Brunch On The Bay Returns At USF Sarasota-Manatee, Sets Fundraising Record

SARASOTA, FL — Returning to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brunch on the Bay broke fundraising records Sunday, USF said in a news release.

The campus’s signature event set a record for dollars raised. These funds will be used for student scholarships.

While the total is still being finalized, it is expected to surpass $500,000, which exceeds the amount raised in 2019, when the annual event was last held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USF Sarasota-Manatee said.

“This event is all about community and coming together with USF to support this community,” Marrie Neumer, associate vice president of advancement at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, said. “What this shows is that this region cares about higher education and supporting local students, and that is evident from the tremendous level of support we saw at Brunch this year.”

Set on the campus’ scenic grounds, the two-hour gala hosted about 600 guests who were free to mingle and enjoy an array of 20 food stations staffed by local restaurants and caterers in the region.

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USF Spirit Squad cheerleaders greeted guests as they entered through the FCCI rotunda, and the USF Jazz band provided entertainment under the main tent. Also attending were USF student ambassadors, USF mascot Rocky, and numerous state and local dignitaries.

“This is such a wonderful event because it really demonstrates the connection this campus has to the Sarasota-Manatee region,” USF Sarasota-Manatee campus Regional Chancellor Karen A. Holbrook said. “Brunch on the Bay is about supporting students — the community’s students — and I think it is so inspiring to come together to provide support to these students so they can contribute and become our future leaders. In most cases, our students come from the community, and most will remain local to provide continued support to this area once they graduate.”

Since the first brunch in 1994, the event has hosted more than 23,000 attendees whose contributions have provided for more than 2,000 student scholarships, the university said.