PASS-A-GRILLE BEACH, Fla. — Local traditions are part of what makes communities so special.
ABC Action News Anchor Lauren St. Germain learned about one in Pass-a-Grille that has stood the test of time and weather.
WATCH: Longstanding Pass-a-Grille Beach tradition rings on each night at sunset
By day, the sun shines bright over Pass-a-Grille beach, making that gulf water sparkle, and by evening, the attention shifts to watching the sun make its journey down to the horizon and a bell at Paradise Grille.
“Every night at sunset, we ring the bell,” said Debi Saltzberg, the current bell keeper.
She continued, “365 days a year, no matter what."
Rain or shine.
“The bell ringing started in 1997 from a gentleman named Jim Myers and Cleo Robertson. They started a group called the Clapper Club. Cleo went and bought a bell at the antique store, had the museum purchase it, and then got the city to install it here," said Saltzberg.
The bell keeper job has been handed down over the years, and the bells have been replaced, but the tradition has stayed the same.
“This is the lanyard we are going to hang up onto the bell. This lanyard was hand made by Snake Baker. He was in the Vietnam War. We have his dog tags here," said Saltzberg.
“It’s very special. We have chosen bell ringers that either schedule prior or we pick out of a crowd. Sometimes we just randomly pick out of a crowd,” said Saltzberg.
Some, like DeeAnn and Ron, rang the bell to celebrate.
“It was so meaningful. This moment to say he’s cancer free, and we get to ring this bell and celebrate. We are so blessed. So, so blessed,” said DeeAnn Feick.
Other people ring in memory. The night ABC Action News Anchor Lauren St. Germain was there, Joan Loughery rang the bell, with her loved ones by her side.
“And today is a very special day. What day is it?” asked St. Germain.
“The 27th of March,” said Loughery.
“What else?” asked St. Germain.
“My birthday,” said Loughery.
“We have them write in a book. They date it and where they are from. People from all over the world come to ring the bell,” said Saltzberg.
And just as the sun sets, the bell ringing begins.
“We ring the bell 15 times. Ding dong is one. Ding dong is two. The first five are for the birds to find their way back to Shell Key. The second five are for the sailors and the captains to find their way home. And the third five are for the bell ringer’s dreams and wishes,” said Saltzberg.
It’s a tradition with extra special meaning after how much this community went through last hurricane season.
“We rang the bell, and that’s the one thing that held constant through the whole time. I would video it live, and we would just all together, people from all across the country, and we would ring the bell. It was just that moment of everything is going to be okay,” said Saltzberg.
A reminder, the sun will always rise and set, giving hope for another day.
The notebooks with all the bell ringers, live across the way inside the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum. It’s still going through repairs because of the hurricanes last year, so as of early May 2025, they are not available for public viewing.
If you or someone you know is interested in ringing the bell, you can contact Debi via this Facebook page.
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