By Kenneth Books
The rats are coming. And the children will benefit.
Harbor Rats, an organization centered at Harbor Cigars of Destin, are a pack of men who are enthusiastic about three things: cigars, golf and helping to make the lives of needy children a little better.
“It was started by my customers,” said Marvin Holthouser, owner of the 26-year-old Harbor Cigars. It is comprised of about 105 members who are interested “not in what they get, but what they give,” he said.
The like-minded members began by socializing together, but quickly morphed into an organization with a higher calling.
Organized by Eric Wilhelm, an Atlanta businessman who, like his fellow “Rats,” find one of the benefits of cigars is simply sitting and enjoying them with one another.
“We’re all very blessed to know each other,” Marvin said, “and have a good life.” And they want to give back to the community.
The end result is an annual golf tournament and silent auction, with the proceeds going to the Sandestin Foundation for Kids. The first event, held in 2019, was “put together rather quickly,” Marvin said. But, despite the speed with which it evolved, it raised $11,000.
Sandestin Foundation for Kids is a volunteer-based organization, which donates 100 percent of proceeds to children in need, both locally and abroad.
“We help children in our local community, but also extend support to children abroad by drilling wells in Africa and giving to needy orphanages in Panama,” the organization’s website states. “Our mission is to make an impact fast when help is needed the most. Support decisions are made quickly to help children and families directly after a tragedy.”
“It’s really exciting for us,” Marvin said of the now-annual event. “It’s still new, but has the potential for something much larger. Our goal is to build on our success and expand the beneficiaries.”
In 2021, despite the hardships created by the Covid pandemic, the Harbor Rats event raised more than $40,000.
Last year, 108 people participated in the golf tourney and silent auction. And, while Harbor Cigars is the focal point of the event, “to me, it’s the volunteers” who make it work, Marvin said. “A tournament like this takes a lot of effort.”
Most of the legwork, Marvin said, was handled by five men: Michael Smith of Transaction One, retired businessman John Falkenstein, Jet Blue captain Chris Fuller, Craig Collins of Sandestin and Ben Tolle.
“It took a lot of time,” Marvin said, “They go out, tell our story and strategize.”
And Harbor Rats look to expand their influence.
“We made a commitment to the Foundation,” Marvin said. “We want to grow that and look for other charities.”
