Just two days ago the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Hospitality Round Table Committee  hosted the First Annual Beach Olympics. This field day at The Boardwalk on beautiful Okaloosa Island celebrated the service industry in Fort Walton Beach with a friendly competition between fifteen four-person teams. The teams came from a myriad of backgrounds including vacation rental companies, hotels, restaurants, bars, Emergency Management and lifeguards.

The proceeds benefited the Okaloosa County Junior Lifeguard program.

The setting was magnificent and the teams ready to go. After grueling battles in events such as bucket brigade, kayak race, waiter relay, laundry cart races, bed making and keg toss, the teams proceeded to a volleyball elimination tourney. Going into the volleyball matches as leader was team “The Dream,” the lifeguard team. During volleyball, the contenders dwindled to two top teams – our own “TEAM Southern Resorts” and the home team – “The Swamp” and they readied themselves for the end test – Tug-O-War.

What happened next appeared out of nowhere and as quite a shock to the hundreds of viewers. As the young musclebound Swamp Team seemed to have dominated the tug-o-war early, Team Southern reached deep and slowly coaxed that rope to their side and WON!

The event proved to be a success and plans are already underway for the 2nd Annual possibly next May 2010.