Lakewood Ranch High School’s Mustang Claims Victory at Mote’s Mascot Race!
| Mascots of all shapes, sizes, and species raced down Siesta Beach on February 27 to promote Mote Marine Laboratory’s upcoming Run for the Turtles. Lakewood Ranch High School’s Mustang outran seven other mascots: Morris Explorasaurus from Great Explorations Children’s Museum, Mote’s own Shelley the Sea Turtle and Gilly the Shark, Super Tooth from Varone Orthodontics, Floody the Frog from Sarasota County, Petunia from Cat Depot, and Riverview High School’s Riverview Ram. Shelley the Sea Turtle and Gilly the Shark are grateful that the mascots helped raise awareness today for sea turtle conservation ahead of Mote’s 39th Annual Run for the Turtles. The run is a 5K/1-mile fundraiser on April 6 at Siesta Public Beach, raising funds for Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. Mote coordinates the conservation of endangered sea turtles along 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches. “Run for the Turtles is Mote’s longest-standing fundraiser; we have been monitoring and protecting endangered sea turtles along local beaches for 43 years, and the Run raises thousands of dollars each year to help support our research program’s mission,” said Dr. Jake Lasala, Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program Manager. About Mote’s 39th Annual Run for the Turtles Mote’s Run for the Turtles will take place on Saturday, April 5. It will kick off with on-site registration at 6:30 a.m. at the Sea Turtle Pavilion on Siesta Public Beach. The 1-mile Fun Run or Walk will start at 7:30 a.m., and the 5K Manasota Track Club-Sanctioned Run will start at 8 a.m. There is still time to register! Currently, over 500 people have registered to run, but Mote expects to sell out soon. • To register, visit mote.org/run To make a gift supporting Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, visit mote.org/run. |