by Alexa Hawkins, JIA Director of Marketing & Communications
Join other turtle-lovers at the annual Jekyll Island Turtle Crawl! Registration is underway for this fan-favorite event celebrating the start of sea turtle nesting season on the Georgia coast. Registrations from the Turtle Crawl races benefits the life-saving work of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on behalf of the Jekyll Island Foundation.
Returning to the road Saturday, April 30, participants can run the beachside 5K or 10K races and receive a commemorative t-shirt. Those who place at the top of their category will also receive a 2022 race metal. Families looking to participate together can join in the one-kilometer Fun Run and pose for a photo with the Center’s official mascot, Scute C. Turtle, and friends. For those who want to support the Georgia Sea Turtle Center from afar, or simply sleep in and still get a t-shirt, registrants can join the race through a virtual Ghost Crawler option. Following the races, join Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff for Shell-e-brate, the Center’s family-friendly all-day event featuring educational activities and visits with staff and animal ambassadors.
Turtle Crawl was created in 2003 as a fundraiser for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center which, with more than a decade in operation, has provided care for more than 3,000 patients, including a variety of sea turtle species and other coastal wildlife. Turtle Crawl participants have raised more than $100,000 to help save sea turtles, with more than $24,000 raised in 2021!
Become a sea turtle ambassador and race for a cause at this one-of-a-kind event supporting sea turtle conservation. Be sure to register soon as race registrations increase April 10 and online registration closed April 27!