CHULA VISTA, Calif. — The nonprofit organization called the San Diego Parrot Head Club parties with a purpose. The local Jimmy Buffett Fan Club is celebrating 25 years of community service. In this Zevely Zone, I met some of the club's oldest and most loyal members in Chula Vista.
No big surprise to me, the group was already partying when I walked in the building and was met by their smiles and a sing-along.
"Wasting away again in Margaritaville," sang the crowd.
Founded in 1995 by a group of local Jimmy Buffett music fans who wanted to make a difference in their community, this club has 536 members and they will have you know:
"We party with a purpose!" they yelled in unison.
Since 2007 alone, the San Diego Parrot Head Club has donated nearly $600,000 to local charities.
"You have a parrot on your head," I said to Bob Clark, the club's longtime president who replied, "I do! I have a parrot head."
Time for another song by Jerry Gontang and his sidekick Buzz, "Let me hear you sing, 'I don't know, I don't know, I don't know where I'm gonna go when the volcano blows.'"
I have been sucked into an endless Conga line.
"It's definitely not five o'clock," I said. But apparently, it is somewhere.
"What are you drinking?" I asked a woman named Wanda.
"Nothing," she said laughing.
I don't blame them for celebrating 25 years of service.
"We are the parrot heads and we do the work and the volunteering," said Wanda.
Add it all up and it's been 110,000 hours of volunteering.
"I just loved the sail away spirit of San Diego," said Mark Menkin who co-founded the group in 1995 with John Bowe.
John once sang on stage with Buffett When I asked him which song?
"I don't know if I can say that on TV, "Why don't we get drunk and..." we'll stop right there," said John laughing.
We sang Margaritaville instead.
"Searching for my lost shaker of salt," the crowd sang.
I bumped into a woman by the name of Kathy who was wearing a wig made out of pop-tops so I asked her, "Have you ever cut your heel on a pop-top?" She replied, "No, but I blew out a flip flop."
If you're looking to have fun in the sun, this club is not only philanthropic, they are philan-tropic. The club wants the public to get involved. They have monthly business meetings (with a live band afterward), events, and, of course, philanthropy.
The San Diego Parrot Head Club is celebrating its 25-year anniversary on March 5 in El Cajon at Hacienda Casa Blanca at 5:30 pm. For information got to www.sdphc.squarespace.com.