BRADENTON BEACH – Skimboarders shredded the shallows under sunny skies at Sunday’s Skim Bash.

Families and friends pitched tents and cheered on about 80 skimboarders ranging from beginners to masters who competed in the clear green Gulf behind the BeachHouse restaurant.

The amateur contest, staged like a professional surf championship, raises money for red tide research at Mote Marine Laboratory.

The event was sponsored by West Coat Surf Shop, the BeachHouse restaurant, the Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper, Zap Skim’ers, Manatee Apparel Graphics, Lost, Australian Gold, Oakley, Rusty, Arnette, Roxy, Quiksilver, Volcom, Dakine, Smith Optics, Raisins and Anarchy/Angel.

Winners were:

Girls (14 and under)

1. Ansley White
2. Courtney Peens
3. Izzi Gomez

Women (15 and up)

1. Candace Heizmann
2. Raina Lardas

Minis (8 and under)

1. Christian Daniels
2. Trent Shackleford
3. Sebastian Langer
4. Cameron Peens

Menehunes (9-11)

1. Brandon Mills
2. Pierce Tenney
3 Julian Maldonado
4. Ethan Bertrand

Boys (12-14)

1. Ryan Deeso
2. Garrett Wolff
3. Turner Tenney
4. James Alessandrelli

Junior Men (15-17)

1. John Akerman
2. Zack Gray
3. Jonathan Mikailonis
4. Elijah Anderson

Men (18-21)

1. Ryan Rataj
2. Joey Mattay
3. Chris Cover
4. Brad Hamilton

Senior Men (22-39)

1. Bryan Allen
2. Josh Hill
3. David Lanzillo
4. Ben Hanley

Masters (40 and up)

1. Chris Langer
2. Thom Holloway

The donation boxes on the Island trolleys are filling slowly, but that’s not bad considering the time of year.

“I was down at (Manatee County Area Transit) MCAT recently and they have collected about $500 so far,” said David Teitelbaum, the Island businessman who convinced everybody to try giving people a way to donate money to keep the trolley service free. “You have to remember, though, that this is the slowest time of the year, and we don’t have many tourists here.”

Teitelbaum convinced the county to delay charging fees to ride the trolleys while he organized alternative ways of raising the $100,000 shortage that MCAT had in its budget to operate the system.

In doing so, he got each of the three Island cities to donate $8,000 for a total of $24,000, which would be added to $26,000 from the resort tax to make up half of the $100,000 budget shortage. The other $50,000 would come from Manatee County Area Transit’s budget. During the coming year, efforts would be initiated to raise money through advertising on the trolleys, selling naming rights for trolleys and possibly trolley shelters, putting donation boxes on the trolleys and holding a large festival once a year to raise money, much like the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival finances the Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage.

While Teitelbaum is not expecting much this time of the year, he hopes some of the locals will help out.

“When kids leave the house to ride the trolley, their parents might want to give them an extra dollar to put into the donation box,” he said. “If it wasn’t for the free trolleys, those parents might be driving their kids where they want to go.”

If the fund-raising steps succeed, they would be able to repay the cities for the $8,000 they each donated and donate any funds in excess of what they need to keep the rides free for another year to local charities.

BRADENTON BEACH – The sunshine brought out the kids and the taste of shrimp brought out the fish last Saturday at the second annual Kids Fishing Contest at Bridge Street Pier.

When it was all over, the fish were back in the water and the kids were sporting big smiles.

“I can’t believe I caught seven fish,” one youngster was overheard saying to her mother, while they walked down Bridge Street.

It was easier than they thought, as fish of all sizes ended up on the end of hooks, thanks to the shrimp supplied by Rotten Ralph’s restaurant at the pier.

The contest, organized by Ed Lyons, who works for Rotten Ralph’s, has quickly gained a following. Last year, they had around 20 kids who entered. This year, they had 84 kids sign up. A lot of it was due to Lyons passing out flyers at Anna Maria Elementary School and The Anna Maria Island Sun’s media sponsorship, which provided ads for the event.

The contest began around 10 a.m., although there were kids at the pier at 9 a.m., according to Bradenton Beach Projects/Programs Director Lisa Marie Phillips, one of the counters for the contest.

“This is all about people enjoying themselves on a beautiful day in our beautiful city and on our beautiful pier,” Phillips said. “Everybody got along and the kids had a ball.”

Each contestant got a free kid’s meal at Rotten Ralph’s. There were prizes for the contest winners, as well.

Jackie O’Shaden had the largest fish, Willow Cooper the weirdest fish and Hart Anderson the smallest. Frank Trippet, Jr., caught the most fish.

ANNA MARIA – Bayfest, generally known as the first festival of the season, is a chance for everyone to shake off the summer doldrums and celebrate the upcoming activities.

It’s also a chance for area musicians to strut their stuff in front of the locals.

This year’s Bayfest features a Friday evening of music, food, drink and fun plus a full day of celebration on Saturday.

The music starts on Friday, Oct. 16, with Mike Sales singing the Island standards from Buffet to reggae from 5 to 7 p.m. Sales performs regularly at several venues on the Island.

At 7 p.m., Bootleg, featuring Mark Pelham, takes the stage with its powerful sound.

On Saturday, Oct. 17, things heat up with a wall of sound all day from the stage.

At 9:45 a.m., Jimi Gee’s latest endeavor, Fogt’s All Stars Band, will perform. Composed of the popular music teacher’s students, this band is named for the music store in Sarasota where they all came together.

Marc Anthony, a true one-man band who has toured with many well-known musicians, takes the stage at 10 a.m. At 11:15 a.m., Rory Miller will charm you with her talent.

Firedoor has expanded to a three-piece band and this popular local band will start the afternoon’s bill of fare at 12:15 p.m. The Human Condition, which played at Friday Fests last year, will perform starting at 1:45 p.m.

Next come a couple of Island-based bands. The Island Rockers, a group of youngsters with a great future ahead of them, will play next followed by HWY 41, featuring talented songstress Danielle Seawall, at 2:45 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m., The Missing Links will perform. This band shares many members with The Blues Alternators. At 6 p.m., Koko Ray takes the stage with his saxophones to play a mix of oldies, blues and other tunes.

The Billy Rice Band will perform at 8 p.m. to closing featuring standards, rock, country and blues.

Anna Maria’s DJ of choice, Chris Grumley, will emcee and BOC Productions will handle the soundboard.

If you’ve never been to Bayfest, try it. As one of the largest festivals in the area, you can expect a taste of local food, refreshments, arts and crafts, an extensive kids areas, the only antique and classic car show on the Island and a lot of fun.

It’s like music to your ears.

Bayfest is brought to you by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce. The Anna Maria Island Sun is the media sponsor. For more information or to participate, call organizer Cindy Thompson at 761-4766.

ANNA MARIA – Community Center Executive Director Pierrette Kelly told board members that the roles for her and Assistant Director Scott Dell are evolving due to the economic times.

“I asked Scott to step up his role,” she explained. “He’ll be reporting on faculty and programs, and I’ll be working on a development plan.”

The development plan focuses on fund raising such as special events, appeal letters and grants. She said the first 50 appeal letters sent out generated $3,200 in donations.

She said some members have suggested a newcomers club, and board secretary John Horne said real estate agents could be a resource to identify newcomers and tell them about the Center.

“We do that all the time,” replied Don Schroder, a real estate agent and board member. “I’m getting a list of all the people who have purchased property on the Island, Longboat and northwest Bradenton for $250,000 or more.”

Other suggestions included a wine tasting or special event for newcomers, a familiarization event for real estate agents and hosting the monthly meeting of real estate agents.

Program/faculty report

Dell said the Center’s summer camp program had 212 kids with many coming from Bradenton, and soccer is currently in full swing with 197 kids forming 22 teams. From July to the present, 110 members have joined the Center.

He said the full time maintenance supervisor has been eliminated and there is a full time hourly employee. They are also relying on community service workers and volunteers to help keep the building clean.

“The Center currently has five full time salary, five full time hourly and five part time hourly positions,” he said. “Everyone is taking on additional roles to fill the void of losing four full time employees since last year.

“I’m extremely optimistic about our position right now. We’ve cut the fat everywhere we can, we’re streamlining it and staff is accepting the challenges and moving forward.”

A new murder mystery event is planned for Halloween, Dell announced to the board. It will take place on Oct. 30 and will be based on a 1950s prom theme with seven actors. Guests will guess the murderer.

Treasurer Bill Ford reported that the Center was on budget with expenses, but total revenue is down $13,000. He said the Oct. 9 golf tournament is critical for fund raising.

More than 300 volunteers came out Saturday for the Florida Coastal Cleanup, scouring area beaches for trash and debris. The results are:

• Anna Maria: 27 volunteers cleaned 6.5 miles removing 521 pounds of trash;

• Bradenton Beach: 81 volunteers cleaned 4.5 miles removing 482 pounds of trash;

• Holmes Beach: 112 volunteers cleaned 6.75 miles removing 416 pounds of trash;

• Palma Sola Causeway: 90 volunteers cleaned 2.5 miles removing 244 pounds trash;

• Longboat Key: 25 volunteers cleaning 4.75 miles removing 212 pounds of trash.

CORTEZ – One of the handful of commercial shrimpers remaining in Cortez has died at age 73.

Frank Tupin was a sturdy, soft-spoken man with a twinkle in his eye from watching decades of Florida sunshine glinting off the water.

The lifelong Cortez fisherman and shrimper always wanted a son to fish with, and got four daughters instead. One, Kathe Fannon, whom he called “son,” learned the trade and fished with him, then began her own ecotourism business in Cortez. Tupin’s granddaughter, Katie Tupin, works with her mother as a boat captain.

Capt. Kathe’s boats are moored at Star Fish Co. next to her dad’s shrimp boat, a familiar fixture at the docks. The boat was built by Tupin’s son-in-law and fishing partner, Mike Fannon, and Tom Mora and replaced a vintage, faded turquoise boat that was the subject of many tourist photos and local artists’ renderings.

Nicknamed “Ole Great One” because he was a Cortez oldtimer, Tupin served in the Marine Corps and was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Karin Tupin, daughters Regina Haney, Cynthia Grimes, Kathe Fannon and Frankie Hall, all of Bradenton, and grandchildren Michael Haney, Eric Grimes, Jerry Haney, Brian Grimes, Catherine Kelbaugh, Kevin Hall, Katie Tupin, Thomas Hall and Laura Hall, all of Bradenton.

Services were Oct. 5. The family requests that donations be made to Catholic Charities, 1505 12th Ave. W., Bradenton, or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1220 15th St. W., Bradenton. Condolences can be expressed at www.shannonfuneralhomes.com.