By Donna Montalvo
Many locals will remember long-time Destin resident and friend Gabby Bruce. A2Z (A2Z Specialty Advertising, Inc.) is continuing to keep his memory alive, celebrating his life by giving back to our community.
Gabby was all about making a difference in our community, and we want to continue his legacy by helping businesses who have been there for others. Gabby served on many boards throughout the years, carved turkeys on Thanksgiving at Harbor Docks to serve meals to the community, was the emcee at the Mullet Festival for 35 years and worked with many non-profit organizations.
For these reasons and many more, we are launching “The Gabby Bruce You Make A Difference” recognition program. We will celebrate 12 local businesses during 2021 that have made a difference in our community in Gabby’s honor.
These businesses will be recognized for delivering high performance to their customers and going above and beyond to help other businesses and/or non-profits.
Each month the A2Z Team will select a local business to recognize its impact on our community. They will receive “The Gabby Bruce You Make A Difference” award and a $300 credit for promotional products of their choice. We will also highlight their business on our social media including pictures, information about their business, and what they have done to support our community. Their business will be highlighted in Destin Life each month and announced on Cumulus Radio as well as an interview with Diamond Dan.
Our first “Gabby Award” winner was Twisted Grape Cafe & Wine Bar in Shalimar. They are all about Good Wine, Good Food & Good Friends! Another passion is their local fund raising as Twisted Grape has continuously given back to the community over the years. They have raised money for PAWS, SOCKS, Shelter House and Food for Vets (to name a few).
Our second “Gabby Award” winner went to SimpleHR in Destin. SimpleHR has served the communities along Florida’s Emerald Coast for 18 years. They continue to focus on giving back through volunteerism, corporate philanthropy and knowledge-based resources. Giving back is business as usual for them and the people who work there. Beyond their volunteerism, SimpleHR delivers comprehensive human resource solutions and administrative relief for busy business owners who wish to spend more time on their core business and less time on employer obligations. SimpleHR provides human resources, benefits, payroll administration, workers’ compensation, affordable care act guidance, safety consultation, talent acquisition, payroll taxes and corporate filings for its clients, always keeping in mind their mission to maintain the highest standards in all they do.
We look forward to announcing more “Gabby Award” winners. Stay tuned on how you can nominate a business by listening to Cumulus Radio during the week on NASH 105.5, Coast 93.3 and NewsTalk 1260.
“Team Gabby” is so excited about this new program as it gives Gabby Bruce’s A2Z Specialty Advertising, Inc. a way to continue to make an impact with our local businesses in the community he loved so much.
We were all lucky enough to always have Gabby out there making an impact in so many, many ways!
Perry (Gabby) Lloyd Bruce Iii – Gabby L. Bruce, 76, died March 7, 2020. Following a love of music, a magnetic personality and an unmistakably distinctive voice, Gabby found himself on the Emerald Coast dredging a 30-year path in the radio and music industry where his accomplishments and ventures included: host of a number one rated morning show, producer and co-writer of several billboard charting songs, emcee and organizer of the Mullet Festival, and even served as a location scout and publicist for the movie Jaws 2, leading many to refer to him as a “local legend,” which he would always shrug off, but absolutely embodied. During his career in the entertainment business, Gabby met and married Deborah Bourque Bruce, with whom he spent the remaining 34 years of his life happily married. In 1997, sensing the forthcoming changes in terrestrial radio, he changed career paths and purchased A2Z Specialty Advertising, Inc. which he owned for the remainder of his life, designing and producing shirts, koozies, keychains and any other promotional products available to local businesses. In addition to his wife, he was survived by his daughter, Patti Duckworth, of Athens, Georgia; Sister-in-law Pam Schweickert and her husband Bud, niece Kelby Cramblet and her husband Jared, and in-laws Ray and Joanne Bourque, all of Destin.
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