Happy Summer!

Hello everyone, and happy summer! My name is Amy Gaylord, and I am a full-time staffer at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. One of my main responsibilities at the office is preparing and planning for the youth environmental education program, which means that I look forward to summer all year long! This will be my second summer at Save the Harbor, and I am excited to say that our staff this year is better than ever—ready to share the harbor with youth and teens from all over Greater Boston. 

Our busy orientation week concluded today after an engaging storytelling workshop with storyteller Norah Dooley, a fun-filled trip to Georges Island with harbor historian David Coffin, and plenty of time to get to know each other as a staff. This summer we have a large number of returning Senior Harbor Educators, Lead Harbor Explorers, and Junior Program Assistants ready to share their knowledge and experience with new members of the team. 

I look forward to getting the program underway at all of our sites, new and old, this summer—including All Access Boston Harbor, my main outreach responsibility! I book groups on the weekly trips to Spectacle, Georges, and Peddocks Islands, making sure that youth groups from different neighborhoods have the chance to experience the Boston Harbor Islands during the summer. 

If you work with a youth organization that would like to take advantage of this free opportunity, reach out to me for more information by email or phone: Gaylord@savetheharbor.org or 617-451-2860 x1008.  Looking forward to a great summer on the harbor!

Nora the (Lead Harbor) Explorer!

Hey everyone, my name is Nora Doherty and I will be a Lead Harbor Explorer at Save the Harbor, Save the Bay this summer! This is my first summer here and I’m super excited to dive into everything this program has to offer!!

Growing up in Dorchester, I was lucky enough to be steps away from Malibu beach. I remember days of running in the water to celebrate a big softball game win or just simply going down to the shore line to find hermit crabs and horseshoe crabs with my friends.

Though events like this instilled my love for the ocean, I found my true love of the ocean on the southern tip of Nova Scotia. Visiting my Nana is Shag Harbour, NS is the closest you can get to the ocean without being a marine critter. These maritime people eat, sleep, and breathe the sea. I spent my days down the wharf, watching fishermen unload their weekly catch; gulls flying overhead, and seals bobbing in the near distance, or sunbathing on rocks. Arriving at the beaches at dawn and not leaving the water until sunset was an ideal day.

Starting college at Plymouth State University I was pulled away from the ocean and landed in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Here I hiked, skied, kayaked, swam, and explored as often as I could. Receiving a degree in environmental biology, I gained a knowledge ranging from ecology to cell biology. My senior research project focused on comparing fossil and modern corals and how changes in their environment affect their skeleton isotope composition.

Last summer I spent time away from the ocean when I had the experience to work in Orlando, Florida. Here I worked hands on with Florida panthers, bobcats, alligators, crocodiles  and tropical birds. 

I hope to bring all my experiences and knowledge to Save the Harbor Save the Bay this summer! The past week we have had orientation and the entire staff is very excited to work together! Have a great summer!

Share the Love!

Hello everyone, my name is Mark Rose ; I'm 20 years old and I am from Dorchester. This will be my 5th summer working for SaveTheHarbor/SaveTheBay.  I'm proud to say that this will be my first year working as a Lead Harbor Explorer. I am super excited to be back for another summer. I know its going to be fun ; I'm sure there will be lots of new experiences. 

The biggest joy for me is being able to share my love for the Harbor with the young children that I will be teaching and working with. This week I met all my Jr/Sr staff and Co-workers. I think everyone seems great. I look forward to teaming up with them for an awesome summer. There's always something new to learn everyday. My goals are to continue to have fun, and help keep the Harbor a better place for friends and familys' to come and enjoy.

Mark Rose

Two Views on Clean Water

Yesterday, while our Youth Environmental Education Program staff explored the Boston Harbor Islands,  I attended a press conference on clean water organized by Ben Hellerstein of Environment Massachusetts.

It was great to hear Curt Spaulding, Administrator for EPA's New England Region and Bob Zimmerman of the Charles River Watershed Association talk about the importance of protecting water and wetlands that are so important to water quality and public health.

As I spoke briefly (Really!) about the economic and recreational value of the investments we have made in clean water in Boston Harbor, I noticed our summer staff on the top deck of the ferry. If you look closely, you can see them waving in the background.
When I returned to my office on the Verandah at Constitution Marina, our staff photographer Joseph Prezioso sent me this nice photo he took from the boat.

In the 25 years I have been spokesman for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay two things have become increasingly clear. The first is the water and the second is the value of the investments we have made in restoring and protecting Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay.
I hope you enjoy these two perspectives on yesterday's press conference as much as I did.
See you on Boston Harbor!
Bruce Berman

About Me: Kirsten Pfister

Hi everyone!

My name is Kirsten Pfister and I will be a Communications, Marketing, and Events Intern this summer with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay! I'm thrilled to be apart of such a great organization and I cannot wait to learn more about Boston's beaches this summer!

Boating off the Coast of Cape Cod

I grew up in Littleton, MA and I will be a junior at the University of New Hampshire in the fall. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my family's lake house in Nelson, NH. This is where I developed a love for all things water! I absolutely love to paddle-board, waterski, and I just started snorkeling this past year. Outside of the water, I enjoy snow skiing and I'm a diehard Bruins fan. I also have two Goldendoodles, Dakota and Stanley, that I love spending time with.

Snorkeling in St. Martin

So far in my position as an intern with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, I have worked heavily in communications. From drafting press releases to getting to know the local newspapers, I have helped get the word out about our recent work in the community. In the past few weeks this has focused on the Urban Beach Study and letting the beachfront communities know just how clean their beaches really are. As the summer progresses, I will continue to work in communications while also getting involved in the programming that will take place on the beaches and Boston Harbor Islands. Not only do I look forward to seeing how great the free events on the beach will be this summer, but through all my work with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay I cannot wait to connect even more people from the Boston communities to the gorgeous and clean beaches in the area. With all the awesome programs that Save the Harbor/Save the Bay offers and sponsors, I hope to see all of you out on the beaches this summer!

That's all for now!

- Kirsten

Jessie Thuma--a new intern at Save the Harbor!

Hi there! My name is Jessie Thuma and I am a new Environmental/Policy intern with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.  I joined the team only a week ago so I’m still learning and reading all about the history, policies, achievements, and goals of the organization.  I am blown away by the progress Save the Harbor has made in improving beach sanitation and accessibility for all of the 15 public beaches in the region, from Nahant all the way down to Nantasket.  I have been interested in environmental advocacy for as long as I can remember so this summer I am excited to learn about the communication and policy dynamic of a non-profit advocacy group.

I am a rising junior at the University of Virginia—or as we say at UVA, a rising Third Year—where I am working towards a BS in Environmental Science as well as a BA in Women, Gender, and Sexuality.  In my search for summer internships, applying for a position at Save the Harbor was a natural choice.  I have lived in Quincy my whole life, just a minute walk from Wollaston beach.  Growing up, I spent much of my summer hanging out in the sand, taking sailing lessons at both Black’s Creek and Squantum Yacht Club, and going to the Clam Box for French fries and ice cream.  Needless to say, I love the water and feel passionately that everyone should have the same access to a fun and safe beach that I was lucky enough to have.  That is why I love Save the Harbor’s mission to not only clean up the region’s beaches, but to share the beaches with the local communities.  With their free public programs, like Family Fun Day on Wollaston Beach which I went to a few years ago, and youth education programs, Save the Harbor is working to instill in all residents a love for the beach and an enthusiasm to keep the waters of the Boston Harbor clean.

Over the years, I have seen first hand the major improvements to the beaches driven by the staff and interns at Save the Harbor.  When I was really young, I was not allowed to swim at Wollaston or go into the mud flats at low tide because of the polluted water and the broken glass and trash embedded in the sand.  Now, when I go for a run along the shore or grab some lunch at the Clam Box, I see hundreds of people enjoying the beach as their kids play in the water or look for crabs in the mud at low tide.  The sand is clean, the bathhouse is useable again, and people are finally respecting the beach rather than trashing it.  I am so happy to have the chance to give back to my community and other beach communities like it as I work with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay to help share the beach.

  

Outside of environmental conservation, I love to run, cook, read, and watch whatever is popular on Netflix.  I spend as much time with friends and family (including my two cats) as I can, and love using my free summer days to explore different neighborhoods of Boston, search out a new hiking trail or running path, or lounge by the pool or beach and have a cookout.  As an intern this summer, I will be putting together case studies, helping with press releases and collecting news clips, and working with the Youth Environmental Education Program at Black’s Creek in Quincy.  I can’t wait for all that I still have to learn and experience with Save the Harbor!

Hi my name is Luke!

Hi my name Luke and I am a brand new intern at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay! I have come from the not so far away lands of West Hartford, Connecticut to learn the ways of public policy and clean water from the expert team working at STH/STB. My first lesson here, and probably most important, has been that people are at the core of any good policy. Much of what we do at STH/STB is to listen to the good folks of Boston and find ways to channel their passion for a clean environment through our work into meaningful actions and events. This lesson became clear as I took part in Save the Harbor’s Better Beaches Awards Grants Ceremony on Saturday, June 6 during which 35 organizations were awarded more than $200,000 to host free beach events this summer. These events range from Rock Concerts in Lynn to Quidditch Tournaments on South Boston Beaches. The work done at STH truly starts and ends with these people and communities who want clean beaches and clean water to utilize as a public space. We take Max Havlin’s excitement for flying broomsticks and dragons and give him a clean beach and commonwealth funding to bring his imagination to life for an entire community. Or we take Boston Community Boating Organization’s desire to bring sailing to hundreds of juniors this summer and work tirelessly to ensure the water in the harbor is safe for kids to fall into. Keeping the harbor clean is our goal, but the people of Boston are at core of everything we do.  

I am excited to be part of a dynamic team working for such a selfless and noble cause. Again, listening to what the People of Boston want, I anticipate some of our upcoming projects as interns will focus on ways to permanently rehabilitate Winthrop Beach or a plan to jump start the South Boston Harbor Trail Project. I look forward to working on these problems and making a difference for the people in these communities. Of course if you are a constituent of any community in the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area and you have concerns, questions, or ideas to improve the Boston Harbor or Beaches, please contact us! We welcome your input warmly and will take action on your behalf.

As a new Bostonian, I am overwhelmed by the breadth of happenings in the City - ALL of which I wish to take part in! From open water swimming at Carson Beach, to dancing in Cambridge, to out door movie nights, museums, and concerts, is there a better place to spend summer than Boston? I wouldn’t believe you even if you told me there was. I feel genuinely welcomed by the people here and look forward to an amazing summer.

Keep checking the blog for more updates from my fellow new interns, Kirsten Pfister, Max Pohlnan, and Jessie Thuma (all fantastic people) as well as more information on our current projects. Keep loving your Beaches!

All the best,

Luke

Save the Harbor: The Return

Hello once again everyone,

For those of you that don't already know me, my name is Lucas Crowley, and I'm excited to begin my second summer here with the Save the Harbor crew! I am a 20 year old rising junior at the University of Rhode Island studying marine biology. In the fall of this year I will be participating in the BIOS study abroad program in Bermuda, which I am beyond excited about!!! Along with studying marine biology, I am also a captain of URI's ultimate frisbee team, RIUT, to which I have devoted a lot of time and hard work to. I've made countless friends and connections from this team and it's something I will never regret being a part of. 

Go RIUT

Some of my other hobbies include playing golf, aimlessly driving around my home town of Hanson and the surrounding south shore, and of course, spending time around the ocean. My love for the ocean began early in life with my frequent visits to the New England Aquarium and the various beaches of the south shore. I was always fascinated with the extremely diverse life that resides in the ocean, and as a result I have made it clear that my study of marine biology remains focused on wildlife within the ocean.

I took away so many things from working with Save the Harbor last year. While I myself think that I am slightly shy, those that know me know that I am very approachable and easy to talk to. I make friends very quickly and as result, became extremely close with everyone I worked with last year. This trend has continued into this years orientation week and I am extremely excited to be working with this group of staff members this summer as well as the THOUSANDS of kids we plan on seeing and giving such an amazing opportunity to harness what the Boston Harbor has to offer. 

If I've learned anything from working with the staff at Save the Harbor, it's that they never miss an opportunity to take a hilarious or sometimes slightly embarrassing photo...something just today I unfortunately got to witness first hand...

Just trying to relax after a long day of work

I know it's all fun and games and I'm looking forward to getting some friendly payback this summer, I can't wait to continue blogging and keeping everyone up to date with all the exciting plans we have for this summer. Until next time everyone!

Boston Harbor Explorers Program Registration at Black's Creek!

On Wednesday, June 24^th, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay held open registration for its Boston Harbor Explorers Program at Black’s Creek in Quincy. Save the Harbor's youth program runs closely with the Quincy Department of Recreation's sailing program. 

Amy registering summer explorers

Parents arrived at Pageant Field in the morning to sign their children up for Quincy Rec summer clinics, boating lessons, and Save the Harbor's Boston Harbor Explorers program. To kick off the registration, Amy spoke to the group of parents about what the program is all about and why it’s a great opportunity for their kids. Boston Harbor Explorers at Blacks Creek is a free program that runs Monday through Thursday from 9am to 12pm and is open to kids ages 6 and up. It begins July 6^th, one week after the Black’s Creek Sailing Program begins, and continues through the summer until August 12^th. Save the Harbor staff meet the participants right at the boathouse, at 9am and again at 10:30am, before and after the sailing sessions. Participants are welcome to stay for one or both sessions of the program during the day. 

Taking a break from fishing to build some sand castles

Everyone loved the idea of giving their children a chance to have some hands-on educational experience in environmental and marine exploration. Boston Harbor Explorers spend their day fishing, wading in the water, taking nature walks along the shore and in the woods, and looking for crabs and other critters. In between exploration adventures, Save the Harbor staff members explain the history of Boston Harbor and its cleanup, and describe the marine ecosystem in which Black’s Creek is situated. Underwater cameras and water quality testing kits give kids a chance to see and understand what’s below the water's surface.  Many parents were signing their kids up for a second, third, and even fourth summer with Save the Harbor and couldn’t say enough about how much fun their kids had and how excited they were to spend another summer with us. 

We spend lots of time looking for critters on the beach

For more information about our Boston Harbor Explorers Program, or to register your child for the Boston Harbor Explorers program at Blacks Creek email 

Amy Gaylord at gaylord@savetheharbor.org 

The program runs Monday through Thursday, 9am to noon, from July 6th through August 12th

We hope to see you there! 

Two young explorers excited for the summer

 --Jessie Thuma, Policy/Communication Intern

Campfire, Marshmallows and Pirates at Constitution Beach

On Thursday, June 18th, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay joined the East Boston YMCA and the Department of Conservation and Recreation for the first Constitution Beach Campfire Festival of the summer!  

Giannna Acker roasts her marshmallow

The event brought more than 60 kids and their families to Constitution Beach in East Boston to kickoff the summer by roasting marshmallows around the campfire, dancing and singing, and listening to pirate stories on the beach . Families and friends set up camp chairs and blankets to enjoy the evening and watch the sunset while DCR staff member Enzo Polcaro kept watch over the fire to ensure perfectly roasted marshmallows! 

Storyteller Norah Dooley describes how big her friend Herman the worm was!

Mary Read the Pirate, played by storyteller Norah Dooley, made an appearance and gathered the kids along the shoreline to tell stories of her life as a pirate. She explained what life was like on her pirate ship and taught the kids a very important skill that all seafarers should know- how to tie a knot! 
 Everyone practiced and practiced, and those who were able to tie a proper square knot were rewarded with a foreign coin from Mary's Pirate Booty!

Everyone played freeze dance once they finished eating their marshmallows

It was a fantastic event hosted by the East Boston YMCA and the Department of Conservation and Recreation with the support of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's Better Beaches Program. We are greatly looking forward to the rest of the Campfire Festivals hosted on Thursday nights this summer and fall! 
They will be held at Constitution Beach (Zero Barnes Ave) in East Boston from 5:30PM - 7:30PM on July 16th, August 6th, September 17th, and October 15th. 
We hope to see you there!

For more pictures from the event take a look at the video below!

Campfire at Constitution Beach- June 18, 2015


Stay tuned for a complete calendar of all Better Beaches Program Events happening this summer! 


About Save the Harbor's Better Beaches Program:

On June 6th, 2015 Save the Harbor/Save the Bay awarded more than $200,000 in Better Beaches Program grants to more than 35 different groups in 9 beachfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket to support over 70 free public events this summer.

This year’s Better Beaches Program grants will fund traditional beach events like free concerts and sand sculpting competitions, family fun nights and beach festivals, including a late season beach party hosted by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. It will also include a Quidditch tournament, story telling with the pirate Mary Read, a coastal illumination and sand painting by noted California coastal artist Andres Amadore. 

Here's the full list of the 2015 Better Beaches Program grant recipients:

For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Better Beaches Program, see our blog post about the awards ceremony on our blog Sea, Sand & Sky here and be sure to visit our website at www.savetheharbor.org or follow savetheharbor on Facebook and Twitter.

A Spectacular Summer on the Beach

After a very Wicked Winter, it is going to be a Spectacular Summer on Boston Area Beaches

 

On Saturday morning, June 6^th Save the Harbor/Save the Bay awarded more than $200,000 in Better Beaches Program grants to more than 35 different groups in 9 beachfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket to support over 70 different free public events this summer. 

(First row, from left to right) Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Deputy Commissioner Sam Overton, Metropolitan Beaches Commission Co-Chair Rep. RoseLee Vincent, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay Board Chair Joe Newman of National Grid, Save the Harbor President Patty Foley and Spokesman Bruce Berman with representatives of more than 30 groups from 9 communities who received Better Beaches Program grants totaling more than $200,000 today at Boston’s Fish Pier. 

This year’s Better Beaches Program grants will fund traditional beach events like free concerts and sand sculpting competitions, family fun nights and beach festivals, including a late season beach party hosted by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. It will also include a Quidditch tournament, story telling with the pirate Mary Read, a coastal illumination and sand painting by noted California coastal artist Andres Amadore. To view a comprehensive calendar of all the events happening on the beaches this summer, click here.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay also announced the expansion of their free Boston Harbor Explorers program at DCR’s Carson Beach in South Boston, which is now one of the cleanest urban beaches in America. The program will be based at the McCormack Bath House on Day Boulevard, and run five days a week for 8 weeks in July and August.

Activities at DCR’s Carson Beach will include including free swimming and kayak lessons and beach soccer clinics, as well as environmental exploration, fishing, and art on the shore. Save the Harbor expects more than 2,000 youth and teens from area youth development and community organizations to take part this year.

“The region’s public beaches are an extraordinary asset to the residents of Boston’s waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket” said Save the Harbor’s spokesman Bruce Berman. “It was a wicked winter. We want to thank the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Metropolitan Beaches Commission and all our program sponsors and partners for making this a spectacular summer for the more than 1 million people who live just a short ride or drive from the coast.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay launched the Better Beaches Program with the support of The Boston Foundation in 2008 to help local communities and beaches friends groups create and sustain free events and activities on the region’s public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket, as recommended by the Metropolitan Beaches Commission.

"We were proud to be there at the beginning to help found Save the Harbor/Save the Bay nearly 30 years ago," said Metropolitan Beach Commissioner Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. "And we applaud and support their Better Beaches Program. It activates our beaches and enhances their value to urban families, and provides another incentive for young professionals to settle in Greater Boston."

“At hearings from Nahant to Nantasket we heard repeatedly that modest investments in free events and programs can put these beaches to work for our communities” said Senator Tom McGee of Lynn, Metropolitan Beaches Commission Co-Chair.

“The people of this region love their beaches,” said Commission Co-Chair Rep. RoseLee Vincent of Revere. “Thanks to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay for making this happen.”

Funds to support the Better Beaches Program come from the proceeds of the Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash pledge fundraiser, which was held this year on the first snowy Saturday of spring. Over the past 7 years, Save the Harbor’s community partners in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull have leveraged $205,000 in small grants received from Save the Harbor/Save the Bay with $815,722 in cash and in-kind contributions from local government and small businesses for a total investment of $1,020,722 in 214 free events and programs for the region’s residents and visitors alike.

This year, with additional funds from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay awarded over $200,000 in grants to groups in Lynn, Nahant, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.  

"These Better Beaches Program grants offer a tremendous amount of value by financially assisting free, public events that are both enriching and engaging," said DCR Commissioner Carol Sanchez. "By partnering with organizations like Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, DCR continues to seek different ways to make our beaches a fun, unique, and enjoyable experience."

Here's the complete list of 2015 Better Beaches Program Grants.

In addition to the grants given out on Saturday, each group will also given a small bag of marbles to scatter along the shore as a part of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and JetBlue’s summer-long “Simply Marble-ous” Treasure Hunt. If you find a marble on the beach this summer, send a picture along with your contact information to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay to be entered to win a free round-trip flight courtesy of JetBlue.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay would like to thank the Metropolitan Beaches Commission and the Department of Conservation and Recreation for their support of the Better Beaches Program.

We would also like to thank the more than 600 people participated in this year’s Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash, and all our Better Beaches program, policy and event sponsors, including Harpoon Brewery, JetBlue, The Boston Foundation, Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust, Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation, P&G Gillette, Comcast, National Grid, The Department of Conservation & Recreation, BCYF Curley Community Center, Boston Centers for Youth & Families, YMCA of Greater Boston, Food Should Taste Good, Mix 104.1, Sullivans and Russo Marine.

For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Better Beaches Program, visit their website at www.savetheharbor.org their blog Sea, Sand & Sky at www.blog.savetheharbor.org or follow savetheharbor on Facebook and Twitter.