Chamber Members Working Together to Make a Difference |
Marine debris is one of the most widespread and persistent forms of pollution affecting the world's oceans and coastal waters.
In just two hours our Members collected ropes, a pool ladder, buoys, a giant plastic bin, boat debris, plastic tarps and a dozen water bottles. They even spotted a hermit crab using a plastic bulb as a shell!
|
|
On October 27th, a small but mighty group of Chamber Members led by the Ocean Reef Club's Recreation team, armed themselves with gloves, box cutters, and trash grabbers. They jumped on their kayaks and started cleaning the Mangroves!
|
Thank you to Peter Rafflaski-Iberia Bank, Martiza Thibos-Everglades Alligator Farm, Priscilla The Water Wizard, Keen Battle & Mead Insurance, and Martiza Thibos Photography for supporting our efforts.
Special thanks to Stephanie Sirotzke, MOTE Marine Lab, for joining us and donating reusable water bottles. Also, thank you to Doug LaFond and Molly LeChelt from the Ocean Reef Club's Recreation Department for guiding us through the mangrove trails and lending us their expertise.
|
Photos by: Martiza Thibos Photography |
|
Did you miss out on the Kayak Clean-up?
Don't miss out on our other events!
|
|
Chamber Luncheons:
Topic: The Psychology of COVID
Date: November 4th
Time: 12pm-1:15pm
Location: Carysfort, Sailfish Patio
Topic: Ocean Reef Club Update
December 2nd
Time: 12pm-1:15pm
Location: TBD
|
|
Events:
Event: Annual Chamber Blood Drive
Date: November 18th
Location: TBD
Event: Paws in the Park: Welcome Back Paw-ty
Date: November 19th
Location: Field at Four Corners
Event: 9th Annual Chamber Golf Tournament
Date: May 6th
|
|
Become a Luncheon Sponsor
Promote Your Business while Supporting Your Chamber!
For only $100, your logo will be placed in the luncheon invitation, and prominently displayed on the welcome screen at the luncheon. Have marketing material you want to distribute? We'll place it at every table for maximum exposure. You will also be given time during introductions to tell us about your business. First three sponsor per luncheon.
|
|
Join us for our first in-person Chamber Luncheon. Prefer keeping it virtual? Our Chamber Luncheon will also be available via Zoom. |
|
The Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health
By: Tova Kreps, LCSW, President of Wellspring Counseling
|
|
2020 - the year of Covid-19, political animosity, economic suffering and racial tension - has taken a large toll on the nation’s mental health. In a study conducted in June by the CDC, 11% of respondents reported having seriously considered suicide in the 30 days before completing the survey!
This is a shocking statistic.
The study also revealed that more than 26% reported symptoms of trauma and stressor-related disorders because of the pandemic. This increase in mental health disorders due to the pandemic is adding to the already large numbers of Americans who have some form of mental illness (approximately 19% of the population) or a substance abuse disorder (approximately 8%).
So why has the pandemic affected our mental health so significantly? Let’s consider some common factors:
1. Change. The pandemic made us all abruptly change multiple aspects of how we
live our daily lives. We must adapt to these changes, but change is inherently
and inevitably stressful.
2. Unpredictability. Change can be adapted to most easily if the what’s, how’s, and when’s of the change are known. But this year has been anything but predictable.
3. Isolation. Handling these new stressors without our usual social support systems has also increased our anxiety. Our social support is what usually carries us through the hardships of our lives, so this has been hard.
4. Specific Stressors. The pandemic has caused specific hardships for many. Some have lost jobs, money, significant life events, health, and even the lives of loved ones. Loss can usually be
handled through healthy grieving, but if it is in the midst of multiple stressors and with limited social support, it can easily give way to depression.
This grim summary of the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of our community may seem daunting. It is true that many normally emotionally stable people have tripped into unfamiliar mental illness territory, and those who were already struggling with mental illness, may have relapsed into dysfunctional thinking or behaviors. But, it is also true that there is hope.
So, take heart and remember several hopeful truths:
1. People are resilient. Like Winnie the Pooh, we are braver, stronger and smarter than we think.
2. Nothing lasts forever. No matter how bad things are, they will pass. Life is made up of seasons.
3. We can get human support. Help is available if we seek it out. We don’t have to be alone.
4. Hardships can make us better people. When we master suffering, we actually become wiser, stronger and usually more compassionate people.
5. Pleasant surprises are often found in the midst of our suffering. More time with family, a slower life-style, or new work environments are just a few perks that have already risen out of the pandemic for many.
When hope seems to be in short supply, remember there is help and people who care are just a click or phone call away. No one needs to feel alone in this. If Wellspring can be of service to you to regain your emotional or behavioral stability, please call or email at: 786-573-7010, WellspringMiami.org, or see the National Institute of Mental Illness website for resources, nimh.nih.gov.
|
|
Mote Marine Laboratory documents another
first for massive corals in Florida
August 12, 2020 Stephannie Kettle
|
|
August 12, 2020—Sarasota, FL—For the first time in Florida or Caribbean waters, restored massive corals were observed spawning—part of sexual reproduction that could result in the next generation of coral offspring—thanks to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium's innovative efforts to restore Florida's Coral Reef.
Over the past few nights, Mote coral scientists observed restored colonies of mountainous star coral (Orbicella faveolata) on a reef near Cook Island, hoping to capture the brief moment during the evening where the coral release their gametes (eggs and sperm) into the water column, a process known as spawning. On Aug. 9, to the delight of Mote scientists, a coral colony known to be gravid (containing gametes) released its gametes in an extraordinary display. Further cause for underwater celebration came on Aug. 10, when at least eight more colonies spawned. This is the first time that restored massive corals have been documented to spawn on Florida’s Coral Reef.
The documentation of the presence of gametes and of spawning in colonies of restored mountainous star coral is a first for massive corals in Florida and the Caribbean. This key species is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and is one of the most critical reef-builders on Florida’s Reef Tract, helping to form the backbone of the entire reef system.
Corals reach sexual maturity not at a certain age, but a certain size. Growing at less than 1 centimeter per year, mountainous star coral might take decades to reach sexual maturity. Through the Mote-pioneered methodology of microfragmentation-fusion, these slow-growing corals can have their growth process sped up significantly, with these corals reaching sexual maturity in just five years.
Mote’s science-based coral restoration strategy not only creates viable colonies of coral at an accelerated rate, but also concentrates on genetic varieties (genotypes) of corals that are resistant to common stressors found in the ocean environment. These mountainous star coral colonies have endured a global bleaching event in 2015, a Category-4 hurricane (Irma) in 2017, and the 2019 outbreak at this site of stony coral tissue loss disease, which has affected millions of reef corals across Florida’s Coral Reef and beyond.
Mote’s research and restoration activities described above were permitted by NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS-2018-088-A2 & FKNMS-2015-163-A3).
Photo Credit: Joe Berg
Click Here for more MOTE Marine Laboratory updates.
|
|
Monroe County Cares grants for businesses under 25 employees in the Keys has opened round two of funding. Only eligible if you did not get funded in round one. Amount based on employee headcount.
|
|
Welcome New Chamber Members! |
|
Promote Your Next Event, Post Job Openings and Share Member Deals |
|
The Ocean Reef Chamber of Commerce is happy to:
Complimentary (on our website):
-Post job openings
-Share member to member specials
-Post current coupons being offered
Minimal fee:
-Send e-blast to our contact list on your behalf
-Post flyers on our social networks
|
|
Looking for a Job?
These Chamber Members are Hiring
|
|
Schedule: Full Time
Key Largo, FL, USA
Schedule: Full Time
Key Largo, FL, USA
The Ocean Reef Community Association (ORCA), located in North Key Largo, FL, has a Full-Time position available for an Information Technology (IT) Systems Administrator who will report directly to the Director of IT. The IT Systems Administrator will maintain, upgrade, and provide support for software, hardware, and networks. The IT Systems Administrator must be able to diagnose and resolve problems quickly and must be available to respond (both remotely and onsite, as applicable) to helpdesk requests after hours. The IT Systems Administrator must be able to easily communicate technical concerns and solutions to many different people with varying degrees of technical knowledge, as well as work with individuals in all departments to help solve their technical issues.
Schedule: Part Time
Key Largo, FL, USA
ANIMAL CARE ASSISTANT (PART TIME) The Ocean Reef Community Association (ORCA), located in North Key Largo, FL, has a Part-Time Animal Care Assistant position available at the Grayvik Animal Care Center. The Grayvik Animal Care Center provides a full range of veterinary and pet grooming services to the Ocean Reef Community and is home of the ORCAT Trap-Neuter-Release program for cats.
|
|
Subscribe to the Ocean Reef Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
