Girl Scout Troop raises funds and awareness to help sea turtles

I am amazed at the initiative and generosity young members of our community are capable of demonstrating. On February 19th, a clever coterie of Girl Scouts from Troop 807 in Mount Pleasant visited our Sea Turtle Hospital to learn more about the dangers sea turtles face in the wild and what we do to rehabilitate them for release back into the Atlantic Ocean. What truly impressed me was that this visit represented the culmination of months of time and effort these girls spent working to help sea turtles!

Troop 807 held multiple fundraising drives at schools and other locales in our community and presented the hospital with both a monetary donation to help provide medical treatment to our patients and much-needed supplies like dish soap, bleach, pens and pencils, even a blender! These Girl Scouts also became Stranded Sea Turtle Adoptive Parents and are so excited about seeing some of the turtles they met during their visit return to the wild at an upcoming release this spring.

The girls created and illustrated an educational booklet titled “How to Save a Sea Turtle.” This full-color booklet contains simple messages about what people can do to help sea turtles.

Finally, the Troop created and brought along “Symphony,” a life-size paper-mâché nesting sea turtle. Symphony joined us for our group picture on the Aquarium’s harbor deck, and we are hoping to incorporate this local work of art into our hospital for tour guests to see and appreciate.
Joy Gay, Matilda Seay, Amaya Clark, Breanna Wilson, Jessica Leiker, Kendra Ruggiero, Sierra Mancine, Emma Lang, Sutton Allen, and Troop 807 leaders Christine and Katie: Thank you for all you’ve done to help sea turtles!

Christi Hughes
Sea Turtle Biologist