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About Us In the spring of 2001, Scott Roberts and Carl Eccles had the idea of an evening dance party & riverboat cruise as a fundraiser for Mobile AIDS Support Services (now, South Alabama CARES). From that idea, a group of volunteers from the community came together and Aqua was born. In June of 2001 the first Aqua Dance Party was held aboard the Cotton Blossom paddle-wheeler as it cruised the waterways of Downtown Mobile. Scott and Carl's idea had become a reality and Aqua was born. The following spring people began to inquire about "the boat", as the party had come to be known. To help promote the party, and in hopes of increasing the monies raised for MASS, the Aqua Committee added another event in 2002 - the Aqua Silent Auction. This new event drew incredible support from the community through donations, attendance and participation. In 2003 both "the boat" party and the silent auction continued to grow - and Aqua quickly became a Mobile tradition. By 2004 the Aqua Committee had grown to twelve, and a new opportunity presented itself - "Aqua's Night at the Theatre." This was also the year that the committee instituted the "J. Allen Pope / Reaching Out Award." to recognize individuals who have made a difference in the community. "The boat" and the silent auction were the most successful to date. As we embarked on our fifth year in 2005, it seemed that "the boat" had sailed. The Cotton Blossom had left downtown Mobile and we were presented with the challenge of finding a new venue. After much trepidation, and through the perseverance of members of the Aqua Committee, the GM&O building was chosen as the new venue. This historic structure and its unique architectural style inspired the theme "A Night At The Oasis." The new venue allowed the committee to further expand the event to include a Business & Community Organization Expo. To allow committee members to focus on the dance party and business expo, the Aqua Silent Auction was moved to November. Because of the many challenges that go with a new venue, the Aqua Committee reached out to other members of the community for help. Five outstanding members of the community graciously agreed to help, and the Aqua Support Committee was formed. The Aqua Committee is a total volunteer organization. Members receive no compensation other than the satisfaction of knowing they have worked to make a difference in the community. In the first six years, thanks to the community's support of the Aqua events, approximately $45,000 has been contributed to MASS. In 2007 AQUA instituted the AQUA Community Unity Awards and invited other organizations to join us in this new event. Click on "J. Allen Pope Award" to learn more about this new event. We, the men and women of Aqua, are busy planning this year's events and are looking forward to the continued support of our great community. It is our hope that you enjoy these events as much as we enjoy bringing them to you. The Aqua Committee Peter D.
Elvin N. Carl E.
Babette M. Rick O. Al G.
Jean D. The Aqua Support Committee Jerry E. David L. Darrel F. Chip M. Sonja S.
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