Turtle-ly awesome donation

On Dec. 7, Longboat Key Turtle Watch donated $9,670 to Mote Marine Laboratory’s sea turtle and education programs, to which it has donated for the past nine years, according to a statement from Mote. This year’s donation included a little more than $2,000 in the name of longtime volunteer Freda Perrotta for Mote to purchase supplies such as GPS units, $2,000 for students from Title-1 schools to have access to Mote education programs and more. The Turtle Watch also rolled out its 2019 shirts. New this year are gray cotton shirts, which can be purchased at the UPS Store in the Centre Shops, 5380 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Quick-dry shirts in multiple colors are available at RIP Current Store in Whitney Beach Plaza at 6850 GMD.