'helping SEA TURTLES survive' specialty plate grants $40,000.00 to The Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach- MICHAEL TOWNER

The Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach recently received about $40,000 in grants to help sea turtles. ​According to a press release from the Gulfarium, the C.A.R.E Center got the grant to help purchase a vehicle to aid in the transport of rescued and rehabilitated sea turtles.
“This vehicle is going to help us accommodate the growing needs of our sea turtle rehabilitation efforts,” said Terra Throgmorton, Gulfarium’s medical and stranding coordinator.
The center was chosen for the award through a competitive application process that’s open to coastal county governments, educational institutions and Florida-based nonprofit organizations striving to improve the livelihood of sea turtles and conserve Florida habitats, the release said.
Additionally, the Florida Sea Turtle Grants Program also awarded the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Foundation more than $15,000, which will help to purchase both an endoscope and a gas sterilizer for the sea turtle hospital.
Launched in 1996, the “Helping Sea Turtles Survive” specialty license plate raises money for two important programs that benefit Florida sea turtles — the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Marine Turtle Protection Program and the Sea Turtle Grants Program, which distributes money back to the local level for turtle conservation projects. The sea turtle specialty plate is currently No. 2 in sales, having sold about 66,000 plates in 2010, second only to the University of Florida specialty plate.
“It’s rewarding to know that so many people share our concern for Florida’s sea turtles,” said David Godfrey, sea turtle conservancy executive director. “What we do in this state has a dramatic impact on sea turtle populations around the world. By purchasing the sea turtle specialty plate, Floridians are voluntarily funding important programs to save these amazing creatures.”

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