Volunteers move to form Friends of Lovers Key nonprofit; bank account transfer and kickoff meeting planned

Several volunteers and advisory members reported June 25 that they have assembled incorporation and tax paperwork to reactivate a Friends of Lovers Key nonprofit and are seeking to transfer a checking account into the name of a new officer.

An advisory member said she had gathered bids, charters and the federal tax ID paperwork and that town volunteers have identified potential leaders and members who would populate the friends group’s governing roles. The group discussed scheduling a kickoff meeting either before or after the advisory board’s regular meeting so volunteers can organize and, if desired, collect funds for nonprofit activities.

Why it matters: Friends groups commonly support park programming, fundraising and coordination with local government; establishing bank and governance documents is a preliminary administrative step that allows the group to accept donations and represent itself formally.

Details reported at the meeting

- Paperwork and banking: The volunteer said she had copies of prior incorporation documents, the group’s federal tax ID paperwork and other materials needed by a bank to transfer the account. She said Becky will meet with Dawn Fleming, who agreed to accept responsibility for the checking account. The volunteer said she would send the paperwork to continue the transfer process.

- Proposed membership and officers: The volunteer listed volunteers they had identified for the group, including Bill Murphy, Jack Walker, Julie (surname not specified in the discussion), Mike Cleary, Doug Fleming, Dawn Fleming (proposed secretary), and Michael Wilkie (part‑time resident). The volunteer said final officer titles (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer) will be worked out by the group; the advisory board and town staff said the friends group’s governance and bank account are distinct from the town’s board and do not require town action to form.

- Meetings and logistics: Volunteers plan to hold a kickoff meeting in August, either before or after the advisory board meeting, to appoint officers and begin fundraising activity. The group discussed using the town’s meeting room and bringing a laptop to enable remote participants to join by Zoom where needed; staff said the town will permit use of space and Wi‑Fi but that volunteers should bring their own device to host remote participants.

- Relationship to town and grants: The volunteers referenced prior activities and bids related to Lovers Key and said they had documentation scanned before the hurricane; the town staff encouraged the group to coordinate with staff and the clerk’s office to complete any necessary filings for incorporation and banking.

No formal town action was taken at the meeting; volunteers will follow up with bank and town staff to complete the account transfer and schedule the kickoff meeting.