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| Help
DRC Improve Our Look |
| DRC’s
entrance provides a crucial first impression when
welcoming guests into the facility and for visitors
passing through the Keys. On several occasions, many
locals and guests have commented that they didn’t
even realize DRC was open to the public as DRC’s
frontage make it appear to some as a private organization.
It doesn’t reflect the vibrant, well manicured
grounds you encounter when entering DRC.
These
comments underscore the important role aesthetics
play when attracting more visitors to DRC. For that
reason, we have decided to invest in the beautification
of the front parking lot. A major part of our mission
is to educate people and the best way to do that
is to have them visit. Plans include much needed
landscaping which will drastically improve the curb
appeal for travelers and a resurfacing of the parking
area that will allow us to use the space to better
accommodate vehicles; especially when it rains and
half the lot disappears underwater.
This project will cost
us $110,000 however DRC’s
Board of DIrectors has pledged to match up to $20,000
of donations! This means that your donation could
be doubled by their generosity!
Click HERE if
you’d like donate to help out with this very
important project!
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| Can You Help a New DRC Family Member?
|
 Louie - September 2, 2010If
a friend knocked on your door and asked you to
help with an orphaned child, would you turn them
away? What if it occurred during a time when you
and your family were financially strained? Would
you close the door on them? Of course not. Neither
would Dolphin Research Center. A huge part of our
mission is to provide homes for marine mammals
in need and Louie and Lina are certainly no exception;
regardless of budget concerns. Like you, we could
not turn our back on these two wonderful new additions
to the DRC family.
 Lina – January 13, 2011The last year we have seen a reduction in revenue
from a lesser number of visitors to the Keys from
snowstorms stranding people in airports during
holidays, oil spill fears, and a general reduction
in donations due largely from economic conditions.
We could not have predicted that two additional
orphans would have appeared at our door within
such a short time frame and yes, it is financially
straining.
 Lina TodayLina became
part of the Dolphin Research Center family on January
13, 2011 from the Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC)
at Ft. McArthur in San Pedro, California, where
she been designated as a ‘repeat strander’ by
the National Marine Fisheries Service and the MMCC.
At the time she arrived at DRC it was estimated
that she was about 2.5 years old. Lina is a very
active, affectionate and warm sea lion who has
definitely warmed the hearts of everyone who knows
her.
 Louie TodayLouie is
a young male dolphin that was stranded in Louisiana
on September 2, 2009 and he arrived at DRC on February
6, 2011. He was named Louie, in honor of his Louisiana
roots. Louie’s tale is a true survivor’s
story. He was discovered on Fourchon Beach, LA
covered in oil and suffering additional injuries.
Estimated to be about 1 ½ years old when
rescued, Louie didn’t have adequate skills
needed to survive in the wild and was deemed non-releasable
by the federal government. Louie has been a wonderful
addition to the DRC family and well represents
DRC’s mission to provide a forever home to
marine mammals in need. He is a very loving dolphin
and extremely happy in his new DRC home.
We need your help to care
for these amazing new family members.
Click HERE to
help and thank you for supporting these
two wonderful
additions and DRC!
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| Help DRC Support
Those In Need |
|
Dolphin
Research Center has a long tradition of reaching
out to children and adults with special needs.
They have always held a warm place in our hearts.
This is why we created the Pathways and Dolfriend programs.
Your contribution will go a long way to help us
continue to provide these programs. Thanks to the
generous support of our Chairman of the Board Peter
Lappin and his family, your contribution will be
matched for the first $5,000 so every dollar you
send will be doubled!
The Pathway and Dolfriend programs
are designed to reach out to those with special
needs and provide them with an entrance into the
dolphins’ world. Educational and recreational
activities are introduced to help increase motivation
and enhance the personalized experience. Unfortunately
these programs run at a deficit with an annual
loss of over $80,000!
Click
here to help us support our special needs programs.
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| Celebrate a
Dolphin's Birthday or Anniversary |
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You can help us celebrate
a dolphin's birthday or anniversary at DRC by buying
them their favorite treat - a big bucket of fish. Each
bucket costs $20.
Click
here to send a Birthday Bucket of Fish.
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| A.J. |
May, 23, 1988 |
Birthday |
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Pandora |
Nov, 22, 1997 |
Birthday |
| Aleta |
Dec, 21, 1984 |
Birthday |
|
Pax |
Mar, 30, 1997 |
Birthday |
| Calusa |
Feb, 15, 2001 |
Birthday |
|
Rainbow |
Oct, 23, 1991 |
Anniversary |
| Cayo |
Dec, 13, 2006 |
Birthday |
|
Sandy |
Aug, 15, 1979 |
Birthday |
| Gypsi |
Jan, 6, 2007 |
Birthday |
|
Santini |
Nov, 29, 1986 |
Birthday |
| Jax |
Jan, 8, 2008 |
Anniversary |
|
Talon |
Jun, 8, 1990 |
Birthday |
| Kibby |
Apr, 22, 1981 |
Anniversary |
|
Tanner |
Mar, 13, 2002 |
Birthday |
| Kilo |
Jun, 28, 2001 |
Birthday |
|
Theresa |
1968 |
Anniversary |
| Merina |
Nov, 21, 1984 |
Birthday |
|
Tursi |
Nov, 26, 1973 |
Birthday |
| Molly |
Jun, 24, 1996 |
Anniversary |
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| Walk
of Fame |
| Thanks
to the generosity of our members, DRC has created
a bricked walkway from our entrance that spans
over 400 feet to our dolphins' lagoons. Our next project will pave
the path through the Veterans’ Garden. Each
10 inch hexagon paver has up to 48 letters in three
lines for your personal message. Each Walkway
Membership includes four annual passes, two guest passes,
subscriptions to the Dolphin Society, Gray Cross
and electronic newsletters, and access to the Member’s
Only section of the website.
Click
Here To Join The Walk Of Fame.
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