Buccaneer Bash raises money for Alzheimer's Association
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Lakeshore Parrot Heads partied this weekend — all for a good cause.
This year’s 6th Buccaneer Bash was Saturday at the Ludington Boat Club, 502 Lake St. The party is a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, Great Lakes Chapter, co-hosted by the Lakeshore Parrot Head Club and the Ludington Boat Club.
“Last year over 600 people attended and we were able to give the Alzheimer’s Association, Great Lakes Chapter $7,350,” President of the Lakeshore Parrot Head Club Becky Riggs said.
Money raised by the event has helped the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Awareness group help 7,655 people through help line calls, and caregiver support groups have increased by 59 percent, among other strides in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
The Lakeshore Parrot Head Club continues to hold the event, “because we feel it is a real need,” Riggs said. She said the Alzheimer’s Association is “making real strides and offer a lot of community services and support.”
Parrot Heads are Jimmy Buffett fans and their involvement in Alzheimer’s Association fundraising is based on Jimmy Buffett’s connection to Alzheimer’s Awareness, his father dying of the disease.
Riggs said many of the local members are involved because of the connection to the Alzheimer’s Association. She said there are several members that have family members who have had or have Alzheimer’s disease.
“It keeps growing in a good way,” Riggs said. “We have had such a great response, it grows every year and we have been able to raise more money each year.”
Riggs said among other things, she believes the event is successful because it is fun for the whole family, it is a worthwhile cause and the location on the water is nice in the summer. She said there is also good food, it is a time where friends can socialize and the silent auction has a lot of good items.
“Every year we look at the event and see if there is anything we can do better,” Riggs said. “It has become an event people look forward to.”
The Buccaneer Bash is not the only event the Lakeshore Parrot Heads do to help local organizations out. The Parrot Head motto, Riggs said, is “to party with a purpose.”
Events the local group participate in include, a canned food drive for Salvation Army, helping with bell ringing and the red kettles at Christmas time, and this year they were a part of the Back to the 50s event in Ludington and one of the Sunset Celebrations in Ludington.
This week they went to Sandcastles Children’s Museum to read a story and interact with children after, Riggs said they did that last year as well.
“We like to do what we can do to help, and have fun,” Riggs said.
The details
•Admission for the Buccaneer Bash Saturday is $5 and children 18 or under with parents are free.
• Live music with Jimmy Dodson on guitar and vocals and Scott Ruterbusch on conga and bongo drums is from 4-6 p.m. and The Shotman Band will play from 6-10 p.m. Riggs said the band’s music is something people can dance to.
• Burgers, brats and hot dog baskets will be available for purchase and proceeds will go to Alzheimer’s. In addition, water, pop and alcoholic beverages will be available drink tokens will be sold, to prevent long lines.
• The pyrate ship will be available for kids to take photos with, eye patches will be given to children at the admission table, the pyrates will be walking around to interact with the kids and a playground is available for kids at the boat club.
• A silent auction is held with money raised going to the Alzheimer’s Association, with items donated by local businesses and individuals. The silent auction is computerized for a smoother check out.
• A Pyrate Pool is new this year, and will be run like a traditional football pool. Squares are sold for $5 and winners have a chance to win to big-ticket items including: a queen-sized Sealy posturepedic plush pillowtop mattress set donated by Lundquist Furniture or a Carrom hockey dome table, donated by the Ludington Carrom Company.
• Glitter tattoos will be done for $5 with proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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