The Navarre Press is the prime media sponsor for the 4th Annual Run for the Reef 5K and Kid’s 1 Mile Fun Run.    In addition to helping promote the race through various communications channels, the Navarre Press will be on hand the day of the race to provide full event coverage and finish line photo services to record your moments of glory as you cross the finish line.

The Run for the Reef is the main fundraiser for the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary.   A great way to support the diving and snorkeling reefs and Make Navarre Snorkelicious is through tax deductible donations to sponsor the run through one of the event’s many sponsorship opportunities.  Registration for the race is open online via  Active.com and  by downloading and completing the registration form on our website.

The 2012 Navarre Fun Fest 5K & Fun Run has an exciting theme: An Under Sea Adventure! Visit the Chamber website and click on the 2012 Fun Fest logo to download a registration form or register online at active.com.

It’s never too early to start getting in shape for the Run for the Reef.   The 4th Annual Run for the Reef 5K and Kid’s 1 Mile Fun Run is Saturday October 13th this year.  Starting and ending at the Navarre Beach Pier.

Galloway Training in Navarre

Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary will hold the Monthly General Committee Meeting Monday, Feb. 27, 2012 6:30 be at the Navarre Visitor Information Center on Highway 98.

We’ll discuss the status of sound side permits, gulf reef contracting/installation, reef informational signage, Run for the Reef responsibilities, and planning for reef site management.

We are an all volunteer committee – everyone is always welcome at our meetings and encouraged to participate in helping us make Navarre Snorkelicious.

This year’s Run for the Reef 5K and Kid’s 1 Mile Fun Run will be Saturday October 13th.   With the installation of the reefs this year,  the event promises to be the most popular yet.  We are now accepting sponsorships for the run from businesses and individuals.  We’ve already had a good early response.  Several sponsorship categories at various prices are available.   The Run for the Reef is the Marine Sanctuary’s annual fund raiser.    All funds will be used to maintain and improve the reefs, associated amenities and programs.    It’s a great way to support the Marine Sanctuary and the environmental, economic, and educational benefits it brings to Navarre.

PRIMARY SPONSOR – $1,500 (1 Sponsor) or $1,000 (Multiple Sponsors)

Logo  – $250
* Logo on Run for the Reef 5K T-shirt
* Sponsor listing in Marine Sanctuary website
* 2 Run for the Reef 5K T-shirts

* Name on Run for the Reef 5K T-shirt
* Sponsor listing in Marine Sanctuary website
* 1 Run for the Reef 5K T-shirt

Also seeking door prize and Runner’s goodie bag donations

Make Check Payable to Navarre Chamber Foundation  - Checks Can be mailed to:
Navarre Chamber Foundation 5K Run, 8668 Navarre Pkwy #142, Navarre, FL 32566

**In kind donations considered for needed services or goods.  Sponsorship level determined by the wholesale value for the donated good or service.

Don’t miss out on these great sponsorship opportunities. You can download a copy of these opportunities here.

Please mark the following dates on your calendar, and note the locations.

• Feb. 13, 2012 at 6:30PM at the Hampton Inn, Navarre – sponsorship meeting.  Come help us finalize our sponsorship program and plan for it’s début to the public.
• Feb. 27, 2012 at 6:30 at the Navarre Visitor Information Center – general committee meeting.  Discuss the status of permits, the project, and discuss Run for the Reef responsibilities.
• April 27, 2012 from 4-7PM on Navarre Beach – We need volunteers to staff our booth at FunFest.  Contact Nancy, nasandler@bellsouth.net, if you can help.
• April 28, 2012 from 10AM-7PM on Navarre Beach – We need volunteers in 2-3 hour shift to staff our booth at FunFest.  Contact Nancy, nasandler@bellsouth.net, if you can help.  Please include the times you are available.

Note that  a portion of the FunFest 5K proceeds go the NBMS committee.  Please spread the word and sign-up if you can.  More FunFest 5K information here.

Thanks  for your support,

Navarre Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is an auxiliary, supporting the sheriff and fire departments. They are the citizens you see in the green vests helping out at almost every event in Navarre and in many you don’t such as missing person searches, and damage assessment and emergency support for storms.

The CERT annual fundraiser is “The Amazing Poker Run” on Saturday March 3rd. It starts at 9 AM from Holly Navarre Sr. center across from the Navarre library at 9am and ends at 1:30pm at the Elks Lodge behind the Shrimp Basket restaurant. The Amazing Poker Run is a fun way for all participants to compete for up to $500 in prizes and only costs $10 for each participant on 2, 3 or 4 person teams.

To register send your team name, name, phone number and email address of each team members and $10 per team member to Navarre CERT Amazing Poker Run, 8668 Navarre Pkwy Navarre, FL 32566. Make checks payable to Navarre CERT. You can also drop your checks and registration by the UPS store In the Winn-Dixie Market Place (CERT Box # 362). If you have any questions please contact Mark Pokroy at 850-396-6811 or mmpokroy@mchsi.com.

Help CERT to continue helping Navarre.

Santa Rosa County has received and reviewed the final draft Federal Permits from the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). The county is set to sign the permits and has begun the procurement/deployment process for the beach accessible snorkeling reefs on the Gulf Side of Navarre Beach Park. A final federal (ACOE) permit for the two Sound Side reef sites is expected within the next month. Applications for the required Gulf side and Sound side federal permits were submitted in September of 2009. The federal permit process was expected to take 18 months but has been delayed due to the ACOE activities associated with The Deep Horizon oil spill and associated responses. State permits were granted for both sites in 2009.

The reefs specified in the permit are the Eco System piling mounted disc reefs, a patented design by Walter Marine. If contracting details can be put together within the next two weeks, the reefs could get the go ahead from the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commission (BOCC) as early as February 23rd. The installation process itself will not be long (2-3 days in the Gulf and 3-5 days for the Sound), but a suitable weather window with multiple days of calm seas is critical for the Gulf reef installation. Weather is not as critical for the installation of the Sound side reefs. Depending on the timing of receiving the federal permits for the Sound side reefs and weather conditions, the Sound side reefs may be installed earlier than the Gulf reefs. Historically, the sea state gets calmer as we get into June, but we are hopeful the weather cooperates and the reef installation can proceed as soon as possible.

The National Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Phase I Early Restoration plan has been published as a draft and includes eight projects totaling $57 Million to be initially implemented in the 5 states bordering the Gulf Of Mexico. The Early Restoration program will include $1 Billion and is the selected process by which funding for BP Oil Spill damages may begin in advance of the multi year total damage assessment process. The NRDA is one of the government led BP Oil Spill recovery efforts and is associated with the requirement of BP making the public whole from the environmental damages, including loss of natural resources, damage to natural resources and loss of use/enjoyment of the resources.

Two public meetings (Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola) to present and hear comments on the plan have been held and 10 more are scheduled throughout the public comment period that ends February 14th.

Of the eight projects in Phase I draft of the early restoration plan document, two are Florida projects – both in Escambia county. These initial Florida projects total $5 Million with $4.4 Million going for Boat Ramp Enhancement and Construction and the balance funding 2o acres of Dune Restoration along Pensacola beach.

Of the $1 Billion to be paid by BP for early restoration projects, $100 Million will go to each of the five states to manage/implement independently, and $500 million will be for related projects to be managed through the Federal Government’s Department of Interior(DOI) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The $57 Million of Phase I projects included in the draft plan are the initial set of projects being considered with the balance to follow through the NRDA project selection process.

You may view the plan document at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Final-ERP-121311-print-version-update.pdf

Comments can be submitted verbally or in writing at any of the public comment meetings, via mail at US Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O> Box 2099, Fairhope, AL 336533 or via the web at one of the following addresses.

http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov
http://www.doi.gove/deepwaterhorizon
http:/losco-dhw.com/EarlyRestorationPlanning.aspx
http://www.outdoaralabama.com/nrdaprojects/
http://www.mdeqnrda.com
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon

There will be a public meeting for information and public comment on Florida’s Early Restoration Projects Thursday, January 12 at the UWF Conference Center (1100 University Pkwy, Pensacola, FL 32514). Open house starts at 6 PM. Meeting and Comments session begins at 7 PM.

The meeting will give the state Department of Environmental Regulation (DEP) and federal agencies an indication of the importance to our community of marine restoration projects. This is a great opportunity to provide your support for reefing project funding in our area from the BP Oil Spill funds being allocated by the state of Florida.