E-SPLASH

2009 Accomplishments

As 2009 draws to a close, we celebrate a year of change and growth for the National Marine Life Center.  With your help, we:
~ Used for the first time our new Life Support System building to pump in salt water for our sea turtle and diamondback terrapin patients.
~ Initiated construction of our new Marine Animal Hospital, a state-of-the-art, 15,000 square foot, 200,000 gallon building that, when complete, will be able to house rehabilitating sea turtles, seals, dolphins, and pilot whales all under one roof.
~ Cared for 36 threatened and endangered turtles, including 2 sea turtles, 20 red-bellied cooters, and 14 diamondbacked terrapins.
~ Provided 105 educational programs to 3,557 children and adults.
~ Welcomed 6,054 visitors to our Marine Animal Discovery Center.
~ Delivered 3 scientific presentations at professional conferences, published 1 scientific paper in a peer-reviewed journal.
~ Raised nearly $45,000 at our most successful Mermaid Ball to date.

Thank you for being part of the National Marine Life Center community.  To continue saving endangered animals, learning more about wildlife health, and teaching youth, please donate now.

Make Your Tax-Deductible Gift by Dec 31st!             

There's still time to make your year-end gift to the National Marine Life Center.  NMLC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization meaning your gift is tax deductible to the extent permitted by federal law.  Gifts made before midnight on December 31st may count towards your 2009 deductions.  Best of all, your gift helps the National Marine Life Center save marine animals, advance science, and inspire conservation through education.  Here's how.
~ Donate online by clicking here.
~ Donate over the phone by calling 508-743-9888 before 6 pm EST.
~ Donate in person by stopping by the National Marine Life Center, 120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  If you arrive before dark, we'll take you on a tour of our new marine animal hospital!
~ Donate by mail to:  NMLC, P.O. Box 269, Buzzards Bay, MA, 02532.  Your gift must be postmarked by December 31st.
~ Donate from your Traditional IRA.  If you are 71 or over, you can make a tax-free gift to NMLC from your Traditional IRA and you won't pay income tax on the amount of your gift.  Tell your Traditional IRA administrator that you want to make a "qualified charitable distribution" to the National Marine Life Center and give him or her our federal tax ID # 04-329-0276.  The administrator must send your tax-free gift directly to NMLC at P.O. Box 269, Buzzards Bay, MA, 02532.  It must be postmarked by December 31st.
~ Donate securities - for information, click here.

Thank you for your support.

Help Open NMLC's Hospital Doors

Earlier this month, we were forced to halt construction on our new marine animal hospital while we raise additional funds to complete this phase.  Our building is up and the sea turtle ward is nearly ready, but we still need to connect the life support system and complete the plumbing and electricity; we need to install the sprinkler system to obtain an occupancy permit; and we need to close up the main wall to make the building weather-tight and secure.  With a record number of sea turtle strandings, we put out the call to you, our supporters, to raise $200,000 by January 15 so we can complete construction and open our new sea turtle ward.

You answered the call for help!  We're over half-way to our goal.  So far, we have raised $102,039 from 227 donors. 

Some donors have given in memory of loved ones, including:  Betty Bagshaw, Daniel Debarros, Doug Fletcher, Betsy Hornor, Townie Hornor, and Walter Wentzell. Thank you for this special commemoration.  To donate in memory, click here and include information about the person being remembered and the person to whom we should send acknowledgement.

Some donors have given in honor of special people in their lives, including Barb Schneider and Len and Paula Boutin.  To donate in someone's honor, click here and include the name and address of the person being honored and, if appropriate, the occasion.

Some donors have given gift memberships.  To donate a gift membership, click here and include the membership level, the name and address of the person to whom you are gifting, and the occasion for your gift.

The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank donated $5,000 towards our new marine animal hospital and challenges all other area banks and financial institutions to match this investment in our community.  If you are a bank or financial institution, click here to donate on-line or call Kathy Zagzebski at 508-743-9888 x301.

Recognizing the benefit to Cape Cod's environment and animals, the Island Foundation, the Gunst Charitable Foundation, the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust, and the Ellsworth Foundation have each donated towards NMLC's new hospital.  If you are a foundation or charitable trust, click here to donate on-line or call Kathy Zagzebski at 508-743-9888 x301.

Without exception, every donor to this effort recognizes the importance of the National Marine Life Center to our environment, to marine science, to education, and to our community.  Whether you donate $3 or $3M or anything in between, you are making a difference.  Thank you.

In This Issue

• 2009 Accomplishments
  
• Tax-Deductible Opportunities
  
• Help Open Our Hospital Doors
• Sea Turtle Strandings
• Artist Donates Fish Prints
• Upcoming Events
  
  

Sea Turtle Strandings

The 2009-2010 sea turtle stranding season is the third busiest year on record.  To date, 192 sea turtles have stranded on Cape Cod suffering from cold-stunning.  Our partners at MassAudubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary scour the beaches daily searching for sick and injured turtles.  Our partners at the New England Aquarium are busy night and day caring for the animals.  NMLC's new hospital is critical now, this season, to help with the tremendous number of strandings.  We are weeks away from completing our new sea turtle ward.  Please, help NMLC open our doors to stranded sea turtles and donate today.

Artist Donates Fish Prints

Artist Joe Higgins is donating 100% of the proceeds of his beautiful "gyotaku" fish prints to the National Marine Life Center if purchased by December 31st.  For more information and to visit the on-line gallery, click here.  To purchase a print, contact Joe directly at 978-944-1709 or higginsad@mac.com.

Upcoming Events

February 13-21 - Discovery Center OPEN 10 am to 5 pm daily during February Vacation Week. 120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  Check NMLC's website as the dates approach for scheduled educational programs and activities.

February 15-16 - Marine Animal E.R.  Educational workshop for 4th graders.  120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  Click here for information and to register via the Cape Cod Junior Tech Program.

February 17-19 - Turtle T.L.C. & Seal S.O.S.  Educational workshop for 5-7th graders.  120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  Click here for information and to register via the Cape Cod Junior Tech Program.

April 17-25 - Discovery Center OPEN 10 am to 5 pm daily during April Vacation Week. 120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  Check NMLC's website as the dates approach for scheduled educational programs and activities.

April 19-21 - Discover Dolphins. Educational workshop for 6-7th graders.  120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  Click here for information and to register via the Cape Cod Junior Tech Program.

April 21-23 - Why'd They Do That?  Investigations of Marine Animal Behavior.  Educational Workshop for 7-8th graders.  120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA.  Click here for information and to register via the Cape Cod Junior Tech Program.

July 30, 2010  - MERMAID BALL,
6 - 11 pm, Mass Maritime Academy.  Featuring an Admiral's Reception, dining, dancing to live music, and the Cape's best ocean-themed auction, the National Marine Life Center's Mermaid Ball is THE event of the season!  Best of all, event proceeds benefit NMLC's wildlife rehabilitation, science, and education programs.  Join us!