June 6, 2010, World Oceans Day at the New England Aquarium
By Joy Olaes Surprenant

Catching Joy was pleased to be a part of World Oceans Day at the New England Aquarium on June 6, 2010. World Oceans Day is an opportunity every year to honor the world’s ocean, celebrate the products the ocean provides, such as seafood, as well as marine life itself for aquariums, pets, and also a time to appreciate its own intrinsic value. Catching Joy hosted a children’s activity table where we made turtle projects to promote the National Marine Life Center’s (NMLC) efforts to help protect and care for marine wildlife. Kids enjoyed decorating the paper turtles and learning about NMLC’s efforts to help save them. It was great to see so many families at this special event and enjoy all that the NE Aquarium has to offer.

The Aquarium is redefining what it means to be an aquarium: combining education, entertainment and action to address the most challenging problems facing the ocean. Through a wide variety of educational programs and conservation initiatives, NE Aquarium makes a lasting impact globally. For more information and upcoming events, check out www.neaq.org.

The National Marine Life Center is dedicated to rehabilitating for release stranded sea turtles, seals, dolphins, porpoises, and small whales, and to advancing scientific knowledge and education in marine wildlife health and conservation. For more information and to learn how to get involved, check out www.nmlc.org.

Katherine recently held a drive to collect donations from the National Marine Life Center’s wish list.  She collected arts and craft supplies, medical supplies, miscellaneous cleaning supplies, as well as cash donations.  Thank you, Katherine, for your passion and dedication to helping marine wildlife! you are an inspiration!

Editor’s Note:  This is a special guest post from NMLC Trustee and Catching Joy Founder Joy Surprenant.  Thank you Joy, and thank you children! ~kaz

The Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) lives on coral and is distributed throughout the world's tropical oceans. Climate change leads to ocean acidification which can lead to coral bleaching which would result in this animal - and many others - being homeless. Photo by Richard Ling.

In case you haven’t seen it, there are some interesting comments in response to the postings on marine animals and climate change.  One of my favorite is from 11-year old Mia.  She writes:

“…all i want for christmas is for the climate to improve.i try to get people to recyle more things and use less paper,plastic,etc.,but it seems to me that i can not make a difference.i really love animals and i just want them to live happy lives like that animals that lived when there was not as much climate change or when it was what it was supposed to be.i can only hope some people will help and try to do something.this is what i really want for christmas.do not get me wrong i love wrapped gifts as much as the next 11 year old , but i think that climate recovery is more important.who needs the newest video game ,or a new twilight shirt(which is not all that bad),but to know the climat eis better and animals can live better , that is much better then any toy.Sure you could have the hottest new toy out there,or you could help make a difference.”

Thank you, Mia, for helping to make a difference!

Alison of Gray Gables and her two cousins Jordin and Taylor have enjoyed visiting the National Marine Life Center’s Marine Animal Discovery Center.  Excited about NMLC’s construction project to build a new marine animal hospital, they decided to help.  Late August, they held a lemonade stand and car wash.  The proceeds went towards NMLC’s new hospital.  Thank you, Alison, Jordin, and Taylor!

Bourne sisters Sierra, Molly, and Bella have been long-time supporters of the National Marine Life Center.  For several years, they asked their friends to give donations to NMLC in lieu of birthday gifts.  This year,  they decided on another approach.  Along with two friends, Ali and Danielle, the triplets set up a lemonade stand over Labor Day Weekend.  They sold lemonade, ice tea, brownies, and cookies, and were excited at the response from their neighbors.  Thank you Ali, Sierra, Molly, Bella, and Danielle!

Aaron, Gabe, and Natalie

Emily

I confess to having tears in my eyes when Aaron handed me the decorated Huggies box filled with quarters and dollars.  On the kids part, they were pleased that their gift will help purchase life-saving food and medicine for our sea turtle patients this fall.

To paraphrase Margaret Mead, never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed children can change the world….

Natalie models a crown she made to sell at the crafts table.

“Catching Joy is fun. Catching Joy is simple. Catching Joy is important. Catching Joy is necessary. Catching Joy is good. Catching Joy brings joy to the recipients. Catching Joy brings double the joy to the givers. Catching Joy starts with children. Catching Joy is contagious.”
~ Joy Olaes Surprenant, Founder & President

Catching Joy is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote volunteerism in pre-school and elementary-aged children.  At a recent Catching Joy event that tied together stories, discussion, and art, children created artwork around the theme “Save the Turtles”.  Catching Joy donated the artwork to the National Marine Life Center, where these fabulous pieces became part of the decorations for our Mermaid Ball.  After the event, the artwork was saved for later display in the Discovery Center and Marine Animal Hospital.

Catching Joy children in front of their artwork at NMLC's Mermaid Ball. Photo by Joy Olaes Surprenant.

Many thanks to Joy Olaes Surprenant, Catching Joy, and especially the young artists for your joyful artwork and love of turtles!

Bulletin boards throughout the silent auction area displayed Catching Joy artwork. Photo by Ann Marie Zagzebski.

According to Earth911.com, recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. The internationally recognized symbol for recycling includes three arrows moving in a triangle. Each arrow represents a different part of the recycling process, from collection to re-manufacture to resale.

The girls from Troop 81602 demonstrated that recycling is easy, recycling is fun, kids can recycle, and recycling helps save marine animals.  Thank you!

A local Girl Scouts Troop has decided to earn its “save the world” badge by helping the National Marine Life Center raise funds for the new marine animal hospital.  On July 18th from 11 am to 2 pm, the troop will collect empty redeemable bottles and cans at the NMLC Discovery Center, 120 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA near the Railroad Bridge and the entrance to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.  This event will occur come rain or come shine.  Stop by and help the Girl Scouts earn their badge and help the National Marine Life Center build its marine animal hospital.

Mitzvah Table Centerpieces

Our special thanks to the Revis-Snider Family in honor of Julia on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah. With the help of Mitzvah Tables, the Revis-Snider family chose to decorate the tables at Julia’s Bat Mitzvah with centerpieces made up of items that will now be used by the National Marine Life Center. The centerpieces included plastic buckets, beach towels, crayons, Sharpies, scissors, garden clogs, ocean life picture books, plastic globe beach balls, garden gloves, ocean life beanies, and pencils. These items will come in handy with our education programs, arts and crafts and animal rehabilitation.

Julia – congratulations and thank you for sharing your special day with the National Marine Life Center! Your thoughtfulness will be appreciated by so many.