The Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Committee’s plans for the Reef Sponsorship Program won’t be officially unveiled until after the Impact 100 Grant Winners have been decided in October.    Even so – the program has generated early interests.   Three companies or individuals have already stepped up to the plate to make pledges of support:

Best Western Navarre

Deep & Wide Dredging, Inc.

Mike & Nancy Sandler

Thank you to these individuals and companies for their leadership in helping to Make Navarre Snorkelicious!

Plans are set and the race is on to register for this year’s Run For The Reef 5K and Kid’s 1 Mile Fun Run.  Last year we had over 300 registrants ……help put us over the 400 mark and register now.  Plenty of places to pick up race registration forms:

Navarre Visitor Information Center
Navarre Beach Fishing Pier
Navarre YMCA
The Club – Tiger Point
Run With It – Fort Walton Beach
Running Wild  – Pensacola
Holley By The Sea Recreation Center
You can also download the registration form here or register online at active.com.    We will have race day registration also, but early registration is recommended.

Avoid the rush and REGISTER NOW!

Join us for the next monthly meeting of the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Committee on Monday, August 23rd at 6 PM.  The meeting will be in the Navarre Visitor Information Center Conference Room.    Please enter through the entrance facing the sound.

We will be discussing plans for the Run for the Reef 5K and our providing an update on the Impact 100 Grant progress.

We’ll be showing off and distributing the new bumperstickers too.

As always – the public is welcomed and encouraged to attend and participate.

Help us Make Navarre Snorkelicious!

The Environmental Committee for Pensacola Bay Area Impact 100 conducted a site visit with the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Committee this morning  (Saturday August 14th).   Impact 100 is a group of 560 women in the Pensacola Bay Area, who with their financial contributions and effective management of an annual grant program, provide over $500,000 in funding to worthy charitable organization programs  in five categories.   Last year the Marine Sanctuary was a finalist in the environmental category.  We are again pursuing the grant opportunity in the Environmental category this year.

We were pleased to share with the Impact 100 members, the current status of our efforts to bring beach accessible reefs to Navarre Beach and the positive impact the program will have on our region.  Many thanks to the Impact 100 organization and the members who took time out of their weekend to visit us at Navarre Beach.   While there we provided program information, toured the reef locations, and answered questions about the program, our progress and plans.

After site visits have been conducted with the grant applicants, two finalists in each of five categories will be selected and announced.  Each finalist will make a presentation before the full Impact 100 organization at their annual meeting in the Fall.   During the meeting,  each of the five grants (one in each category) will be announced and awarded.    We are hopeful and optimistic about our application, and look forward to the announcement of the finalists.

Looking for volunteers to help prepare for this year’s Run For The Reef 5K.
Monday Aug 2 at 6 PM
Navarre Visitor Information Center Conference Room (in the park next to the Navarre Beach Bridge on hwy 98)

You don’t need any running or race experience – join the fun and help us Make Navarre Snorkelicious!

As if that weren’t enough – there’s a free t-shirt in it for you.

See you there.

The Navarre Beach Fishing Pier will be the venue for the  2010 Run For The Reef 5K on October 16th, 2010.

Race Day Packet Pickup will be 6 AM on the Pier deck.  After the race we’ll be serving beer, soft drinks and food on the deck and holding the Post Race Awards Ceremony.

Mark your calendars to come out and enjoy the run and the beautiful gulf front view from the Navarre Pier Deck.

Last year we had over 300 participants  and this year we’re making plans for an even bigger crowd.

Pick up your registration form or  take advantage of one of the great race sponsorship opportunities and help us Make Navarre Snorkelicious!

Nancy Sandler, Co-Chair of the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Committee and Mike Sandler also on the Marine Sanctuary Committee will make a presentation about the progress and plans of  Marine Sanctuary Program at the Navarre Library.    Mark your calendars for  Tuesday, July 27th at 5:30 pm.

The Sandler’s will present status and progress to date of the efforts to bring near shore reefs to Navarre Beach, upcoming events  involving the Sanctuary Committee and information on you can become involved and keep informed.

The public is invited to come and learn how we are helping to Make Navarre Snorkelicious!

Date:  Tuesday July 27th

Time: 5:30 PM

Where: Navarre Library –  8484 James M. Harrell Road, Navarre, FL 32566

Our next meeting will be Monday, July 26th at 6 pm

Navarre Visitor Information Center Conference Room.

Hwy 98 at the Navarre Beach Bridge

The Public is invited and encouraged to attend.

We hope you will join us and help us in Making Navarre Snorkelicious

Check out our ONLINE PLEDGE FORM.   No need to pull out your credit card or write a check now – just  tell us how much you would like to pledge to our efforts to Make Navarre Snorkelicious and through which type of sponsorship.    You can also download a pdf version of the pledge form here and mail it t:

Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary c/o Navarre Chamber Foundtion, 8668 Navarre Pkwy #142, Navarre FL 32566

You can  access the pledge form and also make tax deductible donations via Pay Pal from our Pledges and Donations Page.

The Navarre Beach Fun Fest was held Saturday May 15th.  Amidst all the food, shopping, entertainment, and activities was your Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Booth.  Lots of folks stopped by to check out our progress on both the permitting and fund raising fronts.  Others stopped by to see what the Marine Sanctuary was all about.  A great day to be out on the beach in Navarre, and another great opportunity to communicate the marine sanctuary benefits to the Gulf Coast….our three E’s

• Economy
• Education
• Environment

Andy Epstein helps Make Navarre Snorkelicious

Thanks to all who came out and special thanks to those that manned the booth.