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Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum to host Cephalebrity Island Dinner

By Staff | Sep 27, 2017

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is getting ready for its first major event of the season: the annual Cephalebrity Island Dinner. This year’s theme will focus on cephalopods.

“Cephalopods are obviously mollusks and we wanted to indicate to people that we’re doing something a little bit different this year,” said Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum Executive Director Dorrie Hipschman. “It’s a fun play on words.”

The annual dinner, which is raising money for their educational programs and damage caused after Irma, will take place Monday, Oct. 2, at 5:30 p.m. at Trader’s Cafe & Store.

“It feels like a neighborhood party,” Hipschman said. “I love the overall warmth and camaraderie to it. It feels like you’re getting together with friends. It’s fun and it’s for a good cause. Trader’s is a lovely location to do it at.”

The entrees include a choice of meat or fish. Beer and wine are also included.

“People love coming because it’s at Trader’s,” Hipschman said. “Joe (Archambault) and his staff do a great job for us.”

New features for this year includes valet parking and different entertainment which Hipschman said is a surprise. Music will now start at the beginning of the dinner.

“We’ve completely changed up the entertainment this year. I think it’ll be more fun. It’ll be more interactive. We’re going to engage everybody rather than a few people. We’ll still have the karaoke at the end,” Hipschman said.

This year, certain servers will be working in teams. The teams consist of Kasey and Brendan Albright, Calli and Bailie Johnson and Pam Rambo and the Shell Love Bug. Other servers include Joey Almeida, Mary Bondurant and Robin Roberts.

“Our celebrity island servers are just great. They work really hard for us, they ask all their friends and colleagues to support them we couldn’t do it without them,” Hipschman said.

For Calli and Bailie Johnson, this is their first time being servers at the event.

“Bailie and I are participating to support the shell museum because it is an island organization that provides a unique educational service to our guests,” said Calli Johnson, project manager at Bailey’s General Store. “Our community has always been generous and we will do our best to get back to normal after Irma, which includes fundraising. We decided to partake in the event last year, but unfortunately all the celebrity positions were already filled. Melanie (Moraga) asked if we were still interested this year and of course we are. Bailie and I love shelling and grew up learning the names of shells with our mom when we would go to the beach. We are just now learning how special it is to have shells on the beach and want to help foster that sense of wonder and excitement in other children.”

Pam Rambo, of i Love Shelling on the other hand, has participated in the event numerous times.

I epeshelly love to support the shell museum because they’ve taught me so much about shells, and now, I’m able to share that information on my blog and social networks. But I need some help from the community to pay them back. Wanna shelltribute? Shell out a few clams to the shell museum by tipping me and the Shell Love Bug,” Rambo said.

Those who can’t attend the event can go online to shellmuseum.org and tip their favorite servers in increments of $10.

“It’s a wonderful way for people who aren’t on island yet or have a conflict that night to still support our local celebrities,” Hipschman said.

Trader’s Cafe & Store is at 1551 Periwinkle Way. For tickets, ticket availability, or more information, call the museum at 239-395-2233.