November 30, 2006 Issue

Few businesses in Destin would consider November their best month. Tourism is down, business is off, the weather begins to turn, and the local economy is in a deep sleep.

At Harbor Docks, November is the best month of the year. Our sales are down, our employees are weary of the hectic tourist season, and fishing slows down before coming to a halt. November is still the best month at Harbor Docks in spite of all the dreary economic indicators.

There are two events in November that make the month so special to us. The first Sunday of November we host Take A Kid Fishing. Several weeks later we sponsor a Thanksgiving dinner for Habitat for Humanity. November is not a good month from a standpoint of food and alcohol sales, but it is a very good time for other reasons.

During the past 12 years our Take A Kid Fishing program has introduced area children to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. More than 4,000 kids have fished on Destin’s finest charter boats as a result of this event.

Our Thanksgiving fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity has provided the funds for four houses for deserving recipients.

The children who go fishing and the folks who acquire housing are the recognized beneficiaries of these two days. But there is more to it than that.

I’ve seen the looks on the faces of grizzled charter boat captains and their salty deckhands as they help the children from the Silver Sands School depart their boats. Bystanders watch as the kids proudly make their way down the docks with their prize catches. I’ve always preferred to watch the captain and the crew. Whatever fun and excitement the children had on their trip, the look on the faces of the guys who provided the boat and their time on an off-Sunday is what I appreciate most. These men didn’t choose the easiest of professions. They have endured a tough tourist season, with rough seas thrown in. But the look in their eyes tells me they’ll be back to take more kids fishing next year.

Thanksgiving is what it is – a day to give thanks. Hundreds of volunteers do just that every year at Harbor Docks. They serve over 1,000 diners – this year even more than that — some wealthy, some not – on a day that could more easily have been spent with family and football and naps on couches.

The people who stand in line and eat with us on that wonderful Thursday appreciate Habitat for Humanity and what is accomplished on that day. But what I enjoy watching most are the volunteers racing around seating people, refilling iced teas, and busing tables. The look in their eyes tells me they’ll be back next year.

It is difficult to know who benefits the most from these two glorious days. There are lots of happy, proud children that fish with us on that first Sunday. And there are many appreciative people on the fourth Thursday of the month. But, join me next year and watch the generous people who make both events possible. And then tell me who you think gets the most out of it.

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