Escambia County staff, volunteers dedicate thousands of hours to protecting sea turtles
Escambia County staff and volunteers dedicated thousands of hours in 2023 to monitoring and protecting sea turtles and their nests on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key, along with educating the community about how they can help protect sea turtles on local beaches.
Volunteers contributed more than 1,600 hours toward conducting marine turtle nesting surveys and monitoring activities in Escambia County during the 2023 sea turtle nesting season, not counting additional hours from county Natural Resources Management and Marine Resources staff.
County staff and volunteers begin their daily sea turtle patrol on May 1 each year, patrolling Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key through the end of August in search of any sign of sea turtle nests, hatchlings, or turtles in distress.
Last year, Escambia County recorded 13 loggerhead turtle nests and one green turtle nest on Pensacola Beach, along with two loggerhead turtle nests on Perdido Key.
When a sea turtle nest is discovered or reported to the turtle patrol, volunteers will place stakes around the nest, put up a sign alerting the public to the turtle eggs, and document the nest’s location using GPS. Volunteers and staff will then begin checking the nest daily, monitoring for hatchlings and intervening when necessary to help them reach the Gulf of Mexico successfully.
Visit myescambia.com/pensacola-beach/leave-no-trace-behind for details.
NAMI Pensacola and NAMI Florida host Sharing Hope - A Gathering of Healing
In honor of Black History Month, the National Alliance on Mental Illness - NAMI Pensacola and NAMI Florida are presenting its third installment in the NAMI Sharing Hope series from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 24 at the Gateway Church of Christ, 445 Creighton Road, or online via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86338823398.
The series is designed to introduce discussions on mental health and wellness through a three-part community conversation grounded in the sharing of sacred stories and guided dialogue on mental wellness and support for those of Black and/or African ancestry.
One in five adults experience mental illness every year, and 50 percent of chronic mental illness begins by age 14. However, only one in three Black adults that need mental health treatment actually receive it and the suicide rate among Black youth has been increasing faster than any other racial/ethnic group.
NAMI Sharing Hope - A Gathering of Healing is created for Black/African ancestry but is open to everyone regardless of ethnic backgrounds to safely have conversations on mental health, promote awareness, explore signs and symptoms, and highlight how and where to find help.
Visit namiflorida.org or call 800-950-NAMI (6264) for details.
Find ways to help: Chadbourne-DeMaria Foundation's $160,000 grant transforms Ronald McDonald House kitchen
Splash City Adventures and Feeding the Gulf Coast host PB&J drive
Splash City Adventures is partnering with Feeding the Gulf Coast for a special initiative throughout the month of February.
In an effort to support families in need and foster a spirit of giving, Splash City Adventures is launching a PB&J Drive. From now through Feb. 29, visitors are invited to participate by bringing in donations of peanut butter or jelly. For every two items of peanut butter or jelly donated, patrons will receive a complimentary ticket with the purchase of another ticket of equal value.
This partnership aims to address food insecurity while providing families with an exciting and memorable experience at the amusement park. By encouraging donations of staple pantry items like peanut butter and jelly, both organizations hope to make a meaningful impact on the local community.
Visit SplashCityAdventures.com or FeedingtheGulfCoast.org for details.
Next Mayor’s Neighborhood Cleanup set for Saturday
The next Mayor's Neighborhood Cleanup will take place Feb. 24 in the East Pensacola Heights area and portions of surrounding neighborhoods. This event allows city of Pensacola Sanitation customers in the cleanup area to leave eligible items at the curb for pickup, free of charge.
Sanitation customers in the cleanup area must place items curbside by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Note that items left curbside outside of the cleanup area will not be collected. The cleanup includes bulk items only. Yard waste or garbage will not be collected. Keep tires and paint cans separate from all other debris. Do not place piles under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes.
Visit cityofpensacola.com for details.
Take part: To make a Causes submission, email giving@pnj.com.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County staff, volunteers step up for nesting sea turtles
