Everyone please help the Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show and Music Festival to continue. We need your help pronto in regard to it continuing at Panama City Beach.
City of Panama City Beach City Council will vote on Thursday, January 24 at 2:00 p.m. to approve the special events permit for the Gulf Coast Charity Celebration Walking Hors Show and Music Festival to be held at Aaron Bessant Park, the only place at present available for us to use for this year.
It is really important that these Council members hear from as many people as possible or we are likely to lose the Horse Show as an event for our area this year.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW OR POINTS TO WRITE ABOUT ARE:
The Gulf Coast Charity Celebration brings something positive to Panama City Beach.
1. An upscale event.
2. Monied participants who can afford to spend and purchase in this area.
3. It gives to local charities in such a manner not to support administrative costs but to put tangible resources needed by these agencies in the hands of local charities.
4. Creates a positive image for Panama City Beach.
5. Has tremendous economic impact at a slow time for our tourist industry.
6. This is a National event.
If you would please write a letter or fax to each of the following Beach Council members and give them a call at home. Your letter and call SHOULD make a difference for our community and to this show. Tell them who you are and what to do, how long you come to our beach to stay for this event, how many people you bring; how many times you have come to the Horse Show, how many people you plan to bring and/or have brought. Write and tell them what the show means to you, your family or business; what a great economic impact it has and its potential for growth, how many days you come and what you do while here (spend money, shop, eating at restaurant, gasing up, staying in motels, etc); what it means for the equine industry and the beach or your business, and any other points you believe would make a difference to them that you think they should consider.
The Beach Council needs to have a 1st and 2nd motion and a 3rd vote of the five council members for approval for the special event permit to allow us to have it at the park. Presently there is nowhere else to have it. The permit has not been denied as of yet and we are hopeful it will be approved on January 24, 2002.
We need hundreds, if not thousands of letters and calls from you, all members of your family, friends, fathers, mothers, horses, etc., get as many letters as you can get written in support of this event. We know this takes time, but we desperately need your help. If there is anything else you can think of, please proceed.
Also note the following:
The Horse Show won the top award for the "Best Multi-Day Horse Show of the Year" in the Country. This is an award given to the Gulf Coast Charity Celebration over other shows that have been in existence for years. This industry or person who is writing or both wants this event in Panama City Beach.
The oldest event is in Shelbyville, Tennessee. It is a small community of about 28,000 people and sits in the middle of nowhere. This event has grown from a 1 day event to a 10 day event and brings in over 265,000 people. IMAGINE THE POTENTIAL FOR PANAMA CITY BEACH, if allowed to continue to grow, it's growth so far is unprecedented in the industry and we know it can grow as big as the beach will allow.
Several people from around the Country who had never been to Panama City have even purchased property and many return at other times of the year for vacations.
This event brings people to the area during a very slow season. Hotels and Motels have already booked for this year's event. Participants stay usually for the entire week, not just the three days of the event, taking their children out of school and making it a real family vacation.
1. The Gulf Coast Celebration gave $84,000 to three local charities this year.
2. Purchased 4 vehicles from Tommy Thomas for Hospice to assist Hospice clients (people and families in need).
3. Provided Habitat For Humanity with $22,000. This is the money required to buy materials to build a house for someone. The lot was already available.
4. Gave $12,000 to Gulf Coast College. In the three years this event has been in existence, Gulf Coast College has received over $120,000 from the Horse Show.
Realize we are doing everything on this end we can do, getting local businesses, and persons etc. to write and call. Our time can be best spent by contacting these people, even getting your mayors or council members to write or call who know the potential of this show and what it means to our area or your or the industry.
Names and addresses of Council Members are as follows:
Mayor of Panama City Beach:
Lee Sullivan
105 Colony Bay Harbour Drive
Panama City Beach, FL 32407
Office: 850-233-5100*
Home: 850-233-6454
Fax: 850-233-5108 @ City Hall
Mobile: 850-258-6859
Vice-Mayor of Panama City Beach:
Bill Mathieu
P.O. Box 18693
Panama City Beach, FL 32417
City Office: 850-233-5100
Work: 850-234-5564*
Fax: 850-233-5108 @ City Hall
Mobile: 850-819-4448
Gayle Oberst
208 Oleander Circle
Panama City Beach, FL 32413
Office: 850-233-5100
Home: 850-235-1541*
Fax: 850-233-5108 @ City Hall
Doug Gilmore
100 Villa Court
Panama City Beach, FL 32413
City Office: 850-233-5100
Osprey Motel: 850-234-0303*
Home: 850-234-5845 or 850-832-8772*
Mobile: 850-867-5675*
Fax: 850-233-5108 @ City Hall
Linda Hardin
P.O. Box 15445
Panama City, FL 32406
City Office: 850-233-5100
Home: 850-236-1149*
Office: 850-234-8858*
Fax: 850-234-6592
The address of Panama City Beach City Hall is 110 South Arnold Road, Panama City Beach, FL 32413. Fax: 850-233-5108
IMPORTANT
NO COUNCIL MEMBER HAS AN OFFICE AT THE CITY OFFICES EXCEPT THE MAYOR. IF YOU CALL USE THE NUMBERS WITH AN ASTERICK BESIDE IT FIRST.
PLEASE COPY ALL OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE TO GULF COAST HORSE SHOW & MUSIC FESTIVAL, 610 W BEACH DRIVE, PANAMA CITY, FL 32401
YOU MAY SEND IT TO ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AT 110 S ARNOLD ROAD, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL 32413