Mote and Positive Tracks partner for 30th annual Run for the Turtles
Time to dust off those running shoes and get ready for the 30th Annual Run for the Turtles! Run for the Turtles is a family-friendly run to raise awareness and funds for Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, which coordinates conservation of endangered sea turtles along 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches.
Mote's partnership with Positive Tracks empowers young people to help sea turtles by raising funds and awareness through Run For The Turtles and fundraising leading up to the event.
The run will take place on the beautiful sand of Siesta Key Beach on April 2, 2016. The
1-Mile Fun Run or Walk begins at 7:30 a.m. and the
5K Manasota Track Club-Sanctioned Run begins at 8 a.m. Anyone is welcome to register, but young people can make an especially big difference.
For the second year, Positive Tracks, a national, youth-centric nonprofit, has partnered with Mote Marine Laboratory to help young people get active and give back. Local funding partner Gulf Coast Community Foundation is also back in the mix with a $25,000 grant empowering Positive Tracks to deepen its reach into southwest Florida and amplify its impact on Mote. Thanks to these partnerships, dollars generated by Mote supporters ages 23 and under will be matched up to $40,000 in 2016.
Mark Pritchett, President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, says that Gulf Coast understands the importance of involving youth in philanthropy. “We need to offer the next generation meaningful ways to help shape their community,” said Pritchett. “Positive Tracks and Mote have created an engaging opportunity for local youth to make a real difference for our coastal environment and have a blast doing it.”
Best news is: every dollar raised by youth and matched by Positive Tracks goes to Mote to benefit the Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. Through this partnership, Florida youth are making a difference for ocean conservation and using their own sweat to make the world a better place.
Chris Pfahler, Positive Tracks Coordinator for the Mote partnership, is back again to help young people get involved, raise awareness and organize fundraising efforts. She is excited to help youth individuals and groups from schools, colleges, sports teams, clubs and community organizations develop their own active and creative fundraising projects to help Mote. “The sky’s the limit, and the time to start is now, said Pfahler. “The partnership inspires the next generation to steward our oceans while also promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.”
Positive Tracks Founder, Nini Meyer, believes that philanthropy and athletics make for a powerful alchemy. “Using the power of your own body—your feet, mind and heart—to activate change fuels ownership and genuine transformation,” said Meyer. “Support from Gulf Coast Community Foundation enables Positive Tracks to help Florida youth connect to a local cause they care about – all while helping themselves.”
Kids can register as individual runners, or form teams from schools, sports teams, clubs and community organizations.
“We are more than excited to raise awareness of sea turtle conservation through our partnership with Positive Tracks and Gulf Coast Community Foundation in this year’s 30th annual Run for the Turtles,” said Kristen Mazzarella, senior biologist with Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program.
To get involved, please contact Mote’s Positive Tracks Coordinator, Chris Pfahler at chris@chrispfahler.com.
To make a gift supporting Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, please contact Kate Knepper at: 941-388-4441, ext. 393 or kknepper@mote.org
- Learn more about Positive Tracks at: www.positivetracks.org
- Learn more about Gulf Coast Community Foundation at: www.gulfcoastcf.org