Livin’ on Key West Time
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Boondocks Grille & Drafthouse and Miniature Golf on Ramrod Key hosted a charity event for Care Camps. Care camps are located across the United States and Canada and are designed specifically for children with cancer. These camps are staffed with medical personnel and camp counselors trained to meet the needs of these young campers who have cancer. There are three such camps in Georgia: Camp Sunshine in Decatur, Camp Rainbow in Augusta, and Camp Twin-Lakes in Rutledge.
A group of 5 couples in two vehicles left from Marathon Marina to attend this event on Ramrod Key. Ramrod Key is named for a ship which was wrecked on a reef south of here in the early nineteenth century. We had reserved seating for 4 but were able to purchase another table and chairs upon arrival. We were fortunate because the Boondocks was crowded on this night due to the popularity of the musicians.
Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band provided the entertainment for the event. Livingston can be described as the local Jimmy Buffet style musician. Livingston is known for one of the first song she wrote and recorded, Livin’ on Key West Time. The story goes that while in China on working on a business transaction for his automotive based company, a friend was trying to determine their time zone. Livingston replied “It doesn’t matter what time zone we are in, I’m livin’ on Key West time.” After this conversation, Livingston wrote the song. Shortly afterward he sold the automotive business in Chicago and made his home on Mile marker 24 on US 1 in the Keys.
Livingston and his wife became interested in supporting the Care Camps when the band played at a KOA Care Camp fund raiser. They began performing at many venues to help raise money for the KOA Care Camps. They sell bright turquoise hats for $100 at each event. Perhaps their largest money maker is the auctioning of Margaritas made from an old Johnson outboard motor blender. At the 2012 International KOA Convention in Orlando the famous outboard motor Margarita was auctioned for $13,000.
Joy