Hurricane Relief: Calypso Night

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

The idea came directly from the staff in a managers meeting to brainstorm hurricane relief ideas. In an effort to decide which Virgin Islands Club staff to support, it was a given to provide help to the employees of St. Thomas Yacht Club due to a connection in our membership as well as our bond through sailing. St. Thomas Yacht Club has seven employees that received assistance from our fundraiser, allowing them to support their families, start to rebuild their homes and get their lives back on track while their jobs are on hold.

BHYC came together to host a Calypso Club Night, Caribbean-themed like the Virgin Islands. Our chef put together several stations around the room with food like suckling pig, mahi mahi and jerk chicken. Our bartenders featured special cocktails to fit the destination like Pusser’s Painkiller. The decorations included colorful aspects like coconuts, giant palms and tropical table cloths. The entire team got together to duplicate an island paradise for our members to enjoy.

The night raised money from a few different areas. One was simply the ticket price for dinner and others included separate donations, a denim donation fee and a silent auction. 50% of the ticket proceeds and 100% of auction, denim and other donations went to the employees of St. Thomas YC. Many members offered their services as silent auction items such as sailing lessons, private chef dinners and custom made hand-bags. All together, BHYC managed to raise over $20,000 to be distributed. Over 200 members attended the event, vs. the 40 members who attended the Reunion Dance the same night in 2016.

The night after Thanksgiving, when we held this event, is typically a Reunion Dance for our members, but they were happy to take a charitable twist on the evening and gather together for a cause that is close to our hearts. Several BHYC staff members volunteered their time, lowering pay-roll. To fund the event, the Club offered up their resources. Some employees even offered their services without pay for the night.

A special logo and color scheme was designed for the event for consistent branding. The BHYC Director of Member Relations gathered destruction photos to show membership the extent of the damage. The office staff also gathered St. Thomas YC employees photos and short stories about what is happening on the Island that was presented as a slide show during the event. Instagram and Facebook were used to display the above, along with silent auction prize photos. Emails were sent to the membership to explain the event clearly and add additional information each week. Overall, the night was a huge success and seven St. Thomas Yacht Club employees received financial aid.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

This event was extra special to us as a Club, members and staff alike. Having experienced damage and displacement ourselves during Superstorm Sandy in 2012, it was important to our staff to give back in a familiar way. More members attended this reunion night than in year's past and every one of them were happy to be a part of the giving and the experience.