Progress Report 2014
September/October 2014 Newsletter jekyllislandfoundation.org | 912.635.4100
From Executive Director Dion Davis
Calendar of Events
T
he summer months have come and gone, leaving us with fond memories of family, bike rides, the smell of freshly-mowed grass and hot days melting into long, warm evenings. Summer has always been my favorite time of year for one obvious reason, my birthday! That being said (and yes, I’m 29 … again), 4th of July with aunt, uncle, cousins, nieces and nephews eating homemade ice cream, boiled peanuts and watermelon is a family tradition. Sticky fingers and chocolate running down our arms mean nothing apart from the tradition we have as a family to park at the SAME spot every year, watch fireworks and eat the SAME confections - year after year - together. These traditions, established long ago without planning or realization became a part of who we are as a family. What traditions do you carry in your family?
SHRIMP & GRITS: THE WILD GEORGIA SHRIMP FESTIVAL September 19-21, 2014 Jekyll Island Historic Landmark District
I am now three years into the job of protecting and preserving Jekyll Island, this beautiful state park. Time after time, I hear stories of folks returning, almost as a pilgrimage, to Jekyll Island because their parents, grandparents or friends came here every year on vacation. The adults in their lives provided such wonderful childhood memories that the next generation decided to continue the tradition. In a world full of noise, coming to the natural, pristine sanctuary that is Jekyll Island and still enjoying some of the comforts of home, is ideal. Real communication, 3 Real games played, Real family time, a Real getaway. Jekyll Island itself has many newly ordained and long standing traditions. With the passing of summer comes Shrimp & Grits: Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival, Under the Oaks Half-Marathon & 10K Run, the Georgia-Florida Golf Classic and the annual Jekyll Island Christmas Tree Lighting and Holidays in History Celebration. Will you consider making our traditions yours? I hope to see you soon!
Renewed concentration, focused deliberation and strong leadership!
UNDER THE OAKS HALF MARATHON & 10K RUN October 11, 2014 Great Dunes Park
GEORGIA-FLORIDA GOLF CLASSIC October 29 – 31, 2014
Meet Our Board Ken Wright
JIF Director eHealthcareIT Ken Wright Profile By Anna Hall
K
en Wright is a well-intentioned, jovial kind of guy. That much is instantly and readily apparent when speaking with the Dunwoody resident. He laughs easily, keeping conversations flowing and offering his personal, thoughtful insights when asked about particular topics. In all likelihood, it’s these optimistic characteristics that landed him the role of Mayor when the city of Dunwoody was founded in 2008. Too, these optimal traits likely lead him down a path into community service positions, serving on various organizations and boards when not working as President of eHealthcareIT and NetDimensions Healthcare. Wright, though, is not one to point out his own glowing charm and charismatic demeanor. Rather, he prefers to support those around him in an effort to contribute to a greater good. “I’ve always just had this drive to be involved, to help my community, to give back,” Wright said. “I feel like I have been blessed in my life. When you can, you should serve to make your community a better place.” Wright brings his upbeat, philanthropic attitude with him to Jekyll Island, where he has served on the Jekyll Island Foundation Board for almost three years. But Wright wasn’t looking to find Jekyll Island or looking to help its cause. The island found him. By happenstance, Wright, his wife and their two children stumbled on to the island, looking for a possible new vacation retreat. He’d never heard of the place, but he quickly found that one of Georgia’s brightest jewels was a gem in hiding.
“It turns out we moved in next store to Jones Hooks [the Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority],” Wright said. “As I got to know him, I asked if there was a place I could help out, without being on the authority board. You know, some service that may be more hands-on and less political.” Hooks lead Wright to the Jekyll Island Foundation. The nonprofit Board was in the midst of a reawakening, remodeling itself as the island underwent its revitalization efforts. The Foundation was fresh off the heels of working to build and establish the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and needed to find some new areas to focus their efforts. New board members were being added to the roll-call, and new to-do lists were being formed. It was the perfect time for Wright to step in. When Wright came into his role on the Foundation Board, he instantly felt at home. He sensed the newfound connections that had manifested between fellow Board members as they charted out a new, forward-moving path. “There is a very real chemistry there,” Wright said. “We are all very much on the same page, working for similar goals.” “One of the major goals,” Wright said, “is to promote more understanding of the renovations underway on the island and to increase citizens’ understanding about how the island operates.” Being a state park, it is commonly assumed that the island is funded by state monies, but in truth, the island is a self-sustaining state park. Operations of the park are managed largely through tourism dollars. Renovating the island from its former run-down state into the new, modern, shining beacon of a coastal paradise was necessary in order to keep budgets balanced. Wright also said that education efforts surrounding conservation of the island also need to be promoted. It is the lack of development that sets the island apart from more common beach destinations. “Even with the current renovations, that sense of a remote vacation and natural wonder will not be lost,” Wright said.
“That first time we came here, we fell in love,” Wright said. “Here was this magical, hidden place, where it was like stepping back in time. There aren’t many places out there that convey the spirit found on Jekyll Island.”
“You hear people say, ‘Oh Jekyll, I used to love going there.’ Then they say they haven’t been back for 40 years. That was a problem,” Wright said. “People need to know about the improvements and strides being made on Jekyll. They need to know that with improvements, paradise is not lost. It would be nice to keep Jekyll as a secret gem of Georgia, to keep it just for us few who know about it; but in the truth, that’s not feasible. The overall success of the island depends on our guests.”
Instantly, the Wright family began searching for a vacation home on the island, a place for an escape from the gridlock and mayhem of their daily city lives. The family eventually settled on a 1950s-era ranch home, “a place that certainly fits in on Jekyll Island,” Wright laughed, and they haven’t looked back.
In coming months, Wright and the crew at the Foundation Board will work to increase education efforts about the island, its cherished history and its vivid future. They will help support the rejuvenation of the beloved island, while working to maintain the sacred spirit that allows Jekyll to shine brightly along the coast.
But as soon as he settled into his second home, Wright felt that itch he is prone to scratch. Jekyll Island surely could use a goodhearted spirit like himself. But where could he serve?
“Everyone on this Board has strong, passionate feelings about making Jekyll Island the best it can be,” Wright said. “We are all thrilled to see what is going on now on the island, and cannot wait to see the final results. I know I, for one, am very excited to be a part of it all.”
Wright’s neighbor had the answer.
HISTORY: Folklore, Rumor & Myth
O
n dark October nights, enjoy pleasant shivers listening to ghost stories of the Gilded Age on Jekyll Island. As a prelude to the Halloween season, Jekyll Island Museum guides tell tales of restless souls and spirit sightings on “Folklore, Rumor & Myth” tours offered on Friday and Saturday nights through the month of October. Enjoy mysterious tales and the thrill of adventure while exploring the haunting surroundings of the Jekyll Island Historic District. Along moonlit pathways, explore locations where apparitions have been sighted and unexplained events have occurred before continuing inside one of the gilded age cottages for more spine-tingling stories as darkness falls. Whispers of supernatural events have long hidden amidst the moss-draped live oaks and historic homes of Jekyll Island. At night, when shadows lengthen, startled visitors and employees both have reported seeing glimpses of spirits and hearing unsettling sounds. Stories of unfinished business, eternal love and deep mystery abound. On Jekyll Island, supernatural occurrences involve both historical figures and mysterious phantoms. Tour guides lean on their professional knowledge of the island’s past to interpret the strange events. Attempts to explain the phenomena are rooted in the written records of those who visited the island long ago; and the ghostly stories focus on the history, happiness and heartache of historical inhabitants of Jekyll Island. Come explore Jekyll Island’s supernatural side! Both exciting and informative, this guided tour is a fun way to explore the past.
Folklore, Rumor & Myth” tours depart from the Jekyll Island Museum on Stable Road on Fridays and Saturdays, October 3-25, 2014, at 7:00 pm. Advance reservations are required. Admission is $16 for Adults, $7 for Children 7-15. Parental discretion is recommended for children under 10. Reserve online at jekyllisland.com or call the Jekyll Island Museum at 912-635-4036.
Reserve online at jekyllisland.com or call the Jekyll Island Museum at 912-635-4036
JEKYLL ISLAND MUSEUM
Welcomes New Team Member JIA welcomes Alexandra “Alex” Myers as the Museum Gift Shop Supervisor. Alex comes to us with a strong background in customer service. She has previously worked with Humana’s Right Source Pharmacy of Westchester, Ohio Branch where she was part of the policies and procedures team and the sole facilitator of their customer service training program. Alex and her husband, Jerod, moved to the Golden Isles over three years ago after falling in love with the isles on a vacation, proving that once you touch the sand of Jekyll Island, you will always come back. They now live in Brunswick with their two dogs, Emma and Cody. In her spare time, Alex enjoys kayaking, painting and reading historical fictions. With a great love for Jekyll Island and all its history, Alex is overjoyed to be a part of the Jekyll Island Authority team. Come see Alex at the Museum Gift Shop, where you are sure to have a delightful shopping experience. With the historic
stables serving as your backdrop, you will stroll through the stalls once owned by club members such as Joseph Pulitzer and Gordon McKay. The attentive staff is always happy to assist with finding everything from historically accurate jewelry and gorgeous handbags to children’s vintage board games and porcelain tea sets!
SKEET HOUSE UPDATE Interior Focus of Phase 2 of Important Project John Hunter, the Director of Historic Resources for the Jekyll Island Authority, recently announced that the project to preserve the historic Skeet House is moving into the next phase of work.
J
ohn Hunter, Director of Historic Resources for the Jekyll Island Authority, recently announced that the project to preserve the historic Skeet House is moving into the next phase of work. Summer guests frequenting Pier Road have been delighted to watch the reconstruction of the Skeet House progress. With funding provided by Jekyll Island Foundation’s (JIF) private donors and the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and Beachview Club Hotel partnerships, finishing touches on the exterior of the building is currently underway, with Phase I of the project nearly complete. Through JIF’s Advisory Board member, Monsignor Donald Kiernan, fundraising efforts continue. Once Phase 1 is complete, the project will move immediately into Phase
2, with a focus on the restoration of the Skeet House interior. The interior restoration will feature original woodwork salvaged by the project. Hunter indicated that many of the original wall boards were salvaged and reinstalled in its current location in the Historic District. The wallboards are comprised of a variety of materials including: tongue & groove boards and flooring, lap siding and bead-board. “All of these materials were probably ‘leftovers’ from other Jekyll Island Club projects in the 1930s that were put to good use,” Hunter said. “These ‘leftovers’ will be put to good use again to give the Skeet House its original rustic flair.” The Skeet House was originally built in the 1930s for recreational use by the Jekyll Island Club. Skeet shooting was a popular activity at the island resort, which first formed in 1886 as a hunting club. Hunter anticipated that work on Phase 2 of the Skeet House project would be completed in September.
Work to reconstruct the historic Skeet House moves forward thanks to funding efforts of the Jekyll Island Foundation.
TO DONATE go to jekyllisland.com/jekyll-island-foundation/donate/ or call the Foundation office at 912-635-4100.
Progress Report 2014
CONSERVATION
Diamondback Terrapin Research Project By David Zailo, UGA Graduate Student and GSTC Researcher While the diamondback terrapin nesting season has come
one was found near Summer Waves Water Park. Over the
to a close here on Jekyll Island, terrapin research is still
next two years, Dr. Andrews and I plan to place GPS units
humming away at a steady pace. A total of 490 terrapins
on 20 terrapins to monitor their movement and habitat. By
were encountered along the Jekyll Island Downing-Musgrove
capturing those from the both on and off-road locations, we
Causeway during this past nesting season. In the coming
hope to learn valuable information regarding nesting choices
weeks, Dr. Kimberly Andrews and I will begin a concentrated
of females that do not rely solely on the causeway. We are
seining effort to capture adult female terrapins. Since our last
diligently working on a terrapin video that illustrates this
update, we have captured and placed GPS loggers and radio-
work and hope to have it released within the coming months.
transmitters on 11 adult female terrapins: ten were captured
Thanks again for your unending support of the ground-
along the Jekyll Island Downing-Musgrove Causeway and
breaking wildlife research programs on Jekyll Island!
Researchers shown seining for terrapins during a rainy day in the marsh.
Researchers pose with terrapins captured during seining.
An adult female terrapin equipped with a GPS unit and radio transmitter.
An adult female terrapin is released into the marsh with GPS unit and radio transmitter.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center Continues to “Capacity Build” in Costa Rica Thanks to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
The
Parque
Marino,
an
in
Puntaranus,
presented the majority of lectures during the two day workshop.
Drs. Juan Morales and Estaban Rudan, both
Costa Rica veterinary colleagues, presented on sea turtle pathology and kidney disease syndrome in Olive Ridley sea turtles, respectively. Hands on demonstrations included physical examination and blood drawing in Olive Ridley sea turtles and a necropsy (animal autopsy) on a Hawksbill sea turtle. Round table discussions with to
the
participants
refinements
protocols
and
to
of
opened
several
lead
existing the
By: Terry M. Norton, DVM, DACZM, GSTC Director and Veterinarian
doors
U
was instrumental in getting
nusual Mortality Events, or UMEs, are not uncommon in wildlife…including sea turtles. Earlier this year, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC), an entity of the Jekyll Island Authority, received the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Award. Since then,
aquarium
Costa Rica hosted the workshop. Drs. Norton and Stacy
resources. Costa
The
Rican
regional workshop
experts
to
start working together as a team to form a network of individuals
to
respond
to
sea turtle UMEs in the future. Another visit
objective
was
to
of
the
transport
biomedical samples from sea turtles involved in past UMEs where the cause remained undetermined. This requires extensive permitting due to the endangered status of sea turtles. Preliminary information indicates that a marine algal toxin known as Saxitoxin, was likely a contributing cause to at least 2 recent UMEs.
Dr. Andres Tello from Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica has
been training with the GSTC Costa Rican team for the last researchers have been investigating the causes of several UMEs in sea turtles in Costa Rica and training local experts the proper way to respond to these events. In late May 2014, Dr. Terry Norton traveled to Costa Rica to conduct a Sea Turtle Mortality Event Investigation and Management Workshop. Dr. Brian Stacy, a sea turtle pathologist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), traveled with Dr. Norton to assist with the workshop. The target audience included 35 wildlife veterinarians, sea turtle biologists, field technicians, politicians, rehabilitators, pathologists and other key players. These individuals came from a variety of organizations representing both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
two weeks. The GSTC has also hosted several Costa Rican biologists, rehabilitators and veterinary students in the past. Dr. Tello, who works with local wildlife and has his own small animal practice, is the first veterinarian the Center has hosted. The GSTC targeted Dr. Tello as a key individual to be involved in sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica.
During his short time at the GSTC, Dr. Tello has been
involved with several surgeries, medical cases and necropsies involving sea turtles, terrapins, and other turtle species. The GSTC has had several residents host our international colleagues. Steve and Bonnie Newell have graciously been hosting and introducing Dr. Tello to American culture.
Horton Pond Wildlife Viewing Platform
H
orton Pond is an artificial pond on the north end of Jekyll Island that was first excavated between 1965 and 1972. The pond has been utilized variously through the years for fishing and wildlife watching, but irresponsible and illegal activities are unfortunately commonplace at the site, including littering and wildlife feeding/harassment. While Horton Pond has never been maintained primarily as a visitor-use area, it is regularly visited by residents and guests. If you are a regular reader of this newsletter, you are likely already aware that the Foundation is raising funds to support more positive public use of Horton Pond by demonstrating that the area is cared for by providing amenities consistent with responsible use.
The project will include: • Installation of a viewing deck on the edge of the pond for observing wildlife • Improvement of parking and traffic management • Improvement of trash-disposal facilities • Installation of a basking platform for alligators and turtles • Excavation around a projection of low-lying land in the pond to improve nesting habitat for wading birds • Addition of a 0.7 mile nature trail to be named “Tupelo Trail”.
The project promises substantial improvements to the status quo in providing for responsible visitor use, environmental education accessibility and enhanced wildlife habitat. All proposed projects that have the potential to affect natural systems on Jekyll Island must undergo an Environmental Assessment Procedure (EAP) to assess potential environmental impacts and consistency with the Jekyll Island Conservation Plan. The Horton Pond project is no exception to this standard procedure. The planned changes for the pond and its surroundings must demonstrate that the work will not compromise the ability to preserve, maintain, manage, and restore Jekyll Island’s natural communities and species diversity. A unique EAP committee is brought together for each project considered. The committee always includes members from within the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA), a representative of the Georgia DNR and two additional members selected from outside the JIA. Committee members are selected based on relevant expertise to support a fair and thorough assessment of the project. The EAP committee that reviewed the Horton Pond Project in late May expressed excitement about the project and had a few suggestions for improvement in areas such as: waste management, trail construction, incompatible recreational activities, signage and enforcement. The committee recommended wildlife-proof trash and recycling containers to prevent access by raccoons, foxes,
and feral cats and to allow visitors to dispose of their waste appropriately. “Tupelo Trail” should be constructed to an average width of 5 feet, not to exceed 6 feet and should be carefully designed and built to minimize disturbance to vegetation communities. Interpretive signage should be included along the trail and by the pond with directions and rule-postings to guide traffic and to inform visitors about the expectations for their use of the site. A subtle street sign should be provided at the intersection of the access road and Beachview Road, identifying Major Horton Road to facilitate directions to the pond. For now, a more prominent attraction sign is not recommended to avoid overwhelming the site with more visitation than might be sustainable. The consensus among the committee was that fishing in Horton Pond would be incompatible with the low-impact use that we intend to encourage at the pond. It was also determined that off-road bicycling on “Tupelo Trail” would be incompatible with use of the trail by walkers and environmental-education groups due to limited visibility on the narrow, tightly meandering trail. Finally, the committee recommended that the JIA coordinate with the Georgia State Patrol and the JIA Code Compliance Officer to increase enforcement at the site. With these suggestions, the EAP Committee finds the Horton Pond project to be fully supportive of the Jekyll Island Conservation Plan and applauds the Foundation’s initiative in advancing this project.