The 25th annual St. Patrick's Day parade included 162 floats on Saturday March 17, 2012. The Sandbar float, which won first place, was one of the last floats up Massachusetts Street.

Typically, tiny-K Early Intervention doesn’t have enough money to buy adaptive equipment — such as walkers — for the special needs infants and toddlers the nonprofit serves in Douglas County. But thanks to the 2012 Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade, they’ll be making some purchases soon.

“We’re putting it to good use,” said Dena Bracciano, tiny-K director, who accepted a $5,000 check from the parade committee Tuesday.

The committee donated a total of $60,000 raised during the parade and other associated activities. The funds were distributed to:

• Headquarters Counseling, Just Food and the Lawrence Police Blue Santa Program, which received $15,000 each.

• Homegrown Lawrence, Theatre Lawrence and tiny-K, which received $5,000 each.

In the 25-year history of the parade, $705,000 has been donated to area agencies serving children and families.

Parade co-chair Gene Shaughnessy said choosing agencies to donate funding to every year is difficult. In the past, the parade committee has donated to three or four agencies, but expanded this year after presentations by the nonprofits.

“The six agencies this year were so compelling,” Shaughnessy said.

After months of hard work raising money and organizing the parade, Shaughnessy said it’s time to take a little breath and relax for a few months.

“Then we’re right back at it,” Shaughnessy said.