May 2016

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Volunteer Coordinator Schedule & Contact Information
As most of you know, we have restructured the Office of Volunteer Resources to include three Volunteer Coordinators each working three days. This chart shows the days each of the three Volunteer Coordinators are onsite. You may reach any of them at 941-388-4441 x852 or by emailing VolCoordinator@mote.org.
MAY EVENTS
Volunteer Luau Party
Wednesday May 11
The Mote Volunteer Association invites you and guests to "Our Luau Party" at 6pm in the WAVE Center.  Wear your best Hawaiian outfit and win a prize!
Price is $16.00 per person.  Please find the Sign Up sheets in the Volunteer Lounges, and please pay in advance to the Gift Shop.
Menu includes Roasted Pork, Hawaiian Chicken, Salad, Potato/Macaroni Salad & Hawaiian Bread and Butter and 1 wine or beer.  Bring either an appetizer or dessert to share.
Slideshows with Luau music, door prizes and silent auction...and lots of fun!


Volunteer General Meeting
Thursday, May 12
9:00-11:30 WAVE Center
Topic:  Sea Turtle Conservation and Research
Speakers:  Kristen Mazzarella, Holly West, Amber Shaw


2nd Annual Mini Golf Tournament
Saturday, May 14
Turtle Inc., founded by 13 year old Lexi Mariash, is hosting their 2nd Annual Mini Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 14 at Evie's on the Green.  The tournament benefits Mote and Easter Seals of Southwest Florida. Cost is $25 per person or $100 per team of four. Entry includes golf, food, drinks and a goody bag. 

Register to play at turtleinc.org. Support this event by being a $100 hole sponsor or making a direct donation through gulfcoastgives.org


New Volunteer Orientation
Wednesday, May 25
10:00-12:00 Buchanan Room
Please remember that all Volunteers are required to attend a New Volunteer Orientation.  If you attended the orientation at the Basic Marine Science classes, then you have completed the requirement.  If not, additional orientations are held monthly, alternating on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Sign up sheets are in the volunteer lounge or you may contact the Volunteer Coordinators.


Mote Honors Volunteers, Including 35-Year Record-Breaker

Dave Bowman, a 35-year volunteer, shakes hands with Mote President & CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby.
Mote Marine Laboratory honored its volunteers — including the longest-serving volunteer in the Lab's history — during its annual volunteer awards ceremony on April 14.

"Over the past year, 1,642 Mote volunteers worked a total of 240,000 hours — this is such a gift," said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President & CEO of Mote. "You are the backbone of Mote. This place wouldn't exist without you."


Gulf Coast Community Foundation Volunteer Photo Contest – 2nd Place!

Congratulations – we came in 2nd place for the volunteer photo contest hosted by Gulf Coast Community Foundation!


Deepwater Horizon Anniversary: Preliminary Results and 2016 Research


Since the early days of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which began April 20, 2010, Mote Marine Laboratory has played a significant role in research investigating how oil exposure can affect marine life during and even after a spill. Today, Mote scientists are working toward developing rapid health-diagnostic tests based on sub-lethal responses that will better predict short- and long-term impacts of oil exposure in Gulf of Mexico fishes.

Mote and partners presented preliminary research results at the 2016 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference during Feb. 1-4 in Tampa, Florida. Those results helped lay groundwork for large-scale fish studies that Mote began this month, April 2016.

New Green Sea Turtle Temporarily on Exhibit at Mote Aquarium


Mote Aquarium staff are excited to welcome a new temporary exhibit animal – Captain, a female, juvenile green sea turtle weighing approximately 30.5 pounds.

Captain was found stranded in October 2010 near Jacksonville, Florida, with boat-strike wounds, which affected the lower half of her body and rear flippers. Her injuries make it harder for her to swim and cause issues with buoyancy (unwanted floating).

Anglers Become Citizen Scientists for Mote's Snook Shindig
A record number of more than 60 anglers participated in the William R. Mote Memorial Snook Shindig Honoring Captain Scotty Moore, a research-based catch, sample and release tournament, which took place April 8–9. The tournament, now completing its 12th year, aimed to get the public involved in snook restocking efforts.

"The Snook Shindig is a research tournament, which is pretty unique," said Dr. Kenneth Leber, Mote Senior Scientist. "It's the only scientific tournament that involves citizen scientists with a focus on hatchery-reared and wild common snook."

Mote Scientists Return From Major Shark Research Expedition Aboard M/V OCEARCH
Three Mote Marine Laboratory scientists have returned to Sarasota from a three-week shark research expedition aboard the internationally known M/V OCEARCH.

Expedition Jacksonville launched March 15 and returned April 2. It started from Jacksonville, Florida, proceeded off Florida's northeastern coast, and for the first time in an OCEARCH shark expedition, reached waters off the southern coast of Georgia.

The goal of the expedition was to generate scientific data critical to ocean conservation by satellite tagging sharks off Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia to study their health and behavior.

Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 research organization based in Sarasota, Fla., with field stations in eastern Sarasota County, Charlotte Harbor and the Florida Keys. Mote is dedicated to today's research for tomorrow's oceans with an emphasis on world-class research relevant to conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, healthy habitats and natural resources.

Research programs include studies of human cancer using marine models, the effects of man-made and natural toxins on humans and on the environment, the heath of wild fisheries, developing sustainable and successful fish restocking techniques and food production technologies and the development of ocean technology to help us better understand the health of the environment. Mote research programs also focus on understanding the population dynamics of manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and coral reefs and on conservation and restoration efforts related to these species and ecosystems.

Mote's vision includes positively impacting public policy through science-based outreach and education. Showcasing this research is The Aquarium at Mote, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 365 days a year. Learn more at www.mote.org.

Mote Marine Laboratory meets all requirements specified by the Florida Solicitation of Contributions Act. A copy of the official registration #SC01050 and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling 1-800-435-7352 within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.