752 Kids Make A Very Big Splash!

  

On Friday August 8th, 752 youth and teens from 10 youth groups from Boston’s neighborhoods and surrounding communities took part in Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's  4th Annual Beach Bash and Splash at the BCYF Curley Recreation Center at M Street Beach in South Boston, including

·      BCYF Curley Community Center – South Boston

·      Braintree After School Enrichment – Braintree

·      Castle Square Youth Education Program – South End

·      Curtis Hall Community Center – Jamaica Plain

·      East Boston YMCA – East Boston

·      Greenwood Shalom - Dorchester

·      Home for Little Wanderers – Boston

·      Jackson Mann Summer Program – Brighton

·      South Boston Boys and Girls Club – South Boston

·      Tynan Fun in the Sun – South Boston

It was a perfect day for a beach party.  Temperatures in the 80s, clear skies, clean water, 1200 hot dogs, 1000 bottles of water, and 752 Boston area youth and teens added up to a beautiful day of fun in the sun for everyone.

 

At noon, most of the 752 youth and teens hit the water, making a very big splash.

“It’s great to see so many kids from across the city on the beach and in the water,” said Save the Harbor’s Director of Strategy, Communications and Programs. “What a great way to celebrate the success of the Boston Harbor Clean-up, which has made these beaches among the cleanest urban beaches in America and among the most popular beaches in the region.” 

 Over the course of the day youth and teens engaged in healthy outdoor activities, including swimming, fishing, Frisbee and sports, and enjoyed learning about crabs and lobsters caught and released at the beach. Save the Harbor’s summer artist in residence, Sam Schreiber, helped youth create some spectacular murals and art on the shore.

Save the Harbor’s high school and college youth program staff hosted the celebration, and also gathered several hundred signatures in support of their efforts to get better and more affordable access to the region’s public beaches and the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.

“Kids don’t have cars to get to the beach and many can’t afford to visit the Boston Harbor Islands” said Maxwell Kennedy-Reid, a rising sophomore at Stonehill College, who is helping to organize the petition drive. “A free beach shuttle and discounted fares to the islands would make a big difference to them and to their families.”

So far this year Save the Harbor / Save the Bay’s free All Access Boston Harbor program has brought more than 6,000 youth and teens from area community organizations and youth groups on free day trips to the Boston Harbor Islands. The group also serves thousands more youth and teens at 8 program sites around the harbor, and free beach events from Nahant to Nantasket. By summer’s end, these free environmental education programs will have connected 100,000 young people to the Boston Harbor and Boston Harbor Islands since  they began in 2002.

“We are proud of these free programs, which have made us the Boston Harbor Connection for young people and their families,” said Save the Harbor’s President Patricia Foley. "We are also proud to have earned the support of so many of the region’s foundations, businesses and individual donors.”

These free youth environmental education programs are made possible with Leadership Grants from Bay State Cruise Company, Distrigas/GDF SUEZ, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Ludcke Foundation, and the Yawkey Foundation II.

Save the Harbor is grateful for Partnership Grants from Forrest Berkley & Marcie Tyre Berkley, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, The Chiofaro Company, The Fallon Company, Hampshire House Corporation – Cheers for Children, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., Massachusetts Bay Lines, Massachusetts Port Authority, National Grid Foundation, P&G Gillette, William E & Bertha E. Schrafft Charitable Trust, and the Clinton H. & Wilma T. Shattuck Charitable Trust.

Save the Harbor also appreciates funding support from Lawrence J. & Anne Rubenstein Foundation, Arbella Insurance Group Charitable Foundation, Blue Hills Bank Foundation, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston Center for Youth and Families, Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Carnival Foundation, Circle Furniture, Clippership Foundation, Department of Conversation and Recreation, Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, HYM Investment Group Inc., Lovett Woodsum Family Foundation, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, South Boston Community Development Foundation, Reebok Foundation, Santander Bank Foundation, Boston Bruins Foundation, Thomas & Lucinda Foley, Red Sox Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, Goulston & Storrs, BCYF Curley Community Center, Rowan Murphy & Andus Baker, YMCA of Greater Boston, Matthew J. & Gilda F. Strazzula Foundation, Senior Housing Property Trust, P&G Gillette, BOMA, the Baystate Federal Savings Charitable Foundation, Community-Suffolk, Inc., Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, and hundreds of individual donors.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is a non-profit, public interest, environmental advocacy organization working to restore and protect Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay.  Each year Save the Harbor/Save the Bay runs free youth environmental education programs that combine recreation and hands-on education to bring the Harbor alive for thousands of Boston area young people. 

To find out more about their free All Access Boston Harbor trips and other free events activities for youth, teens and families, visit their website at http://www.savetheharbor.org, their youth blog “Sea, Sand and Sky” at http://www.blog.savetheharbor.org and their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/savetheharbor

Beach Bash 2013

    Hello everyone! The highlight of my day was face painting different summer camps from all over the Greater Boston. Beach bash was chaotic yet, it was fun. I never face painted before so doing it for the first time was a great experience for me. I don't consider myself an artist but I became very creative when kids were requesting some crazy ideas. Sometimes less is more! I painted simple flowers, butterflies, and painted some cool cartoon characters! Overall, I had a blast at Beach Bash and I enjoyed face painting.

Less is more 

Look at my little creation

Capturing some funny moments!

Good times

- Juelle Benjamin 

3rd Annual Kids' Beach Bash and Splash EXCITEMENT

Happy Monday Harbor Explorers!  In my last blog post I mentioned that Thursday there was no All Access trip -- normally this would be sad, but instead of journeying to Spectacle Island the entire Save the Harbor/Save the Bay staff convened on M Street Beach in South Boston for the always-exciting KIDS' BEACH BASH AND SPLASH!

The calm before the storm

 By the end of the day, over 700 children and counselors from the Greater Boston area had made it to the BCYF Curley Center for face painting, fishing, swimming and a hot dog lunch.  I was on the welcome committee out front, checking people in and helping groups  that might have gotten a little lost on the way to the beach.  It was really cool to so many groups that have come out on All Access back again for the Bash, and I know the kids all had an amazing time.

Braintree After School Enrichment lining up to splash into M Street Beach

Before rushing into the cool water and making an enormous splash, David Coffin led all the children and staffers in a rousing rendition of "Haul Away Joe" (even though his voice was a little off) and Will Clark joined in with his famous Save the Harbor rap -- I'm sure all the kids were singing it on the bus rides home.

Fresh Prince of Boston Harbor Will Clark on the mic

Another great thing about the Bash is that all of the Save the Harbor staff come together to make this event a success -- the office staff, interns, Senior Marine Educators and the high school summer staff.  With so many sites around Boston, it can be hectic with kids running from one program to another.  I'm always glad that we have one day during the summer to have a big party for ourselves and the children that we serve around Boston, and this year was no exception!  I'm so happy I got to work with these crazy kids!

Lookin' good

-- Carolyn

 

 

Beach Bash

Hey Everyone,

What a day we had on Thursday at the Curly Community Center in South Boston as Save the Harbor/Save the Bay held their annual Beach Bash and Splash. There were more than 700 hundred kids from the surrounding youth programs who came for one big summer celebration. The activities included; : fishing, a touch tank with crabs, lobsters, and other marine life,  sports and frisbees, a big fish drawing for the kids to put their name on, face painting, and of course swimming.

As the Beach Bash started I was in charge of running the sports events for the day.  I also made sure each group left with a bunch of STH/STB frisbees.  When it was close to 10 o'clock, the kids began to arrive in bunches. Group after Group arriving meant it was time for the games to begin.

We started off with a gigantic game of wiffle ball. We had kids playing from all the various groups who attended.  Even the staff members from each group joined in the game.

Here is Andy throwing his best pitch

 As the day progressed so did the number of kids who came to join in on our game.

After playing wiffle ball the kids were ready for kickball.   What a game we had going. The kids were diving after balls, sliding into to bases.   For a minute there I thought I was watching the world series of kickball.  I must say the runs sure did pile up in this game. We were way into double figures.   One team even surpassed 20 runs.

After a great game of kickball, we decided to squeeze in one more quick game of wiffle ball before lunch.  Right before lunch we had all the groups gather in front of the STH/STB banner to hear the one and only Will Clark sing the STH/STB Rap.

Along side David Coffin and Bruce Berman Will Clark sings the STH/STB Rap

Now it was time for the annual group swim which could only be lead by one person who was David Coffin.

 Kids running out of the water after the annual group swim

Then once everyone went for a dip in the water it was time for chaos to in sue.

When I say chaos I mean lunch. Just imagine 100s of hungry kids swarming at you at all at once that is one image that is etched in my memory.  After all the hot dogs were consumed and you could finally see the ocean instead of a line with 100s of kids.

Soon  it was time to begin the cleanup. After making sure the beach was cleaner than when we arrived, the groups began to pack up and our fun-filled event was complete.

Thanks to all the awesome staff we who made this event the best Beach Bash ever!
Adios,
Davis

Swim and Paddle 2013: What a Blast!

This past Saturday instead of sleeping in or watching another re-run of Saved by the Bell, I was up bright and early to help out at Save the Harbor's Swim and Paddle Board for Boston Harbor.  This swim and paddle board race was held at the Curley Community Center in South Boston, and we had a GREAT turnout.  This was the first year that a stand-up paddle board competition was part of the event, and I thought it was pretty cool.  I first tried paddle boarding on a family vacation and although I was nervous that I would topple over, I thought it was easy once you get out on the water.  This year the paddle boarders were very impressive, racing out to the buoys and back again before I could even believe it!

Noses at the starting line

I and several other summer staffers teamed up with the office staff to man the registration table and distribute food tickets for Tasty Burger after working up a sweat in the races.  There was also paddle boarding lessons at the end of the race, Vita Coco water tastings (but no Dustin Pedroia sightings unfortunately) and SurfRider apparel for the boarder in your life.

Despite the overcast skies, everyone had a good time and raised a ton of money -- good job to everyone involved!  Make sure to have next year's swim and paddle on your calendar!

-- Carolyn

Swim and Paddle for Boston Harbor

On Saturday, August 3^rd, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will host The Swim And Paddle For Boston Harbor, a one-mile, championship chip-timed, professionally staffed, competitive swim followed by a chip-timed Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) competition.

Swimmers in last year’s Swim for Boston Harbor

The Swim And Paddle For Boston Harbor will take place at the BCYF Curley Recreation Center at M Street Beach in South Boston, which is among the cleanest urban beaches in America. Swimmers will follow course from the Curley Center in an equilateral triangle and return to the finish line at M Street beach.

Online registration at http://www.swim4bostonharbor.org is open until August 1^st. Participants can also register on-site the morning of the competition on August 3^rd from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Swim registration is $50, and the race will be capped at 100 participants.

 

The SUP competition registration is $25, and paddleboard rentals are available for an additional $25. Those wishing to join the party without competing in either event are asked to make a contribution of $25. Save the Harbor/Save the Bay hopes to raise $5,000 to continue our work to restore and protect Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay for all Bostonians and the region’s residents and visitors to enjoy.

Proceeds from the swim will benefit Save The Harbor/Save the Bay, while funds raised from the SUP competition will benefit both the Massachusetts Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.

The top fundraiser will receive a round trip ticket from JetBlue Airways to any destination they fly from Logan Airport. Winners of each event will be entered into a raffle to win tickets from JetBlue Airways as well.  Everyone who donates and attends the party can enjoy a cold pint of Harpoon Beer from our friends at Harpoon Brewery and treats from our new partners at Tasty Burger after the competitions.

10 years ago, this event would not have been possible because the water in the Boston Harbor was often unsafe for swimming after even a small summer storm. Today we are proud to say that this event will take place rain or shine on one of the cleanest urban beaches in America, thanks to the hard work and commitment of thousands of people and the tenacious advocacy of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.

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, Massachusetts Bay, and the marine environment and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy. 

About the Massachusetts Chapter of Surfrider

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation was founded in 1996.  They are an all-volunteer chapter composed of local New England surfer/environmentalists dedicated to the preservation of the New England coastal environmental, elimination of pollution, and open access to our beaches. 

For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, please visit: www.savetheharbor.org. 

For more information about The Surfrider Foundation, please visit: http://www.surfrider.org.

To register for the Swim and Paddle for Boston Harbor, please visit:

http://www.swim4bostonharbor.org.