The Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation recently held their Second Annual Sip and Splash: An Aquatic Affair event and raised $84,000.
The charity event, sponsored by Tim Smith Acura, took place on Saturday, May 20 at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center, located at 4345 Commons Drive West in Destin. For the second year, the pool facility, which usually hosts swim lessons and swim meets, was transformed into an elegant event space.
Over 250 guests were greeted upon arrival with complimentary valet and a glass of prosecco before entering the event. The evening kicked off with a cocktail hour featuring hand rolled sushi by Camille’s at Crystal Beach’s Yoshie Eddings, live music, and a live painting by Maxine Orange.
- Attendees also had the opportunity to explore the extensive silent auction and make their bids on a plethora of items including vacations in Colorado, Idaho, Alabama, and Okaloosa Island, along with jewelry, gift cards, gift baskets, artwork and much more.
All funds raised through ticket sales, sponsorship, and the silent auction go directly back to the foundation to help fund the operation costs, upgrade equipment, and provide resources for the numerous aquatic programs at the three community pools they manage. This includes the:
- Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center in Destin
- Bernie R. Lefebvre Aquatic Center in Fort Walton Beach
- ROC Pool in Crestview
Following cocktail hour, patrons enjoyed an intimate five-course dinner prepared and served by local chefs and restaurants. The lineup of culinary talent this year included:
- Chef Christopher Holbrook of Signature Catering of 30A
- Chef William Sutterfield of Austons on 98
- Chef Mikey Smart of Cabana Café
- Chef Jim Shirah of Dewey Destin’s Harborside
- Chef Richard McCord of Marrow Private Chefs
Pazzo Italiano and Chef Alfonso Dibonito were also on site with their mobile pizza oven firing fresh, personal pizzas and serving them to each table throughout the evening. Each of the chef’s unique courses was perfectly paired with craft cocktails.
In between courses, the Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation honored some of their own members by inducting them into the Okaloosa County Swim and Dive Hall of Fame, an organization formed to recognize excellence by local coaches, athletes, and volunteers. The 2023 inductees included Pam Braseth, Jack and Blondie Lippert, Tonya Rasor Nacimento, Ross Spock, and Len Strom.
“We are thrilled that our second annual event received the same support as the first one. We are looking forward to planning for next year and making it grow even more,” said Kathi Heapy, co-founder of ECFF. “It is wonderful that the aquatics community is gaining connections to our overall communities. The future is bright and opportunities for growth and improvement are increasing as leaders see the value of aquatics to our community.”
