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*Editor's note: In the
future, this will be the location where you can keep up to date
with the travel log's of Capt'n Harry. Harry was the
co-founder of TBPH, and Capt'n for our first 13 years. The
rank of Capt'n was retired with Harry and he was appointed "Capt'n
Emeritus" by the board. It is only fitting to start this
log off with Capt'n Harry's farewell speech. "He's somewhere on the ocean now, the place he ought to be; with one hand on the starboard rail, he's waving back at me.". |
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Sept.
8th, 2007 Helloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Tampa Bay Parrot Heads and Friends and Family. Please pass out the gifts (Kleenex) from me. I think we are going to need these, First I want thank everyone who put that tribute together, I feel truly honored and blessed. I want to thank all of those who came out here tonight--there are many faces I have not have not seen in a while--but all are smiling faces that I know because of one reason--the Tampa Bay Parrot Club. To those who traveled from out of town to be here for this moment like Rob & Michelle and Capt. Tony and Marty for coming up from Key West and Sherry who drove from Indiana, Joe and Karen who came in from Delaware, and all those Parrot Heads who came in from places like Panama City, Orlando, Naples the upper Keys and more. I also want to thank my daughters Nicole and Kelly from coming home from college to be here with me tonight--you are probably going to see your Daddy cry a lot in the next 15 minutes, but they are 100% of love and happiness. I also want to thank my brother Eddie and his wife Dawn, and my sister Liz and her husband Andrew, as well as Heidi's son Clint. And now, for the final bla,bla, bla, bla bla . . . ARE YA READY? Whoa, lookin' back at my background Tryin' to figure out how I ever got here Some things are still a mystery to me While others are much too clear... How we ever got here? Believe it or not it is very clear to me although some moments are purposely foggy and fun. Back in 1974 I was in Tampa attending the University of South Florida. I was partying over at a friend's house and he put on this album. I remember listening to entire side and saying that this was the first time that I had ever listened to an entire side of an any album and I liked every single song. It was Side B of Jimmy Buffett's A1A with A Pirate Looks at 40 being the first Buffett song I ever heard followed by Migration, Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season, Nautical Wheelers and Tin Cup Chalice. That was the moment in time when I knew who my favorite musician in the world was and would forever be. I simply loved Jimmy Buffett music. It did something magical to me that no other music had done before. Over the years I remember the effect his music had on me. Now believe it or not, I use to be a real hard working entrepreneur. At one point I had a company with seven offices in the state of Florida and over 125 employees and I think I was like 27 years old. The pressures were enormous at times. I remember one day being all stressed out and getting on the Tampa side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. I put a Jimmy Buffett cassette into the player and by the end of the 7 mile causeway, I honestly felt 1,000 times better. It was like I took a miracle drug. Jimmy Buffett music truly affected me in a very positive way. Over the years any time I needed an attitude adjustment, I would just pop in some Jimmy Buffett music. From 1974 until 1994 I would always look forward to 2 things--When would the next Buffett album, 8 track or cassette come out and where and when was concert day. Concert day was like no other. What a fricken' blast we would always have. It was because of the fun that I had at every Jimmy Buffett concert that one day in the summer of 1994, while laying on a couch and reading the Coconut Telegraph, I thought to myself . . . Since I have so much fun at a Jimmy Buffett concert one day each year, why not start a club and see if we can't have that much fun 365 days a year?? Thus the very first thought of the Tampa Bay Parrot Heads in Paradise Club. So the first Teeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaam Drink of my farewell has to go out to Jimmy Buffett. For without him and the music he wrote, we would not be here tonight. I would not know any of you. I would have never have met Heidi. The last 13 years although I am sure I would have had fun, it would have been nothing like the great memories and friendships that have been created because of Jimmy Buffett music and the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. So to you Jimmy Buffett, as I have always said in the past, we may no be a fan club, but we are certainly fans of your music and as importantly we are fans of the fans of Jimmy Buffett, thanks for putting those songs and tropical attitude out there . . . IN YOUR HONOR, WHAT TIME IS IT? It's time for a teeeeeeaaaaaam drink! Wasted away in Margaritaville Searching for my lost shaker of salt Some people claim that there is a woman to blame But I know, it's my own damn fault I will proudly take the blame on this one. From idea to the first meeting took about 2 months. In the summer of 1994 co-founder and today my very dear and loving friend, Sarah Sunshine and I worked together to find a location for a meeting, get a small blurb about the new club in the newspaper, get a banner made, print up some membership applications and plan our first meeting. The day of the first meeting of the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club was Wednesday, September 14, 1994 and it was held at Whiskey Joe's in Tampa. We had 10 people attend that meeting--My crazy cousin Harry, Kathleen, Jim & Loren, Patti #1 so nicknamed since she was the first person to join, our dear friend Capt. Tony, Dick and Jorenna and Sarah Sunshine and me. Only 10 people . . and the rest, as they say, is history. The whole initial purpose of the club was to put a lot of fun in peoples' lives. Over the next few months, the club started to grow . . . and grow it did. Every meeting through friends telling friends more people would come and join. Soon we realized that we needed to put a team together to help build and run the club. We asked for volunteers who wanted to get more involved and we created our first Board. At the very first board meeting at my apartment, I remember when the clubs' heart and soul started to form. Someone brought up, why don't we do some volunteer work in the community. I remember asking if there was anyone who would be interested in heading up that area, and I saw Mikeeeeeeee raise his hand up about half way (I think it was to just ask a question) and I yelled out - we have our new Chief Officer of Community Events. True story. I love you Mikeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Now how McGill initially got involved, I am not really sure, but I think it is because at every meeting or event we would have, she would be the only common sense and organized voice we would have so it seemed appropriate for her to be our Chief Officer of Operations. Thanks for being my right arm for 13 years Sweetie. I love you McGill. Mikeeeeeeeeeeeee, McGill & the Capt'n-when we get together we call ourselves the three amigos. I am so fortunate to have had both of you on my team. Without them this would have never of been possible. And I have found me a home Yes, I have found me a home And you can have the rest, of everything I own 'Cause I have found me a home. Over the years so many people made the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club their home and volunteered so much of their time to help this club grow and maintain such a high standard for fun and accomplishment. I thank you all. I just mentioned McGill & Mikeeeeeeeeeeee, but there are so many more. The years of work put in by Sarah Sunshine to get this thing off the ground, Diane as Chief Officer of Membership, my pal Dave Klippel running our web site, Gail as head of the store and bounty, Karen coordinating volunteers, Lady Di for keeping our records straight and Vera and Jerry for well, just being Vera and Jerry and always being there for me. Later there was Heidi Ho and all the work she did as photographer and in general with me. I can't thank you enough Babe. I love ya. Kelley who took over for all of the Trips and Parties and did an awesome job, David who has headed up our Community events and has maintained our high standard of volunteering, and of course Nana Babe, who as First Mate did such a fantastic job, it gave me the confidence to feel comfortable enough to turn the reins over to her. There are many others who have given of themselves over the years and I know I may leave some out but I want you all to know that you are very much loved and sincerely thanked. Over the years there have been hundreds and hundreds of people have helped out the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club with names like Ms. Susan, Doc Susan, just plain Susan, Sue and Suzanne, Sara, Steve, Staccy, Scott, Scotty and Mr. Scott - there's Lon and Loni, Lori, Lynn, Liz, Loretta, LaDonna, Larry, Lorren, How about Jerry, Jennifer, Jen, Jesse, Jordon, Jeremy, Judith, Jody, Judy and Judy/Judy, Joanie, Joe, Joyce Jim, Jimmy, James, Janet, Jack, Zac and Jeff, Joel, John, and Johnny, Rich, Richard, Roger, Renee, Rachael, Randy along with Al, Alan, Andrew, Alex, Annie and Andy We had CT, TC, JB, BJ, SA, KC, RC, RJ, JR and PJ there's Marsha, Michelle, Mike, Michael, Marlice and Marie, and a Patti, Peggy, Patrick, Paula, Pam and Patrice Dorothy, Deb, Debbie, Dale, Dawn, Drew, Darlene, Darren, Dave, David, Dan, Dot, Dotty, Diane and Diana Rich, Richard, Rob, Ray, Bob, Robert, Bonnie, Brian, Becca, Bruce, Becky, Bill and Billy, Frank, Fred , Norm, Nancy, Nicole Val, Valerie, Vincent and Vicki, Yvonne Wendy & Wayne Cathy, Carol, Cheryl, Chris, Christi, Carolyn, Chuck, Carl, Keith, Kelly, Kat, Clint, Connie, Cindy, Chris, Charlie, Courtney, Charlotte, Glenn, Gloria, Greg, George, Gail, Guy, Gary, Ed, Eddie, Edward, Ellen, Eric, Emily, Eli and Elana, and Terry, Tracy, Tom, Tim, Tommy, Todd, Trish, we even had a Snake, some Hope, a Flipper, a Flip Flop, a Woody, an Axel, a Grouper, a Sharky, a Cookie, a Dom, a Messy and a Dirty Dick, a Sweet Mama and a Jay Bird, a Stogie, a Miami, a Queen, a Studmuffin and even a Papa & Mama Smurf. And finally we even had help from Bubba, Rocky, Elvis, and Peter, Paul and Mary and also a Tom, Dick and Harry and many more. I may have left a few names out but the point is, we have had thousands of people join this club over the years and so many people have helped top make it great!. I would bet you there is not another club in the world--ANY type of social club - that meets 2-3 times every week for almost 13 years and has a turn out that has averaged over 150 per meeting. The main reason that our club worked so well and for so long is due to the phenomenal job of so many wonderful people who continually gave from their heart. Again, to all of those I have mentioned and others who have also given and continued to show up, I can only say from the bottom of my heart - thank you, thank you, thank you! Because of each of you, I have enjoyed the last 13 years of my life beyond limits. You have provided me the honor of continually being your Captain. When people ask me "When you retire from the club and head off in the sunset, what are you going to miss the most about the club?" The answer is very easy. I am going to miss every one of you--my friends for life. So the second Teeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam Drink goes out to every one who has ever been a member of the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club, and especially to those of you who have given of yourself over the past 13 years to help make this club so awesome . . . in your honor, what time is it? It's time for a TEEEEEAAAAAAAMMMMMM DRINK! I remember when we became the largest club in the world. A lot of people would ask me, "Did you ever think it would grow so fast and get so large?" I would always tell them, "Yeah, I really did think it would grow fast and be large" However, what I never considered was the quality of people that would become members. I never knew that there would be so many wonderful, "friends for life" made. I never knew that the club would become such an important part of the lives of so many people. I never knew that we would truly leave the world a little better than we found it. My only agenda (if you could call it that) was to make FUN a priority in people's lives. That's it! It was just about having fun. The friendships and our volunteer work in the community took it to a level that was way beyond my wildest dreams. And speaking of wildest dreams, because of the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club, I met the lady of my dreams, Heidi Ho who moved to Florida solely because of Jimmy Buffett music and then joined the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. And now, who as my true soulmate and love of my life will embark with me on a new chapter in our lives, as we prepare to set sail for an adventure of a lifetime--as our pal, Jack Mosley would sing, "We will live our lives like a Jimmy Buffett song". With that said I do promise you 2 things--One, we will keep in touch via web site and we hope everyone will visit if they are near any One Particular Harbor we are anchored. And secondly, we will have one more big ass bon voyage party and you are all invited!! I'm growing older but not up My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck So let the winds of change blow over my head I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead I remember growing up that my mom and dad would, as I would assume most mom and dads would be very proud of me if I accomplished something--good grades, did good in sports or even business. But they ALWAYS seemed to be proudest of me when I did something good for others. It was a little hard for me to understand that priority then . . . but I do now. When people ask me "What is the greatest accomplishment you have had with the club?" Again, the answer is easy. The "friends-for-life" that I have made in this club and all of the "friends-for-life" that so many people have made is by far my greatest accomplishment and without question is what I am the proudest of with regard to anything I have done with the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. Heck I think 20 of ya even got married and I married most of you and none of you have gotten divorced. The fact that I know from what so many of you have shared with me tonight, as well as over the past 13 years, that the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club has made such a major difference in so many of your lives. That the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club has been such a positive influence on so many people and has changed the outlook so many people had on their own life for the better. And that the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club has enabled them to find joy, happiness and love in so many ways. All I can say is, my mom and dad are smiling down right down and are very, very proud. At this time I would like to thank a few of the main sponsors and friends we have had over the years. There are ma y who help by these are a few of the special people who had special places or products that always worked with us and made sure that The Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club had a first class time. First I want to thank--Brian & Heather with Storman's for being our home for over 10 years, I want to thank Ken, Larry, Jeff and our friends here at Jimmy Guanas and the Holiday Inn for always being our birthday home, I want to thank Jim Jody and everyone at Kahunas for always being our second party home and great supporter, thank to Jeremy and Lori and our Daiquiri Deck friends, Guy and our pals at Channelside and Stumps, thanks to Frank and everyone for our new home at the 420, I am sure Brian and Dogwater Cafe will be on this list soon. I want to thank David and our pals at Margaritaville Tequila and in the past Corona for all they did for this club. Now I would especially like to thank 3 people who were not only great sponsors, but are very dear friends of mine. First is Jack Newkert and all our pals who were at NEWK's, secondly is Rocky Brown with Storman's and finally I want to thank one of my best buds of all, a guy who ALWAYS has supported this club as a businessman and more importantly as a friend, Jim Hannigan and Coastal Wine & Spirits. The third Teeeeeeaaaaam Drink goes out to these sponsors I have mentioned and to all of the businesses and people who have worked with us to make sure that over the past 13 years our club always had the best of the best of everything. IN YOUR HONOR, WHAT TIME IS IT? IT'S TIME FOR A TEEEEEAAAAAAMMMMM DRINK. With a little love and luck You will get by With a little love and luck We'll take the sky In this megalo-modern world We've got to try Try a little love and luck And you'll get by We took the sky all right. Knowing that we have made a small difference in this world is something we can all be proud of. We have actually lived my our motto "Let's Leave the World a Little Better Than We Found It . . and Had a Blast Doing It!" Due to our collected efforts as the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club along with Save the Manatee Club there are manatees that feel more protected and people are more educated about them, there are shorelines that are definitely cleaner due to our work with Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful and cleaning up Parrot Head Island 3 to 4 times every year, there are students that are studying real environmental solutions with financial help from the Tampa Bay Parrot Heads in Paradise Scholarship program at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, there are seabirds being rehabilitated and reintroduced to the wild though the efforts of Save Our Seabirds, Tampa Bay is getting cleaner though our efforts with Tampa Baywatch and through our continued work with the Lowry Park Zoo a difference has been made in many of their programs--especially the manatee hospital there. Again, what started out to be about just having a bunch of fun, turned out to be something that we all can forever feel great about and be extremely proud of. Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call, Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall. You've seen it all, you've seen it all. Soon, Heidi and I plan to sail mother, mother oceans around the world. So tonight becomes the final chapter as my role as Captain of this wonderful club. Recently our Fruitcakes Advisory Board honored me by permanently retiring the position of Captain. In addition, they gave me the title of Captain Emeritus --Captain for Life--of the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. I want to thank them for this wonderful honor. It truly means a lot to me. I am so proud of where we have been and feel extremely encouraged to see the direction our club is going. We have a very strong Fruitcakes Advisory Board along with 4 great officers in Doc Susan, Lady Di, Bike Dude Steve and Nana Babe. At this time I would like to ask Nana Babe to come up here for a moment. I want everyone to know how much faith I have in Nana Babe. Over the past few months since I announced my retirement, I have had the chance to work with her a lot and any doubts I may have had were completely wiped out. I know she will do a great job. So, it's time to officially turn the reins over to Nana Babe. More importantly, it is time to officially turn over the microphone to Nana Babe. It signifies the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new chapter for the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. But before I do this--not that I am stalling or anything - there are 3 things I have to do. So hang with me Nana Babe... First I need to hear one more BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA so . . . Secondly, I would like to have one more Teeeeeaaaaammmmm Drink. This one is for all of you who came out here tonight. Over the years we have laughed together, cried together. Worked together, partied together, and most importantly we have just been together. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your heart with me tonight. SO IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR HONOR, WHAT TIME IS IT? IT'S TIME FOR A TEEEEEEEAAAAAAM DRINK? And finally, I want to have my 2 main amigos up here with me. I need Mikeeeeeeeeeeeeee and McGill up here to join me. For I could not have done this without them with me. Doing everything we did the past 13 years and knowing the 2 of you were always there by my side--again, it would have never of happened without ya'll. So as I leave, I want you by my side for the biggest moment in our club's history. As I end this speech and welcome the future with my main amigos by my side and surrounded by all of my friends and family, I once again thank everyone for every moment we have had the past 13 years. And if during the past thirteen years you have made some new friends, had some good times or felt good about yourself and what you have done on this planet, then I know everything we have put into the Tampa Bay parrot Head Club has been well worth it. All I ask of everyone here is to never let this club stop sailing to more and more ports of fun. Keep this lovely cruise going forever. Get more people involved. Let the rest of the world know that life is great being a member of the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. So - Drink it up - This ones for you It's been a lovely cruise - I'm sorry my parts ended It's so sad for me and many of you It truly has been a lovely cruise These moments were left with - May you always remember These moments are shared by few A few Tampa Bay Parrot Heads There will be wind in our hair And we won't be wearing any shoes Honey, it truly has been a lovely cruise There will be new moments to capture And please always remember To share these magical moments with a few- a few Tampa Bay Parrot Heads And those harbor lights As they start coming into view Now we bid our farewell much too soon So drink it up This one's for you Hey Mikeeeeeeeeeeeeeey, it truly has been a lovely cruise MaGillicuty, it truly has been a lovely cruise Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club members IT TRULY HAS BEEN A LOVVVVVVE LY CRUISE! And now with a great feeling in my heart and definite tears in my eyes I officially turn over the microphone and the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club to Nana Babe our Commando Babe, the new leader of our club. Good luck Sweetie. We are all behind you! Thanks again everyone. It truly has truly been . . . A LOVVVVVVVELY CRUISE! |
