Let the Manatee Race Begin!
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Photo by Kim Tauber.
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For further information, contact:
Janice Nearing,
Director of Public Relations
Save the Manatee Club
Phone: (407) 539-0990
E-mail: jnearing@
savethemanatee.org |
Lesley Argiri
L’Anse Creuse High School
37855 De Prez Ct.
Harrison Twp., MI 48045
Phone: (586) 783-6729
E-mail: largiri1@hotmail.com
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For Immediate Release: April 6, 2010
Note: A high resolution jpeg (300 dpi) of a manatee image and last year’s race are available upon request.
Michiganders will once again “go the extra mile” for manatees at the 7th annual Save the Manatee 5K Run, 2 Mile Fun Walk, on May 22nd at the Metro Huron-Clinton Metropark in Mt. Clemens. “We can’t believe this is the 7th year hosting the event,” says Lesley Argiri, a biology teacher at L’Anse Creuse High School in Harrison Township. Over the last six years, Argiri and her students have raised over $35,000 for Save the Manatee Club, a national nonprofit conservation organization located in Maitland, Florida, whose mission is to protect endangered manatees and their aquatic habitat for future generations. The Club was co-founded in 1981 by singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett.
“It’s so sad to hear about all the manatees who have died from the cold this past winter,” says Agiri. “So far this year, 448 manatees have died from all causes. More than 220 of these are from cold stress. More than 170 other manatee deaths have been categorized as “undetermined/unrecovered,” but many of those were also likely caused by cold stress because of their location and timing. This year’s deaths represent a loss of up to 8.5% of the entire manatee population in just the first eleven weeks of the year. It seems manatees need our help more than ever! And that’s why we race for the manatees every year here in Michigan – we want to make a positive difference in the lives of these amazing animals.”
Patrick Rose, Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club commends Lesley and the students of L’Anse Creuse High School for their care, dedication and hard work to make each race a success. Car washes and fundraisers held throughout the year help raise additional funds. “Our heartfelt thanks go out to Lesley, other teachers in her school, the students, volunteers, community businesses, and everyone who runs or walks in the race. Each of them literally helps to further our work saving endangered manatees and their habitats with every stride that is taken.”
Race participants receive a registration packet of special items and coupons. A variety of trophies, medals, awards, and door prizes can be won with age group awards categories for runners. The course is USTAF certified and the race will be scored using the Chrono Track D-Tag.
Early registration before May 7th costs $17 for walkers and $20 for runners, and includes a newly designed race t-shirt. After May 8th, it costs $20 for walkers and $25.00 for runners to register, and includes a t-shirt if available. The entry fee does not include the park entrance fee of $4.00 per vehicle. The race starts and finishes inside the Metro Huron-Clinton Metropark. Checks can be made payable to L’Anse Creuse High School and sent to: Lesley Argiri, 37855 De Prez Ct., Harrison Twp., MI 48045.
“All of us at L’Anse Creuse High School would like to thank Save the Manatee Club for making this event possible,” says Argiri. “Everyone in the Club is so passionate in their efforts to help manatees. If it weren’t for organizations like this, who would be protecting and preserving our planet?”
For more information on the Save the Manatee 5K Run, e-mail Lesley at largiri1@hotmail.com.
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