My Nonprofit Reviews

I moved from New Castle, Pennsylvania to Melbourne Beach, Florida in January, 2001.

We took the access to the beach, using the stairs over the dunes, and noticed very large tracks that we thought were tire tracks. Originally living in western PA farming country, we thought the tracks were from machinery. Had we been educated about TURTLES and aware of their tracks coming out of the ocean, our assumption would have been different.

When the Barrier Island Sanctuary was scheduled to open on Mother's Day, 2008, I attended the first meeting for volunteers and have been a volunteer in the Mermaid's Purse Gift Shop ever since. The Sea Turtle Conservancy manages the gift shop with proceeds benefitting sea turtle education, research and conservation at the Sanctuary. I am in AWE, concerning all the educational information I have been exposed to during my years as a volunteer.

The Barrier Island Sanctuary welcomes school groups, which are often visiting while I am volunteering in the gift shop. The children are so eager to absorb all the facts in the exhibits and enjoy how everything is presented with interest and fun, while learning! Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program partnered with Sea Turtle Conservancy at the Sanctuary offer dune-to-lagoon educational programs with a connection on sea turtles for school study trips.

On some school trips, the children are so impressed to view the Ocean, as the Barrier Island Sanctuary is adjacent to it. Several of the school children that visit just live across the river, and this is their first time at the ocean and able to view all of the TURTLE exhibits.

The Barrier Island Sanctuary, including the Mermaid's Purse Gift Shop, has many repeat visitors, including the locals and also the northerners/SNOWBIRDS!

I really enjoy my participation with Sea Turtle Conservancy at the Barrier Island Sanctuary.
Pauline