Toy drive kicks off in Gulf County
The Coastal Community Association is once again sponsoring a Toy Drive to help support the Gulf County Sheriff’s Toy Drive by asking community members to donate a toy or make a cash donation to put gifts under deserving children’s trees this year.
Last year many of you helped us raise monies for almost 350 children to have Santa bring their Christmas wishes. Let’s do it again.
The sheriff’s office, working with all Gulf County schools, has identified approximately 350 children who will not have gifts under their trees this Christmas without the community’s support.
Children from the schools are asked to give Sheriff Mike Harrison their wish list from Santa. We have been humbled, in past years, at some of the requests. One child asked for socks, a sweater, and shoes. We were able to provide so much more through the donations we had received.
The Coastal Community Association will be buying bikes, along with many other toys and clothes, with donations from you. Last year we were able to buy over 35 bikes for all ages. Bikes are now costing an average of more than $160 each, so we need your help to reach our goal of at least 35 bikes.
South Gulf Fire Rescue will have a Santa Workshop to assemble the bikes on Dec. 7 at 9 a.m ET, at Fire Station 1 on Cape San Blas. Bring your tools. Contact Patrick Foy for information on volunteering, 850-899-1089.
You can donate by sending checks to Coastal Community Initiative (not-for-profit arm of CCA) and mailing them to 1934 State Road 30A, or going to PayPal at paypal.me/CCICharityDonations.
Drop off spots for toys are Simmons Bayou Executive Offices (1934 SR 30A); South Gulf Fire Rescue Station 1 (Cape San Blas Rd); Beach Realty (223 Reid Ave); St. Joseph Bay Golf Club (Country Club Drive); Capital City Bank (Hwy 98 PSJ); The Cape Trading Post (Cape San Blas Rd); John C. Gainous VFW Post (1776 Trout Ave), The Mercantile Mill Sweet Shop (105 Good Morning Street); The Shrimper’s Lady (1650 South Hwy 71, in Wewa) and Southern Styles (225 South Hwy 71 in Wewa).
Pat Hardman is the president of the Coastal Community Association. Call (850) 299-7799 for more information.
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.