A.N.A.’s Friends hosts ‘Buccaneers Bash’ aboard Salty Sam’s Pirate Cruise

COURTESY PHOTO A.N.A.’s Friends recently hosted more than 50 youth for a Heartfelt Hangout aboard Salty Sam’s Pirate Cruise on Fort Myers Beach, an experience made possible through the generosity of donors and community partners. The event gave children and teens an opportunity to transform into pirates for the day while enjoying an interactive cruise filled with sword fighting lessons, pirate games, music, dancing and plenty of laughter alongside Pick Pocket Pete and his pirate crew. A.N.A.’s Friends created its Heartfelt Hangout program in 2025 to provide vulnerable youth in Southwest Florida with meaningful experiences, activities and social outings they may not otherwise enjoy. Activities are created with a future question in mind: “What was your favorite childhood memory?” Outings seek to create positive, happy memories for children who have experienced challenging moments in their lives. “We watched children become pirates for the day, swords in hand, searching for treasure, laug