Dear Friends,

Almost every year there is a moment when my husband and I are outside maybe potting golden mums on the porches, or we're reading quietly with the doors thrown wide open, and one of us will look up with a smile and say to the other, "Do you smell it?" It's that first, welcome scent of autumn, and we breathe it in.

It happened this past weekend, when the temperatures began to drop just a few degrees and the wind kicked up, probably a warning shot from the storms brewing in the Caribbean. We pulled ourselves away from the Presidents Cup long enough to walk out on the patio and happily inhale.
Photo by Ian Routley
The only leaves remaining in the big fig out back were near the very top of the tree, aged to a soft yellow, almost the same color as a pair of American goldfinches that jumped and flitted from branch to branch as if performing acrobatics.

Goldfinches are among the last species to nest, and we hope that they, like us, have brought in enough provisions to hold them and their brood if Hurricane Ian heads this way. We sprinkled a few more seeds on the patio for them and decided we should grab a gallon or two of water for us. Just in cases.

It was one hot, soggy summer, with thunderstorms rattling the windows almost every afternoon. The poor old tomato plants were either broiling or drowning, their fruit cracked across their faces before they'd even turned a decent red. It's difficult to complain about rain, though, when we have been spared over the last few hurricane seasons from major storms. As you'll see from reading this e-newsletter, fall 2022 is jam-packed with activities and celebrations and neither the finches nor we have time or inclination to hunker down. Let's pray that Ian and any "J," "K," or "L" storms that may follow are sucked down the drain of the Gulf without making land and causing communities to lose power, trees, and what's left of everyone's nerves.

But just to be on the safe side, we're filling up the bird feeders, throwing down seed like a talisman, and hauling in more water than we probably need. Being prepared on the front end is as good a gesture I know to help make sure the waters don't rise and the winds don't howl. Be safe and well. And please mark your calendars for a busy fall.
Emily Ellison
Executive Director
UPCOMING EVENTS
FALL MIGRATION BIRD WALK AT GUALE PRESERVE
with Coastal Georgia Audubon Society
Join the St. Simons Land Trust and Coastal Georgia Audubon for a bird walk at Guale Preserve on Wednesday, October 5, from 8:00 - 11:00AM. During what should be the peak of fall migration, attendees are bound to see a variety of local and migratory species.

Reservations are not required.
CANNON'S POINT PRESERVE - A DECADE OF CONSERVATION
The St. Simons Land Trust and its many partners will be celebrating the 10-Year anniversary of the purchase of Cannon's Point Preserve with a variety of activities and educational experiences on-site from Saturday, October 22, through Monday, October 24. We hope you'll join us!

Click HERE or the button below to view the list of celebration event details.
LIVE OAK SOCIETY RECEPTION
The Live Oak Society Reception is hosted to acknowledge our loyal and generous Live Oak Society members and will take place on what we think is the perfect day -- NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY, November 15, 2022. This year, we will not only thank our many Live Oak members, we also hope to celebrate the completion of a $5.5 million capital campaign.

Special thanks to Jim Kaufman and his team for making it possible for us to hold the event at the Frederica Golf Club. It is going to be a fun and festive evening with a small, select silent auction and displays of some of the artifacts, plants, and wildlife that can be seen on Land Trust properties.
 
To attend the reception, which will have limited capacity, please renew your Live Oak Society membership or become a new Live Oak Society member by Monday, October 31, 2022.

If you have questions about your membership status,
please contact Membership Manager Dalia Charles at dcharles@sslt.org. Thank you!
GUALE PRESERVE ENDURANCE RUN
Calling all runners who want to test their endurance while "forest bathing" at Guale Preserve! Join the Quintanar Running Company for a unique run at Guale Preserve on Sunday, November 12, 2022. The Guale Preserve Endurance Run (GPER) is a one and three-hour timed loop experience along Polly's Trail inside the middle section of the Preserve. Access is via the main Middle Road entrance off Lawrence Road. Happy running!
PENNIES FOR PRESERVATION
NEW PARTNER

Join us in welcoming our newest Pennies for Preservation partner,

Join us in welcoming our newest Pennies for Preservation partner, Golden Isles Getaways! This one-of-a-kind vacation rental company is owned by St. Simons Island native Susan Komoto and her husband Hiroki. Golden Isles Getaways was a “calling” to Susan and Hiroki, they wanted to share their passion for hospitality and their sleepy little island with the world. They currently offer two beautiful family-friendly locations, The Davis and The Mae.
The Davis, their thoughtfully restored four-bedroom 1942 beach bungalow, includes a one-bedroom guest house, wrap-around porches, and firepit. The Mae, with three bedrooms, is a modern end-unit townhome that includes a double garage, screened-in back porch, and access to a lake and community pool.

Golden Isles Getaways will be participating in the program by generously donating 1% of their proceeds. Thank you to Hiroki and Susan and their guests for helping preserve St. Simons Island!
The 'A Penny for Your Thoughts' conversation series with our Pennies for Preservation partners continues! This Q&A initiative individually highlights each partner so the community can connect with and get to know each business and business owners a little better.

Please see a recap of comments from the Pennies for Preservation partners who were featured on social media in SEPTEMBER:

When we asked Chris Morgan, owner of CPM Event Services, what separates his company from its competitors, he explained, "We pride ourselves in hospitality, personality, and years of professional experience. We provide five-star service to our clients while matching their special date with the talent it deserves. We love celebrations and like Gretchen Wilson says, we’re 'Here for the party!'"
Have you ever wondered where the name "Fuse" comes from? Justin Henshaw, owner of Fuse Frozen Co, told us that the name comes from the verb: to become one by blending or melting together. Justin added, "Not only is that what our product is - swirled flavors of yogurt and favorite treats mixed together - it's what we all do when we go to Fuse together. If [these] past [couple of years have] taught us anything, it is that we're all better together, and we've come to realize just how important being together is. As a community, we have come together to make our home a special place and preserving properties like Oatland Hasell North through the Pennies for Preservation program helps make that happen."
We asked our partners at Sea Island to share one of their most exciting updates from the year so far. Without hesitation, the team was thrilled to share the success of their sea turtle nesting season. “Every year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Sea Island nature team is joined by resort guests and members as they conduct daily dawn patrols and night walks for sea turtle conservation. In 2022, Sea Island recorded its biggest nesting season in the last 30 years with 144 nests. This led to a total of 8,733 hatchlings and counting.”

 As Sea Island celebrates a record year for sea turtles, they are also celebrating a record-setting year for their Adopt-A-Nest program. “The Sea Island Adopt-A-Nest program allows donors to be assigned a specific nest – either virtually or with their family name displayed beachside on a nest marker – and receive regular updates on the status of their nest and hatchlings. All donations raised as part of the program, which topped $58,000 in the 2022 season, go directly to the Wildlife Conservation Fund within the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. These funds are crucial for providing survey supplies, ATVs, predator screens, and nesting stakes for research centers throughout Georgia’s coast and barrier islands.”
Let's Keep it Local!

Please remember to continue supporting our Golden Isles businesses
and the Land Trust's dedicated Pennies for Preservation partners.
Pennies for Preservation businesses raise funds to preserve and protect St. Simons Island.
Participating businesses raise contributions by either:

1) Collecting a voluntary 1% or specific dollar amount donation from
their customers' receipts/invoices.
OR
2) Donating 1% of their companies' proceeds or services.
WE HAVE A WINNER!
Congratulations to the WINNERS of the Private 2-Hour Boat Tour with Captain Brooks Good of Coastal Outdoor Adventures.

SUSAN AND HUNT DUNLAP
are St. Simons locals who have been generous supporters of the Land Trust over the past two years. We hope they will enjoy this unique gift and share it with four additional family members and/or friends.

"Unbelievable! Thank you!
We are really looking forward to this experience."
-- Susan and Hunt Dunlap

Sincerest thanks to the nearly 40 Land Trust supporters who renewed, upgraded, or became members over the last couple of weeks as a result of the incentive offered by Captain Brooks. Your commitment to the preservation of St. Simons Island is so genuinely appreciated, and your membership renewals are helping the Land Trust to make the wisest possible financial decisions as we near the year's end.

And of course heartfelt thanks to our loyal supporter and Cannon's Point Preserve Conservation Task Force member Brooks Good who provided such wonderful motivation for supporters to give or renew this year.

"Being a part of this initiative was my pleasure! I am glad the fundraising efforts were successful, and I'm excited to share this experience with the Dunlaps."
-- Captain Brooks Good, Coastal Outdoor Adventures
ADVENTURES OF SSLT HATS
Staff Member Marty Moody
Lake Michigan, Wisconsin
Members Kim and Phil Belt
Yellowstone National Park
From Wisconsin to Wyoming, our Land Trust hats went along for several hiking adventures this past month. Thanks to all who brought their hats along and shared their pictures.

Don't have a hat? Let's fix that!
While our online store is temporarily shut down, SSLT hats can be purchased in-person from our office at 1810 Frederica Road. We hope you'll come and see us!
DNR ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR
CONSERVATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR
St. Simons Elementary School students at
Cannon's Point Preserve
Photo courtesy of The Brunswick News
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently announced that a $1,000 grant will be awarded this year to a kindergarten through fifth-grade public or private school teacher in Georgia who demonstrates exceptional energy and innovation in teaching life sciences - the DNR Conservation Teacher of the Year.

Funding is provided by the DNR's Wildlife Conservation Section's friends group, The Environmental Resources Network, better known as TERN. The deadline to apply is Oct. 17.
For more information about the Conservation Teacher of the Year grant, please visit georgiawildlife.com/TeachingConservationGrant or contact Linda May at linda.may@dnr.ga.gov or 706-319-0211.

Read more from The Brunswick News HERE.
SAVE THESE DATES
October 1: DNR's CoastFest at Mary Ross Waterfront Park has been POSTPONED because of Hurricane Ian. More more information, click HERE.


October 5: Fall Migratory Bird Walk at Guale Preserve with Coastal Georgia Audubon Society.

October 22-24: Cannon's Point Preserve 10-Year Anniversary Celebrations. Learn more HERE.

October 25: Pennies for Preservation Five-Year Anniversary

November 4-6: Shrimp and Grits Festival, Jekyll Island. Volunteers Needed! Click HERE to view volunteer opportunities.

November 13: Guale Preserve Endurance Run by Quintanar Running Co.

November 15: SSLT Live Oak Society Reception. Frederica Golf Club. Renew your Live Oak membership HERE.

November 17-20: RSM Golf Tournament Hosted by Davis Love Foundation

November 28: Giving Tuesday

January 21, 2023: SSLT Annual Oyster Roast
THANK YOU TO OUR
2022 BUSINESS SPONSORS
PREMIER SPONSOR
PRESENTING SPONSOR
LEAD SPONSORS
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
AS ALWAYS,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT!