Thursday, June 30, 2011

Better Beaches Kickoff!

Hi, I'm Scott and I'm one of the communications interns this summer at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. Last Monday I had the pleasure of joining the Senior Marine Educators and a few other staffers at the YMCA Better Beaches summer kickoff event at Constitution Beach in East Boston. As soon as I walked across the beach to the Save the Harbor table I realized that, even though it was a Monday, this was an exciting and energy-filled event. Throughout the afternoon there was music playing, YMCA kids enjoying games of flag football, volleyball, and other sports I didn't even recognize, and a generally upbeat atmosphere with everyone sunbathing and taking advantage of the summery weather. I think the highlight of the day for all of us at Save the Harbor was the marine life showings that the Senior Marine Educators did for any young visitors to our table. A steady stream of kids came to pet lobsters' tails, hold moon jellyfish in their palms, and examine kelp and periwinkles. This was a great addition to what was already a great summer afternoon to start off the Better Beaches programs of the summer.

A few photos:




Sheuli dropping some knowledge about a periwinkle.



Connor showing off a lobster.




Cutting the Ribbon on a New Era

On Thursday, June 23, a large group gathered in South Boston to commemorate the opening of Boston's new CSO (combined sewage overflow) control tunnel. This recently completed project was the longtime goal of many environmental activists, as it will divert harmful and toxic waste water from running into Boston Harbor. By comparison to newer sewers, which separate rainwater run-off from raw sewage requiring treatment, some older sewers combine the two. In such a case, heavy precipitation leads to sewer overflow that spills waste into Boston Harbor. Fortunately, the new tunnel will nearly eliminate the dangerous overflow. In past years, many speakers at the event noted, a day of rain such as the 23rd would have closed beaches, but not so with the new tunnel; the persistent drizzle only added to the upbeat mood of the ribbon-cutting.

The first part of the ribbon-cutting included speeches by many officials regarding the opening of the tunnel, such as Mayor Tom Menino; Massachusetts Water Resources Authority head Frederick Laskey; and South Boston Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein and Senator Jack Hart. All agreed in their rhetoric that despite the challenges the project faced, most notably local opposition to its construction, the project is a major success. Each official touched on the importance of the project to his or her respective constituency, which really elucidated how many beneficiaries of harbor cleanup exist. Everyone in attendance came away with a better understanding of the effort it took to finish the project.

But the full scale of the event only became clear once attendees made the walk down-beach to the Castle Island Sailing Center. There, after a light brunch, Patricia Foley, Executive Director at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, followed on the earlier remarks and summarized to attendees the work that the organization has done and continues to do to clean up the harbor. Following that, E. Bruce Berman, Director of Communications, Strategy, and Programs, announced the allocations of the 25th anniversary Better Beaches Project, which will give away $25,000 to support community organizations that will put on events at beaches around Boston this year. These events range from simple community get-togethers to a nationally-renowned sandcastle-building contest.

The combination of these two components of the event demonstrated, in the broader scheme, how far Boston Harbor cleanup has come - to the point where the focus is now on anticipating future issues - yet at the same time, how far it has to go. Some CSOs remain open in Boston, but for now, we should take pride in the construction of the tunnel and the effect it will have on keeping the harbor clean and making Boston's beaches "some of the cleanest in the country."

--Scott Berkley



East Boston, Kicking Off in Style

This was the first Better Beaches Event of the summer!! It was a hot summer day as we sat peering out over the blurr of red and green YMCA t-shirts storming around Constitution Beach on Monday, June 27th. The youngest beachgoers were having a dance party by the DJ and the rest were scattered around the beach playing various games including soccer, capture the flag and volleyball. After grabbing a couple of nets from the stand I decided to set out to find some explorers. I felt my best luck would come down by the water. Sure enough, I found a couple of girls and a small boy who were all excited to see what they could pick up. The girls mostly set off together by themselves but the little boy stuck by my side. Everytime I brought my net up from the sea floor, he wanted to see what was inside. His mom watched with a smile as we wondered along the beach "oohh and ahh"ing at every new discovery our net was able to capture. This is what Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is all about: giving kids the opportunity to discover the Boston Harbor and all it has to offer.


-Sarah Appleton

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Better Beaches Calendar


Better Beaches Events 2011 -

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Hello!


I’m a recent graduate of Oberlin College in northern Ohio and super excited to be in Boston this summer. I grew up in Dallas, Texas where I learned to sail with my father when I was young. This summer I’m teaching sailing classes to kids at Community Boating in the morning and will be starting an environmental education program in partnership with Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay in the afternoon. While learning to sail on the Charles river, the kids at Community Boating will find out about the what lives beneath the boats and why it is so important to take care of our river.
If you don’t know about community boating you should check it out. http://community-boating.org/. It is a wonderful program with the simple mission of ‘sailing for all’. For those who qualify a summer of sailing only costs 1$.
We’ll fish and trap to get an up close view of what lives in the Charles . Also we’ll think about where the water in the Charles is coming from and where it is going.
I also love gardening, so I have a compost pile in the works and maybe we’ll even grow some food the with the compost we make at the end of the summer! Keep an eye out for me on the Charles sailing or pulling up eel traps!

Paul

Get Ready to Get Your Feet Wet!

Hello, my name is Sarah Appleton and I am excited to be a Senior Marine Educator at Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay. I came to Save the Harbor because of my love of Boston, the harbor and the little known, but amazing, Boston Harbor islands.

I am originally from Connecticut but, after the past 5 years roaming the streets of this wonderful city, I would consider myself a pretty good Bostonian. Although I grew up in Yankee territory, I have been a Red Sox fan since I was old enough to understand. GO SOX! I am a recent graduate from Boston University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. With my environmental policy minor and my sense of adventure for my new home, I have been able to learn a lot about Boston and the harbor that it shares with the sea.

Aside from Stanley Cup winning hockey teams and the Green Monsta, Boston has so much to offer and I feel it is my duty as a Bostonian to show the people how truly amazing it is. The Boston harbor is a truly remarkable place that we as Bostonians should cherish and enjoy.

This summer I am geared up and ready to explore the exciting marine ecosystems we have to offer from North to South Shore and make this summer one of the best with my fellow harbor explorers. I can't wait to get my feet wet, literally, and see whats under the next rock or beyond the next tide!

I'm getting my sunblock and bug spray ready and I can't wait to meet everyone who wants to come and help me investigate!

Sarah

Greetings!

Hi! My name is Paula and I'll be spending the summer working as a senior marine educator for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. I grew up in Sudbury, Massachusetts and I just graduated from the University of New Hampshire where I majored in marine and freshwater biology.

As a kid, I learned to sail at Community Boating on the Charles and I'm very excited to be working with the kids at Boston's sailing programs and camps to help them explore the ocean While my background is in field ecology research, I'm a huge believer in the importance of citizen sicence and of getting scientists out and about to interact with the public to spread their enthusiasm for the natural world.

In addition to having a great time and providing the kids at our programs with an awesome experience, I'm hoping that the experiences I gain this summer will help me to encourage other scientists to share their passion and knowledge with a wider audience.

Hello There!




Hi!



My name is Sheuli Molla, and I am a new Senior Marine Educator at Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay. This past May I graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Sciences. At Stony Brook University, I studied the principals of Marine Ecology, Marine Conservation, and Ecosystem Based Management. I am excited to put my knowledge to work in Save the Harbor's youth environmental education program by reuniting Bostonian youth with nature and the marine environment!


This summer, I hope to teach and learn about everything Boston Harbor has to offer. I am also excited to share my experience and background in marine sciences with our curious harbor explorers at Save the Harbor.

During our program site visits this week, I was able to fully appreciate the majesty of Boston Harbor. From Pleasure Bay to Black Creek, each site is uniquely beautiful and interesting.

At this week's East Boston YMCA Summer Kickoff event, I was delighted to show and tell about marine life by using our saltwater touch tank! Kids from all over Boston were able to see and touch live lobsters, crabs, clams, snails and other critters. At first, most of the kids who approached the tank were scared of the lobster, and wouldn't think about touching it. However, after they saw the Marine Educators holding a lobster, and their friends touching its tail, enthusiasm and bravery became infectious. Kids from every Boston neighborhood exclaimed about how the lobster looked, felt and smelled!


With the excitement of a young Bostonian, I too am enthusiastic about exploring, fishing, crabbing, sailing and doing other marine activities with Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay. I cannot wait to get started and get back to Boston's BEAUTIFUL beaches!


Monday, June 27, 2011

Summer time and the livin's easy


Its true boys and girls, it officially summer time in Boston. After working hard all year, heading to school through the rain, sleet, and snow, you all deserve a reward. Your reward you may ask, is the chance to enjoy our beautiful briney sea and all of the fruits that it has to offer. Not literally fruit but a plethora of marine wildlife, refreshing waves, and an overall chill atmosphere. Ushering you through this aquatic walkabout of self exploration, will be me. My name is Conor Brendan Newman, a Lead Explorer returning to Save The Harbor/Save The Bay's for his third year. But do not think for a second that just because I am returning, I am going to sit back and kick up my feet. I plan on having my campers hook mad fish, catch buckets of crabs, and discover the the beaches and docks. Because that my friends, is truly living easy.
Stay Classy Mass,
Conor "Irish" Newman

Friday, June 24, 2011

Better Beaches Event Calendar!

June 2011
6/25/11 – 12pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant State Present: World Folk Festival @ Lynn Heritage State Park
6/25/11 – 12pm: Friends of Wollaston Beach Present: Kids’ Fest @ The Beach on West Elm Ave Pavilion
6/27/11 (Rain Date 6/30/2011) – 11am-4pm: East Boston YMCA and the Friends of Constitution Beach Present: Beach Kick-Off Day @ Constitution Beach
July 2011
7/3/11 – 7pm-9pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park
7/7/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park
7/9/11 – 10am-12pm: Friends of Belle Isle Marsh Present: Artists on the Beach and "The Sea, The Shore, The Sky"
7/14/11-7/17/11: Revere Beach Partnership Present: Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival @ Revere Beach Bandstand
7/14/2011:South Boston Neighborhood House Present: Early Books Family Night on the Beach Link
7/14/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park 7/19/11 – 6pm: Friends of Wollaston Beach Present: Dancing in the Park @ Tot Lot on Quincy Shore Dr & East Elm Ave 7/21/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park 7/28/11 -- 12pm-4pm: Revere Beach Partnership Present: 6th Annual Summer Fun Health Fair @ Revere Beach Bandstand 7/28/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park 7/30/11 – 12pm-3pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: FNLB 2nd Annual Children’s Concert @ Red Rock Park 7/30/11 – 6pm-9pm: Hull Lifesaving Museum Present: Harbor Illumination @ Windemere Harbor in Hull July TBD: Friends of Belle Isle Marsh Present: Tide Pool Exploration Link
August 2011
8/4/11 – 6pm-8pm
: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park
8/11/11: South Boston Neighborhood House Present: Early Books Family Night on the Beach 8/11/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park 8/12/11 – 6pm-11pm: The Friends of Paragon Carousel Present: Midsummer’s Night Showcase @ Nantasket Beach Hotel 8/13/11 – 11pm-1pm: Friends of Belle Isle Marsh Present: The Night Sky – Perseid Meteor Showers and the Full Moon @ Winthrop Beach (meet at the Flagpole on Shore Drive) 8/18/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park Week of the 22nd – Weeknight (Exact Date TBD): Friends of Savin Hill Shores and Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association Present: Dorchester Beach Festival Family Movie Night 8/23/11 – 6pm: Friends of Wollaston Beach Present: Reading in the Park @ Tot Lot on Quincy Shore Dr & East Elm Ave 8/25/11 – 6pm-8pm: Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Present: Summer Concert Series @ Red Rock Park August TDB: Friends of Belle Isle Marsh Present: Tide Pool Exploration

9/17/11 – 12pm-6pm (Rain Date: 9/18/11): Hull Chamber of Commerce Presents: Endless Summer Waterfront Festival @ Various Locations at Nantasket Ave
September TBD: Friends of Belle Isle Marsh Present: The Birds on the Beach Forum

TBD: Winthrop Parks and Recreation Present: Events at Yirrell and Winthrop Beach


Funds to support this year's awards came from the 1st Annual Cupid Splash cold-water plunge and pledge fundraiser held on public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket in April, with additional support from Save the Harbor's "Better Beaches Program" funding partners at Comcast Massachusetts, the Department of Conservation & Recreation, Jet Blue Airways, Harpoon Brewery, National Grid, and the Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust. Thanks also to our 25th Anniversary partners at The Boston Foundation, The State Street Foundation, John Hancock, P&G Gillette, and Distragas of Massachusetts / GDF Suez for their generosity and support.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

25 Years - $25,000 in Beaches Grants, 25 Free Island Trips and the Cleanest Urban Beaches in America!

Boston, MA - June 23, 2011 – This year, the harbor advocacy group Save the Harbor / Save the Bay celebrates its 25th Anniversary as the region's leading voice for clean water and the restoration and protection of Boston Harbor the waterfront, our region's public beaches, the Boston Harbor Islands and the marine environment.

As part of the celebration, this morning Save the Harbor will award $25,000 in small grants to support free events on the region's public beaches in nine waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities this summer, including Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

The group will also announce 25 free island trips for area youth groups this summer, which they expect will connect more than 5,000 young people from 125 organizations around the city and across the region to Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will announce this year's grant recipients at the McDonough Sailing Center at Castle Island in South Boston. The presentations will immediately follow the formal opening of the South Boston CSO Tunnel that will make the beaches of South Boston and North Dorchester Bay the cleanest urban beaches in America. The group will also honor the many individuals who have helped transform Boston Harbor from an embarrassment to a source of opportunity and pride for the city and the region.

“The region’s 19 miles of sandy public beaches have the power to connect a million people with the Harbor we have worked so hard to restore and protect,” said Patricia A. Foley, President of Save the Harbor / Save the Bay. “We are proud to support our partners in the city's waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities as they work to bring the regions kids and families to their beaches and the harbor.”
Save the Harbor's "Better Beaches" program was launched in 2008 partnership with The Boston Foundation, whose early support helped make it a success. In the past three years, local community partners in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull have leveraged $91,500 in small grants from Save the Harbor with $278,500 in cash and in-kind donations from local government and small businesses for a grand total of $370,000 to support 100 free beach events and activities for everyone to enjoy. 
 “I am impressed by the way that Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has leveraged the investments that the Boston Foundation has made over the years and has created a sustainable program that strengthens our waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities,” said Paul Grogan, Boston Foundation President and CEO. "It is an important asset to our city and the region as we look for new ways to put Boston Harbor to work for our community."

Funds to support this year's grants came from the 1st Annual Spring Splash (AKA CUPID SPLASH!) cold-water plunge and pledge fundraiser held on public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket in April, with additional support from Save the Harbor's "Better Beaches Program" funding partners at The Boston Foundation, Comcast Massachusetts, the Department of Conservation & Recreation, Harpoon Brewery, JetBlue Airways, National Grid and the Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust.

"More than 2000 JetBlue crewmembers call Boston home, and we are focused on giving back to the communities we serve through the support of great programs like Save the Harbor, Save the Bay," said Ronda Ivy-McLeod, Northeast regional marketing manager for JetBlue Airways. "We are lucky to have such a great harbor - and proud to support such a great cause."

Thanks also to our 25th Anniversary partners at The Boston Foundation, The State Street Foundation, John Hancock, P&G Gillette, and Distragas of Massachusetts / GDF Suez for their generosity and support.

In addition to the Better Beaches Program, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay also runs two free youth programs that combine recreation with hands on environmental education to bring the Harbor alive for the region’s youth. Since these programs began in 2002, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has connected more than 50,000 youth and teens from more than 125 youth and community groups to Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.

As part of the group's 25th Anniversary celebration, this year Save the Harbor will host 25 free boat trips to connect the region's youth to the Boston Harbor Islands.

 “We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past 25 years, and especially proud of the difference our free youth programs have made to the kids of our city and the region,” said Bruce Berman, Director of Strategy for Save the Harbor / Save the Bay. "They are the corner-stone of our work to create the next generation of Boston Harbor stewards, by connecting communities to the Harbor we have worked so hard to restore and protect."

Founded in 1986, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay is the region’s leading voice for clean water and the restoration and protection of Boston Harbor, the waterfront, our region's public beaches, the Boston Harbor Islands and the marine environment.

 To find out more about Save the Harbor / Save the Bay's Beach and Youth Programs, visit their website at http://www.savetheharbor.org

Monday, June 20, 2011

First Impressions!



This past year I have had the luxury to travel the world. I have studied and toured in London and Dublin. I drank wine and explored the waters of Venice and the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I lost myself in the beauty and romance of Paris seeing life through rose-tinted glasses, all the while perfecting my French accent. However, amongst all of my travels, there’s nothing I love more than coming back to my hometown of Boston. My first day as a communications intern at Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has presented new beginnings and challenges, but it also brings back some of my favorite old memories. Such as the serenity of the briny smell in the New England ocean air; the city’s reflections in the cool blue water and the excitement of the hustle and bustle of Bostonians enjoying the Boston Harbor. Our adventure out of the office to roam around Fish Pier on one of spring’s few sunny days puts into perspective what’s at the heart of our city: tradition, sense of community, and the ocean. This internship stimulates my need for new thrills and satisfies my desire to be a part of inspiring and bringing the community together to keep our waters and beaches clean. My first impression so far is that this will be my greatest adventure of all to keep alive the city’s traditions. Its days like today that we all share in a love for the water and I’m excited to be a part of that which is the core of the Save the Harbor / Save the Bay’s mission: To keep our waters clean so that we all can see life through “blue-tinted” glasses – here at the Boston Harbor.

Impression of Boston Fish Pier

Boston’s Fish Pier in South Boston isn’t your average pier. It’s not a tourist destination, like Santa Monica Pier. And it’s not a small-town, wooden dock to go fly fishing on. While there doesn’t seem to be much action, a closer look reveals the Fish Pier is a busy, industrial center. A walk around the apron shows men working to pull in their catch from medium-sized ships.
The Fish Pier is also teeming with marine life. While is difficult to see past the depth of a meter, schools of small fishes dart back and forth to the current in the water below. Various mollusks line the edge of the pier and ships. Seagulls are noticeably larger here than other places, due to the easily found scraps from the fishing boats.
As a part of the larger Port of Boston, the Fish Pier holds a special significance as the oldest fish pier still in use in the United States. This label is not especially evident, however, as the pier is not specially marked with signs and plaques. Despite the lack of recognition, the Fish Pier continues to provide for the fishing and maritime industries that have been using the port since it opened in 1915.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

One Man's Trash







Making a Mosaic on Spectacle Island 

If you’re looking for an oasis in the city of Boston, look no further than Spectacle Island. A short thirty minute ferry ride from Long Wharf will take you out of the busy urban life and onto the serene shores and sand with a view of the Boston skyline miles away.
Our first impression of Spectacle Island was the Visitor’s Center, which currently displays a rainbow of marbles, plates, and sea glass that have been found on the beach: red, orange, white, and many shades of blue and green. Just outside the Visitor’s Center, we found a few pieces of artwork that others created from glass pieces they found, including a tree and a giant soft drink cup.
At 2:30, Park Ranger Cass came over to briefly show us around the island and teach us about its history. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Spectacle Island was a dumping ground for the city’s trash. You can actually determine how old some of the sea glass is, especially if you find the broken pieces from old milk bottles that have the years printed on the bottom. These white pieces are some of the most common pieces that visitors find on the sand. The other common colors you’ll find are brown and green – the broken pieces of old beer bottles. However, you’ll rarely see a red, orange or purple piece of glass.
Other interesting artifacts you can find on the beach are pieces of porcelain from plates or cups. Scraps of metal are present, but rare because they oxidize and become brittle.
We asked Ranger Cass what gave him the idea to create a free event that allows visitors to make mosaics from the pieces they find on the beach. “We have all of this cool stuff here,” he said, “Why not make something out if it?” He further explained that visitors are not allowed to take any of the sea glass home with them. Everything on the beach is a cultural or natural resource – Ranger Cass and the other rangers want people to appreciate it and leave it behind for others to enjoy, similar to any other national park.
“It’s the ultimate irony,” Ranger Cass explained, “that people are trying to take the trash and my job is to stop them.” These “sea glass poachers” as Ranger Cass called them would leave an empty beach behind if they were allowed to take the glass home with them.
We saw a lot of potential for Spectacle Island to grow as visitor’s and tourist’s spot. There is a swimming beach open and the rangers hope to have lifeguards soon. Although the landfill closed in 1959, the island was not clean enough to open as a park until 2006.
They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure – and we see Spectacle Island as the ultimate example of creating treasure from the trash.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Youth Partners Breakfast





A Great Way to Start the Summer!

On June 14th 2011 Save the Harbor / Save the Bay welcomed forty youth program leaders for a breakfast and discussion about sharing the harbor with our region's kids. The event was led by board members Harold Sparrow and Imari Paris Jeffreys, who each offered stories on their past experiences with Save the Harbor / Save the Bay.

Imari rasied the question that has been at the heart of Save the Harbor's mission--how do we continue to make the beach accessible? So far the organization has worked towards that mission by connecting children with the harbor--most of whom would not have had the opportunity otherwise.

"We're letting kids know that there's a beach and that it belongs to them," Communications and Programming Director of Strategy Bruce Berman explained.

Board director Harold Sparrow gave two reasons for his continued involvement with Save the Harbor / Save the Bay --the first being simply that "it works." He believes that the people who run the program are absolutely passionate about the harbor and their work has strengthened the lives of young people, both the children who are able to explore the islands and the teenagers that serve as mentors to them.

However, the thousands of children who have enjoyed summer days on the harbor did not have this opportunity in the past. "Twenty-five years ago, the harbor was a sewer. Today, it is an asset to the city," Bruce Berman told the youth program leaders, as the video presentation depicted the transformation from beaches polluted with trash to shimmering blue waters. He further added that "It's hard to find fun free things to do. And we provide great free things to do." For example, every summer Save the Harbor / Save the Bay sponsors two youth programs: All Access Boston Harbor and Harbor Explorers. Kids have the chance to visit the beautiful Spectacle Island and Georges Island for free with the All Access Boston Harbor program. The Harbor Explorers program allows the kids to become junior scientists by filling out forms, using GPS tracking systems, and collecting data and water quality samples--but they're having so much fun examining the harbor hands-on that they don't even realize that what they're doing is as entertaining as it is educational.

Those in attendence at the breakfast event gave Save the Harbor suggestions for further progress in the future: including weekend events for children and families and extending the season of time on the harbor. "We're looking for a way to make the season start earlier and end later," Bruce said, as he encouraged the audience of youth program leaders to become more involved in the free summer programs for children. Imari also encouraged the audience to spread information about the youth programs to their colleagues and friends. Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has had the joy of connecting over 50,000 kids with the harbor since 2002, and the leaders hope to continue increasing these numbers with the summers to come. The staff at Save the Harbor can't wait for school to end and the kids to arrive so that the fun Boston Harbor and in the islands can begin!