I AM DESTIN - Helen Donaldson
What is your hometown, what brought
you to the EMERALD COAST and how
long have you been here?
I was born and raised on a small ranch in
Sweeny, Texas. Thirty-eight years ago on
the spring vacation before I graduated high
school, my parents and I visited my aunt and
uncle, Mayor Captain, Major Ken Beaird
and wife, Fran at their Destin harbor front
motel, The Reveille. Mom mentioned that
she would love to have a small motel in Destin
and then we went back home to Texas. A
few weeks later Aunt Fran called to tell my
folks that the motel right next door to theirs
was for sale. Before I knew it, my parents had
purchased the Flamingo Motel in Destin! I
was in college, they quit their jobs, sold the
ranch and packed everything up and moved to
the beach! Of course, I spent my spring break
and summer vacations in Destin and then
made the permanent move here in 1980. I’ve
called Destin home now for 36 years.
What is your profession and give a brief
description of what you do.
I am the Executive Director of the Destin
Fishing Rodeo. As the only full-time
employee I am in charge of purchasing,
merchandising, advertising, magazine layout
and design, sales and marketing. Not to
mention Tournament Director and Miss
Destin Pageant Organizer!
Perhaps the most rewarding part of my job
is my role as Pageant Organizer. I have had
the opportunity to meet hundreds of Destin’s
young women through the Miss Destin
Pageant. Our community has raised some
wonderful young ladies. The girls that were
lucky enough to be chosen to reign as Miss
Destin are just a few of the incredible people
I’ve had the opportunity to get to know
through the pageant.
The most fun part of the job is serving as
Tournament Director; The Annual Destin
Fishing Rodeo was established in 1948 and
has become an economic force in the fall
season for Destin. We have over 35,000
anglers compete each year from October
1 – 31.They come from over 35 states and
some years we have international anglers
participate. The Rodeo has become a spectator
sport as well, hundreds of folks come to the
docks at AJ’s every day in October to watch
the weigh-ins and listen to the fi sh tales of our
weighmaster, Bruce Cheves. I enjoy meeting
the visitors, telling them about my hometown
and our fi shing opportunities.
What lead you to choose this
profession?
I believe that the Rodeo job chose me! I was
the Director of Community Development
for the Destin Chamber of Commerce,
conducting the Destin Seafood Festival and
Mayfests each year. In August 1998, when
I decided to leave the job and stay home
for a while, the incoming chairman of the
Chamber (and outgoing chairman of the
Rodeo) approached me about the Rodeo job
that would be available on November 1. I
hesitated, then he told me it would be just a
“part time” job (except October) so I decided,
why not? Well, needless to say Mr. Dale
Peterson fi bbed a bit about the part time, but
I have been here ever since and have loved
every “full time” moment!
What do you like best about Destin?
What makes it unique?
Well, of course what drew me here is what
draws everyone… emerald green waters and
white sand beaches. I believe that the best
part of Destin is the “small-town community
feel” that we have in the harbor area of Destin.
That’s the center of my universe. We have the
largest charter fi shing fl eet in the state! People
that make their living from the Harbor are
a unique group of folks that work very hard
to make a living amid the constant changing
regulations. They change what they can,
accept what they can’t and continue to offer
the experience of a lifetime for visitors to our
town.
Three words that best describe you.
Fun, Dedicated, Patient
Favorite things you like about Destin.
Watching the sunset from a Harbor Front
establishment. Spending time with my
husband and my grandchildren, strolling the
Boardwalk along Destin’s Harbor and the
sound of a charter boat backing into a boat
slip.
Finish this statement, I AM DESTIN
because…
Destin has made me who I am. Destin was
established by the fi shing community and the
fi shing community is a huge part of my life
every single day.
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