Dear Friend of Save the Harbor,
I am writing to you today because I know you share our love
for Boston Harbor, the harbor islands, the beach and the sea.
At Save the
Harbor/Save the Bay we've learned from experience just how important it is
to connect all Bostonians and the region’s residents to these spectacular urban
natural resources, which belong to all of us.
That’s why every year we invest more than 80% of the
funds we raise in free public events and environmental education programs that “Share the Harbor” with the region’s
kids and families.
In 2017, our free programs engaged and inspired 30,000 young
people to explore Boston Harbor and the harbor islands and encouraged more than
one million people to experience and enjoy our region’s public beaches.
These programmatic connections are a critical
component of our work, but there are other important ways we work to share and
connect Boston’s neighborhoods and the region’s residents to Boston Harbor and
the waterfront.
Earlier this year Mayor Walsh announced that the City of
Boston has begun work on the South Bay
Harbor Trail, a project we have championed for more than 10 years. When it
is completed, this 3.5 mile-long pedestrian friendly bicycle trail will connect
residents from Roxbury, the South End, and Chinatown to the Fort Point Channel
and the Seaport District, and connect South Boston with the Greenway, the
Emerald Necklace and beyond.
The South Bay Harbor
Trail is an important part of our comprehensive efforts to strengthen
the physical connections between the city and the sea, including important
new investments in transit and water transportation and continued improvements
to the harbor walk.
In 2018, with your support, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will continue to advocate for
investments that protect the health of the marine environment and strengthen
our city’s waterfront neighborhoods and the region’s beachfront communities
from Nahant to Nantasket.
This year we saw a dramatic increase in demand for
our free harbor tours and island excursions for underserved kids and families,
beginning in the spring with our free Marine
Mammal Safaris. On our final fall trip to Georges Island in October we
had a waiting list of more than 500 for the Provincetown II, which can carry more than 1,000 passengers.
In 2018, we will launch an important new initiative to “Share the Harbor” with underserved
kids and their families. With your support, we will host 10 free harbor cruises
and island excursions to dramatically improve access to Boston Harbor and the
Boston Harbor Islands for those can least afford it.
Thanks so much for helping us to transform Boston Harbor
from an embarrassment into a source of civic pride and economic, educational
and recreational opportunity for all Bostonians and the region’s residents and
visitors alike.
I know you support the work we do to restore, protect
and share Boston Harbor with the more than 1.9 million people who live within a
short ride or drive to the sea.
I hope you will take a moment to make a contribution today to support our work.
All the best,
Patricia A. Foley, President
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
P.S. You can find out
more about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the important work we do to
restore, protect and “Share the Harbor” at our website at www.savetheharbor.org
You can also join savetheharbor on Facebook, and follow
@savetheharbor on Twitter and Instagram.
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