Easter Seals Southwest Florida

On Saturday, December 19th, Project Rainbow Children’s Respite Program hosted their annual Family Holiday Party.  Over 250 people enjoyed a complete holiday dinner and a variety of exciting activities including: pony rides, hay rides, family photos, caricatures, crafts and face painting.

Santa arrived on a real fire truck from the Cedar Hammock Fire Department.  Each child (and some grown-ups too) got to sit on Santa’s lap and receive a gift.  Sailor Circus jugglers and performers mingled around the Easter Seals campus and donated free circus tickets.  Other special guests included Sponge Bob, the Holiday Bear, and the Anna Maria Island Privateer Pirates.  Project Rainbow staff and volunteers committed 750 hours of time to the holiday party this year and by all accounts the time was well spent as everyone who attended had a wonderful time! Gifts were personally delivered to children that did not attend the party.

The following is a list of those who made the 2009 Holiday Party possible:   All the volunteers, Anna Maria Island Privateers, Applebee's, Bill Foltz, Cedar Hammock Fire Department, Christ Church of Long Boat Key, Doyle Family, Easter Seals VIP Academy, Easter Seals Staff, Gateway Rotary, GEICO, Kronenberg Family, Larry Roberts, Manatee County Sheriff, Mike White, Morano Family, Phil & Family, Project Rainbow Staff, Rochelle Herman, Sauickie Family, Saunders Family, Siemens USA, The Glass Slipper, The Sarasota Sailor Circus, and everyone else who gave!