EABC meets in Petanque America warehouse
On January of this year a Brit by the name of Tim Burningham and a German native by the name of Helmut Albrecht started a European American Business Club with the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce here on Amelia Island. Under their very energetic leadership the Club counts already around 50 members of which some 35 showed up on last Wednesday for the monthly meeting at Petanque America’s warehouse. The club moves for their monthly meetings from venue to venue as one of the club’s mottos is: “try different things”. This fourth meeting had a wide mix of attendance with mostly business people from Europe, South Africa, South America, the Caribbean and a dozen of so locals with approximately 35 members showing.
By the rapidly growing membership and attendance it is clear that a need for such a club was evident and the energy that comes from its members in terms of networking and thought exchange is exhilarating. A couple of members stuck their heads together several weeks ago and designed a website www.eabcnetwork.com with most functions already working and where members can sign up for networking opportunities and thought exchanges and ideas, as well as find information on Amelia Island’s many reasons and opportunities for business development.
Philippe Boets, the host on the last meeting and owner of Pétanque America explained in humorous way why he chose Amelia Island as the headquarters of his operation about a year ago. Since his arrival in June, the understanding of the game of Pétanque has grown from zero to many people on the island building courts on their properties and the second weekend in November officially proclaimed as Pétanque America Weekend.
The club is still in its infancy but promises to be a rapidly growing network of internationals that would like to get the word out to the world that Amelia Island is a fabulous place to live and work, something the writer of the book “Thousand Places to Visit before you die” already knew as we reported yesterday.
True to the approach of island live, the founders of the club also decided to let the club and its membership set out the course of development with a generous hand in social interaction, business exchange and possible community type services in the future.
Every meeting will feature an indepth exposé by one of the inhouse experts concerning European American issues, differences and opportunities, embracing issues such as euro versus dollar, import-export, market development, internet expertise and much more.
Next Sunday April 25 the club takes a Sunset Tour on Amelia River Cruises to St.Marys and master historian/skipper Kevin McCarty, owner of the cruise operation will delight the group with a deep insight in piracy, politics and pretty sights. Be prepared to learn about David Yulee and how close he came to turning Amelia Island in the south’s answer to Manhattan.
The cost is $25 p/p and includes snacks and beverages and live music on the way home by yours truly, accompanied on the banjo by Tim Burningham. There are only 49 seats, so make sure to reserve with Amelia River Cruises quickly (904) 261-9972
