Season of Giving

"Make a career of humanity … It will enrich your spirit as nothing else possibly can. It will give you that rare sense of nobility that can only spring from love and selflessly helping your fellow man. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

This holiday season, consider going beyond material gifts. Volunteering your time to a cause dear to your heart is a rewarding experience. If you simply can't fit it into your schedule, a gift of money will help fund the organizations on this page in their efforts to make our world a better place.

If you're struggling with what to give that hard-toshop-for person on your list, consider a membership, pledge, or "adoption" in their name. NATURE

" There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more." ~ Lord Byron, 1788 - 1824, English poet and politician We live in the most beautiful place on earth. Our marshes and waterways are among the last remaining pristine areas of our nation’s coast, largely due to groups like this that work hard to protect it. Altamaha Riverkeeper - altamahariverkeeper.org Clean Coast - cleancoast.org Georgia Natural Resources Foundation - gnrf.org Gray’s Reef Foundation - graysreeffoundation.org Ogeechee Riverkeeper - ogeecheeriverkeeper.org One Hundred Miles - onehundredmiles.org Ossabaw Island Foundation - ossabawisland.org Satilla Riverkeeper - satillariverkeeper.org Savannah Riverkeeper - savannahriverkeeper.org St. Mary’s Riverkeeper - stmarysriverkeeper.org Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers - tybeecleanbeach.simpl.com

ANIMALS

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France, 1844 - 1924, French poet, journalist and novelist

Nothing evokes the warm-and-fuzzies quite like animals, both the pets who are members of our families, and the wild creatures that inhabit our coast (and beyond). Consider volunteering, donating or adopting! Pet Rescue: Coastal Pet Rescue - coastalpetrescue.org Humane Society - search online for your nearest branch One Love Animal Rescue - oneloveanimalrescue.com Note: Even if you're looking for a specific breed, you can still rescue an animal in need by searching for rescues dedicated to that breed. Wildlife: Coastal Conservation Association - ccaga.org Georgia Sea Turtle Center - gstc.jekyllisland.com/ Oatland Island Wildlife Center - www.friendsofoatland.org/ The Dolphin Project - thedolphinproject.org Your nearest sea turtle project - seaturtle.org PEOPLE

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." ~ Albert Pike, 1809 - 1891, American writer, attorney, soldier, and Freemason If you’d rather help out your fellow humans, consider one of these organizations. Abilities Unlimited, Inc. - facebook.com/AbilitiesUnlimitedInc American Red Cross - redcross.org CASA - casaforchildren.org Disabled American Vets - dav.org Fishin’ For Jamie - facebook.com/Fishin-For-Jamie Second Harvest Food Bank - nwpafoodbank.org Southeastern Guide Dogs - savannahpuppyraisers@gmail.com Team Rubicon - teamrubiconusa.org/tides Want to help a Vet? Here's a great list of more options: militarybenefits.info/how-to-help-veterans-during-the-holidays/

KNOWLEDGE

“Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” ~ Albert Einstein, 1879 - 1955, German-born physicist These organizations strive to educate our communities about our amazing coastal region. Coastal Wildscapes - coastalwildscapes.org Savannah State University Marine Sciences Department Ships of the Sea Museum - www.shipsofthesea.org/ Tybee Island Marine Science Center - tybeemarinescience.org UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant - marex.uga.edu