What a Way to Celebrate Clinching the AL East!

Coca-Cola Scholars, Red Sox Scholars and Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
Team Up For Service Day in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park

Volunteers from Coca-Cola, the Red Sox Foundation and Save the Harbor / Save the Bay
on the bow of the Provincetown III at Spectacle Island 

On the Saturday morning after the Red Sox clinched the American League Division East championship, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's staff and interns spent the day with 88 Red Sox fans clearing trails and beaches on Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park. 

Our crew of 88 volunteers included a team of college students and alumni from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a team of Boston Red Sox Scholars, as well as employees from the Coca-Cola plant in Needham and kids and families from the Red Sox "Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities" (RBI) program.

Coca-Cola Scholar Ranjit Korah with artifacts found on the beach

"What a great way to celebrate the Red Sox win and give back to our community," said Carnegie Mellon graduate and Coca-Cola Scholar Ranjit "RJ" Korah, Regional Alumni Coordinator for the Coca-Cola Scholars.

The day began with a quick boat ride to Spectacle Island on one of Bay State Cruise Company's fast catamarans. 

Jennifer Cruickshank, Director of Public Affairs and Communication, Coca-Cola Company Northeast
and Mike Nigro, Coca-Cola's Needham Distribution Center Manager  enjoy the sun on the Provincetown III

Mike Nigro, Distribution Center Manager for Coca- Cola at their Needham plant, put it like this: "At Coca-Cola, we know that when people come together, good things happen.  One of the ways that Coca-Cola gives back to Boston is through our support of Save the Harbor, Save the Bay's sustainability initiatives. We all have a role to play in keeping Spectacle Island and Boston Harbor clean and free of debris.   Our Coca-Cola associates and scholars helped us deliver on our commitment by participating in the clean-up." 

On the island we divided into two teams: One group tackled the trails, removing weeds and invasive species while the other group hit the beach and removed more than 30 bags of trash and lots of debris.

 

A team of Red Sox Scholars and volunteers from the
RBI program hard at work on Spectacle Island

Coca-Cola Scholars and volunteers get ready to hit the beach
to remove trash and debris on Spectacle Island

"The Red Sox Foundation and our Red Sox Scholars and RBI kids and families are committed to giving back to our community."  said Red Sox Foundation Interim Director Gena Borson. "Thanks to Save the Harbor / Save the Bay for giving our team the chance to make a difference on Spectacle Island."

Volunteers from the Red Sox Foundation's "RBI" program
pitched in and helped make the day a success.

After the clean-up volunteers enjoyed a picnic lunch at the visitor's center and then explored the island with Save the Harbor's staff and interns. Even though the tide was high, participants searched the beach for artifacts and beach glass from the last century, when Spectacle was the city dump and not a destination for the region's residents and visitors alike.

Save the Harbor's Bruce Berman (right), shares the Treasures of Spectacle Island at the visitor center.

“It was great to spend time on Boston Harbor with our partners from Coca-Cola and friends from the Boston Red Sox Foundation," said Bruce Berman of Save the Harbor / Save the Bay. "Seeing Boston in the distance gives us all a great sense of perspective about our community. We really appreciate all their hard work and support."

If you would like to join Save the Harbor/Save the Bay on a free Treasures of Spectacle Island Cruise on October 26, 2013, please send an email to info@savetheharbor.org.

About Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay (SH/SB) is a non- profit public interest Boston Harbor environmental advocacy organization whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, the Boston Harbor Islands, the Boston Harbor regions public beaches, Boston’s waterfront and the marine environment for everyone to enjoy. For more information about Save the Harbor, please visit www.savetheharbor.org.

About the Coca-Cola Scholars
Since 1989, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has helped dreams come true for more than 5,000 outstanding students. In high school, these students began their journey of academic excellence, positive leadership and dedication to service. They are continuing throughout their careers to serve others and realize their full potential to change the world and create an enduring legacy. For more information about the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, please visit www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org

About the Red Sox Scholars
The Red Sox Scholars is an award-winning program run by the Red Sox Foundation, the official team charity of the Boston Red Sox. The program was launched in 2003 and with the selection of the new class of Boston Public School students in 2012, the Red Sox Scholars Program now provides mentoring, enrichment activities and college scholarships to 220 Boston Public School students. Funded by the Red Sox Foundation, the Scholars’ college scholarships of up to $10,000 per student are redeemable upon enrollment in an accredited college and on the condition on continued good citizenship. Our Red Sox Scholars come from diverse backgrounds and have demonstrated perseverance in the face of many challenges. For more information about the Red Sox Foundation or the Red Sox Scholars, please visit www.redsoxfoundation.org

About the Red Sox Foundation's Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities Program
Baseball is at the center of all we do and it’s the same for Red Sox Foundation’s youth programming.  The Rookie League introduces children under the age of 12 to the basics of the game, while the Red Sox Foundation’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program uses the sport to promote healthy choices and valuable life-skills including non-violent conflict resolution, resistance to drugs and alcohol, and educational achievement among at-risk teens, aged 13-18.  These programs serve thousands of boys and girls in the Boston community. For more information about the RBI program or the Red Sox Foundation, please visit www.redsoxfoundation.org
. 

One Community. One Blue. One Beach!

Blue Cross/ Blue Shield Annual Service Day

with Save the Harbor / Save the Bay

On September 18, 2013, eighty employees from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts joined Save the Harbor/Save the Bay for a beach cleanup in South Boston.

 
The 80 members of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s “Blue Crew” were part of the company’s 3rd annual company-wide service day, which included 3,000 employees and 16,000 service hours across the entire state.

The “Blue Crew” partnered with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and spent a full day removing trash, trimming bushes and overgrown brush, and weeding pathways and sidewalks that line the beach and adjacent parks and ball fields.  In total, the “Blue Crew” beautified 12+ acres of public parks, including 2 miles of sandy swimming beaches and 3 miles of urban parkways and removed more than 7 tons of trash and landscape debris.

Andrew Dreyfus, President & CEO Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Jeff Bellows, VP of of Corportate Citizenship were on hand – and hands on -  at the event.

“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay to protect the public’s $4.5 billion investment in the Boston Harbor Cleanup.  Our employees share the mission to restore our public beaches and our harbor”, said Dreyfus. "Inspired by the vision and goals of our community partners, Service Day gives our associates the opportunity to strengthen cities, towns, and neighborhoods across Massachusetts and continues our more than 75 year legacy of community commitment - which has been a hallmark of Blue Cross since our founding."

Save the Harbor’s President Patty Foley, who learned to swim at L Street Beach, was impressed by what the “Blue Crew” accomplished and is proud to have earned their support.  “We value our partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield and their commitment to our community.  They are passionate about our mission to restore our harbor and beaches while creating the next generation of harbor stewards. BCBS is a truly a leader in corporate citizenship in our city and beyond.”

Jay Stack participated in last year’s service day with Save the Harbor and I stepped up and volunteered to be Site Coordinator for BC/BS Service Day 2013.  “I grew up in this town and had many fun on these beaches. It is really rewarding to give a little back.”

Bandi “Weed Killer” Braimn tackled weeds and invasive species with gusto. “What a productive day on Carson Beach”, said Bandi as he trimmed the overgrown brush among the sea grass.  “My granddaughter lives here so we bring her to these beaches.  This is a great opportunity to give back and teach her the importance of community service.”

Thanks to everyone who took part in this great event. All of us at Save the Harbor really appreciate your hard work and commitment to our mission and our community.

For information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay visit our website at www.savetheharbor.org follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/savetheharbor  or visit our Boston Harbor blog “Sea, Sand & Sky” at http://www.blog.savetheharbor.org

For more information about the Blue Cross / Blue Shield of Massachusetts Day of Service, visit http://www.bluecrossma.com/service-day/

HarborArts 2013

On Saturday, September 21st Save the Harbor attended the 3rd Anniversary Celebration of HarborArts, Inc. commemorating the opening of the first exhibition ever held at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina. It was a beautiful day at the Shipyard, and we were excited to see so many people supporting the community, arts, and East Boston neighborhood.



Setting-Up at HarborArts

The day before the event Edlyn Chavez, our Development Intern, and I set-up a crab trap nearby hoping to catch some sea creatures. On the morning of the event, we set-up our touch tank ready to show off Larry the Lobster and Rock Crabs straight from the Boston Harbor. We were also able to collect Mussels and small Moon Jellyfish. We quickly released the Moon Jellyfish, but I thought it was interesting to see how many we could scoop up with our tiny dip nets.



Showing the Anatomy of a Rock Crab

This was my first time at the HarborArts Festival, and it was a great experience to be a part of such a well organized and successful event led by Matt Pollock of HarborArts. The theme this year was "East Your Art Out", and in the past three years the festival has grown in sponsors, vendors, and participants. There were many vendors from the East Boston Neighborhood and artwork from across the globe. The band, London Bridgez, played live music, and hamburgers were cooking on the grill to satisfy anyone's appetite.


Vendor Tent



Found Art from Animal Shells

Save the Harbor was also able to see many friends new and old at the HarborArts Festival. Rachel Edwards, one our dedicated Board Members, stopped by with her daughter to see Larry and his friends. They enjoyed learning about Larry the Lobster and touching the different animals.

 

We were also able to spend time with our new Development Manager, Ryn Miake-Lye, while she volunteered for HarborArts to help direct traffic and oversee parking.

 

It was a wonderful day to spend time in the East Boston community educating families about the Harbor, working with our Save the Harbor Staff and Board Members, and enjoying the last bit of Summer and welcoming the Fall season.

Until Next Time,
Iris Ayala

Christine Kelly Found Her Marble. Now Its Your Turn!

South Boston Resident Wins Round One
Of The "Simply Marble-ous" Treasure Hunt

- By Jacqueline Sussman -

Congratulations to Southie resident Christine Kelly, who won a roundtrip ticket from JetBlue Airways to any domestic destination they serve from Boston’s Logan Airport in Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and JetBlue Airways’ 2^nd annual “Simply Marble-ous” Treasure Hunt.

Christine Kelly found her marble on the beach in South Boston, and won a round trip ticket
to any domestic destination served by JetBlue Airways. Find a marble and you could be the next winner!

 “My friends and I love to go to the beach,” said Kelly, who is 22. “Finding a marble was an unexpected surprise, and winning a JetBlue ticket is fantastic. My family and I flew with them to Florida last year, and it was a blast.”

Kelly was the first winner in this year’s treasure hunt, but there are still more than 200 marbles on Boston area beaches from Nahant to Nantasket, and two more winners to be chosen this fall. The next winner will be chosen on Columbus Day, and the contest ends on Halloween.

This is the second year that Save the Harbor and JetBlue Airways partnered for the contest that celebrates Boston Harbor and the region’s great public beaches.

“The "Simply Marble-ous" treasure hunt is a great way for JetBlue's crewmembers to show that we treasure Boston's great harbor and the area's public beach," said Ronda Ivy McLeod, Manager of Regional Marketing at JetBlue Airways. "We not only work here, we live here too. It is a perfect fit for us to support Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and their great work improving the quality of life for residents of the region.”

At his office on the Fish Pier in South Boston, SH/SB spokesman Bruce Berman said, “At Save the Harbor we’re always looking for ways to get people to take a fresh look at the Boston Harbor. JetBlue Airways’ support helps to make that possible. One of the reasons this contest is such a success is because JetBlue is such a great partner. Fun is one of their core values and you can see that in the way they treat their community partners, employees and customers.”
 

More than 250 marbles are still waiting for you to find on Boston area beaches in Lynn, Nahant, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull, so keep hunting!

It is free and easy to enter the Simply Marble-ous Treasure Hunt. When you find a marble, just post a picture of yourself with the marble on Save the Harbor’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/savetheharbor or email your photo and contact information to info@savetheharbor.org. Anyone who finds a marble between July 4 and October 31 will remain in the contest until the final drawing.

Even if you don’t find a marble, you still have an opportunity to be entered into the contest. Make an online contribution at http://savetheharbor.org/contribution.html of any amount to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay between July 4 and October 31.

Save the Harbor will announce the winners on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/savetheharbor so stay tuned!

About Save the Harbor/Save the Bay

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is a non-profit, public interest, environmental advocacy organization, whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Mass Bay, and the marine environment and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy.  For more information about Save the Harbor, please visit www.savetheharbor.org

For more information about the "Simply Marble-ous Treasure Hunt" and other great beach events, visit their blog "Sea, Sand & Sky" at http://www.blog.savetheharbor.org

Is It Really Over Already?

It’s hard to believe that summer is already over! It seems like just yesterday I was cluelessly wandering the Boston Fish Pier trying to find the elusive Save the Harbor office and telling myself that I would eventually get used to the intense fish smell (not quite so). But alas, time flies when you’re having fun, right? Over the course of these short weeks I have had the opportunity to explore unique parts of the Boston Harbor, work with some of the best and most dedicated coworkers, catch more crabs than I had previously thought humanly possible and meet some of the most curious and inspiring kids from the different Boston communities.

I came to Save the Harbor with the hope of sharing my enthusiasm for the environment and I can confidently say that I achieved that goal. Seeing all our Harbor Explorers show up early every single day (even on those gray and rainy ones) ready to get their hands dirty was incredibly rewarding and inspires hope for future generations of environmental conservationists.

Each day brought new experiences and my list of favorites from the summer would be endless. But, here’s a quick list of things I am already missing:

1.     Crab Races

2.     Sharks and Minnows

3.     Starting the day with the amazing view from Piers Park

4.     Shoreline walks with Southie kids

5.     Lobstahssss

6.     Impromptu dance parties on the dock

7.     The unconditional love for Save the Harbor staff

8.     Spending the day with goofball kids

A special shout out to my JPAs - Jazeel, Monique, Nhu, and Vinh. The summer would not have been the same without you guys. Thanks for showing up every morning with smiles on your faces. The East Boston and Southie kids (and me!) will never forget their summer with you.

Until next time,

Sarah C

J