Her smile may mild up Key West throughout a late-night energy outage, and her infectious chuckle invitations everybody round her to share the joke or the enjoyment that impressed it. Fritzie Estimond, whether or not directing a Key West Enterprise Guild pageant or welcoming newcomers to the guild’s customer heart, is fast to supply each.
But after she moved to the island from Fort Lauderdale in December 2010, it took her about two years to turn into comfy with island life and the small-town closeness she now cherishes.
“I’m from a group the place you keep targeted, thoughts your small business and do what you want to do — so I needed to get used to the smallness of it, and actually going anyplace and operating into folks I knew,” she mentioned. “However the factor that made me very reluctant to divulge heart’s contents to the island is identical factor that has allowed me to embrace it.”
As soon as beneath Key West’s spell, Estimond shortly turned an integral a part of the native scene. Within the fall of 2017 she was employed because the occasions coordinator for the Key West Enterprise Guild and has held that title ever since. About 18 months in the past, she additionally took on the place of affiliate director of the group that promotes LGBT tourism for Key West.
“Outdoors of internet hosting the 4 occasions we do yearly — Key West Satisfaction, Womenfest, Tropical Warmth and Headdress Ball — we do occasion guides for every one, host month-to-month luncheons and mixers as a member-based group, do map and listing advert gross sales, and handle a customer heart,” Estimond mentioned. “The duties are fairly limitless, so we attempt to steadiness all of it.”
In some way, the daunting checklist of duties doesn’t appear to dampen her good humor or the air of calm confidence she tasks.
She additionally has a part-time aspect job working the desk at The Studios of Key West, volunteers with Metropolitan Group Church’s “Cooking With Love” program and wherever else she will, and periodically acts in Key West theater productions.
“I’m nonetheless making an attempt to determine my relationship with being on the stage, as a result of it’s very nerve-wracking for me — it challenges me each night time,” mentioned Estimond, who appeared within the Waterfront Playhouse’s “The Vagina Monologues” final January and can carry out in a Pink Barn Theatre present subsequent season.
Every Sunday, nonetheless, the girl who thrives on challenges stays residence, avoids social media, and provides herself a full day to recharge within the non-public house she calls her cocoon.
She additionally thrives on spending time along with her girlfriend of two years, Chantal Pavageaux, and Pavageaux’s 15-year-old poodle combine Louie — who, Estimond says, apparently thinks he’s her boyfriend.
These quieter intervals are vital as she’s often surrounded by folks throughout her working hours. Along with her boundless power and smiling air of command, Estimond is very seen in the course of the particular occasions she coordinates for the guild — whether or not she’s supervising social gatherings at September’s Womenfest, directing volunteers at a pageant avenue honest, or guaranteeing that June’s Satisfaction Parade runs easily.
“The parade is all the time what brings all of it collectively for me and places every part into perspective,” she mentioned. “The months and months of preparation that result in this one remaining day, and happening Duval Road and seeing all these folks celebrating alongside you — that all the time brings a sense that I hope by no means goes away.”
She’s notably grateful for the energetic native assist and sponsorship of LGBTQ occasions, and strives to speak Key West’s supportive character to pageant attendees and company on the guild’s customer heart.
Estimond sees the customer heart as a spot the place she will increase perceptions and data in regards to the island.
“Particularly for people who have by no means been right here, I like creating a brand new expertise and offering new data that they won’t learn about Key West,” she mentioned. “So I strive to determine what their story is and what brings them right here within the first place, after which I can recommend what issues they need to look into.”
Whereas she too enjoys touring, Estimond has found — a lot to her personal shock — that she misses the island an excessive amount of to remain away for greater than every week at a time. In truth, the girl who initially resisted Key West’s pull now credit it with serving to her turn into her genuine self.
“I’ve grown up a lot right here and I’ve realized a lot right here,” she mentioned, flashing her irresistible smile. “The true sense of what group is, accepting the melting pot of individuals, the sorts of meals I eat, paying extra consideration to actual points … the island has a means of selecting its folks, and I used to be definitely chosen.”