Ain’t nothin’ easy. Last Wednesday evening, I got call from Paul Lester, Diamond Materials, letting me know he had just driven past DCA’s Crab Feast site and our tents had been torn down from a fierce windstorm! The members of the DCA Young Executive Committee (YEC) along with Jamie Chambers, DCA Special Events Coordinator, and DCA member and tent vendor, Action Events, had spent the day getting everything just right. With the event less than 24 hours away, it had all been tossed around the field. Following my call with Paul I called Jamie who was already working to get a game plan in place to get everything back in order between sunrise the next morning and 4 pm that afternoon when the event gates would be opened.

Each year following our Annual Crab Feast, I have highlighted the hard work the YEC members do to make this event possible and I’m not just being nice. Having over 1,500 people over for crabs and beer isn’t something that just gets thrown together. Jamie deserves a lot of credit for masterfully handling the logistics and coordinating sponsorships, but the set-up falls so much to the YEC members. And this year, they had to do it twice!

When YEC member Dom Pavlik, Whiting-Turner, saw pictures of the site post-storm on Thursday, he quickly called in reinforcements from a nearby Whiting-Turner project which had a significant impact on the site being ready by 4 pm that afternoon. In addition to Nicholas J. Ferrara III, Greggo and Ferrara, donating the use of the site, he has two rock stars whose help is invaluable! Phil and Mike deserve tremendous thanks for all they do to help get the site ready and make it so enjoyable for our members and their guests.

If you were at this year’s Crab Feast you will know this story has a good ending. Through some amazing teamwork and a dedication to putting on the best Crab Feast for our members and their guests, the gates opened at 4 pm with the site in order. It is always great seeing the attendees’ stream through the gate on their way to a heaping tray of crabs and their first cold beer and despite the challenges, this year was a success!