Liars come out to raise money for Easter baskets
The Liars came out Feb. 27, all in fun and for a good cause, as the Coastal Community Association held the 11th annual Liar’s Challenge in support of the Gulf County Sheriff’s Easter Basket and Food Drive, and Coastal Community Association charities.
Warming up the crowd of over 170 listeners at The Haughty Heron was The Ukulele Orchestra of St. Andrews, led by Pat Nease. The crowd got into the spirit and it became a sing-a-long of oldies. If you haven’t gotten the opportunity to hear this group, make sure to catch the next concert that comes along.
Robyn Avery Rennick bounced on stage at 5:30 p.m. as the emcee and Sheriff Mike Harrison opened up the Liar’s Challenge with several “true” stories about a couple of goodhearted, but not too smart, deputies from Louisiana.
Six liars took the mic to wow the audience and judges with their tales. Liars came from as far away as Michigan and New York and as near as Port St. Joe and St. Joe Beach. One of the ukulele players, Kevin Silate, stepped up to the mike without his uke to wow the crowd with how a wife got even with her hubby. Stories ranged from a birthing (Gina Vicari); to a vacation gone horribly wrong (Rob Sumner); to a mighty fight with a rat and a sticky trap (Pat Hardman); to a Triple Negative by Chris Wenzler, a newcomer from St. Joe Beach.
Ray Merrill, who’s been on the stage almost every year since the Liar’s Challenge started, told about a summer spent at Indian Pass as a teenager and the great CLAMity that happened while scalloping.
Pat Nease, a State Champion Liar, helped with the judging of the liars. Mike Davis and Judge (a real one) Brenda Waggoner rounded out the judges. They used a strict points system to identify the best liars.
First place winner was Merrill, second place went to Hardman and third place was Sumner. All greatly deserved their honors.
The Liar’s Challenge raised over $1,300 which will go towards the Sheriff’s Easter Basket and Food Drive and Coastal Community Association support of other charities. CCA will have drop-off places for people to donate Easter Baskets and/or stuffed toys so that over 350 children can have a basket on Easter morning. Families in need will also receive food gift cards.
Drop off places are The Sheriff’s Office, Simmons Bayou Executive Offices – 1934 SR 30 A, Simmons Bayou; South Gulf Fire Rescue Station 1, Cape San Blas Road; Beach Realty – 223 Reed Avenue; St. Joseph Bay Golf Club-Country Club Drive; Capital City Bank – Hwy 98 Port St. Joe; Dollar General, near the hospital on Hwy 98); and Southern Styles, 225 S Hwy 71, Wewahitchka. The Piggly Wiggly will be taking donations April 1 to 11.
The deadline for drop-off is Friday, April 11. Tax deductible donations may also be sent to 1934 State Road 30A, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, made out to Coastal Community Initiatives with Easter Baskets in the subject line.
Other sponsors of the Liars Challenge were The Haughty Heron, Bay Storytellers, and Coast2Coast Printing.
“We want to thank all who came and donated Easter baskets, stuffed toys, and cash donations. Our Gulf County residents’ and visitors’ generosity will make many children smile this Easter,” said Hardman, CCA president.
If you’d like more information, contact Coastal Community Association at (850) 229-7799.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.