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Pepsi Refresh ‘Do Good for the Gulf’ – Just 2 Days Left to Vote!

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Pepsi Refresh ‘Do Good for the Gulf’ – Just 2 Days Left to Vote!

With just 2 days left to vote for ideas submitted to the Pepsi Refresh ‘Do Good for the Gulf’ program, KissMyCountry takes a look at the submissions and encourages everyone to express their opinion by going to the site and voting on the ideas they think are most awesome to help Gulf Communities!

Vote by August 31 on Do Good for the Gulf Submissions
The Pepsi Refresh Project stepped up to the plate in July with an additional $1.3 million for ideas that benefit communities affected by the oil spill in the Gulf.  Voting began on August 2 for ideas submitted and ends on August 31.  So, everyone has 2 days left to help decide on which ideas become finalists.  Please go to the site, take a look at the ideas submitted and vote for your favorites.  As Ben Jervey, Planet Ambassador for Pepsi Refresh said to KissMyCountry when we spoke with him in July, “People’s votes really matter and I encourage people to look through all of the ideas.”  Take the time to make a difference with your vote!

Great Ideas to Help Gulf Communities
Looking at the Do Good for the Gulf entries I saw great ideas in all funding categories – $5K, $25K, $50K and $250K.  Let me emphasize that what I’m about to say is my opinion only.  Please make your own decisions about which ideas are most deserving of an award when you go to the Do Good for the Gulf site!

The $5K category seems to have the most creative and practical ideas.  I found 4 that I really like.  Nolen Clark in Huntsville, Alabama wants to provide bicycles and bicycle trailers for Gulf clean-up volunteers so that volunteers can travel to clean-up sites in an environmentally friendly and healthy way – and have a bit of fun in the process! In Fort Walton, Florida the Thunderbird Intertribal Powwow wants to hold a 3-day Native American Powwow for 10,000 in Niceville, Florida for area schoolchildren and visitors.  What better way to promote understanding and a love of nature than through a Native American ceremony and celebration?  Byers,  Byers  & Associates of Daphne, Alabama wants to help pay for accounting services to help small businesses along the Alabama Gulf Coast file their B.P. claims, to help small businesses negotiate complex forms and assure that submissions are accurate.  And VSA Arizona in Tucson, Arizona wants to provide backpacks filled with school supplies to Gulf schoolchildren to ease the financial burden for families whose budgets are already stretched during the Gulf crisis.  It’s great to see the different ways that people want to help families, businesses, volunteers, and our spirit in the aftermath of the Gulf crisis.  All of these ideas are worthy, and I hope they get support.

Looking at submissions for larger awards – $25K, $50K and $250K, one idea in each category stood out.  In the $25K category, the Pittsburgh Zoo’s ‘Sea Turtle Second Chance’ program offers to build a relief center for Gulf Coast sea turtles to provide long-term care for injured sea turtles in Pittsburgh and allow Gulf-based relief centers to focus on the constant influx of injured sea turtles from the Gulf.  Thank you Pittsburgh – we are all concerned about the sea turtles in the Gulf – take a look at our interview with Willis Pickett of the Gulf Restoration Network - and appreciate your willingness to help. 

The $50K category also has a worthy submission related to saving Gulf wildlife.  Woodlands Trail and Park, Inc. in New Orleans, Louisiana wants to restore a habitat for migratory birds in the Woodlands Trail Bird Sanctuary through their Ecosystem Restoration project.  By removing non-native invasive vegetation from 50 acres of coast forest, and reforesting the area with native trees and seedlings, the group will help restore and enhance one of the first fattening up areas for migratory bids all the Mississippi Flyway.  Migratory birds are truly at risk in this disaster, so creating additional habitat for them is crucial. 

Also crucial is helping people whose jobs have been directly affected by the Gulf disaster.  In the $250K category, the Personal Learning Center in Cordova, Illinois wants to provide online vocational courses to 2500 Gulf residents whose jobs and livelihood have been affected by the Gulf disaster.  What a great way to help people whose jobs have been at risk in the past months; we applaud the Personal Learning Center for reaching out to help.

Good for the Gulf Finalists Announced September 2
Finalists will be announced on September 2 – so check back to see if any of our favorites become finalists!  In the meantime, we congratulate all individuals, organizations and companies that submitted their ideas to help Gulf communities.  Thank you for doing your part to help, and we can’t wait to see the finalists put their ideas and programs into action!

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DC Gulf Coast Benefit – Adams Morgan, Saturday August 7 from 3-8pm

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

This Saturday there’s a chance to show support for the Gulf of Mexico in DC.  Come to Adams Morgan from 3-8pm, eat and drink at one of the participating establishments, and show your support!  For details about this event visit http://dcsmashed.org/gulf/DC_Gulf_Coast_Benefit.html.

As we know, the BP oil drilling disaster continues to impact Gulf Coast communities and our environment profoundly.  Coastal communities need your help and support to manage the clean-up efforts, make communties whole, and overcome this disaster.

Come out this Saturday to Adams Morgan to support the Gulf Restoration Network’s effort to protect and restore the natural resources and communities of the Gulf Region for future generations.   Come out to Adams Morgan between 3-8pm this Saturday August 7th and visit one of the participating establishments to take advantage of specials offered.  A portion of the day’s proceeds will be donated by each establishment. Join the 3pm second line and march up 18th street to show your support.  Meet friends, listen to music, eat and drink and make merry wherever you like, all the while supporting the Gulf region.

So come with your friends, enjoy, and show your support.  Our Gulf communities will appreciate your contribution!

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Do Good for the Gulf by Voting in August for PepsiRefresh Ideas

Monday, July 26th, 2010

“Even though all of the ideas are in you can still be a big supporter of communities in the Gulf by voting for the ideas you think are the best.  People’s votes really matter and I encourage people to look through all of the ideas.  This can be a lot of money in the hands of very deserving ideas.” – Ben Jervey, Planet Ambassador, Pepsi Refresh Project

Idea Makers Get Their Chance to Help Gulf Communities
Pepsi and the Pepsi Refresh Project, thank you.  You’ve stepped up quickly and we’re glad to see that you’re building on what you’re already doing to lend extra support to Gulf communities.  The aftermath of the oil spill is going to affect communities in the Gulf for a long time; glad to see you didn’t waste any time getting started.  And thank you for knowing that the best ideas to help communities often come from the people who know and love these places.  We can’t wait to see what happens from your support.

For anyone who hasn’t heard, the Pepsi Refresh Project is giving away an extra $1.3 million towards ideas that benefit communities affected by the oil spill in the Gulf.  The first phase is completed with 1,000 new submissions focusing on ideas to help Gulf communities accepted from Monday, July 12 at noon ET to Friday, July 16 at noon ET.   Submissions are now in and the window is closed.  People with ideas have had their chance to submit.

Everyone Gets A Chance to Vote on the Most Inspiring Ideas Starting August 2
Now it’s time for the rest of us to do our part.   Starting on August 2, ideas can be reviewed and voted on by the public on the PepsiRefresh site.  After voting, the ideas with the most votes will be reviewed by Pepsi and Pepsi Refresh partner organizations GOOD and Global Giving to ensure ideas meet Pepsi Refresh standards and criteria.  Those with the most votes that meet criteria will receive support.  At that point idea makers will get needed support to put their ideas in place.

Ben Jervey, Planet Ambassador Talks About Doing Good for the Gulf
KissMyCountry caught up with Ben Jervey, Planet Ambassador for Pepsi Refresh to talk about the Do Good for the Gulf program.  We spoke with Ben earlier this year and it was great to talk with him again.  As usual, Ben’s heart, wisdom, support for our planet and respect for people and their ideas came through as we spoke.

“It’s everyone’s sense of duty.  Everyone wants to do whatever they can to help”, says Ben.  “It’s very exciting to see a company of this size be so agile.  We’re going to see ideas come from people themselves.  We’ll get to hear what communities need.”  When asked what kinds of ideas he expects to see from submissions, Ben said that he is constantly surprised and expects to be surprised this time as well.  “I’ve learned that there are some incredible ideas that I personally never would have thought of.  Communities in the Gulf have a better sense of what communities need.”

Ben does encourage everyone to take a look at this special group of Gulf submissions starting on August 2, and vote on the ideas you think are best.   “Even though all of the ideas are in you can still be a big supporter of communities in the Gulf by voting for the ideas you think are the best.  People’s votes really matter and I encourage people to look through all of the ideas.  This can be a lot of money in the hands of very deserving ideas.”

Working Together for Positive Change
Ben, thank you for talking to KissMyCountry.  We wish you all the best as you review submissions, wait for the votes to come in, and then put the chance for action into the hands of the idea makers and their communities.  We’ll be looking at the Gulf submissions as well and talking about the ideas that most inspire us.  All of us are concerned about what’s happened in the Gulf, and we appreciate the chance to do something together for positive change.

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Interview With Paula Aldarelli, Executive Director, EarthShare New Jersey

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

“The rewards are huge.  I get more out of what I do here in one day than anything else.  I make sure our state and our planet are healthier and cleaner.    Making the environment personal to people is what I get satisfaction from.”  – Paula Aldarelli, Executive Director, EarthShare New Jersey

KissMyCountry had the chance to talk with Paula Aldarelli, Executive Director, EarthShare New Jersey.  Enjoy hearing about Paula, her job as Executive Director and her love of New Jersey!  KissMyCountry’s New Jersey t-shirt –shown below – will support EarthShare New Jersey with 10% of proceeds to the organization.  We are connecting with environmental non-profits in all 50 states and New Jersey is one of the first!

Paula Aldarelli’s days are filled with talking, meeting , and working to create opportunities for the environmental programs supported by EarthShare New Jersey.  Paula works hard and clearly loves the work she does, which she does very well.  EarthShare New Jersey is lucky to have Paula Aldarelli – she’s a great voice for New Jersey’s environmental non-profits.  “The environment has become a passion for people at many different levels, and in many different ways.  Demand has increased and meeting the needs is a challenge.  But people come out of the woodwork with gifts and talents you’d never expect,” says Paula as she talked with KissMyCountry about being Executive Director at EarthShare New Jersey.

EarthShare New Jersey joined EarthShare in 2000, connecting to a national network.  The move expanded the scope of the Environmental Fund of New Jersey, founded in 1994, to benefit both local and national non-profits focusing on New Jersey.   With workplace giving a major source of funds and education and awareness programs a primary focus, EarthShare New Jersey supports over 60 non-profit organizations and offers opportunities to get involved.  “We can work with a company of any size to develop a program that is right for them and their employees.  In addition to our workplace giving program that lets employees choose where their gift goes, we offer volunteer awareness and education programs.  EarthShare New Jersey members address air, water, land and wildlife issues where people live, work and play.”

EarthShare New Jersey supports The Wetlands Institute, Hackensack River Keeper, Clean Ocean Action, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, New Jersey Audubon Society, Flat Rock Brook Nature Center and CATA, to name a few.  Organizations supported by EarthShare New Jersey are Board members.  “We screen all of our members and we review them to make sure they are all fiscally responsible”, Paula assured.

Among her many talents, Paula knows about fiscal responsibility, having come to EarthShare New Jersey after a 16-year career with Merrill Lynch.  When her department was ‘downsized’ Paula saw a positive side to the sudden change.  “I said, ‘This is an opportunity for me to decide what do I want to be when I grow up’?  I took six months to figure out what do I enjoy, and I’ve always had a finger in charitable work.”   Paula had found her new direction.

Paula took classes at a local community college in development and interviewed about a dozen people working in the non-profit world.  With that under her belt, she was ready to find her first job but came up against another challenge.  “I started applying for jobs, and as quickly as the door was being opened the door was being shut.  I was told I was overqualified and that I wouldn’t want to accept the compensation available.”  Then, during one interview Paula was told ‘We won’t offer you this job, but we know what you’re perfect for. ‘  She was connected with EarthShare New Jersey and Paula had the job of Executive Director 2 weeks later.

For Paula, being Executive Director allows her to apply skills learned in the financial world and natural people skills with her passion for the environment and love of New Jersey.  “As a child my parents took me all over New Jersey – Cape May, the Palisades, the Jersey Shore.  It was something I was passionate about,” says Paula.  “Working for a non-profit can be all consuming.  It is a big transition on many levels personally and professionally.  But I have the chance to use the things I’ve learned and that’s extremely rewarding.”

EarthShare New Jersey has many special events on the horizon for those who want to learn more and become involved.  In Trenton on June 16 from 5-7pm there will be an Environmental Awareness Fair at Waterfront Park just before the Trenton Thunder play the Altoona Curve at 7pm.  The Trenton Thunder will donate $4 per $11 game ticket to EarthShare New Jersey –a  generous donation.  So, June 16 is a day to learn more about places to visit in New Jersey to enjoy nature, get some tips for healthy living, and then enjoy a game with the New York Yankees minor league affiliate – a great way to start the summer!

September 20-30 is EarthShare New Jersey Week, and an opportunity for the public to visit member locations to learn about EarthShare New Jersey and their member network.  There will be hiking, plantings, cleanups and boat tours as well as a Fall Equinox Walk.  “We’re inviting the public to get to know us,” says Paula, “It’s a great opportunity to learn about our members.”  And save the date for EarthShare Celebrates New Jersey, their annual wine tasting fundraising event to be held on April 1, 2011 at the Laurita Winery in New Egypt, New Jersey.

When we asked Paula about the places she loves it was no surprise that it’s New Jersey all the way for Paula Aldarelli.  In fact, she shared photos of the Pine Barrens and the Jersey Shore with KissMyCountry for this interview.  “I love coming back home,” says Paula.  “There’s nothing more beautiful than the Pine Barrens.  There’s nothing like going down to the beach, especially with your kids.  Passaic Falls is a natural wonder that people don’t often think about.  The Hackensack River is a wonder to me. There’s nothing like being on the water seeing the Empire State Building and ospreys flying by.”  Paula, thank you for the work you do and for encouraging others to visit natural places in New Jersey and support EarthShare New Jersey and environmental programs in the state. 

KissMyCountry’s New Jersey t-shirt will support EarthShare New Jersey with 10% of proceeds from the sale of each shirt.  Enjoy!

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Interview with Ben Jervey – Pepsi Refresh Project Planet Ambassador, Journalist and Author

Monday, April 19th, 2010

“We’re seeing the first round of grant recipients, and we’re telling stories about the grant recipients.  The actual impact of these projects is what’s most exciting to me.  I’m excited to see how they develop.”

“I’m still very intrigued by the Arctic.  It’s being out on the edge, a place where the impact of humans is there but invisible.  You have to know how to look for it.  It’s where you learn – there’s something deeper there.  It’s where you learn about yourself and the world.”

- Ben Jervey

KissMyCountry had the chance to talk with Ben Jervey, Planet Ambassador for the Pepsi Refresh Project –and a person truly committed to saving our planet.  In this interview, Ben adds to his comments from our post about the Pepsi Refresh Project a few weeks ago, talking about what he’ll do as Planet Ambassador in the next few months as grant recipients are announced and their projects move ahead.  Ben also talks with us about his thoughts on the Copenhagen talks, which he attended last December, the recent SXSW conference, and the places he loves – including a great eco-eatery in Brooklyn.    Enjoy getting to know Ben Jervey, hearing his opinions and about his experiences – and don’t forget to work on your Pepsi Refresh submission!

Lexy: What are your main activities for the Pepsi Refresh Project?  What kinds of things are you doing, and what are you enjoying the most?

Ben:  It’s been changing a lot.  The Project just started and we’ve been figuring out our roles as Ambassadors.  On March 22, there was an announcement of the first round of 32 winners from February.  We’re starting to tell the stories of the grant recipients  and helping them to implement their ideas.  The actual impact of these projects is what’s most exciting to me.  I’m excited to see how they develop. 

Lexy: You mentioned a few weeks go that you’ll be reporting on Planet funded ideas for the Refresh Project.  When will that begin, and how many projects will you highlight?  Will you visit grant recipients in person?

Ben: Each Ambassador will try to tell one grant recipient’s story each week through phone conversations, and every month or so we will go visit funded ideas.  We plan to create web videos and blog posts to highlight what they’re doing, and these will be on the Pepsi Refresh and GOOD sites.  I haven’t decided yet where I’ll go first.  The GreenShields project to make school buses more energy efficient is really doing well, and as soon as they have a prototype I’d like to go see one and talk with the grant recipients. 

Lexy: Ben, you were at the Copenhagen climate talks last December.  That’s incredibly exciting, and your blogs about Copenhagen are awesome.  Copenhagen received mixed reviews.  As someone who was actually there, what are your most vivid impressions?

Ben:  Everyone – and I’m not pointing any fingers – created such a circus and such high expectations there was no way it would have worked.  It was no setting for sober, thoughtful negotiations at all.  What was accomplished is nothing close to solving the worldwide climate problem.  But it’s folly to completely dismiss the progress made.  It was a small step forward when we were all hoping for a giant leap forward kind of moment – but it was a step forward.  We still have a lot of work to do, and I count myself among those disappointed.  It was an incredible collision of people but also a great convergence.  Note:  KissMyCountry’s Mr. K posted thoughts about Copenhagen before and following the talks, including a hopeful message that echoes Ben’s opinions.

Lexy: You were also just at SXSW Interactive – lucky you!  That was really the place to be a few weeks ago.  What were the highlights for you – what did you see that you’re still thinking and talking about?

 Ben:  There’s a lot of fun innovation – a lot of tools, a lot of toys for the tech crowd.  It’s disappointing to me there aren’t more tools developed to serve the greater good – on this point, there is a long way to go.  I’d like to see that community shaken and all this incredible innovation being used for positive change.  I’d love to see a day where the most buzz worthy tools at SXSW are those with the most positive value for the world.

Lexy: You’ve been doing a lot of traveling, and travel can present dilemmas for a Green lifestyle.  As a person saving the planet and a world class Traveler, what are your suggestions for making travel a little Greener?

 Ben:  I love to rent or borrow a bicycle when I visit another city.  In Los Angeles when I go to GOOD’s offices I borrow a bike from a friend.  It’s a great way to see a city.  I feel I know Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and other cities better because I know it from two wheels.  There’s actually a subway in Los Angeles that nobody knows about.

Often times, I take the train.  I really love the train.  I like Amtrak.  It’s not the most well-managed – and I’ve written about that.  I long for the day we have European or Japanese high speed rail travel here in the US.

Flight is tough.  It’s an enormous emission of greenhouse gases.  There are some offsets you can pay to cut this a little bit.  I have a friend who works for 350.org, and he and I were talking about this in Copenhagen.  He said, “I will go any distance and take any flight if I’m working toward solving climate change.”  Most of the decisions I make personally or professionally have to be for a good purpose.

Lexy: Ben, at KissMyCountry we like to ask people about their favorite places.  What places do you love the most?  Where do you love?

Ben:  I love my neighborhood in Brooklyn – Fort Green.  It’s a real community in the streets, the restaurants and the bars.  It’s a wonderful place to live.  I love the Green Mountains of Vermont.  I went to school there, and I lived there for years of my life and still have a connection there.  Also, the high peaks wilderness in the Adirondacks Mountains is really just the next level of heaven.  It’s rugged, massive and sublime.

Lexy: You seem to enjoy travel.  Any place you’ve never seen that you’d love to visit?  What’s at the top of your ‘wish list’?

Ben: I’ve been fortunate to get to some places in the Arctic.  I’ve been to the east coast of Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard.  I’ve felt the need to get back.  I’ve never been to Western Greenland or Baffin Island but I’d love to visit some villages there – also the north slope of Alaska.  I’m still very intrigued by the Arctic.  It’s being out on the edge, a place where the input of humans is there but invisible.  You have to know how to look for it.  It’s where you learn – there’s something deeper there.  It’s where you learn about yourself and the world.  I’d also like to go to Vancouver – a city that is so well planned and operated.   Cities are a really important ingredient and Vancouver might be one of the best models we have.

Lexy: You live in Brooklyn, which seems to have a lot of great places to eat.  If someone is spending the day in Brooklyn, where do you suggest they stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Ben:  Spring through Fall there’s Habana Outpost – it’s an eco-eatery.  The food is good.  The corn is amazing.  It’s Cuban-influenced food and the setting is amazing.  You can enjoy the outdoor café, it’s solar-powered and rainwater captured.  It’s a real beacon, and a great hub for conscious and conscientious types in Brooklyn.  Franny’s has some of the best flatbread style pizza made with locally grown sustainable produce.  They shop in the farmer’s markets daily.

Ben, we wish you the best as you visit and talk about Pepsi Refresh Project funded ideas – we can’t wait to hear how they’ll be saving the planet and bringing good to their communities.  We look forward to catching up with you later this year, and in the meantime will stay in touch through your blogs for Pepsi Refresh, GOOD, and ONEarth.  Thanks for keeping us posted about what’s going on, and what we should know about!

 

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Laura Seltzer, A Filmmaker Making a Difference With ‘Last Boat Out’

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

“My goal is to produce films that inspire change.” – Laura Seltzer, Documentary Filmmaker

KissMyCountry wrote about Laura Seltzer a few weeks ago in our posts on the Bethesda Green Fields of Green Internship Fair.  We now get to know Laura better through her most recent work, ‘Last Boat Out’.  Enjoy!

Laura Seltzer, award-winning producer and documentary filmmaker, uses her talents to help to make a difference in people’s lives.  Her work has taken her many places, including foreign countries and inside the world of mental illness.  Laura’s latest film, ‘Last Boat Out’, highlights the watermen of the Chesapeake Bay whose way of life is threatened by pollution and development.  For Laura, it’s a chance to make a difference that’s very personal.  Laura grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and knows both the Bay and the lives of the watermen firsthand.

“I grew up boating on those waters.  My family had a boat on Deep Creek .  We would spend the whole summer on the boat”, Laura says.  “I watched countless sunrises on the James River.  The workboats would come in and you would see this gorgeous glow on the water.”  When Laura learned the last local pier in Newport News used by the watermen would be torn down, she took action.  “I took my camera and went down to the pier.  Losing the pier meant more than a chunk of wood.  The watermen grew up on the pier, their fathers grew up on the pier, and their grandfathers grew up on the pier.”  Laura’s action and the cooperation of the Chesapeake watermen led to ‘Last Boat Out’, a 27-minute film.  The film sparked a response among supporters even before its premiere on MPT on Wednesday, April 21.  Sam Waterston asked to narrate the film after hearing about it through Oceana.  The Congressional Water Caucus, interested in the water quality of the Chesapeake, organized a Congressional Viewing at the Capital on April 14 – a first for Laura and her films.  “It was so gratifying to not only show my film on the big screen in our nation’s capital but to have those who influence public policy view my film”, Laura said after the screening.

Bethesda Green will host an evening with Laura Seltzer on April 21 at Hard Times Café from 8-10pm.  “The film is right on target”, says Tommy Leggett, a Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration and Fisheries Scientist, and for years a working waterman himself.  “Every emotion the watermen feel in the film, I have felt.  Every decision they struggle with, I have struggled with. They’re in a tough, tough spot.”

Laura is thrilled that ‘Last Boat Out’ is receiving attention already, and hopes the film motivates people to push for change for the better.  “It’s great to have the cachet of a showing on PBS or a viewing by Congress, but if people don’t use it to help save the Bay then what use is it?”.  Laura decided to become a documentary filmmaker after working in commercial photography and then film production after attending film school at NYU.  “I volunteered on a documentary and that was my turning point.  I wanted to make films that inspire people and I’ve been doing that for 15 years.  My goal is to produce films that inspire change.”

Laura, you’ve done a great job and we can’t wait to see ‘Last Boat Out’.  We’ll be there at the Hard Times Café on April 21!

 

Bethesda Green is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located on the second floor of the Chevy Chase Bank Branch at 4825 Cordell Avenue, Suite 200, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.  Bethesda Green will host a Premiere Party on Wednesday, April 21 from 7-9:30pm at the Hard Times Café for Laura Seltzer’s PBS documentary “The Last Boat Out”, about Virginia’s Watermen and the Chesapeake Bay, narrated by Sam Waterston.  Suggested donation for the Premiere Party is $10 to go toward education programs for Bethesda Green and communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Please RSVP to attend the Premiere Party to Melissa@SeltzerFilmVideo.com or 202-210-4689.

 

  

 

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Interview With Melissa Ranley, Sea Turtle Hospital Coordinator, Loggerhead Marinelife Center (Juno Beach, Florida) – Understanding and Protecting Sea Turtles

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

“Juno Beach is one of the most densely populated sea turtle nesting areas in the world.  We’re in the turtle’s territory.” – Melissa Ranly, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Hospital Coordinator

This is the second part of a two-part interview.  In Part 1 Melissa told us about the Center, her work with sea turtles, and the challenges met during record cold in Florida this January.  In Part 2 Melissa talks  about the Center’s educational programs and what we can do to help protect sea turtles during nesting season and year round.  Enjoy!

Education has always been central to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center.  “The Center began with the work of one woman, Eleanor Fletcher, more than 25 years ago,” Melissa says.  “Out of her love and passion for sea turtles she helped protect the nests, helped the hatchlings, and wanted to share her love and passion with children and future generations.”   There are educational programs year round, but the Center offers guided Turtle Walks during June and July to learn about the local nesting areas.  “We want to make sure everyone is getting a good education, and doing things the right way for the animals.  Juno Beach is one of the most densely populated sea turtle nesting areas in the world.  We’re in the turtle’s territory,” explains Melissa.

Melissa  is amazed by the strength and resilience of sea turtles.  “They heal from traumatic injuries surprisingly well, and 80 percent of what we treat them for are man-made injuries.  They’ve been around for millions of years.”  Take Morgan, who came to the Center with traumatic injuries, but is now recovering well.  “He’s one of those turtles that didn’t seem to know how sick he was, and he’s one of the strongest turtles I’ve treated,” says Melissa.  Despite their strength, sea turtles need protection.  Marine and beach enthusiasts can put sea turtles in danger.  “Fishing line is a huge problem.  If a fisherman gets stuck on a reef they cut their line.  The reef is where turtles and other species are feeding and they become entangled.  Plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish, and some sea turtles eat jellyfish.  So plastic bags can be a problem too.”

Nesting season for sea turtles is from March 1 through October 31 in the Southeast United States, and people around nesting areas at the beach should be careful during this time.  Melissa advises, “Don’t leave an imprint on the beach.  Leave everything the way you came.  Take your trash, fill in any holes you dig – sea turtles or the hatchlings can fall in and be vulnerable to prey.  If you see a female sea turtle, give her space and let her find a place to lay her eggs.  Watch from a distance.  They can get spooked easily, and they’ll leave if they feel uneasy.”  Night time during nesting season is lights out  – including flashlights.  “If you’re at the beach at night, or in a condo or house on the beach, no lights.  When the hatchlings emerge they can become disoriented and they’ll head toward the lights – looking for the moon’s reflection on the water,” warns Melissa.

Not at the beach but still want to help?  Anyone can aid sea turtles and other marine life simply by using less water, according to Melissa.  “Water conservation is a huge help to the entire aquatic eco system.  Minimize the water you use – washing dishes, brushing your teeth.  That helps all of us.”

Melissa, thank you for sharing so much about sea turtles and your work at the Center – and for teaching us how to protect this ancient species.  We wish you the best during sea turtle nesting season, and we’ll keep in touch to see how things are going!

The Loggerhead Marine Life Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization relying on donations for support.  Admission is free and visitors can view recovering sea turtles in an open courtyard.  There are many programs for children, exhibits, and a gift shop. Visit the Center’s web site for upcoming events, information, and volunteering opportunities.  The web site’s turtle cam shows the daily progress of recovering sea turtles. 

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Interview With Melissa Ranly, Sea Turtle Hospital Coordinator, Loggerhead Marinelife Center (Juno Beach, Florida)

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

“We took in 75-80 sea turtles in two weeks during the cold in January.  That’s more than we usually treat in two years.  Our volunteers were here day and night.”  – Melissa Ranly, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Hospital Coordinator

The Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida is a full service veterinary hospital for sea turtles and an education and coastal conservation center open to the public.  Located near one of the most active sea turtle nesting beaches in the world, the Center – and the recovering sea turtles – have over 200,000 visitors each year.  With nesting season beginning March 1, KissMyCountry interviewed Melissa Ranly, the Center’s Hospital Coordinator.  Melissa gives us a glimpse into the world of these ancient and gentle creatures in this two part interview.  In Part 1 Melissa talks about the Center, her work with sea turtles and the challenges met during record cold this January.  In Part 2 Melissa talks about the Center’s educational programs and what all of us can do to protect sea turtles during nesting season and year round.  Enjoy!

Melissa’s day begins with the new turtles arriving at the Center for care and treatment.  “The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission oversees turtle rescues, and they call when they need our help.  Occasionally we go out with our sea turtle ambulance.  We do blood work and x-rays when a turtle arrives, looking for any hooks or pneumonia – basic diagnostics.  We clean off any barnacles on their shell.  Usually the turtles have been sick or injured for quite some time before they strand.”  The rest of Melissa’s day is spent with other turtle patients – shots, wound care, de-worming, weighing and measuring.  There are surgeries too.  “It’s a hospital, and the turtles receive the same type of care a human patient would get,” explains Melissa.

Melissa also oversees the Center’s large group of rehabilitation volunteers who prepare food for the turtles, clean their tanks, and educate the public.   “We have a great group of volunteers”, says Melissa, “It’s been an amazing year so far.  We took in 75-80 sea turtles in two weeks during the cold in January.  That’s more than we usually treat in two years.  No one could have been prepared for this, and the collaboration was incredible.  Our volunteers were here day and night.”

 Melissa described the coordinated effort between the Center staff, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Center’s volunteers.  “Nearly 400-500 turtles were taken out of the water each day, and close to 5,000 turtles were stranded during the cold spell.  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission established a staging facility, sending the worst turtles to rehabilitation centers while others were warmed up and returned to the water.”  For turtles sent to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center during the cold spell, staff formed a triage protocol to treat turtles in the right order with the sickest turtles treated first.  Donors and local organizations responded with donations for the Center’s increased needs during this time.

Melissa, who  has a degree in Psychology, learned to take care of sea turtles and other marine animals at Sea World in Orlando, Florida during the 10 years she worked in their aquarium and animal care departments.  While at Sea World, Melissa had the chance to meet people from other marine animal rehabilitation centers at annual meetings in Marathon, Florida.   When she moved to the Juno Beach area, Melissa sought out the Center.  “My love for the ocean and my love for turtles couldn’t keep me away”, Melissa confesses.

Melissa is from South Florida and, as a Florida native loves Florida more than anywhere else in the world.  “I love the ocean and so many places in Florida – St. Augustine, the Keys, Captiva and Sanibel Island.”  She did recently travel to the Pacific Northwest.  “I went from Oregon to Vancouver, and saw cliffs overlooking pristine beaches.  I took a ferry to San Juan Island, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.”

Melissa, the sea turtles and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center are lucky to have you, and your work is exciting and important.  Tomorrow we’ll continue our conversation to hear about the Center’s educational programs and how we can all protect sea turtles during nesting season and year round.

The Loggerhead Marine Life Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization relying on donations for support.  Admission is free and visitors can view recovering sea turtles in an open courtyard.  There are many programs for children, exhibits, and a gift shop. Visit the Center’s web site for upcoming events, information, and volunteer  opportunities.  The web site’s turtle cam shows the ongoing progress of recovering sea turtles.

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