Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009
Parrot Heads Spread Their Wings
It’s hard to miss the influence of Jimmy Buffett’s trop-rock empire and his faithful followers, affectionately called “Parrot Heads.” They come in all ages – many are in their 20s, though most are older. Few are much younger than that because copious amounts of beer and tequila can sometimes be a part of their gatherings, which still manage to be family oriented. The children of Parrot Heads are “Parakeets,” in case you’re wondering. Simply, like the description of Grateful Dead fans, “Deadheads,” “Parrot Heads” is a name given to the loyal, sandal and Hawaiian shirt-wearing, sometimes obsessed fans of all things laidback, tropical and island-related. Add a coconut shell bra, Jimmy Buffett (occasionally Kenny Chesney) music, paired with a drink adorned with a little umbrella and you’re well on your way to understanding.
But still there’s more than just partying to this organization, which has a local affiliate club, Coast of Carolina Parrot Head Club, with around 250 members. These Parrot Heads and others are eager to fundraise for a variety of charities and spread the word about the Parrot Head Nation and its unique lifestyle of partying mixed with service work. The local affiliate will host its monthly happy-hour mixer noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at The Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet. The event is open to the public, and for non-members it serves as an introduction to the club, its mission and its membership.
Local Parrot Head groups, like the Myrtle Beach affiliate, number around 240 in the U.S. with more in Canada, Europe and other parts of the globe. They are a part of the larger international organization called Parrot Heads in Paradise Inc., which started as a local Atlanta chapter 20 years ago has grown to promote a service club format, which guides local clubs in rules and regulations and hosts a few big events each year, like The Meeting of the Minds in Key West, Fla., each November. Just since 2002, Parrot Head clubs collectively have donated nearly $17 million to charity with 2.3 million man-hours donated to service work.
Kristine Keasler is finishing her two-year term as president of the local club. She’s been a member of the organization since 2000. The club formed in 1995, and like all official Parrot Head clubs, is a not-for-profit organization. The motto, “Party With a Purpose,” is shared by all Parrot Heads around the globe. In 2004 the club was awarded the Golden Coconut by the national club and Margaritaville for “exceptional community service.” Keasler, a lifelong resident of Garden City Beach, says of herself and the remaining true locals, that they’re an “endangered species,” and that she joined the club because of her interest in service work and having fun. “I love doing community work, raising money for charities and having a good time while I’m doing it,” she said. I spoke with Keasler recently from the Surfside Beach Strand Storage Center, which she and her husband, Ray Keasler, manage. She is also a full-time student at Horry Georgetown Technical College.
“Our main charity is the Children’s Recovery Center, which helps physically and mentally abused children,” said Keasler. “We also sponsor a scholarship at Coastal Carolina University, we do the Adopt-a-highway, Adopt-a-landing, Miracle League, Relay for Life and other events. In the last four years we’ve donated over $100,000 to charity.”
The Throwback Shell Beach Party, an annual event, is scheduled for Sept. 11-12 and will be held at the Holiday Inn in Surfside Beach. Promoted as “two days of phun & games,” the event serves as a fundraiser and a big poolside ParrotHead weekend featuring music from Latitude, Scott Lewis & H.B. Beverly and the recently formed trop-rock band Positions. A $40 ticket includes all entertainment, lunch on Saturday and giveaways. The hotel is providing a special rate and most of the ParrotHeads attending stay on premises. In December the club hosts a Caribbean cruise.
Membership has its privileges.
“Anyone can be a member as long as they’re willing to give up some of [their] time and help out,” said Keasler. A willingness to attend events, assist the club and pay $30 annual membership dues is all that’s required. A points system is used to award individual members certain points for attendance and service. Those with the highest points are privileged to being first on the list for Jimmy Buffett concert tickets and other perks.
“Sometimes a big group of us rents a limo and do the ‘sewer tour,’” said Keasler laughing. “We stop at every bar you’d never stop at – if it’s a dump, we go there. We have a blast.”
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