Dressing up in Caribbean-style shirts, shorts and sandals is usually reserved for the summer or for trips to tropical destinations. But despite the recent onset of wintery weather, locals will gather in Bethany Beach on Dec. 2, wearing just those types of clothing, for the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation’s second annual Caribbean Christmas event.
“It’s a great holiday party,” said Rick Hundley, the president of the charitable foundation, which was formed in 2002 by the Bethany Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a great, fun time. I think anyone who has been in the past could tell you that”
Tickets for this year’s event, which will take place from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Dec. 2 at Mango’s in downtown Bethany Beach, cost $40 each or $350 for a book of 10. Visit the foundation’s Web site at www.quietresortsfoundation.org for more information.
Proceeds gathered through ticket sales and a silent — and possible live — auction will benefit the foundation and two local funds: the Justin W. Jennings Foundation and the Capt. William Murray Scholarship Fund.
Jennings died in 2000, at the age of 19, after a losing battle with brain cancer. Local builders, businesspeople and Jennings’ family have been raising money through the Justin W. Jennings Foundation to build Justin’s Beach House in Bethany Beach for families ravaged by cancer to use as a retreat.
The Quiet Resorts foundation initiated the Capt. William Murray Scholarship Fund in the name of a local resident who died about four years ago. The $2,000 yearly college scholarship handed out in Murray’s name is renewable for four years.
“This is the first year we’ve actually selected the beneficiaries before the event,” said Hundley.
He added, though, that a portion of the money brought in from last year’s 240 Caribbean Christmas attendees benefited the Murray scholarship funds. About 300 tickets were sold for the event, with some making the purchase as a donation even if they couldn’t attend.
More than 300 people are expected to purchase tickets for this year’s event, Hundley said, which will come complete with live entertainment, samplings of food from 12 area restaurants and dozens of auction items to peruse.
Instead of having a sit-down dinner — and keeping with the island-casual theme of the night — representatives of those 12 local restaurants will man tables and offer samplings of popular dishes in an affair reminiscent of the spring’s popular Taste of Coastal Delaware.
Attendees can then walk around, munch on the undoubtedly tasty samples, enjoy the open bar, which is included with the price of admission, and bid on the auction items.
Local artists have donated several pieces for the auction, Hundley said, but the auction list includes more than art.
According to Hundley, auction items include gift certificates to area restaurants, surf boards and lessons, rounds of golf, wine baskets, a teeth-whitening session with an area dentist and even trips to destinations where that Caribbean gear locals plan to sport next Saturday might be more appropriate. “It’s just something we have fun with, to come out in December in resort wear,” Hundley said. “It’s a fun time.”