Kelli Garcia is one of 22 nominees for Gulfportian of the Year.
Photo via Kelli Garcia
Kelli Garcia is one of 22 nominees for 2025 Gulfportian of the Year.
Vote now!Meet Kelli Garcia
“Kelli created A Gulfport Welcome, an orientation event for new residents. She hosts block parties like last year’s Hulloween and an annual leftovers potluck the day after Thanksgiving. She stepped up after the hurricanes and organized food and supply deliveries to Town Shores and staffed the distribution tent in the marina. She served on the board of the [Gulfport] Merchants Chamber and she hosts events at the Gulfport Brewery and the North End Taphouse like the Elf and the Rocky Horror Picture Show interactive movies, as well as silent discos and trivia events. She always greets her neighbors with a smile and is the life of any party. She a real asset to her community and as has yet to be officially recognized (expect for the couples costume contest she won at the Gecko Ball one year),” Eric Garcia wrote in his nomination.
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Kelli Garcia, in Her Own Words:
“Gulfport is my chosen home, and I feel lucky every day to be part of this community. I care deeply about helping people find their place here whether that’s through my work helping new neighbors find the right home, or through the small things that bring us together, like block parties, pop-up gatherings, or co-hosting A Gulfport Welcome. Community is one of the most meaningful things we create as human beings, and Gulfport does it better than anywhere I’ve ever lived. I’m honored to be nominated alongside so many people who show their love for this town in their own ways.”
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