Community Spotlight: Anna Maria Oyster Bar Honored with Florida Association of Blood Banks Award

Donors and workers at the AMOB Blood Drive

BRADENTON – Anna Maria Oyster Bar – a locally owned, award-winning restaurant with three area locations – has been selected to receive the Dorothy C. Smith, R.N. Award from the Florida Association of Blood Banks. This special award is given annually to the organization that makes a significant contribution to create awareness in their community about the importance of blood donation. Representatives from Anna Maria Oyster Bar accepted the honor at the Annual FABB awards dinner, which was held on June 5, 2014, at the Sarasota Hyatt and included award winners in other categories from throughout the state.

Nominated by SunCoast Blood Bank, Anna Maria Oyster Bar hosts two separate blood drives at each of its three restaurants twice a year – one on behalf of SunCoast Blood Bank and one for One Blood. Since 2012, Anna Maria Oyster Bar has collected over 464 units of blood for SunCoast Blood Bank through these bi-annual drives.

This year’s blood drive took place on June 28th at all three restaurant locations and was open to the public. “Giving back to the community has always been a big part of what we do here at Anna Maria Oyster Bar,” said John Horne, owner of Anna Maria Oyster Bar. “By hosting annual blood drives, we have the opportunity to meet and mingle with so many wonderful people who share our passion for making a difference through blood donation.” 

There were a total of 112 donors from all 3 AMOB locations. A total of 97 units were donated. There were 2 platelet donors – which is usually a longer process. Bridgett Harry - Manager of Community Relations was very pleased with the turnout, especially in the slower summer months.

Since 1996, The Anna Maria Oyster Bar (AMOB) has been serving fresh seafood at reasonable prices in a family-friendly atmosphere. AMOB has three restaurants in Bradenton, Florida, and employs more than 300 team members. In 2014, AMOB was nominated for the Sarasota Small Business of the Year, earned a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, and was voted Best Early Bird, Best Raw Bar, Best Seafood Restaurant, Best All Around Restaurant, Best Happy Hour, Best Margarita and Best Outdoor Dining by the readers of local publications. The restaurant group is a past winner of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year. For more information, visit www.OysterBar.net.