Gulf Coast Community Foundation Grant Enables Positive Tracks To Bring Its Youth “Sweat For Good” Call To Action to Mote Marine Laboratory
HANOVER, NH, Dec. 7, 2015 – Since its founding in 2010, Positive Tracks has promoted healthy lifestyles, philanthropic values, and youth leadership by helping Generation Next get active and give back through the global power of sport.
For the second year, Positive Tracks and Mote Marine Laboratory, a world-class marine science organization, have forged a partnership that helps Floridian youth raise funds and awareness for Mote’s sea turtle conservation efforts through Mote’s annual 5K fundraiser, Run For The Turtles.
Gulf Coast Community Foundation is back in the mix again with a $25,000 grant empowering Positive Tracks to deepen its reach into southwest Florida and amplify its impact on Mote. Thanks to the Gulf Coast-Positive Tracks partnership, dollars generated by Mote supporters ages 23 and under will be matched up to $40,000 in 2016.
This special opportunity starts now and culminates at Mote’s 30th Annual Run For The Turtles on April 2, 2016, on Siesta Beach in Sarasota County, Florida. Chris Pfahler, Positive Tracks Coordinator for the Mote partnership, is back again to help young people get involved, raise awareness and organize fundraising efforts. “The sky’s the limit and the time to start is now,” Chris says, “I am excited to help youth individuals and groups from schools, colleges, sports teams, clubs and community organizations develop their own active and creative fundraising projects to help Mote.”
The best part? A projected team of 500 youth will turn sweat into gold to protect endangered turtles in Sarasota County during a time when every dollar matters. Each year, Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program monitors 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches every day of nesting season (May 1-Oct. 31), documenting every sea turtle nest and protecting nests and hatchlings from natural and manmade threats. This year Mote documented a near-record total of 2,460 local nests, and 2016 might be another banner year. Funding for supplies and operating costs will be in high demand.
But the opportunity also presents benefits to Florida’s young people themselves, and Positive Tracks and Gulf Coast agree that linking exercise to civic action helps kids stay healthy and engaged. Both organizations also believe that every young person brings something important to the table—whether it’s creativity, leadership, or lungs. Success goes beyond dollars raised, and hinges on the feeling that young people experience when they know they’ve helped make the world a better place using their own power.
Beyond providing critical funding that allows Positive Tracks to deepen its reach in southwest Florida, Gulf Coast Community Foundation also enhances community outreach for Mote’s Positive Tracks’ program. Nini Meyer, Founder of Positive Tracks, says, “Gulf Coast Community Foundation is an excellent partner for Positive Tracks because their energized network helps us encourage families to get involved in a fun, hands-on, philanthropic opportunity that supports and celebrates a tangible, local resource while leveraging the skills of young people to create positive change. In 2015, the Run for the Turtles grew by 46% in overall attendance, 108% in youth attendance and 120% in net dollars raised for Mote! Together, Gulf Coast, Positive Tracks and Mote are championing the next generation of philanthropists and marine scientists.”
About Gulf Coast Community Foundation: Together with its donors, Gulf Coast Community Foundation transforms our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. Gulf Coast is a public charity that was created in 1995 through the sale of the Venice Hospital. Since then, it has become the philanthropic home of more than 600 families who have established charitable funds there, and has invested over $208 million in grants in the areas of health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment. Learn more at GulfCoastCF.org.
About Positive Tracks: Positive Tracks is a national, youth-centric nonprofit that helps young people get active and give back using the power of sport. Visit: Website, Promo, Facebook, Twitter. Contact: Nini Meyer, Positive Tracks President & Founder, 603.252.9233.