By Volunstars Tim and Stacy Shepps
 
Wednesday began with our Little Pink crew joining Key West native, Captain Glenn, for a Conch Train Tour around the island. Captain Glenn added his own personal touch to the tour, sharing anecdotes and Key West secrets. From the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean in only 14 blocks, there was so much rich history, architecture and beautiful foliage. The tour concluded at Fort Zach, where supportive local volunteers, John and Judy, had been hard at work to provide a cookout lunch for our group. When a passerby asked if they were grilling for a family reunion, it gave them pause. The gathering certainly felt like a family event, a true testament to the bonds and friendships that have already been made.
 
As night fell, the kids enjoyed a healthy dose of pizza and got creative with some art projects. The highlight of the evening was fish-print t-shirts. Half of the fun was watching all the reactions to the real fish — scales, eyeballs and all! The kids also painted sand dollars and finished off the evening with a few rowdy games of musical chairs.
 
Right outside, the din was much quieter as the adults of the group settled in the courtyard of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and listened to the soft sounds of the church’s pianist. Local supporter, Chef Kenny, carefully planned and executed a delicious meal of local seafood, topped off with homemade bread pudding. Several more local helping hands made the night possible as the group dined and celebrated one another’s company.
 
This day truly encompassed the local support of the Key West community as so many helped make the day’s activities possible.