ALTON - Karen Baker-Brncic, Fran Purdy, and their crew of Parrot Pointe Marine Inc., were celebrated Saturday night for their work at Alton Marina at the annual anniversary party. They were surrounded by the love of family, friends, and residents. She will remain in the GM spot until April 2023. This was Karen's last official Alton Marina party to host.

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Karen and Rick Downer, her fiance.Baker-Brncic loves throwing parties and she is hoping the final Alton Marina Anniversary Party is one people won’t forget. She said probably 1,500 people attended the event.

Almost everyone who had ever been in her life was at the party.

“Every year, we have this as our anniversary party and I decided to make it a big last event,” Baker-Brncic said. "The No. 1 thing I have heard over the past 48 hours was how people kept seeing old friends they hadn’t seen in a long time.

"I saw one girl I hadn’t seen in 40 years - Dorita Tuetken. Some of my flight attendant roommates were there and a great crowd from the Marina was there. Beth and Tom Adney had a pre-kickoff party down on the dock that moved me. It goes to show Alton Marina's camaraderie.

"There were so many that came to see the crew. We had family and friends from Texas, California, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia to share in our big night."

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Baker-Brncic said several of her long-time girlfriends also showed up for the event and family.

“Some people also came to support both Fran Purdy and me. Fran helped me build this business. She is the manager," Baker-Brncic said. "She came in about 14 months after I took it 15 years ago and she, Cindy Roth, the former Alton treasurer, and Phil Roggio helped put the Marina back together. It was a lot of work, but we did it.”

Baker-Brncic said some of her best friends in the world took the time out to share in the special evening with her and her crew.

“Every time I looked around, somebody was hugging somebody,” she said. “It was just a great time. I am so thankful to everyone who attended. It meant the world to me and the crew. It was fantastic.”

Karen praised the City of Alton, Mayor David Goins, and the Alton City Council for their constant support over the years.

Baker-Brncic saluted her special crew - Fran Purdy, Greg Brown, Jill Butler, Tammy Kaus, Tom White, Mark McHugh, Lynn Mobley, Kim Nilson, Jon Brown, Abby Calhoun, Trae Corby, Ben Manibusan, Andrew Roth, Shane Scott, Chris Smith, Aiden Stassi, Angie Ball, Rick Downer, Rick Purdy, and Meg Fairless.

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