I recently attended a presentation by our mayor Jim Yarbrough where he said he is proud of Galveston and wants to make it better. I love this place, too. As a realtor I’m fortunate to extoll its charm daily. Galvestonians have a marvelous way of looking out for each other, and work hard to make the island a better place. One shining example of this is The Lighthouse Charity Team.
For over 30 years Dick and Horacene Daugird have helped feed thousands of people, and helped other non-profits with their fundraising events by providing food cooked and/or served on site with the custom trailers built by volunteers. The Daugirds have underwritten the cost of building the majority of the trailers now opened by Texas Lighthouse Foundation doing business as (dba) Lighthouse Charity Team, a 501(c) 3 company. They have funded this non-profit from their private accounts because of their strong and admirable belief in helping others. Along with monies and time donated by Scott and Heather Gordon, it has resulted in the Lighthouse Charity Team being virtually debt free, allowing them to more fully fulfill their mission. The slogan used by the Lighthouse Charity Team of “People Helping People” is easily recognizable, especially when one sees the custom-made red trailers manned by volunteers in red shirts and red hats. In addition to helping other non-profits, the less fortunate, medical patients, accident victims and many others, they have been called to provide meals during disaster response and emergency assistance to man-made and natural disasters.
While I have attended many events where they have cooked food and purchased turkeys from them for the holidays, I really didn’t know much about them. I have learned much more through my friend, fellow realtor and GAR board member, Ruthi Slayton. Slayton has many talents one being a great ability to cook. Having a culinary degree and love of helping led Ruthi to volunteer with the Lighthouse Charity Team. She has enlisted the charity’s help at tonight’s Sydney Sivy Medical Fund fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Jamaica Beach Pavilion. It’s free to come by and take advantage of some great auction and rale items, which includes a $2,500 Carnival Cruise Card, and listen to some good music. Additionally for $15 per plate you can purchase barbecue meal tickets which will include Ruthi’s pineapple upside down cake, which I’ve been told is heaven on a plate. The fundraiser is to benefit Sydney (BHS 2015) the daughter of Realtor and MLS board member Linda Sivy, who was hit by a car while sunbathing on the beach earlier this summer and faces mounting medical issues as she travels the road to recovery. I hope you can make it and while there be sure to say thanks to the Lighthouse team.
I’m proud to be the president of the Galveston Association of Realtors whose members give back over 3,000 volunteer hours a year to many worthy causes including the Lighthouse Charity Team, making those of us lucky enough to live by the sea lucky enough.