Recognizing that tomorrow’s history is being made today, the Beaches Museum has announced the extraordinary individuals selected to be recognized at its Beach Legends Gala, Friday, September 13 at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse.

"An annual gala has been part of our organization since its inception. But this year marks the 11th year of honoring Beach Legends," says Gala Chair Heather McConville. "Honoring these history-makers is right in line with our mission and we are proud of its success!"

The 2024 Honorees are:

The Adeeb Family:  For generations, the name Adeeb has been synonymous with great food and hospitality. The Adeeb family has left its imprint on our region’s restaurant business, and now they’ve brought this family tradition to states as far away as Colorado! Growing from a single Green Turtle restaurant started by Joe Adeeb in 1947, and later opening the iconic Joe Adeeb’s Sea Turtle restaurant in Atlantic Beach, the family today operates twenty Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q restaurant franchises, seventeen Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q restaurants, four locations of Beach Diners, and a Strings Brewery (with another on the way). Plus new concept restaurants in NC, Colorado, and Georgia. Generations of diners have enjoyed what one man started and his family built upon with hard work, commitment to quality, and deep ties to the local community. A remarkable recipe for success for this family of Beach Legends.

Mitch Kaufmann: By turns a historian, documentarian, and leader of the Beaches surfing scene, Mitch Kaufmann has turned his passion into a mission. With his camera, he’s documented our surfing heroes, and with his passion, he’s promoted, taught, and shared the sport of surfing. Mitch Kaufmann has contributed to the local and national surf and skate culture as a surf contest director, filmmaker, and promoter of life in the water. From his Radical Side TV series to running the Eastern Surfing Association, and even curating an exhibit on female surfers at the Beaches Museum, Mitch has lived the life of a Beach Legend.

Lori Moffett: Some issues affecting the Beaches community seem so overwhelming that we can only shake our heads. Then there are people like Lori Moffett who not only recognize the need but work tirelessly to correct it. As the founder of the non-profit, Save Ponte Vedra Beach, Lori has lobbied state and local officials, addressed community groups, and written countless letters, all in an effort to save Ponte Vedra Beach from the devastating effects of tropical hurricanes. Under her leadership, the Save Ponte Vedra Beach organization helped secure the necessary funding for dune rebuilding and beach renourishment to preserve the future of the Ponte Vedra Beach coastline.

“We are thrilled with the support of the community for this event and these honorees and expect our eleventh year to be the best year yet,” said McConville.

For additional information on the Beach Legends Gala visit the website www.beachesmuseum.org. For information on sponsorship and auction donations, contact Chris Hoffman at [email protected] or by calling 904-241-5657 x 113.