Pay it Forward: Yachting Loves Florida

Florida has provided yacht crew and industry leaders with a base to find work, flourish, and further their education. This year, Capt. Daryn Dalton and Chief Stewardess Randi Barry are showing their home-away-from-home some love.

When they sit down and give thanks for their holiday meal each year, Dalton and Barry think about those who may be without. For this Thanksgiving season, they put thoughts into action and spread the love, especially as many are suffering due to the pandemic. Dalton shared his idea with Barry while they were out for a run in early October.

The couple are raising funds to deliver Thanksgiving hampers through Blue Apron, which is designed to teach people how to cook new recipes they may not have tried before, introduce them to seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients, and reduce food waste by sending the exact ingredients needed.

“We searched far and wide in Broward County for people we could directly impact and not have to go through too many people in order to directly supply the hampers,” Barry says. “Taylor's Closet supports young women leaders in their community who each have a group of other young women they mentor.”

The five young women who will receive the Thanksgiving hampers were chosen as they are leaders in their community and are in single-parent homes who have had a less than prosperous year. Each hamper will include spice-roasted turkey breast, pimento cheese mashed potatoes, skillet poblano cornbread, peanut-glazed apple and persimmon crumble, and more.

While they have reached their goal of $675 for the five Thanksgiving hampers, if they raise even more, they can possibly send more hampers or Publix gift certificates to people in need in Broward County.

The GoFundMe will be open until November 15, as they have to get the orders in the following day to have them arrive on time for the holiday. Barry says they’ll be opening the Christmas hamper drive after they get feedback on how the Thanksgiving ones go.

To make a donation, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/yachtinglovesflorida