The Sulphur Springs News Telegram has an article by Terry Mathews on fans raising money for several charities: “World’s richest beach bum launches Summerzcool Tour: Jimmy Buffett’s fans raise $17K for charity at Frisco tailgate party”
When Jimmy Buffett’s fans – called Parrotheads – get together, it’s a given that there will be a lot of food, fun, tropical music and adult beverages.
What most people don’t know is that Parrotheads have taken the art of tailgating to the next level.
When Buffett brought his Summerzcool Tour to Pizza Hut Park Saturday in Frisco, his fans from website www.BuffettNews.com partied with a purpose, raising money for local charities while having a great time. People came from as far as Idaho, California, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to “party with a purpose.”
This year, the group decided to apply for 501(c)(3) non-profit status. “It got so big I couldn’t manage it at a personal level,” said Bill Ansel, the group’s ringleader. “The party wasn’t going to grow without getting organized under a non-profit umbrella.”
Ansel, who works as a manager at a communications company in the Dallas metroplex, has been spearheading the group’s parties since Buffett played Texas Stadium in 2004. Since 2005, the group has been raising money for charity.
“This year, we raised $17,000,” Ansel noted. “That’s awesome, when you consider the economy.”