The Placencia Breeze
Page 20
November 2018
PHS and CRC Join Forces for Animal Welfare By PATRICIA CELENZA PHS Press Officer Placencia Humane Society placibr@btl.net
In October 1999, the Placencia Humane Society (PHS), a non-profit animal welfare group, was founded to provide quality professional veterinarian services to pets in our community. Over these 19 years, PHS has expanded to include a monthly vet clinic, a Feral Cat Program, the Seine Bight Outreach Clinic and a Rescue/Foster/Adoption Program.
habitat and surrounding wildlife. Over the past two and a half years, CRC has assisted partner organizations (such as Belize Bird Rescue and Wildtracks) in responding to wildlife injuries, many times acting as a mini-wildlife triage center until transportation could be arranged to the appropriate veterinary or rehabilitation facilities for injured or ill wildlife. Through national and international support and donations, CRC is in the process of building a fully-equipped wildlife triage center for the wildlife of southern Belize.
in animal welfare, including responding to injured animals, CRC has extended their collaboration partners to PHS. Through this collaboration, we anticipate we can obtain more of the basic veterinary equipment and supplies needed to care
for injured and ill wildlife, dogs and cats. This partnership will further enrich basic veterinary assistance to provide animals a higher chance of survival.
This collaboration officially began on Oct. 13, 2018 with a basic wildlife triage response workshop, provided by CRC supporter and donor Dr. Gary Harwell, a practicing exotic and domestic veterinarian based in Houston, Texas in the United Like PHS, fellow non-profit CrocStates of America. odile Research Coalition (CRC), CRC staff and PHS also continues to grow. CRC has board members and become more than just an organizavolunteers attended tion responsible for the research and PHS volunteers join CRC staff and interns at a basic wildlife triage this workshop. ▪ management of crocodiles and their Given our mutual work response workshop at the start of their official collaboration.
Seine Bight Running Club Update By WANDA STAKUTIS Press Officer, Seine Bight Running Club gregvwandas@gmail.com
The kids have been working hard preparing for all the different races. Most of the kids just participated in the inaugural Splash Half Marathon and Relay Half Marathon and really enjoyed the experience. While putting this article together, the younger runners are getting ready for the next Young Runners for Life race being held on Oct. 27. Special thanks to Linn Wilson who has donated some stuffed animals, t shirts and Goss chocolate bars to be given out to the winners of this race. The race is open to all students ages nine to 18, and we are looking forward to having participants from the brand new Splash Junior Runners fromPlacencia. The last race in the series this year will be held on Nov. 24. At the conclusion of that finale race for 2018, grand prizes will be awarded based on results accumulated over the four races. The older students and young adults
are also training for the End of the World Half Marathon on Dec. 9. Additionally, we've been working on baton passing and sprints and are hoping to introduce some sprint races next year. We will be working with the youth to help them find the distance that works best for them, whether it's 100, 200, 400-meter sprints or middle distance and long distance. We now have between 35 and 40 kids starting at age six, coming out every Saturday at the early hour of 6 a.m.! (We are still looking for more coaches and support people, so we can work more one-on-one with the kids as they develop their running skills). We are all looking forward to next year. With the formation of Splash Junior Runners it gives the kids more opportunities to compete. While everyone who comes out loves to run there is a greater incentive to train when there is competition. Hopefully, we will see other running clubs for youth in Independence and some of the other nearby villages. See SEINE BIGHT RUNNING CLUB UPDATE on page 21
Reef Restoration Exchange
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shared with coral reef restoration experts made me more hopeful than I have been for years about the future of Caribbean coral reefs," Dr. Wulff told FoH Founder Lisa Carne. Nedimyer, who is the founder of the largest coral reef restoration organization in the world, shared similar sentiments. “The restored reefs at Laughing Bird Caye National Park were stunning, but almost equally stunning are the early results you’re getting at some of the other restoration sites," he said. "You’ve “raised the bar” on what we are hoping to achieve, but you’ve also given all of us hope by now knowing it can be done and seeing it with our own eyes,” he added. Dr. Baums joined the complimentary remarks too. “FoH has documented multiple years of spawning from the restored colonies. While proof of increased sexual recruitment in the area is outstanding, I think this is not necessary to declare restoration efforts for the Acropora corals at Laughing Bird Caye National Park a resounding success. I do not have any suggestions for improving the fragmentation or outplanting techniques – they seem to be working great. FoH is a world-wide leader in coral
restoration, and I am grateful for the opportunity to visit and meet with so many dedicated coral restoration experts .” Fragments of Hope is delighted for another successful regional exchange visit; not to mention the perfect weather, and hope to become more active in exchange visits on all levels. Link to video incl exchange: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jOitJWU6aNI&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0x6eHNMOR1g1ysaG99pLmVSSFP79ghfAIpJAx3bKNi_ Me195LXQdMeu9U ▪ Monique Ve r n o n , a native of Placencia Village, holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management from the University of Belize (2016). She carries extensive experience with youth and schools and worked with FoH in 2017 implementing the Sandwatch program. FoH is dedicated to employing local coastal community members.
