For Immediate Release
Photos available here
CONTACT:
Joanna Nasar
Communications Director
Turtle Island Restoration Network
Cell: (415) 488-7711
Joanna@SeaTurtles.Org
Galveston, Texas (Sept. 28, 2015) – In honor of Carole Allen’s lifelong dedication to protect and save endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, Turtle Island Restoration Network held a Sea Turtle Celebration on Sept. 26th at Moody Gardens.
Allen is the founder of H.E.A.R.T, Help Endangered Animals Ridley Turtles and the current Gulf of Mexico Director of Turtle Island, her outstanding work to save Kemp’s ridley sea turtles has been featured in the book Eco-Barons, O Magazine and many other major media outlets as a true sea turtle heroine.
During the Saturday event Allen was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Turtle Island. Executive Director of Turtle Island Todd Steiner, retired NOAA staff members Dr. Roger Zimmerman, Director National Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston Lab and Dr. Charles Caillouet, NOAA Fisheries Service, Galveston Lab all spoke about Allen’s contributions to saving sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Carole is a true champion and heroine. She deserves to be recognized for her hard work and consistent commitment to saving sea turtles,” said Joaine Steinhaus of Turtle Island’s Sea Turtle Action Center located in Galveston, Texas.
During the event Steinhaus shared an update on Turtle Island’s current work in the Gulf of Mexico to save sea turtles and highlighted new campaigns like ‘Bring the Bag,’ and the ‘Responsible Pier Initiative,’ as well as major victories like getting the state of Louisiana to include sea turtle escape hatches on their shrimp trawl nets.
Afterwards, the Society for Advancement for Volunteer Youth (SAVY), an all high-school age student volunteer group, presented Turtle Island with a generous check for $3,000 to help continue sea turtle restoration efforts in the Gulf of Mexico.
Moody Garden’s staff Ashley Fleeger, Molly Willems, and Greg Whittaker helped make the well-attended event a success, and Turtle Island Restoration Network helped to further educate the community about ways to get involved and help Allen protect sea turtles.
Galveston-area residents interested in helping saving the world’s smallest sea turtle are encouraged to contact Joanie Steinhaus at joanie@seaturtles.org and find out how they can get involved.
Photos of the event honoring Carole Allen are available for media use here.
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Turtle Island Restoration Network works to mobilize people and communities around the world to protect marine wildlife, the oceans and the inland waterways that sustain them. Join us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. SeaTurtles.Org
