This year’s Big Purple Session will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at Temple Beth Emet in Cooper City, Florida. The event features international reggae star, Freddie McGregor, who will be backed by the versatile Florida-based, Code Red Band.
“Over the last twenty years, we have generated in excess of US$1,000,00 from the Big Purple Session," says KCOBA Florida Chapter stalwart, Audley Hewett. 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 school computers
· Funding for the Douglas Forest Library and Technology Building
· Construction of the Byron Bachelor Athletics Complex
There are several reasons for the success of the annual Big Purple Session. Throughout the years, aside from the usual loyal support from the KCOBA South Florida members, the event has had the support of all KC Old Boys Chapters, and KC Old Boys and their families, not just in Florida, but from New York, Atlanta, and throughout the U.S., Toronto, Jamaica, and indeed from around the world.
In addition, given the strong credibility and brand loyalty associated with the KC brand, the broader South Florida community has also embraced the event, and account for a substantial portion of our patrons. Indeed, the Big Purple Session is now firmly entrenched on the South Florida social calendar, and is easily the marquee Jamaican high school alumni event in the community. The KCOBA is deeply appreciative for the support, loyalty, and goodwill which we have received from the extended KC fraternity and the South Florida community over the years, without which the event could not have been enjoyed such unimaginable success.
But the Big Purple Session is more than just a fundraiser; it is a massive reunion of KCOBs from the different eras ranging from the 1950s to the present. The weekend activities formally being on Friday evenings with a Meet and Greet . 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 St Bartholomew Catholic, corner of University Drive and Miramar Parkway in Miramar. Additionally, informal gatherings among assorted groups of KC Old Boys take place throughout the weekend.
And then there is the Big Purple Session itself.
Hundreds of beautiful women of every shape, size and hue, bedecked in their finest apparel, grace us with their presence each year. KC Old Boys you have not seen in years miraculously appear, and old friendships are reestablished. It is a time to reconnect with old friends, rehash tales of form and Manning Cup matches won and lost, reminisce about legendary Champs performances, and to basically, for one brief moment, turn back the hands of time. It is truly a time to bond and reminisce while contributing to the fundraising efforts for our beloved alma mater.
Music blares, conversations ensue, laughter erupts, and the stress and drudgery of life become a distant memory for this one, magical night. You dance, mingle, drink (responsibly) deep into the night and time loses its meaning. And when the event finally ends, the memories endure and the quiet assurance remains that, God’s willing, we will get to do it all over again next year.
It is truly a unforgettable experience.
Fortis Forever