Supper on the Sand, Gulf Shores, AL

Supper on the Sand, Gulf Shores, AL

Sunday evening, as the sun began to sink into the west and the magnificent full moon was just beginning its ascent, a feeling of genuine gratitude, joy and frankly…accomplishment floated over the sugar white sands at The Gulf State Park Pavilion. 500 guests from all walks of life, including celebrity chef and Gulf Coast enthusiast, Guy Fieri, Governor of Alabama, Robert Bentley, our own wonderful Lucy Buffet, local heroes like the folks from Share the Beach/Save the Turtles, Project Rebound counselors, Christian Service Center employees and other unsung heroes, felt the sand cooling between their toes (yes, we were all barefooted!), as they made their way home…there was no denying the accomplishment.

The accomplishment of a successful event, long in the planning, an event designed to say to the world…the Alabama Gulf Coast is here, the beaches are still beautiful and our seafood is delicious

The list of people responsible for making this event happen is longer than the 175 yard table upon which dinner was served! But as has become our modus operandi thru numerous challenging situations here on the island, the community rallied together and used its many talents to showcase the abundant natural resources we have here on the Gulf Coast. The beautiful Bon Secour shrimp and succulent royal reds caught in Gulf, raw and grilled oysters, the b-b-q crab claws and the banana wrapped “Gulf Wild” snapper were the seafood stars, but also featured were strawberries from B.J. Farms and artisan cheeses from Sweet Home Farms, both in Elberta, AL The menu was chocked full of local products including the vegetable dishes from Krupinski Farms up the road in Foley, AL...right down to the grit cakes made from corn milled at the Fairhope Tire Co. grist mill!

The accomplishment, also, of simply surviving a tough year. Armed with our can-do, never give-up spirit that seems to pervade our beloved island and with fearless leaders, up front and behind the scenes, going “at it” everyday to bring the Gulf Coast back better than ever, it’s been a year of sheer determination to look ahead and to make things better everyday. It’s as if we live with our favorite son, Jimmy Buffet’s words as inspiration…“Yesterday’s over my shoulder, so I can’t look backward too long. There’s too much to see waiting in front of me, I know that I just can’t go wrong!”

Yes, the feeling was of accomplishment…celebrated with a delicious dinner on a beautiful spring night, where one year ago we had no idea what challenge we were about to face as a community…what “changes in latitude” we would experience...but it was also a renewal of our faith, a symbol of the pride we have in our home and a realization that we were simply one big family just having Supper on the Sand.