13-year old Chicago girl donates over $6,000 to Reef Check

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13-year old Chicago girl donates over $6,000 to Reef Check
2008-04-24 5:54PM / 標準BLOG / 會員可以看
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I am an eighth grader in Chicago at The Chicago City Day School. For the past two years, I have participated in Reef Check’s scientific data collection in the Bimini Islands along with a few of my fellow schoolmates. We stayed on board The Shedd Aquarium’s research boat and conducted numerous studies including counting fish, identifying coral and plant species, and assessing the overall health of the coral itself. This data was posted to Reef Check’s website for review by scientists the world over.

I found this to be an exciting experience, but also one that was disturbing given the declining health of the coral reefs. Reef Check has done a tremendous amount to educate citizens, governments and private industries about their actions’ impact on reefs in an effort to change behavīors and halt their decline. I am very pleased that Reef Check has been able to enlist signatures from 135 countries around the world to commit to the “Declaration of Reef Rights” that can be found on Reef Check’s website.

I found Reef Check’s work so inspiring that for the past two years I have sold products at an art market in an effort to raise money to support this cause. I made jewelry and collected samples from my parents’ gift company, donating the profits. I made posters and passed out literature which gave me an opportunity to speak to my customers about the coral reefs and I was quite surprised at how many people were genuinely interested and took my literature to look up the website and contribute. I deposited over $800.00 from my sales to Reef Check.

This past month I became a Bat Mitzvah and had over one hundred people at my service, all of whom took a card I printed up directing them to the Reef Check’s website to sign the declaration. I spoke at length about Reef Check during my speech and educated my guests about what causes reef endangerment and how it can be stopped. I also passed out a wallet-sized pamphlet detailing fish that should not be eaten due to over-fishing as well as those fish that are safe to eat since these actions have an impact on the ocean fish population at large. My evening celebration was held at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium around the Caribbean Reef tank. In lieu of gifts, I asked that my guests contribute to Reef Check and am proud that I was able to donate over $6,000 to this cause from these proceeds alone.

I learned that one person can make a difference. I want to thank Reef Check for all of the fine work that they do and for inspiring me to take on this cause and spread the word to others. It is amazing what can be done when one is committed. This experience will serve as a lifelong foundation for reminding me of the power of giving and the ripple effect it has throughout a community. I hope my story inspires others to share my passion for the coral reefs and contribute to your fine organization.

Sincerely,
Annie Schwab

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HusYourMommy
留言於2008-08-21 1:48AM [举报]

Wow you should be very proud of yourself!Being so young but taking the time and effort to support something you believe in.

Lol!When I was your age all I did was complain about school and worry about watching tv.

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Reef Check

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Founded in 1996 by marine ecologist Dr...
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Founded in 1996 by marine ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson, the Reef Check Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation of two ecosystems: tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. With headquarters in Los Angeles and volunteer teams in more than 80 countries, Reef Check works to create partnerships among community volunteers, government agencies, businesses, universities and other non-profits. Reef Check goals are to: educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life; to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check's scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide.

In 1997, Reef Check conducted the first-ever global survey of coral reef health that provided scientific confirmation that our coral reefs were in crisis due to over-fishing, illegal fishing, and pollution. The results, published in a scientific journal in 1999, shocked many marine biologists who had not realized the extent of human impacts on reefs. In August 2002, Reef Check released its first five-year report, The Global Coral Reef Crisis – Trends and Solutions, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. Based on data collected by thousands of Reef Check volunteer divers in over 80 countries and territories, the report was the first scientific documentation of the dramatic worldwide decline in coral reef health over a five year period. The report concluded that there was virtually no reef in the world that remained untouched by human impacts, such as over fishing, pollution and climate change. Yet the success stories discussed in the report show that, with proper monitoring, management and protection, coral reefs can recover. It is up to us.

Since then, Reef Check's fast-growing network has expanded throughout all tropical seas, and has played a major role in efforts to preserve and sustain reef ecosystems. Reef Check’s approach is to engage partners, especially businesses in a non-confrontational manner to develop mutually beneficial solutions especially the creation of self-funding Marine Protected Areas. In 2005, Reef Check launched its first temperate reef program in California.

Reef Check has received international environmental awards for its work, and is the United Nations' official community-based reef monitoring program.

Reef Check carries out its work through three major programs:

EcoAction Program – an education and certification program for kids to adults who want to learn more about the ocean and take part in protecting reef ecosystems.
Coral Reef Management Program – a coral reef monitoring and management system that focuses on establishing Marine Protected Areas to conserve coral reefs while encouraging sustainable use of surrounding reefs by local residents.
Reef Check California – a volunteer monitoring program for California rocky reefs designed to provide data for managers and to build a conservation constituency among California divers.
Meet our Los Angeles Headquarters Staff

Reef Check - Education – Science – Conservation

Reef Check is an international non-profit organization devoted to the following goals and objectives:

* Educate the public and governments about the value of coral reefs and rocky reef ecosystems and the crisis facing them
Create a global network of volunteer teams, trained and led by scientists, that regularly monitor and report on reef health using a standard method

* Facilitate collaborative use of reef health information by community groups, governments, universities and businesses to design and implement ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions

* Stimulate local action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide especially through the creation of Marine Protected Areas.

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