Sun Realty, the largest vacation rental company on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, celebrated Earth Day 2011 by harnessing the power of social media in an effort that raised $748 dollars worth of supplies for the Outer Banks non-profit N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) For every new FaceBook fan Sun Realty received from April 15 through April 30, $1 worth of supplies was donated to the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles.
N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) is a non-profit organization on the Outer Banks of NC. Established in 1995, this group of volunteers works to protect and preserve the migration routes and habitats of sea turtles. Volunteers monitor turtle nests, respond to turtle strandings and provide rehabilitation to injured turtles. In the early summer, the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a premier breeding destination for a variety of sea turtle species.
The supplies couldn’t have come at a better time as May marks the beginning of sea turtle nesting season on the Outer Banks. N.E.S.T. is in constant need of supplies and monetary donations for their efforts. “It’s sporadic and we haven’t had a whole lot of help,” said Marilyn Seal, N.E.S.T. education coordinator, “On the supply end, which costs a lot of money, this is a great thing.”
Necessary supplies include gloves, caution tape and medical supplies. "It will definitely help with medical expenses, gloves and keeping water at the correct salinity. A full medical intake for a is between $200-$400, so it can get expensive," said Karen Fitzgerald, N.E.S.T. president.
Sun Realty’s FaceBook page can be found at www.facebook.com/OBXVacation