t’s hard to believe that the Big Purple Session, organized by the Florida Chapter of the Kingston College Old Boys Association, has been around for over ten years.
From its humble beginnings in 1998, the event has mushroomed into a colossal fund-raising tool for KC. The brainchild of a committed and visionary group including, among others, Audley Hewitt, Dr. Wayne Fraser, Horace Minott, Michael Malcolm, Leighton Dawes, and Audley Patterson, the event has now outgrown its original venue, the Walter C. Young High School in Pembroke Pines.
Recalls Dr. Fraser, “in April 1998, Churchill Neita, Bruce Rickards, Straton Palmer, and a few others came up from Jamaica and encouraged us to start some fund-raising activities in South Florida. We quickly formed a 501(c)3 entity and had our first session in October with Merritone as the feature. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.” However, while the association is formally registered, it operates in a decidedly informal and egalitarian manner (there are no titles, and members sit in a circle at meetings in which each person’s input is welcomed and valued). The general approach is that egos are left at the door and the group works together for the greater good of KC.
As the event enters its eleventh year, all indications point toward continued growth and success. Through the efforts of KC Old Boy, Winston Barnes, who is a Commissioner of the City of Miramar, the association has secured the brand new Miramar Civic Center for this year’s event on October 3 – the event is held on the first Saturday in October each year. Fab Five, a perennial crowd favorite, will again play at the session, and Leroy Sibbles is the guest artist. “The session has been a very positive influence in our relationship with the community and it is a major fund-raising event for KC,” says Karl McNish, a member of the finance committee.
Janet Myers performing with the Fab 5 Band
“Over the last ten years, we have generated in excess of US$600,000 from the Big Purple Session,” says Audley Hewitt. These funds have contributed to help fill the myriad of needs at the school including, but not limited to:
Construction of the Melbourne Social Services Building
Repair of the Chapel
Funding of Champs and Penn Relay Teams
Funding of Schools’ Challenge Teams
Renovation of the Science Lab
Funding of the Cadet Corp
Teacher Incentive and Scholarship Programs
Purchase of Computers
There are several reasons for the event’s success. First, and foremost, is the support and commitment of all chapters of the KC Old Boys Association, and KC Old Boys (not just in South Florida but literally from around the world) and their families throughout the years. Next, as a result of the strong credibility and the brand loyalty of the KC name, the broader South Florida community has embraced the event and it is now an established item on the social calendar. Lastly, the event has become a kind of informal annual reunion at which KC Old Boys from all eras can meet and reminisce about our beloved alma mater while contributing to the school’s fund-raising efforts. In fact, the KC Class of 78 will be holding a mini-reunion at this year’s event, and other classes are encouraged to use the session as a medium to reunite with each other. As one who has been to a class reunion, the experience is truly priceless.
A recent addition to the Big Purple Session is a lime at Audley Hewitt’s office in Hollywood on the Friday evening before the session. Geared primarily as an informal reception for the out-of-towners, the lime has also evolved and many now eagerly look forward to meeting on the eve of the dance in this relaxed atmosphere. Against the backdrop of good music and drinks, KC Old Boys meet and greet at the lime and it is brings an added dimension to the weekend activities. It is a time to reconnect with old friends, rehash tales of form and Manning Cup matches won and lost, and to basically, for one brief moment, turn back the hands of time.
For those who are still fit - or can’t find their age paper - and are still playing football, it is not unusual for a group of players to meet on Saturday morning at a local park to play some scrimmage (this year’s venue is Foranzo Park - corner of Douglas and Pembroke Rd. in Miramar) Sounds like Class of 78 against the rest this year.
And then the session. Hundreds of beautiful women of every shape, size and hue, regaled in their finest apparel, grace us with their presence each year. KC Old Boys you have not seen in years miraculously appear and old links are re-established. Music blares, conversation ensues, laughter erupts, and the stress and drudgery of life are, on this night, a distant memory. You dance and/or drink deep into the night and time loses its meaning. And when finally the session sadly ends, the memories endure, and the quiet assurance remains that, God’s willing, we will get to do it all over again next year or in future years.
