STATE OF THE PHLOCK  2024

We are a mere few days away from December 25th, and we all know what that means…Jimmy Buffett's birthday! I would like to start with a big Fins Up to Jimmy to remember how he brought us all together. It is fitting that in 2024 Christmas and Hanukkah are on his birthday (and of course not leaving out any other beliefs) as we celebrate being with phriends and phamily. Thank you to all of our club members and the volunteer leaders that make being a parrothead under the umbrella of Parrotheads in Paradise so worthwhile! 2024 became a year of rebirth regarding what it means to be a parrothead since the passing of Jimmy. Many people thought our clubs may fade, but instead we have grown and embraced the true spirit behind our party with a purpose.

From my sandy desk, I am happy to see that the programs we worked so hard to implement are finally coming to life. We wanted to simplify the club membership and renewal process, help our clubs financially, make MOTM more affordable and provide room for growth, and provide access to benefits that would help gain new and younger members, while retaining current membership. What you will see is that this was no small task, and after losing Jimmy, we needed these more than ever. Here is an overview of where we are today.

Our Vice President Brad has worked closely with our Regional Communicators and our Information Technology Team to make our clubs actively move forward. Monthly meetings of the RC’s has provided input for communication and change and helped our clubs expand. Our IT team (PHiPIT) has succeeded in accomplishing this incredible list. Not a small task for the small group doing this (and why we need more volunteers), as well as starting up a YouTube Channel and our social media presence. This would not have been possible without Joe, Tam, Vince, and Cheryl 

Membership was assisted by creating the new End-of-year and mid-year membership report submissions that collect all information into spreadsheets and pivot tables that work interactively. This includes no less than 12 separate forms and spreadsheets all tested and working together to track clubs, memberships, dues, locations, and even provide that information back to you!

Scholarship forms and documents were created to track and register our candidates and provide for an online judging format.

MOTM was inserted into our website and has its own site with registration, payment, tracking, vendors, invoicing, media sign ups and outside event sign ups like Tropolympics and mini golf. These were all integrated into cross checks and validations

PHIP Website gets continuous updates and maintains club chapters and listing, club leader info, the latest information, by-laws and policies, links to social media and updated pages and menus. 

Multi-site (piggy-backing) onto our servers so clubs have access to cheaper website options. Creating the template took time and patience was much appreciated but we can happily say the Green Bay was our first guinea pig and everything worked!  So we are ready to move forward with more clubs to help save you some money!

We cannot thank Kyle enough as our Finance Director for helping us navigate the requirements needed to be in compliance with State and Federal laws. This past year, PHIP made great strides, especially with our annual Meeting of The Minds, which was held for the second year in Gulf Shores, Alabama, after moving from Key West, Florida. While we’ve had more time to adjust to the new location, we found that some things that worked in Key West didn’t quite have the same impact in Gulf Shores. However, we also introduced new elements and local partnerships that wouldn’t have been possible in Florida, making the event even more special. The Gulf Shores area, Jimmy Buffett’s hometown, is a place deeply tied to the waters that inspired much of his music. Being in this beautiful part of Alabama brought an added layer of connection to the event, resonating with attendees and further enriching the experience.

The move to Gulf Shores did come with its own set of challenges, particularly around local regulatory compliance. Navigating new laws and requirements took time and effort, but it also provided valuable learning experiences that PHIP is using to improve future events. After two years in Gulf Shores, we’re better equipped to handle these challenges and are already planning ways to enhance next year’s Meeting of The Minds. Moving forward, we’re focused on strengthening our ties in Gulf Shores and finding innovative ways to continue supporting our mission and making a lasting impact.

From Suzanne, our Membership Director and CO-Chair for MOTM we are excited to report the following information.

PHIP Membership Update

Mid-Year Membership:            20,690 

Mid-Year Number of Clubs:        190

 Meeting of the Minds

MOTM 2024 was a great success! Special thanks go not only to Suzanne but also Pete for pulling this together. Based on the responses from the 2023 survey, we listened and made changes to improve the event.  We added the Backyard area which included a stage for daytime music with coverage from the sun. Vendors were also moved out in the Backyard to make more room for them and allow more seating in the main courtyard for the evening shows.  Many thanks to Karyn & Buddy Roussel for sponsoring Buddy’s Backyard.  We also utilized the Mermaid Stage with additional artists performing during the day. 

2,206 people in attendance including our artists and guests. 

This year we added the option for day passes.  We had quite a few people take advantage of this option.  It worked out very well for those that were unable to attend the full event. 

Our music line-up was stellar! Our Trop Rock musicians knocked it out of the park with their shows.  Mac McAnally and the Coral Reefers put on their shows with finesse, humor, and music we all love.  The Yachtley Crew kept us up and dancing to the last song on Saturday night. 

MOTM Charity Summary:

Blood Drive:  111 people signed up.  There were 20 deferrals.

                 91 people were able to donate!

                     91 donations translate to 273 lives saved.

A special thanks goes to David for continuing to run and make our Scholarship so successful as well as being our Secretary! We are continuing to building up this great opportunity for our young parrotheads to succeed in college and beyond.

PHIP Scholarship Fund:   $16,083

Parrot Heads in Paradise Donations (PHIP)

Christian Service Center                                              $2,000

The South Baldwin Community Theatre                   $2,000

Bras Across the Causeway aka Skippin’ & Sippin’    $2,000

Special Operations Warrior Foundation                     $2,000

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo (Putt Putt Tournament)        $3,000

Singing for Change Charitable Foundation                $4,000

PHIP Virtual Parrot Head Club Donations

Baldwin County Child Advocacy Center                   $2,000

GSHS Waves of Steel Band                                         $1,000

PHIP Scholarship Fund                                              $2,000

Lone Palm                                                                   $1,000

Singing for Change                                                       $1,000

We’re looking forward to MOTM 2025.  Plans are already underway. Stay tuned!

In the end, what makes us successful is that we operate as a team. As volunteer Board members, we communicate often to ensure transparency, and we pass that along to you.  No one is paid, no one has any power more than anyone else, and we are all equals as a Crew that has the same goal in mind…to keep the party going. Thank you all for being part of our phlock, and we look forward to seeing what 2025 brings.

Fins Up!

Your PHiP Board