Page 7 - Jupiter Ocean Mile - December '23

Jupiter Ocean Mile, Page 7
Loggerhead Marinelife Center Announces

2024 Go Blue Awards Finalists

Loggerhead Marinelife This nurse-turned-whale biologist has spent the better part of
Center (LMC) has three decades studying humpback whales in Rarotonga, Cook
announced the finalists for Islands, aiding in the creation of a 2-million-square-kilometer
its prestigious 15th Annual whale sanctuary and educational research center in Rarotonga.
Go Blue Awards, with • Todd Steiner ─ founder and executive director of Turtle
presenting sponsor Tampa Island Restoration Network, an ocean advocacy and research
General Hospital (TGH). nongovernmental organization with offices in California, Texas,
The Go Blue Awards and Hawaii. For more than 30 years, Steiner and Turtle Island
recognizes individuals, Restoration Network have been leading advocates for the world’s
businesses, and nonprofits oceans and marine wildlife. • Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival ─ founded in
that promote, implement, or contribute to a “blue” lifestyle of • Scott Vogel ─ an LMC program assistant and hospital 2013 with the mission of raising funds and awareness for ocean
marine conservation, while making significant impact improving interpreter, Vogel has lived a life of volunteer activism and conservation, Tortuga and Rock the Ocean have hosted more
and protecting our oceans, beaches, and wildlife. Tickets are on education. He has a lifelong passion for ocean conservation, and than 100 nonprofit organizations within the music festival, and
sale to attend the awards dinner at the center on Friday, Jan. 26, has been active in promoting stewardship to future biologists and raised over $4 million for ocean conservation research, efforts,
2024, at 6 p.m. conservationists. and education.
The Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award The Blue Hatchling Youth Award recognizes a student up • Upwell Turtles ─ a nonprofit committed to supporting the
was named for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s to the 12th grade who has contributed to marine conservation research, data collection, conservation, and management of open
founder who was an innovative pioneer in marine through volunteer activities. The finalists are: ocean habitats in the recovery of threatened or endangered marine
conservation. Eleanor Fletcher educated thousands of • Marina Barto ─ president and cofounder of Surface71, a turtles. Upwell launched the “Lost Years Initiative,” a satellite
children about sea turtles and initiated cultural change nonprofit organization run solely by students to raise awareness study that tracks sea turtle migration in hopes of protecting and
to preserve and protect the species. The recipient of this about plastic pollution and ocean conservation throughout Palm preserving habitats.
award exemplifies a lifelong, extraordinary commitment Beach County schools. The finalists have been evaluated by an esteemed panel of
to marine conservation education through their work or • Cash Daniels and Ella Grace Galaski-Rossen ─ founders independent judges who will review the submitted criteria to
volunteer activities. of the nonprofit The Cleanup Kids. Since they were 7 and 6 select finalists and winners. This year’s judges include Sally
• Jim Toomey ─ Creator of the daily comic strip years old, respectively, Cash and Ella have shown exemplary Murray, daughter of LMC Founder Eleanor Fletcher; Susan
Sherman’s Lagoon, which is syndicated in more than leadership skills and passion toward marine life conservation. Murray, deputy vice president of Oceana U.S. Pacific and
150 newspapers across 20 countries and in six languages. • Asa Miller ─ a 16-year-old junior at Edgemont Jr./Sr. granddaughter of Eleanor Fletcher; Greg Marshall, marine
Sherman’s Lagoon combines two of Jim’s lifelong High School in Scarsdale, N.Y., Asa is a coral reef restoration biologist and filmmaker; Joel Sartore, longtime contributing
passions: art and marine life. His cartoon books have sold specialist, diver, and filmmaker, particularly known for his work photographer to National Geographic magazine and author
more than 500,000 copies worldwide. Jim has received and research in his homeland of Cuba. of The Photo Ark: One Man’s Quest to Document the World’s
the prestigious Environmental Hero Award twice from The Blue Business of the Year Award/Nonprofit of the Animals; Lad Akins, curator of marine conservation for the
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Year Award recognizes a business or nonprofit that has Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science and an inductee
(NOAA) “for using art and humor to conserve and protect made outstanding contributions to promoting conservation into the Scuba Diving Hall of Fame; Dr. Wallace J. Nichols,
our marine heritage.” or restoration of marine life or ecosystems through its work, marine biologist and author; Sylvia Earle, Ph.D., president and
The Blue Ambassador of the Year Award recognizes a person outreach, practices, products, or technology. The finalists are: chairman of Mission Blue and a National Geographic Society
who has made significant contributions to ocean conservation • Inwater Research Group ─ a small, nonprofit organization Explorer in Residence; and Brian Skerry, award-winning
through volunteering and work-related efforts. The finalists are: dedicated to rescuing and researching numerous marine species, National Geographic photographer and film producer.
• Nan Hauser ─ president and director of the Center for including sea turtles, elasmobranchs, and bony fishes. Inwater To purchase tickets or to sponsor the Go Blue Awards, visit
Cetacean Research and Conservation (CCRC), and director and has a strong focus on marine conservation and education, with marinelife.org/connect/goblue.
principal investigator of Cook Islands Whale Research (CIWR). research projects spanning across both coasts of Florida. Photos by Loggerhead Marinelife Center

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