News

By Gina McClain, Volunteer Specialist

Our recent educational and outreach efforts have been incredible! We celebrated November’s Manatee Awareness Month with enthusiasm at 11 events across Florida. From the Right Whale Festival in Amelia Island to LagoonFest in West Palm Beach and several Central Florida gatherings, we engaged communities and strengthened awareness for manatee conservation.

Building on our momentum from July’s Manatee Marathon, we participated in the Good Sweat Festival in St. Pete, wrapping up the marathon weekend alongside dedicated supporters. We also hosted a local run in Orlando in support of the Save the Manatee 5K, which is making an exciting transition from Michigan to Florida this year following the retirement of its founding teacher, Lesley Argiri. Mark your calendars for November—the race will now be held at Blue Spring State Park! Stay tuned for updates at savethemanatee5k.com and on social media.

We started 2025 with a strong presence at the 38th Annual Florida Manatee Festival in Crystal River, which drew an enthusiastic crowd despite chilly weather. While Sunday’s events were canceled due to severe weather conditions, our dedicated Mana-team contributed significant volunteer hours. The following weekend, we gathered at the 40th Annual Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival, where we enjoyed perfect weather and a record number of manatee visitors.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to meaningful outreach opportunities and are preparing for Earth Month in April. As we focus on streamlining our events, we are working closely with our dedicated volunteers to ensure continued engagement with our community and support for manatee conservation. I am incredibly proud to support and lead our amazing Volunteer Mana-team—their dedication makes everything we do possible.