2010 Community Service Award- Gold Key | PHR Hotels & Resorts
From Adversity Grows An Idea To Serve An Entire Community
In 2008, inspired by his son who is suffering from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), ARDA member Bruce Thompson organized what was then the most successful event in the history of the ALS Foundation. The JT Walk attracted more than 7,000 people and raised more than $1 million for ALS patient services and stem cell research. Thompson was honored by ARDA last year for his efforts with the ACE Philanthropic Award.
In 2009, Thompson was driven to do more for ALS patients, not just for his son Josh, but for hundreds of other less fortunate ALS families who were struggling with the hardships of the cruel disease. But he didn’t want to stop there. In a visit to the beach with his son and Josh’s young family, Thompson experienced firsthand the difficulty disabled people have in enjoying their day at the beach. The virtually impossible access to the beach front. The inability of a wheelchair to navigate the sand. At that moment, he vowed to do something about it. The entire vision struck a personal cord with fellow executives at Gold Key Resorts who worked side by side with Josh prior to his illness and who also embraced the necessity to provide a day at the beach for everybody. They enthusiastically took a lead role in 2009 to organize another event, solicit sponsors, walkers and volunteers for both ALS donations and funds to construct a park to accommodate people with disabilities.
Most likely they didn’t realize at first how ambitious their plans really were. But reality struck when they did their research and realized they would need at least $2 million to fund ALS needs and build the unique oceanfront park. In fact, a respected fund raising consultant advised that it could not be done in such a short amount of time. Undeterred, the Gold Key team set in motion a campaign unprecedented not only in ALS history but in the history of Virginia Beach.
Gold Key Executives Robert Howard, CFO, John (Bucky) Houser, President; and Jackie Riggs, Executive Director formulated plans to stage an even bigger event, raise even more funds for ALS and at the same time raise the money required to build the first oceanfront park for the disabled in the nation. A beautiful 15,000 square foot park called JT’s Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY. (A grommet is a young surfer). It would be a 90-day marathon of volunteers, 24-hour days, and activities that would encompass the entire 500 person staff at Gold Key Resorts.
It quickly became clear that the JT Walk would have to be significantly larger than the walk of 2008. But it also became clear that even if the walk were to double that it would not be enough to do it all. The campaign needed to go well beyond the thousands of friends, neighbors, caring citizens and others. Clearly the corporate world would be needed to reach all the goals.
Gold Key immediately set two teams in motion. One was assigned the task of organizing and staging a massive walk on the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Not just a walk. But an entire day of walk, food and entertainment for thousands. The second team formulated plans to reach out to the business community in the region and throughout the nation for financial participation.
The walk team began to plan for managing food and activities for a crowd of at least 10,000. Food and beverage vendors were called upon for volunteer participation. Top names in regional entertainment volunteered concerts throughout the day. Event related vendors from tents to beach chairs pitched in and prepared for the October 4, 2009 JT Walk & Beach Party.
At the same time, the corporate team built a comprehensive sponsorship strategy directly related to the park. The sponsorships offered participations from $1,000 to $100,000 with appropriate recognition at the event and permanently at the park. Gold Key executives began the hard work of identifying, visiting and convincing dozens of organizations to do their part to build a park for the disabled at the oceanfront. Included on the list were financial institutions, healthcare organizations, oceanfront retailers, real estate companies, food and beverage vendors. The list was daunting but the Gold Key staff began their work. And the business community rallied like never before. In the midst of America’s worst recession, several businesses graciously contributed $100,000 to the cause. Dozens of others contributed checks for $50,000 and $25,000. Hundreds filled in with smaller but equally important generosity.
And dozens of businesses offered tens of thousands of dollars of in-kind contributions. The idea born only a few weeks before had not only taken flight but was now soaring.
Individual gifts and participation also began to rapidly rise. Online registrations for the walk started with a trickle that soon became a landslide. Throughout the city, the 2nd JT Walk & Beach Party as well as the Grommet Island Park became the most talked about events in years. Media picked up the ball and ran with it in news stories on television and in major newspapers. Local celebrities helped to promote the event with personal appearances and with their checks. Things were looking good for a successful event.
On a beautiful Sunday morning in early October, volunteers began to take their places at the Virginia Beach oceanfront to register and organize walkers, distribute T-shirts, provide directions, assign arm bands, hand out food tickets and encourage the crowd that was to come. As starting time for the walk neared, the boardwalk began to fill. And fill. And fill. Until the crowed stretched for more than a half mile, some carrying signs printed with the names of loved ones suffering from ALS or photos of loved ones who had succumbed to the disease. Most were there just to offer support and love and show they care, not only for those with ALS but for all with disabilities that can not enjoy all the beach has to offer. More than 10,000 walked the 1.5 miles to the site dedicated to JT’s Grommet Island Park and cheered the groundbreaking.
At the end of the day, Gold Key Resorts executives breathed a collective sigh of relief as they realized they had not only met their goals but had exceeded them:
· More than 10,000 individuals contributed and joined the JT Walk & Beach Party
· Over $2 million was raised, shared between the ALS Foundation and JT’s Grommet Island Park.
· More than 250 businesses and organizations organized teams, provided sponsor money, and joined the walk.
· Numerous ARDA members, including lending institutions, competitor resorts, software vendors, financial servicing agencies and exchange companies, came together united and provided financial support. Many were personally at the front of the line at the JT Walk & Beach Party.
· Thousands spent a day at the beach for a great cause, having fun, meeting their neighbors and experiencing the exhilaration that comes from doing something that is for the greater good.
In the spring of this year, work will begin on JT’s Grommet Island Beach Park & Playground for EveryBODY. It will be a 100% handicap accessible park of 15,000 feet of playground right on the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Inspired by Josh Thompson’s love of the beach and surfing, the park will overlook the popular surf spot for the annual East Coast Surfing Championships. The park offers amenities such as Beach Combers and Surf Cams. Visitors can trade their wheelchairs for sand friendly fat tire vehicles. There are covered and uncovered play areas. Soft sculptures and wheelchair storage. It is indeed for everybody and a very special community asset that will hopefully become an example for others throughout the U.S.
Gold Key Resorts’ efforts unfortunately will not cure ALS. But they will contribute to the comfort and treatment of ALS patients; encourage serious research for a cure; and fund other programs conducted by the ALS Foundation. And their efforts also built a park which they hope will inspire other beach front resorts to make facilities available for those with disabilities. Because Gold Key Resorts believes that nobody should be deprived of a day at the beach.