Indigo Coastal Shanty
What should a nonprofit do when they cannot host their major event of the year? And how can that organization best support those local businesses who have been longtime partners and who are being dramatically impacted by the pandemic? Those were two of the dilemmas that the St. Simons Land Trust faced when they realized that the challenges of the coronavirus would extend into 2021.
Their largest annual fundraiser (and one of the most popular events in the Golden Isles) was the Land Trust Oyster Roast. For twenty years, hundreds have gathered at the roast to enjoy great local cuisine and a festive, almost magical atmosphere. The first year, Charlie Williams, owner of Crabdaddy’s Seafood Grill and now Fiddlers @410 Arnold, provided the oysters and oversaw the roasting. Every year since, the event was made possible because of people like Charlie and an army of more than 50 other restaurant owners and workers who cooked, served, shucked, decorated, entertained, and cleaned up afterwards. The chefs at Sea Island prepared heaping platters of The Cloister’s famous fried chicken. The Westin’s clam chowder soon became a favorite, as did the pulled pork from Southern Soul Barbeque.
Crabdaddy’s Seafood Grill
All of this was supposed to be prelude to the 21st annual Oyster Roast that was scheduled for January 16, 2021, with expectations of once again hosting more than a thousand people under the live oaks and twinkly lights at Gascoigne Bluff. But a pandemic is the ultimate buster of best-laid plans, and this year there will be no Oyster Roast.
“We deliberated about what we could do instead,” said the Land Trust’s Executive Director Emily Ellison. “We considered a virtual event. We discussed offering ‘guests’ a basket of oysters to take home after a drive-through at Gascoigne Bluff. We thought about live-streaming music. But none of the options made sense from a staffing perspective or from a community perspective. The event has always been loved because of how it brings people together from across Glynn County. A socially-distanced, virtual Oyster Roast just didn’t cut it.”
After countless turns at the drawing board, the Trust has decided to host a
Restaurant Week logo
Restaurant Week instead. They wouldn’t be raising money, but they would be supporting the very people who had so long supported them. The idea was the brainchild of Marty Moody, the longtime coordinator of the Oyster Roast, who wanted to thank the many restaurants that had given so generously in the past. “Marty envisioned this as a way for us to give back to the restaurant community during such a challenging time,” explained Ellison. “The plan was that this year we would ask local restaurants for nothing but would instead drive as much business as possible to them.”
So, this year, rather than soliciting food, beverages, and support from restauranteurs, the Land Trust is supporting them and encouraging its members to dine in or order to-go meals from the participating businesses. “Every year we’ve gone to our friends in the restaurant industry and asked them to host a booth or make specialty dishes for our Oyster Roast buffet,” explained Marty Moody. “And every year they have delivered. But right now, when we know that restaurants are suffering and many are staying in business only to provide their longtime staff members with employment. Creating Restaurant Week was a way to thank them for two decades of loyal and generous support.”
The Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce agreed to partner with the Land Trust in helping to spread the word about the special week. “We have been pushing consumers to support local businesses for a long time,” said Ralph Staffins, President and CEO of the Chamber. “But the pandemic has made supporting our locals more crucial than ever. It was therefore a natural fit to join forces with the Land Trust, and it was a perfect continuation of the Chamber’s ‘Have a Golden Christmas’ campaign, when we encouraged people to shop locally for the holidays. It’s not only important, but it’s also exciting to support local food establishments and to be a partner in hosting the first-ever Restaurant Week in Glynn County.”
Porch
From both the Land Trust’s and the Chamber’s point of view, there has never been a better time to show support to the restaurant industry than now. And since January is normally the bleakest, slowest month of the year for local food service providers, Saturday, January 16, the very day that the 21st Oyster Roast was to be held, seemed the perfect launch date.
The mechanics of how a Restaurant Week would work was modeled on those held elsewhere. Except in most communities, restaurants pay a fee to participate. But the Land Trust wanted to make involvement simple, free, and profitable for the restaurants. Marty Moody therefore began asking her loyal partners to consider how they might want to participate, whether it was by offering a discount on meals, developing a fixed price menu, or creating a special Restaurant Week dish. Current Land Trust members will be given a list of participating restaurants and be emailed a coupon that can be used as often and as many times as they desire. Diners will have the choice of a sit-down meal (wherever dining rooms might be open), or they can pick up food and eat at home.
Quickly restaurants began jumping on board. Southern Soul Barbeque’s catering manager, Amy Debreceni, said they will offer a special oyster dip during Restaurant Week. The Westin at Jekyll Island is increasing the recommended discount per meal to 15% and plans to give 5% of proceeds back to the Land Trust. Others are creating special Restaurant Week entrees and desserts.
The Reserve Steak House at The Westin
As the idea took off, the decision was made to open the “event” to all restaurants who wanted to participate, not just those who had previously provided food to the Oyster Roast. Diners might choose to have breakfast at one place, lunch at another, and pick up dinner from a third establishment anytime throughout the week. Whether by eating in or taking out, residents and visitors could show extra TLC to their favorite restaurants. “It’s a way for all of us to give back to restaurant owners, chefs, line cooks, wait staff, and other restaurant workers who continued to prepare and serve meals even during the most difficult and dangerous days of the pandemic,” said Marty Moody.
Although the magic of the Land Trust’s annual Oyster Roast will not be experienced this year on St. Simons, delicious food is still being cooked up every day. Our restaurant owners and their staffs have stood on the front lines of service and have fed islanders during stressful times for decades, whether it was following a major hurricane or masking up and delivering meals during a pandemic. According to the Land Trust and the Chamber, it is now time to pay back those who have fed and nurtured the community for so many years. Both organizations hope that you will join them in patronizing the restaurant industry the week of January 16th. “It’s sad not to be able to host such a beloved event in 2021, but it’s also wonderful to think of people coming together to support our friends who work so hard at our favorite cafes, diners, coffee shops, and restaurants,” said Marty Moody.
Halyards
The Land Trust’s 2021 Premier Business Sponsor, Schell & Hogan, LLP, agrees that while the award-winning Oyster Roast will be missed this year, the communitywide Restaurant Week serves a new and timely purpose. “It is inspiring that a nonprofit organization that we have supported for so long is taking a lead in giving back to the community and supporting an industry that is suffering,” said Dustin Paulk, a partner at the firm. “We will definitely be eating out often between January 16 and the 23!”
To join the St. Simons Land Trust and the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce in supporting local restaurants during Restaurant Week, you don’t need to do anything special to register or sign up if you are a current Land Trust or Chamber member. All current Land Trust and Chamber members will automatically be emailed a Restaurant Week coupon on January 15. If you are not a current member, you can join or renew your membership to participate. The coupon can be printed out or you can simply use the digital version from your phone at any of the participating restaurants. The Land Trust recommends checking their website (sslt.org) often for the up-to-date listing of participating restaurants and their offers. The coupon is good only during Restaurant Week (January 16 – 23), but it can be used multiple times at as many restaurants you choose.
Frederica House
The list of participating restaurants at time of print includes the following – more will be added, so check sslt.org for updated information:
Barbara Jean’s Restaurant
Bennie's Red Barn
Blue Bay Mexican Grill
Bubba Garcia's
Café Frederica
Catch 228 Oyster Bar & Grill
Certified Burgers and Beverage
Chick-Fil-A - St. Simons Island
Chile Peppers Island Cantina
Cilantro's Grill & Cantina
Coastal Kitchen
Del Sur Artisan Eats
Delaney’s Bistro & Bar
Demere Grill
Dulce Dough Donuts & Bakery
ECHO at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
Ember Farm to Fire
Frederica House
Frosty's Griddle and Shake
Georgia Sea Grill
Gnat’s Landing
Halyards
Hildy’s Pizza
Iguanas Seafood Restaurant
Indigo Coastal Shanty
La Plancha
The Local Brew
Longhorn Steakhouse
Mellow Mushroom
Mr. Shuck’s Seafood
My Happy Place Nutrition
Nazzaro's Italian Cuisine
Palmer's Village Café
Pizza Inn - Brunswick
Porch
The Reserve Steak House at The Westin
The Rooftop at Ocean Lodge
Sal's Neighborhood Pizzeria
Sandy Bottom Bagels
Sea Salt Healthy Kitchen
Southern Soul Barbeque
Tipsy McSway’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill
Wee Pub North
Zaxby's - St. Simons Island
Make sure your Land Trust or Chamber membership is current so you receive your Restaurant Week coupon, then start planning your meals! Whether you choose oyster spread, steak, pizza, fish, chicken, burgers, or bread pudding, this will be a wonderful opportunity to treat yourself and your family to your favorite dishes while joining the Land Trust and Chamber in supporting our local restaurant community.
