Happy Birthday Effie!

May 2, 2019

Elle and Effie 

Happy Birthday Effie!!

This week, we were on hand to celebrate the birthday of one of our most lovely friends at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, one of our favorite places in the world. Effie turned the ripe old age of 27 and Kathy and I were happy to be included in a birthday picnic and celebration marking the date. Many friends and family were on hand and her father Tom grilled up some delicious treats and as at every function involving their family, there was food galore on hand.

 

The weather could not have been more perfect for a day at the beach and it was just a spectacular day. I love this time of the year here, as the seasonal crowds and tourists have pretty much thinned out and mostly locals were on hand at the park to spend a beautiful day at the beach. The temperature and weather conditions were just about perfect as it was sunny and warm, with a wonderful refreshing ocean breeze blowing in off the Atlantic.

 

Kate

The spring wreckers race that is held each year as part of Conch Republic Days was being held and the boats started in the harbor just off of Ft. Zack and raced out to the reef in what was a beautiful and no doubt fun day of sailing for those participating.  

 

 

I am pretty sure I have known Effie, or at least known of her since she was born. I was good friends with her grandparents back in the days that I worked at Reef Relief, shortly after arriving in Key West. Her grandmother Fran was the President of the Audubon Society and we served on any number of boards, committees and environmental meetings together.

Cale 

Later, I became friends with Effie’s parents through taking water aerobics classes at FKCC where Greta was an instructor and Tom often was taking the class as well. Effie and later her younger sister Caitlin worked at the pool as lifeguards so I got to know them as well. In fact Effie signed up to take the Archeological Diving class that RPM was involved with in Albania, Montenegro and Croatia and so we got to take a couple of trips to Europe together.

 

 

She later worked for me, helping me get and keep the RPM office in Key West organized. She may well be one of the most organized people that I have ever known and she did a fantastic job before moving on to bigger and better things. Kathy and I are thrilled to count Effie and all of her family among our best friends in Key West. Better people you will have a tough time ever encountering and we both were thrilled to be on hand to help her celebrate her birthday.