Partying with a purpose, members of the Traverse City Parrot Head Club are hosting Wastin' Away on Grand Traverse Bay this Saturday.
The family-oriented beach party will run from noon until 11 p.m. at the Traverse City Holiday Inn, with proceeds going to the Goodwill Inn and Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region.
The event is the group's largest charity drive of the year, a service they are required to perform as one of 230 chartered Parrot Head clubs. Each "Phlock" performs its own charitable endeavors, with Parrot Head clubs collectively giving away $2.9 million in 2007.
"Being a Parrot Head is not just about partying, it's about leaving the world a better place," said Gwyn Besner of Traverse City, president of the local group.
Honoring the music and laid-back island spirit of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, 25,000 people are Parrot Heads worldwide. The local group formed in June of 2005 and currently has 30 members from around the region.
"Anywhere that people love the beach lifestyle," said Tom Sawasky of Mancelona, the club's event coordinator. "Of course, the music is what ties us together because we've got a real eclectic group here."
In addition to hanging with people also decked out in Hawaiian shirts who have a zest for fun, Sawasky appreciates Parrot Head's streamlined charitable approach. No bureaucracies, hoops to jump through or endless meetings -- instead, simply throw a party or host an activity and hand the proceeds over to the selected beneficiary.
Members of the Traverse City Parrot Head Club complete a monthly project, more than the club's charter requiring one per quarter. They have participated in food drives for the Father Fred Foundation, helped at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake, worked traffic control for the Bayshore Marathon and hosted a hula hoop contest for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
"The whole thing is a way to get to give back to the community without getting hung up on the ritual of the other civic organizations," said Sawasky, a member for a year.
The upcoming Wastin' Away on Grand Traverse Bay will feature games, drawings and a live and silent auction. Bands on tap include Tim Krause, the Petoskey Steel Drum Band and Air Margaritaville, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band.
For more information on the Traverse City Parrot Head Club, see their Web site at www.tcparrotheads.com. Tickets for Wastin' Away on Grand Traverse Bay are available at the group's Web site and at Banana Tree, Horizon Books, Borders Books and Habitat Restore in Traverse City.
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