HOLMES BEACH – The Sixth Annual Suzi Fox Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraising event for Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring will be on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 4-6 p.m. at Hurricane Hank’s, 5346 Gulf Drive.
“This is our largest fundraiser,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said. “This year we would like to purchase two new UTVs. Ours are old and at least two need to be replaced. Our volunteers do the best they can with these, but they’re used for six months in sand and salt water.”
The non-profit Turtle Watch is staffed entirely by volunteers. Since 1983, Turtle Watch has coordinated conservation efforts for nine miles of Manatee County shoreline.
“In over four decades, we monitored 19,460 turtle activities and protected 9,506 nests. This includes at least 421,765 hatchlings that departed the beach to become a future generation of sea turtles that will return to the region as they reach maturity – in about 30 years,” according to the Turtle Watch website.
The Oct. 22 event will feature music by Mike Sales, silent and live auctions with Bob Slicker as auctioneer and raffles, all with items donated by local businesses and individuals. Mazzarella said there will be about $20,000 worth of live and silent auction items.
“The big raffle items include a ride-along Turtle Watch patrol and a ride-along with the Holmes Beach police chief,” Mazzarella said. “Another is what we’re calling Hook, Line and Slickers. Capt. Pete Charters will take you out to catch fish and then Bob Slicker cooks it up.”
A Yeti cooler full of cheer is now at Hurricane Hank’s and raffle tickets can be purchased there in advance of the event.
“Businesses took a hit last year and we really appreciate their support,” Mazzarella said.
Last year’s Turtle Watch Wednesday was canceled due to hurricanes and the sales of calendars with photographs by Angie Blunt helped Turtle Watch get through the year.
“We were able to use the funds from those for our educational programs, including putting rack cards in rentals to give out to visitors, and programs in schools,” she said.
There will be an educational booth at the event where attendees can learn about sea turtles and meet Turtle Watch volunteers.
“We’re hoping for good weather and lots of fun,” Mazzarella said.
HOLMES BEACH – After a year off due to COVID-19, the community flocked to the Third Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraising event on Sept. 29 at Hurricane Hanks to show their support for Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring’s mission.
The not-for-profit group monitors sea turtle and shorebird nesting on AMI, keeping tabs on population trends.
“We collect scientific data for the scientists in the state of Florida to analyze and see how we’re doing with the turtles,” Director Suzi Fox said. “We do a lot, but in essence, we are data collectors.”
The event has been held at Hurricane Hanks since its inception in 2018, but was paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first year, they raised $3,000, with a large increase to $13,000 in 2019 and a grand total of $16,000 at last week’s event. Money was raised from a silent auction of more than 80 items donated by local artists and businesses as well as T-shirt sales, a 50-50 raffle, a $1 donation from each food and beverage sale at Hurricane Hanks during the event and a live auction hosted by Bob Slicker that raised thousands of additional dollars.
Turtle Watch Wednesday attendees shop silent auction items. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
“This year we came up with a VIP package. It’s a $75 donation, but it’s a 100% donation to Turtle Watch; just another way to add to the fundraising,” said Brian Mathae, owner of Hurricane Hanks. “This organization and the turtles need all the money they can get. This is truly an Anna Maria Island community event. It’s small businesses supporting it by donating all these prizes and the community coming out that makes it successful.”
Proceeds from the Turtle Watch Wednesday event will help purchase a much-needed ATV to help the volunteers move around the beach more efficiently.
The event was well-orchestrated with free parking provided by nearby Hancock Whitney Bank, food and drinks thanks to Hurricane Hanks and great live music by Mike Sales.
Sponsors included A Paradise Realty, Mike Sales Entertainment, J n’J Graphics, Florida Underwater Sports, CabanUp, Harbor Lane Court Vacation Rentals and The Anna Maria Island Sun.
Updated Oct. 4, 2019 | HOLMES BEACH – The Second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday this afternoon at Hurricane Hanks raised money and the spirits of the volunteers who monitor Anna Maria Island beaches for turtle and bird nesting.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox was thrilled at the community’s support and their participation in the fundraiser for the not-for-profit organization.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox, left, with 50/50 raffle winner Laura Bell Adams. – Cindy Lane | Sun
“This is amazing,” she said, tearing up as she addressed the crowd, which produced $11,000 in donations, more than tripling last year’s $3,000 in donations. “Thank you so much!”
Mike Sales set a tropical mood with live music and emceed the event, which featured both silent and live auctions, a 50/50 raffle and specially-designed T-shirts available for a donation.
Jeannie Sowers, a frequent Island visitor from North Carolina, donated a live auction item, a Robert Wyland giclee on canvas of a sea turtle in Hawaii that brought $800 from Jennifer Lipham.
Mike Sales set a tropical mood and emceed the second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday. – Cindy Lane | Sun
Harbor Lane vacation rentals in Holmes Beach donated a free stay won by high bidder Tracey Edwards for $1,100, and more than 50 local businesses provided items for the silent auction.
Laura Bell Adams won the 50/50 raffle and donated her half of the $770 back to Turtle Watch.
Nicole Skaggs won a prize basket from Waterline Marina Resort in Holmes Beach for $550.
Proceeds from the event will go towards turtle-friendly lighting and community education about the importance of following turtle lighting laws to keep nesting mothers and hatching turtles from becoming disoriented, Fox said.
Turtle Watch has documented 52 disorientations of turtle mothers and hatchlings so far this season. More than 30 turtle nests are still on the beach waiting to hatch between now and the end of the season on Oct. 31.
A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals, Hurricane Hanks, J&J Graphics and the Anna Maria Island Sun sponsored the event.
Jeannie Sowers donated a Robert Wyland photo on canvas for the Turtle Watch Wednesday live auction. - Cindy Lane | Sun
The AMI Paddlers turned out en masse to support Turtle Watch. - Cindy Lane | Sun
T-shirt sales were brisk at Turtle Watch Wednesday. - Cindy Lane | Sun
The silent auction at Turtle Watch Wednesday drew crowds. - Cindy Lane | Sun
Sharon Hoatland, left, of A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals, holds up an auction item as auctioneer Bob Slicker sells it for $800. - Cindy Lane | Sun
Casper the rescue dog enjoyed people watching at Turtle Watch Wednesday. - Cindy Lane | Sun
HOLMES BEACH – Enjoy live music, live and silent auctions and good food at the Second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday on Sept. 25 from 4-6 p.m. at Hurricane Hanks, 5346 Gulf Drive.
A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals are teaming up with Hurricane Hanks again to raise funds for the not-for-profit Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization, which documents sea turtle and shorebird nesting and hatching on the Island.
If You Go
Who: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring
Why: Bid on cool gifts while helping raise funds for Turtle Watch
The first 75 guests will receive a free drink ticket, and Hurricane Hanks will offer 50 percent discounts on appetizers, donating $1 for every food and drink item sold during the event.
This Robert Wyland photograph on canvas will be among the items auctioned to benefit Turtle Watch on Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 4-6 p.m. at Hurricane Hanks.
Mike Sales will provide live music during the event, which features a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and special T-shirts available for a $20 donation.
The silent auction will feature items from more than 50 local businesses and will include jewelry, clothing, dolphin tours, gift cards to restaurants, home furnishings and much more.
The live auction will include a Robert Wyland giclee on canvas of a sea turtle in Hawaii worth more than $1,000. The numbered and signed print is #44 in a series of 750.
The print was donated by a North Carolina resident who has visited Anna Maria Island several times and follows Turtle Watch and Island activities on Facebook.
“I sit in North Carolina and covet AMI!” said Jeannie Sowers, who will be attending the fundraiser as part of a birthday/anniversary trip to the Island.
Last year’s inaugural Turtle Watch Wednesday event drew 300 people and raised about $3,000. This year’s funds will be used for turtle-friendly lighting and community education about the importance of following turtle lighting laws to keep nesting mothers and hatching turtles from becoming disoriented.
Turtle Watch has documented more than 50 disorientations of turtle mothers and hatchlings so far this season, Fox said. More than 90 turtle nests are still on the beach waiting to hatch between now and the end of the season on Oct. 31.
“We have lights that will keep both turtles and people safe,” she said, adding that the funds raised at the event will help purchase more.
One educational aide in the works is a placemat for kids to color while families enjoy local restaurants. Anna Maria Island Sun cartoonist Steven Borggren is working on the design, which will include Mr. and Mrs. Foster Dribbles and their cat, Tobert, from his cartoon, Beach Nutz, published weekly in The Sun.
The Sun and J & J Graphics are co-sponsors of Turtle Watch Wednesday.
To donate silent auction items or for more information, please call Sharon Hoatland at 941-737-3642.
HOLMES BEACH – A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals and Hurricane Hanks are following up last year’s fundraising efforts with this year’s Second Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser.
Taking place Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hurricane Hanks, 5346 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, Turtle Watch Wednesday will again benefit the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization. J & J Graphics and The Anna Maria Island Sun are serving as co-sponsors.
Last year’s inaugural Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser coincided with the Island’s red tide recovery efforts and raised more than $3,000 for the Turtle Watch organization.
J & J Graphics is assisting with the promotional efforts that include this event poster. – Submitted
As was the case last year, the first 75 guests greeted by an A Paradise team member will receive a free drink ticket. Hurricane Hanks will offer 50 percent discounts on appetizers and will donate $1 for every food and drink item sold during the event.
The fundraising activities will include a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and specially designed T-shirts that will be available for a $20 donation.
To donate silent auction items or get more information, please call Sharon Hoatland at 941-729-2381.
Lighting the way
When discussing the upcoming event, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Suzi Fox said, “We are concentrating funding at this time to go into lighting retrofits and community outreach. Those are our two main focuses for fundraisers for the rest of this year.”
The outreach efforts include developing new graphics for the educational materials distributed each spring in preparation for the sea turtle nesting season that begins May 1 and ends Oct. 31.
“The biggest problem we have with sea turtles is lighting. It directs the hatchlings away from the beach and it deters the mothers from nesting,” Fox said.
Fox said she frequently receives calls from property owners who want to buy turtle-friendly bulbs and fixtures but have a hard time finding them.
“We encourage them to go to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website and visit the turtle lighting pages,” Fox said, where turtle lighting guidelines, specifications and detailed ordering information can be found.
“They can order fixtures and bulbs there and I’m going to stock them here too. If they can pay us back, that’s great. If not, maybe we can do a 50/50 cost-sharing? The best thing for me to do is to order them and people can stop here can get them at our cost – and you don’t have to pay sales tax because we’re a non-profit,” Fox said.
Fox encourages people to light their beachfront properties with turtle-friendly lighting as opposed to not lighting them at all, and she can also provide additional insight on the various types and colors of turtle-friendly bulbs and fixtures sold by local retailers. For more information, contact Fox at 941-778-5638 or visit the Turtle Watch website.
Eliminating plastics
Turtle Watch will also be campaigning for local stores, restaurants and other Island businesses to eliminate or reduce their use of single-use plastic bags.
“One thing we are really focusing on this year is getting rid of plastics and one of our main focuses is going to be plastic bags. Any businesses that are giving out plastics, we’d like them to stop. We moved mountains with our plastic straw campaign last year and phase two is we want people to start using reusable bags,” Fox said.
As part of this campaign, J & J graphics will be printing reusable cloth bags that Turtle Watch can then share with local businesses.
Community’s embrace
Working with Hurricane Hanks owner Brian Mathae, A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals Marketing and Public Relations Director Sharon Hoatland is again doing much of the planning for this year’s Turtle Watch Wednesday event.
Fox said she greatly appreciates the support Hurricane Hanks, A Paradise, J & J Graphics and the general public provide the Turtle Watch organization.
Turtle Watch Wednesday will take place at Hurricane Hanks in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I didn’t know Sharon and Brian until last year and they’ve become dear friends. I’m overwhelmed by the way they’ve encouraged the community to put their arms around Turtle Watch. And J & J Graphics has been doing business with Turtle Watch for the past 20 years,” Fox said.
“I know everyone wants to help us, but we work under state-certified guidelines so we can’t let just anyone help with the nests. But when people come to this event, they feel like they’re giving back to Turtle Watch just by showing up. I love it,” Fox said.
