FRIENDS OF GUMBO LIMBO

FRIENDS OF GUMBO LIMBO
A 501c3 Organization
2013 Annual Report
Mission Statement
To support coastal and marine education, conservation and
research endeavors of the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
In 2013 the final touches were put on the
underwater habitats of the new Sea Water
aquariums and the Fill the Tanks project was
completed. The Sea Turtle Rehabilitation
Facility operated at capacity and many turtles
were rehabilitated and released back to the
ocean. There were 144,000 visitors in 2013,
exceeding the previous record in 2010 by
24,000! We had record gift store patronage
and at-the-door donations. 2013 was a great
year all around; a tribute to the hard work and
dedication of all and of Friends under the
leadership of the outgoing President, Michele
Kurucz Peel.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
2014 Board of Trustees
Foundations and corporations such as Whole
Foods of Boca Raton continue to be important
partners. The golf tournament, organized by
Patrick Shea, again supported our scholarship
program. The 10K race headed by Sue
Comoglio and Running Wild supported the
Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility. We had a
record turnout for 2013’s Sea Coast Toast
with over 200 guests in attendance!
Friends, with the City Staff, completed a new
strategic plan for the Center this past year. A
new master site plan is being prepared for
Red Reef Park including Gumbo Limbo
Nature Center. As the incoming President,
with the rest of the Board of Trustees, we look
forward to working with the Beach and Park
District and the City’s Nature Center staff, and
with you to make the visions of these plans a
reality.
Thank you, all of you. You can take pride in
the continuing dramatic progress in achieving
our Mission at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.
Sincerely,
Left to Right: Ross Appel, Susan Walker, Jim Miller, Nancy Leeds, Judy Gire, Carol
Borrow, Ken Imhoff, Connie Thoms-Mazur, and Robyn Morigerato.
Others: Gordon Gilbert, Larry Weissman, Karin Marques,
Michele Kurucz Peel, Steve Alley
James D. Miller
President
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Inc. - 2014
FRIENDS’ FINANCIAL RESULTS
REVENUES
7%
11%
42%
4%
3%
Grants
Fundraising/Membership
Programs
Sea Turtle Conservation
Donations
Gift Store
TOTAL
33%
Revenue
$64,371
$97,119
$40,157
$28,191
$296,736
$379,694
$906,268
% of Total
7%
11%
4%
3%
33%
42%
100%
Expenses
$60,666
$72,450
$110,779
$56,218
$46,917
$278,852
$625,882
% of Total
10%
12%
18%
9%
8%
45%
100%
1
EXPENSES
10%
12%
45%
Administration
Fundraising/Membership
Programs
Sea Turtle Conservation
Exhibits
Gift Store*
TOTAL
18%
8%
9%
1
* includes $171,100 in Cost of Goods Sold
2013 was another record setting year for Friends. As the number of visitors (140,000) increased so did donations at the
door and the contribution from the gift store. Gift store sales were up 24% from 2012 and net revenue from the gift store
increased by more than 50%.
Work was completed during the year on the habitats for the four new seawater aquariums. New camp programs for
children were added. New equipment and exhibits were added to the sea turtle rehabilitation area. Scholarships
totaling $9,000 were awarded to high school graduates and university researchers. Friends continued support of the
annual Sea Turtle Day, the EcoWatch lecture series and the Center’s volunteer award luncheon.
Administration and fund raising expenses were kept at 4% above 2012. The positive balance in 2013 of more than
$250,000 is available for implementation of the plans and visions of the new strategic plan.
Friends has no debt and a $200,000 restricted reserve for emergencies.
WE FINISHED ‘FILLING’ THE TANKS
(ON INTERNATIONAL TV!)
In less than 15 months start to finish, Friends completed
our largest project ever - to design, fabricate, and install
true to life, replica habitats in all four of our tanks under
the pavilions. Friends of Gumbo Limbo and Center Staff
worked side by side with our contractors, Cost of
Wisconsin and Living Color, to painstakingly devise safe,
natural-looking and easily maintained homes for our
resident sea creatures.
The crowning moment was the creation of a signature
coral reef pillar, designed by Living Color, for the Tropical
Reef Tank, which became the central story for the
episode “A Big Bowl of Gumbo Limbo” of the Fish Tank
Kings (FTK) on NatGeoWild.
The quarter of a million dollar project finished under
budget, and local fans of FTK were delighted to find their
very own Gumbo Limbo garner worldwide attention.
OUR SEA COAST TOAST
Nearly 200 guests attended Friends of Gumbo
Limbo’s 5th Annual Sea Coast Toast, a fundraiser
for Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.
With the backdrop of steel drum music, guests
enjoyed delicious appetizers and wines provided by
Whole Foods and a selection of craft beers from
Lagerhead Brewing Co. A Goodyear Blimp ride for 2
and a private wine party for 20 from Total Wine were
two of the many auctioned items. Among the guests
were members of the Boca Raton City Council and
the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, as
well as our longtime supporters from the National
Save the Sea Turtle Foundation and many “friends”
of Gumbo Limbo.
A special thanks to all who donated items for auction
and our friends who purchased them, making a very
successful event.
THE CRESTT™ AWARD
(Conservation, Research, Education, and
Stewardship for Today and Tomorrow) This award is
given annually to a person whose outstanding efforts
help protect our coastal and marine ecosystems.
This year’s recipient was Jim Abernethy for his work
as an educator, conservationist, and passionate
advocate for shark protection. Jim is a worldrenowned, award-winning marine photographer,
filmmaker, and author.
SEA TURTLE REHAB IN REVIEW
2013 was a busy year! With 11 beds, we were at near
capacity all year admitting 47 sick and injured sea
turtles. Of these rescued turtles, 21 were released back
to the wild after rehabilitation and 9 were still being
rehabilitated in 2014.
Fibropapilloma (FP) tumors were a common ailment in
our rehab facility, as well as boat strikes, fish
hook/plastics ingestion, and line/monofilament
entanglement. Gumbo Limbo specializes in the
treatment of FP tumors and patients are brought in
from all along the east coast of Florida from Miami to St
Augustine.
Gumbo Limbo had two public invited releases at
Spanish River Park with hundreds of well-wishers
cheering on the rehabilitated turtles Turf and Harp, as
they returned home to the ocean. We look forward to
more of these popular events.
We would like to thank the many volunteers who make
it possible to keep the sea turtle rehab facility open to
the public, as well as our community partners: Palm
Beach Zoo, Magnolia Animal Hospital and TLC Animal
Hospital.
A PLAN FOR
GUMBO LIMBO’S FUTURE
At the urging of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and
Park District (GBRBPD), Friends’ President Michele
Kurucz Peel and Treasurer/Past President Judy Gire
joined forces with the Center Manager Stefanie
Ouellette and the Deputy Director of the City’s
Recreation Services Buddy Parks to guide the
formation of a 5-year Strategic Plan for Gumbo
Limbo. Numerous survey responses from all
categories of stakeholder, dozens of meetings,
several workshops, and 3 iterations of the plan over
18 months resulted in a well-crafted Strategic Plan
centered upon twenty-four goals encompassing four
areas of service delivery, and two support functions.
This Strategic Plan is anticipated to become part of
the Master Plan Update process being undertaken
by GBRBPD in 2014. The Strategic Plan can be
found on our website at:
http://www.gumbolimbo.org/glnc-2013-strategic-plan
$25,000+
Landsberger, Kurt
Salah Foundation
$15,000+
$5,000+
Newman's Own Foundation
Peel Family, The
The Norma Terris and Alfred D.
Firestone Foundation
$1,000+
Abernethy, Jim
Mahon, Arthur J.
Marvin, John and Jacqueline
Sheftel, Susie
Thoms-Mazur, Constance
Tuktawa Foundation
$500+
Abrams, Joshua and Larissa
Ajram, Gaby and Genevieve
Alley, Stephen
Comoglio Family, The
LaFogg, Deb
Lugers Family Foundation
Mintz, Frances
Robbins, Tony
Sinclair, George
Walker, Susan
Wenger, Paul and Jana
Williams, Michele & Kyle
$250+
Al Pellingrinelli
Atlantic Tech High School
Class Of 2013
Bigelow, Sharon
Borrow, Carol and Joseph
Dr. Steve Kajuira
Durnen, Kenneth
Feldman, Susan
Garber, Lynn
Garber, Norman
Gire, Dana and Sharon
Gire, Michael
Miano, Andrea and Kevin Hodges
Rory, Don and Lemise
Shea, Patrick
Sprengers, The
Zumkehr, Charles and Cathy
$100+
Benjamin, Richard and Carol
Block, Linda
Borg, Kiri
Brauer, Richard
Burgos-Borthwick, Dilcia
Canning, Patricia and Vince
Capazzuti, Jennifer
2013 SUPPORTERS
Jane G Rayner Trust
Warren Family Foundation
Proia, Jeanne
Carney, Carolyn and Jeff
Reichert, Mark
Chipman, Ann
Ryan, James
Colestock, Kathryn
Sawyer Parks, Carol
Dagistino, William
Schmitt, Brian and Terri
Daniel, Philippe
Schoke, James A.
Danzi, Barbara
Siegel, Art
Delgado, Judith Anne
Silva, Geoffrey
Delmonaco, Arlene and Nick
Sklapsky, Matt and Molly
DeShay, David
Sory, Kathy
DeVoe, Andria
Spence, Nancy
DeVoursney, Tara
Starling, Lamar and Michele
Dick, Lynn
Strasz, Frank
Esposito, David
Strauss, Jane
Felder, Joy and Fred
Sweeney, Leslie and Jacob
Felman, Leonard and Doni
Utigard, Caryl
Ferrell, Edward
Wachtel, Dr. Herbert
Friedman, Jerome and Judy
and Lenore
Gilbert, Mr. Gordon J.
Warnick,
Allan
Gire, Tom and Judy
Zewe,
Patricia
Girl Scout Kennebec
Zimmers, Tiche
Council
Goodman, Amy
Greene, Gayle
Gressinger, Paul
Gupta, Jennifer
Halpern, Jack
Handler, Lynne
Harrison, Mary
Hart, Elizabeth
Herman, Linda
Holland, John
Hopkins, Maura
Horn, Vicki Shand
Hughes, Ronald
Imhoff, Ken and
Sharon
Jaffe, Frieda
Jarvis, Jennifer
Keenoy, Peter and Elizabeth
Kewley, Sharon
Kohnken, Beverlee and Donald
Koski, Alma and Arthur
Kostaroff, Tim and Sharon
Kurucz, Joan
Kusic, Sam and Dru
Layden, Edward
Males, Rene and Barbara
Martin, Neil and Arlene
Medrano, Sara
Mersitz, Richard and Bontempo, Rebecca
Miller, Chris
Miller, James
Mitchell, Michael and Courtney
Olson, Karen
Palacio, Natalia
Pape, Jane
Parker, Marie
Parks, Buddy, Cathy and Emily
Pendo, Norma
Perrone, Carolyn and Starkman, Stan
Perry, William R.
Powers, Barbara
MEMORIALS
John W Bieger, Jr.
Mildred Katz
Ann Rogan
Marcella (Marky) Ellet
Harold Jaffe
Jane Rayner
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
Whole Foods Market
Carole Marko, Merrill Lynch
Wealth Management
Goodyear Airship Operations
Lily Pulitzer Store
PRP Wine Int’l
Pura Botanica
Running Wild
Classical South Florida
Boca Raton Photograph and
Design/Ben Hicks
Disney
F.P.& L.
Geosyntec
IBM Matching Grants Program
Quantum Leap Network
Race Event Productions LLC
SeaWorld
Total Wine & More
Twilight
Ulishney Brothers
Via Mizner Golf and
Country Club
Bedner's Farm Store
Brooklyn Water Bagels
Conde Center
Dixie Divers
Lagerhead Brewing Company
Shake Shack
Auto Tronics Auto Service
Bernie’s Cleaners
Boca Museum of Art
Dermatology of Boca Raton
Ecoproducts
Force E Dive Center
Images from the Sea
Komlossy Law P.A.
La Tre
Luna U.S.A.
Mulvehill Nursery
Presco Int
Runner's Edge
StitchCraft
The Fresh Market
Walgreens Co.#5433
World of Scuba
Friends of Gumbo Limbo
1801 North Ocean Blvd.
Boca Raton, Florida 33432
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Inc.
A 501c3 Organization
d/b/a FRIENDS OF GUMBO LIMBO
2013 ANNUAL REPORT