hosting, serving, providing the services that they do," Dabney said. "I wish the foundation could have raised some funds to have that money available to assist with issues on the island as the impacts of (the coronavirus) become better known."

Dabney said the board hopes to be able to host the tournament, which would have been played at the Longboat Key Club's Islandside course, in the fall.

For now, the foundation will issue refunds to all who request them. However, the board still plans to hold the tournament in the fall, and payments can be put towards a spot in that tournament. If anyone wishes to donate to the foundation, visit their website at lbkfoundation.org or call Dabney at 350-8000.