For Immediate Release, July 24, 2026
Contact: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org
Laurel Irvine, Communications Manager, lirvine@seaturtles.org
Turtle Island Restoration Network Celebrates a Record-Breaking Kemp’s Ridley
Sea Turtle Nesting Season with the 5th Annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles Gala
GALVESTON, TEXAS – Following a record-breaking Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nesting season on the Texas coast, Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) is inviting the community to celebrate this conservation milestone at the 5th Annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles gala on Sunday, October 18, from 1:00–3:30 p.m. at the historic 1859 Ashton Villa in Galveston.
This year’s event comes at a particularly exciting time for sea turtle conservation. The unprecedented number of Kemp’s ridley nests documented along the Texas coast (more here) reflects decades of collaborative conservation efforts by organizations, volunteers, agencies, and local communities working to recover the world’s most endangered sea turtle. While this milestone is worth celebrating, continued conservation is essential to ensure these positive trends continue for generations to come.
Now in its fifth year, The Art of Saving Sea Turtles celebrates the people and partnerships that make local sea turtle conservation possible while raising critical funds for TIRN’s work protecting nesting beaches, hosting the state sea turtle hotline, reducing threats to marine wildlife, and engaging communities in ocean stewardship.
Guests will enjoy the beloved Turtles About Town public art project (more here), featuring beautifully painted sea turtle sculptures that celebrate Galveston’s unique culture while promoting conservation and tourism. The afternoon also includes a raffle, beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and the presentation of TIRNS’s Volunteer of the Year Award to Niels Nilson Lenz, whose creativity, generosity, and countless volunteer hours have strengthened the organization’s Gulf Coast programs.
“The Turtles about Town art project has been a labor of love, and we are deeply grateful it has been embraced by the Galveston community,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director. “It has helped to raise awareness of our state sea turtle, the Kemp’s ridley, and buoyed awareness for protection of our beaches and the Gulf. The TIRN team looks forward to celebrating with everyone in October”.
TIRN is also seeking event sponsors and raffle donors to help make this milestone celebration a success. Sponsorship directly supports the organization’s local sea turtle and ocean conservation programs while providing businesses and community partners with meaningful visibility during one of Galveston’s signature conservation events.
Event Details:
- Early Bird individual tickets are now on sale for $100 through August 31. Beginning September 1, tickets will increase to $125.
- All proceeds from The Art of Saving Sea Turtles benefit TIRN’s local sea turtle conservation and ocean programs.
- For sponsorship opportunities or event inquiries, please contact Joanie Steinhaus at joanie@seaturtles.org or (409) 795-8426.
For more information on The Art of Saving Sea Turtles annual event, visit www.seaturtles.org/the-art-of-saving-sea-turtles.
Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.
