President's Message
by Rusty Chinnis
Sunday January 1, 2012
Happy New Year
Dear Friends:
Taking a look back at 2011 I wanted to thank each and everyone of you for your efforts in support of Sarasota Bay Watch. Thanks to your help we've been able to accomplish the following:
- Partnered with Longboat Key to "Adopt The Sister Keys."
- Conducted The Third Annual Sister Keys clean up.
- Made Bay Scallop restoration our legacy program.
- Held the Fourth Annual Scallop Search.
- Partnered with the Sarasota Yacht Club, raising over $14,000 for scallop restoration.
- Began our restoration efforts by breeding and releasing four million scallops in Sarasota Bay.
- Partnered with Sarasota Sailing Squadron for six educational displays on City Island.
- Conducted the Third Annual Monofilament Cleanup of bird (nesting) rookeries.
- Partnered with the Riverview High School Honor Society to clean up Skier’s Island.
- Initiated the creation and printing of “What the Heck Is That? A Field Guide to the Treasures of the Gulf Coast.”
- Contracted with a highly experienced interim Executive Director, Andy Mele. Mele is already challenging us to upgrade SBW’s organizational plan, funding, structure, focus, and functions. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and The Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation for generous grants that helped us contract Mele. We have also been blessed to contract with Ronda Ryan, a tireless volunteer and organizer of the highly sucessful Scallopalooza.
- With your help Mele will become our full time Executive Director and he will be able to work with Ryan to take Sarasota Bay Watch to the next level.
Right now we're developing and preparing to launch a Strategic Plan (enhanced web site, e-commerce, program funding, data management system, administrative help, and much more) to upgrade our organizational capabilities.
Sarasota Bay's waters are clear, sea grass beds are healthy and growing, and there are far fewer sources of pollution going into the Bay. Despite these promising conditions scallops, fish populations and diversity remain low. We want to help address issues that advance our motto "A Healthy Bay is Everybody's Business".
If you're not already a member we encourage you to join Sarasota Bay Watch as we embark on a voyage of discovery, vigilant awareness and revival. It will be a journey filled with deep rewards.
We hope you’ll come aboard for the ride and we look forward to meeting you at one of our events. www.sarasotabaywatch.org
Best regards,
RUSTY CHINNIS
President of the Board
