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Reel Time: Scallopalooza - Welcome to the Clam Jam

Reel Time: Scallopalooza – Welcome to the Clam Jam

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Saturday night, Feb. 11, Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) will hold its 13th annual major fundraising event, “Scallopalooza: Welcome to The Clam Jam,” at the Sarasota Hyatt Regency Hotel. Last year’s event was a sellout with over 400 community supporters in attendance and, if history is any indication, this year will be too.

SBW’s Executive Director Ronda Ryan, who has been with Sarasota Bay Watch since 2007, continues to spearhead the group’s education and restoration efforts. Sarasota Bay Watch’s shellfish restoration efforts resulted in nearly 1 million clams being released in 2022 alone. Their work highlights the need for action to protect the local marine ecosystem. As a part of that “natural system,” clams filter algae that have been growing in excess and affecting water quality and clarity in the bay. Reduced water quality and clarity negatively affect seagrass growth, a necessary component for a healthy ecosystem. Seagrass beds provide essential habitat and food to all creatures in the bay, including humans.

Sarasota Bay Watch Board President Brandon Taaffe and members of the event committee, Brian Jung, Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Ernesto Lasso De La Vega, helped Ryan organize an event that highlights the importance of and support for local nonprofits stressing the significance of clean water.

The evening’s activities will include live music, an open bar and a large silent auction that includes artwork, event tickets, and merchandise of every description. After dinner, a live auction will feature packages including travel, fishing trips and much more.

One of the best parts of the event is the opportunity to mingle with some of the region’s most passionate environmental supporters and to share the common mission for protecting Sarasota Bay. De La Vega, who leads the clam restoration efforts, will be back to update participants on SBW’s projects, which include the first-ever clam lease in Sarasota Bay that is dedicated to restoration.

To get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support their mission, visit the group’s website. As their motto says, “A healthy bay is everybody’s business,” literally and figuratively!

Reel Time: Scallopalooza is ‘Clamtastic!’

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Saturday night, Feb. 12, Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) held its 11th annual major fund-raising event, “Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic,” at the Sarasota Hyatt Regency Hotel. The yearly event was another sellout and at the time of this writing final totals are still being tabulated.

I was impressed at the overwhelming community support that was shown for Sarasota Bay Watch’s efforts and estimate that close to 400 people were in attendance. SBW’s event coordinator, Ronda Ryan, worked with volunteer Jen Zak, the SBW Board and Scallopalooza Committee Chairs Brian Jung, Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Ernesto Lasso De La Vega to organize an event that highlights the importance of, and support for, local nonprofits that stress the importance of clean water.

The evening began with live music, an open bar and a large silent auction including art work, event tickets and merchandise of every description as participants mingled to share their passion for Sarasota Bay. Event Chair Brian Jung welcomed the crowd and thanked them for their support while keeping everyone apprised of the auction items and encouraging them to visit the tables. Ernesto Lasso De La Vega gave an inspirational introduction to the clam restoration project, speaking about the scientific documentation that the group is currently involved in. John Ryan, a founding member of Sarasota Bay Watch, was next and explained the motivation and purpose of SBW’s many projects and emphasized the group’s non-partisan “fun” approach to conservation. Ryan cited SBW’s many activities including island and rookery cleanups, citizen and student education and much more.

Island entrepreneur and conservationist Ed Chiles took the podium after dinner and encouraged the attendees to support the efforts by turning dollars into clams and offered a substantial match to those who might join the effort. Another prominent Anna Maria Island business owner, Ben Webb, made a major contribution to the efforts that raised the funds to implement the ongoing “Clampaign” to stock 1.5 million clams in the coming year. WWSB TV’s Channel 7 weatherman Bob Harrigan, one of the area’s most popular and respected broadcasters, gave a rousing speech lauding the group’s efforts. Harrigan has been promoting those efforts since SBW’s first-ever Scallop Search in 2008.

The city of Anna Maria is currently considering a similar project to prove the efficacy of using clams to help mitigate red tide algae blooms and encourage the growth of threatened seagrass beds.

To get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support their mission, visit their website. As they say, “A Healthy Bay is Everybody’s Business,” literally and figuratively!

Reel Time Scallopalooza It's Clamtastic

Reel Time: Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) held its 10th Annual “Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic” fund-raising event at their new venue, Sarasota’s Hyatt Regency Hotel. on Saturday, Feb. 15. The yearly event sold out and exceeded all expectations as close to 450 people showed up to demonstrate their support for the group’s efforts to protect and enhance the health of Sarasota Bay. Attendees from Sarasota and Manatee counties were represented as well as officials from both counties and environmental groups including the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Mote Scientific Foundation, START, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Longboat Key Turtle Watch, Save Our Seabirds, Coastal Conservation Association, The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, The Gulf Shellfish Institute, Science and Environmental Council of Southwest Florida, New College and Saint Stephen’s just to name a few.

A number of annual attendees commented that they were “blown away” by the outpouring of support for an organization that was formed in 2007 in the aftermath of one of the area’s massive red tide events. SBW’s event coordinator, Ronda Ryan, worked with event planner Laura Detwiler, the SBW board and Scallopalooza Committee Chairs Brian Jung, Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Ernesto Lasso De La Vega to organize an event that had a seasoned activist overheard commenting that SBW was “more than a little found!”

The evening began with live music, an open bar and a huge silent auction including artwork, event tickets and merchandise of every description as participants mingled to share their passion for Sarasota Bay. Event Chair Brian Jung welcomed the crowd and thanked them for their support while keeping everyone apprised of the auction items and encouraging them to visit the tables. John Ryan, a founding member of Sarasota Bay Watch, was next and explained the purpose of the event as well as SBW’s many projects including island cleanups, student educational activities, plans for the future as well as updating participants on the group’s program in progress to introduce 1 million clams into Sarasota Bay in 2020. This effort got a huge boost in 2019 with a $106,000 donation from the Marjory and Charles Barancik Foundation. Jung related the impact of clams on the health of the bay and how funds raised at the event will support those efforts.

In an emotional speech, Sarasota’s Barbara Sucoff, an SBW supporter who learned about the group’s efforts at a “Friend Raiser” event at the VUE condominium with her late husband Jim Ninivaggi, spoke of the legacy he wanted to and did leave supporting SBW’s efforts. WWSB TV’s Channel 7 weatherman Bob Harrigan, one of the area’s most popular and respected broadcasters and the emcee for the live auction gave a rousing speech lauding the group’s efforts and encouraging them to bid on a trip with award-winning local celebrity Captain Scott Moore and a package of premier tickets to the Tampa Bay Bucs football games. Harrigan has been promoting the group’s efforts since the beginning and recounted the segment he did with Sarasota’s Captain Jonnie Walker during SBW’s first-ever Scallop Search in 2008. Moore then took the stage and recounted his life-long love affair with Sarasota Bay and his commitment to protecting it, beginning with the formation of the Manatee County Chapter of the Florida Conservation Association in the 1980s until today. He then proceeded to up his offering from one day to two, offering trips from Sarasota Bay to Charlotte Harbor.

Both auction items were heavily bid on and raised thousands of dollars for the group’s efforts. At press time the totals of the evening’s proceeds that will be put to work in Sarasota Bay were not available but early estimates are that they will far exceed those of previous events.

To get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support its mission, visit their website. As they say, “A Healthy Bay is Everybody’s Business,” literally and figuratively!

Sarasota Bay Watch provides a vehicle for change

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

If you’re like me, you can’t help but be dismayed with the death and destruction of marine life that is occurring on the west and east coasts of Florida.

Pictures of dead fish, manatees, dolphin and even an immature whale shark can be so disheartening that one feels at a loss to be an agent of change. I’ve heard so many people express a feeling of helplessness and a desire to do something to address this tragedy.

Sarasota Bay Watch wants concerned citizens to know that they can provide a way for you to make a difference. Their stated mission is to create an awareness of our local waters that reflects the desire to have a hand in determining the future of this invaluable resource. Through Sarasota Bay Watch’s (SBW) many events, including island cleanups, scallop and clam restorations, education, caring for critical bird rookeries and underwater marine debris removal, community members can make a difference. None of this is possible without you.  While aesthetics is a big part of their mission, they also understand that a healthy bay provides jobs, attracts tourists, affects property values, commerce and is a critical basis of our economy. Helping keep the bay healthy, participating in and protecting it is an investment in our future and that of generations to come.

Reel Time
Donate and shop for some great gifts at Scallopalooza 2018 at the Sarasota Yacht Club.

Want to help? Here are ways you can make a difference and hy it is so important.

Support Sarasota Bay Watch’s scallop and clam restoration initiative by making a donation today. Shellfish naturally clean the water and are a food source for many other organisms.  To date SBW has planted over one hundred million scallop larvae and juveniles into bay waters. This summer they’re planting a quarter of a million clams in the bay waters with the help of volunteers of all ages. They’re also providing research opportunities and working with scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory and the Sarasota Estuary Program.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, Sarasota Bay Watch will be holding their major fundraising event Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic at the Sarasota Yacht Club. By buying a ticket, a table, donating to their silent/live auctions or writing a check you will be helping them to continue their invaluable work. Their motto sums it up, “A Healthy Bay is Everybody’s Business.”  Consider partnering with SBW by becoming a sponsor at any level. You can make a difference and be part of the solution. Contribute however you can, take part in the solution and educate yourself on the issues!

Scallopalooza

Scallopalooza fundraiser ‘clamtastic’

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch’s annual fundraiser, Scallopalooza, on Saturday, Sept. 23 was once again a big success. SBW is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and the occasion brought together friends, partners, sponsors and supporters who have an interest in a healthy bay. The event, held at the Sarasota Yacht Club, was a sellout. The gala featured a silent auction and a sumptuous feast which included sustainably farmed clams for an appetizer.  Organizations and partners included the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Reef In local Innovations, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota Police Department, Reef Ball Foundation, Gulf Shellfish Institute, The Chiles Group restaurants, Scuba Quest, Bay Shellfish Company, Two Docks Shellfish and many more.

Notable guest speakers included Jon Thaxton, Stevie Freeman-Montes and Sandy Gilbert.  Vice President for Community Investment of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and a longtime local resident Jon Thaxton shared fascinating stories of Sarasota’s coastal heritage. City of Sarasota Sustainability Manager Stevie Freeman-Montes spoke about building a sustainable community. Sandy Gilbert, the executive director of START, spoke of SBW’s decade of work improving the bay and announced a $3,000 grant as a match challenge to double the impact of donations from attendees.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation and individual donor Peter Powers each added $1,000 to the match challenge, bringing the challenge total to $5,000. Attendees also rose to the challenge, helping SBW raise enough funds to support a year’s worth of volunteer events and continue its scallop and clam restoration programs.

Finn Johnson, a Pine View School junior and a SBW student board member, addressed the audience, sharing highlights of SBW’s 10 years of service restoring and protecting the bay. Over the past decade SBW has hosted annual scallop searches, bay island restorations, removed fishing line from bird rookeries and conducted underwater diver-based cleanups, as well as promoting marine habitat creation, developing youth leadership opportunities and engaging in community outreach. SBW’s scallop restoration program has resulted in over 100 million larvae being released into the bay and a new restoration program is growing a quarter of a million southern hard-shell clams to help repopulate Sarasota Bay.

These are remarkable accomplishments for an all-volunteer group that depends primarily on small local donations of expertise, time, materials and funds. The last decade has proved that seemingly impossible objectives can be reached when a community pulls together. You can join the effort to restore and protect our irreplaceable marine environment by participating and making an online donation here.