I don't know how this organization uses the funds it receives specifically but I have seen first-hand the absolutely amazing care and concern they have for turtles. They have an area where injured turtles each have their own outdoor water tank and are being rehabilitated and then released. Some of these turtles had been badly wounded by propellers or large hooks- you name it, they will try and help them. It's impressive to see the lengths they do to try and heal a badly wounded turtle. I've never seen anything like it. It's basically the ultimate hospital for injured turtles.
We all have that 'ah-ha' moment at some point in our life. For some, it's a feeling of peace, assuring us everything is right in the world. For others, it's overwhelming. Either way, it's a pivotal part of life. And at Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC), we believe sharing our ocean conservation story with others will bring them to that moment. I believe this because it happened to me.
My moment occurred while interning at LMC, an ocean conservation organization and sea turtle hospital located in Juno Beach, Florida. I was filming a sea turtle release, and as I watched the turtle crawl back to the ocean, I began smiling incessantly. In that moment, I knew I wanted to continue telling LMC's story. People needed to know about ocean conservation and LMC's vital role in it.
Even as I work full time as LMC's Public relations & Communications Coordinator, I am still amazed. Our story is one of everyday heroes who recognize how precious our oceans are. Whether our finance director is working on a budget, our marketing team is running around campus taking photos or our hospital staff is busy treating a turtle, every one of our 28 full-time staff members has an important role at Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
LMC is nestled along one of the world's most densely-populated loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches, giving our scientists 9.5 miles of beach to monitor and better understand the sea turtles that nest there. We're also the only sea turtle hospital between Orlando and the Florida Keys, where our state-of-the-art equipment gives injured or sick sea turtles a second chance at survival.
Though we focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles, we recognize the greater need to care for our oceans as a whole. Over the last three years, our conservation impact has grown tremendously ' with over 16 global conservation partners and various conservation programs, we've removed more than 8,000 pounds of marine debris, rescued over 200 sea turtles and cultivated 50 fishing pier partners as we provide solutions to environmental problems.
Our hands-on public and educational programs also help us continue to carry out our founder Eleanor Fletcher's mission to educate others about ocean and sea turtle conservation. She believed in the power of the next generation ' and wanted to make sure they would see an ocean that was healthy and beautiful.
The catch is, we need more help. We need more willing hands. Our global impact can only happen through the mighty hearts, minds and souls of those eager to help our staff continue LMC's mission of ocean conservation.
Though the hours can be long and the days can be demanding, there's no place I'd rather be. And quite simply, that's why I give.
To learn more about LMC's conservation work, visit www.marinelife.org.
Review from #MyGivingStory
I have been lucky enough to be able to volunteer with Loggerhead Turtle Hospital and have seen absolutely wonderful and dedicated loving people giving their all to help these injured and sick turtles!
The compassion and caring among all the staff and Volunteers is truly heartening. LMC does the most fantastic work helping injured sea turtles from all over the country. Presently we have quite a few turtles that were saved from cold-stunning up in Cape cod and many have been healed and are now being released! You could not find more helpful and compassionate staff & volunteers in any non-profit endeavor!
Sadly---right after letting LMC know about this site and the grant they are awarding---someone at LMC felt that it was "inappropriate" that i had "broken the chain of command" there and had the gall and arrogance to mention this to the "higher-ups" there (and perhaps embarassed THEIR Bosses by showing how they had been incompetent in not knowing about GREAT NONPROFITS and this possible Grant) ----so I was called in the director's office and in about 7 seconds told I was being fired as a "volunteer", and the director, Tommy Cutt, REFUSED to even tell me a "reason" for WHY he was firing me as a Volunteer. seems some "higherups" have very defensive and nasty sociopathic tendencies and mechanisms to try and hide their ineptness and lack of people-skills?
As I pointed out to the newly hired CEO/President- JACK LIGHTON, who also would not give me a "reason" for why he ordered TOMMY CUTT to fire me----They probably would not have treated a TURTLE as harshly and meanly as they treated me for only doing something with the good of the Turtles and the Mission of LMC in mind. Sometimes Non-profits DO actually hire and keep "LOSERS" and crass cowardly people on their staff.
Chuck Sheehan