Two sea turtles have arrived at their new home on Jekyll Island Thursday at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

HELP US BRING DOWN THE HOUSE - LITERALLY!

Jekyll Island Big Band’s 30th New Year’s Party will be the last in the “AQUARAMA ” Ballroom, the same room in which the band debuted in 1979, before the Convention Center is demolished in 2010! Big Band sounds, Jekyll Island Big Band’s 30th New Year’s Party, Terrazzo Dance Floor in a remarkable dance hall, last New Year’s dance in the historical “Aquarama Ballroom”! The New Years Eve Dance general admission at the door is $30 per person. No advanced ticket sales.

date I December 31, 2009
more I www.jekyllbigband.org
phone I (912) 635-3636 I Groups (15+) please contact Judit Vacvie (912) 635-4169
location I Jekyll Island’s “Aquarama Ballroom”

JEKYLL ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER “A” Hall

Tunicate

The gender of a sea turtle cannot be ascertained visually until they are sexually mature, which in the case of the loggerhead takes 35 years. We received a turtle last spring that had a heavy load of sea squirts or tunicates on its shell. The turtle was appropriately named tunicate. Tunicate presented unable to dive and we subsequently found air in the body cavity secondary to a lung tear. The lung tear was likely from blunt force trauma and possibly a boat strike. After numerous aspirations with a needle and syringe the air was finally removed and the lung tear healed. Tunicate no longer floated and started to eat and defecate normally now that all the pressure from the air was gone. Subadult sea turtles can be sexed by testing their blood for testosterone levels. Tunicate had very high testosterone levels and is a male. Tunicate also has a propeller wound from a boat and a shark bite. Both wounds were almost healed when he arrived. Tunicate will be released with several other turtles during the annual Birding Festival on Jekyll Island in early October.

THE REWARDS OF VOLUNTEERING

GSTC volunteers contribute their time, energy, passion and experience in many different ways. Some greet guests and orient them to our facility and its offerings. Others guide guests through the exhibit gallery and turtle hospital, offering enriching information about turtles and our special patients. Some volunteers care for turtles by helping staff prepare food, manage tanks, and assist with rehabilitation procedures while others may take guests for educational walks on the beach or help with research. Quite often, you’ll see them helping with special events like turtle releases or island celebrations. In 2009, volunteers contributed over 11,000 of hours of time in rehabilitation, research and education, making visitors and turtles better off as a result.

“I have gotten far more from being a volunteer than the Center has ever asked of me. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. I knew NOTHING about Sea Turtles when I began but thanks to the excellent staff, I feel confident answering questions from the public. I am proud to be a part of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center!!”

During this season of giving, we want to offer specials thanks to our wonderful volunteers. We know the turtles appreciate them, too!

become a volunteer!

Please contact Teddy Ivey: (912) 634-4076 • tivey@jekyllisland.com
www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/join-us

Opening day of the exhibit will be November 2nd continuing thru November 29th. The Jekyll Island Arts Association sponsoring this exhibit will hold the artists’ reception Sunday, November 8th from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public.

Weavers Judith Krone, Kay Guilment, Christine Stanton, Janet Bealer, Lynn Pollard, Dianne Totten and Ann Doherty will exhibit fiber arts that represent their personal styles and creative stories. They are fascinated by gorgeous color; complex weaving structures; the elegant simplicity of design and the challenge of creating and weaving fabric. These talented weavers create one-of-a-kind creations that demonstrate their dedication and exploration of their craft. Wood turner, Bob Stanton reveals the essence of the wood in each unique
piece he creates. He feels the deeper he explores the more the wood reveals because each piece of wood is unique in and of itself. Thus enabling him endless creativity as a wood turner.

Cornelius Lee, Secretary of the United States Golf Association (USGA), was a member of the Jekyll Island Club from 1919– 1947. He served as the Chairman of the Green Committee for the Jekyll Island Club. In 1924, under his influence, low-to-high handicap golfers conducted a series of equipment tests on Jekyll Island. These tests resulted in the adoption of a lighter ball and steel-shafted clubs for use by the USGA.

The USGA permitted the use of steel-shafted clubs in 1924. In 1931, it also dictated the use of a larger, lighter ball that was very unpopular. After a year the USGA reverted back to a heavier ball but maintained the larger size.

The Change in technology signified a switch to more modern golf equipment. It also represented America’s shift away from the rules of golf established by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in Scotland, which had determined international golf standards since its fomation in 1754.

HHCP Architecture design team presents project planning and programming concepts for the revitalization of Jekyll Island beach village and entry corridor projects.

recap of work effort

The HHCP Architecture Design Team started work in April with a fact gathering kick off meeting with Jones Hooks, Jekyll Island Authority Executive Director, and Jim Broadwell, Jekyll Island Authority Project Manager. This was followed by a two day on-Island workshop with Jekyll Island Authority ( JIA) staff and Linger Longer Jekyll, LLC (LLJ) representatives. The purpose of this meeting was to establish the project goals and vision, review design concepts developed prior to the workshop, and to establish direction for future design work. Numerous ideas suggested in the workshop, as well as in follow-up discussions with JIA & LLJ, were subsequently developed and refi ned and have resulted in the conceptual plans for the Beach Village, Beach Park, and Convention Center, shown herein. A user input work session for the Village Signature Park/Boardwalk was held on May 27, 2009. With input from this session and from JIA staff and management, planning was completed in July with presentations to the JIA Board and the public on July 13th and 14th.

budget

The current Project Budget is $44.6 million dollars. JIA is carrying an additional $5 million dollar contingency. This includes all construction, equipment, furnishings and professional fees for all components of the project. Project components include: 1) Beach Village/Beach Park related entry and internal roads, parking, utilities, drainage and amenities; 2) New Convention
Center; 3) Refurbishing of the historic Morgan Building; 4) Providing temporary structures for convention use during 2010 & 2011. Budget estimates show that the current plan direction is within budget.

entry road

The majestic canopy of Jekyll Island’s live oaks will enhance the Beach Village entry experience at Ben Fortson Parkway. The two major roads of Jekyll Island, the Causeway and Beachview Drive, are both two lane roads and provide adequate traffic capacity for the existing and proposed development. The four lanes of Ben Fortson Parkway are presently oversized. The new design will convert the existing eastbound lanes into a two lane entry road. The existing westbound lanes will be used as part of an overfl ow parking lot. All improvements will take advantage of the existing live oaks to enhance the intimate character of the Jekyll Island entry experience.

beach park
Jekyll Island will be providing a newly expanded Beach Park experience. This park will include a walkway along the base of the existing dune tying
the park into the Village Green and retail buildings as well as the hotel development to the south. The Convention Center’s existing parking will be
redesigned to provide parking for the new Convention Center and Beach Park. The new design will have expanded family and group pavilions
with flexible activity lawns to accommodate a wide range of activities. A new beach deck will provide users an elevated view of the beach and
lawn activities. The large shade pavilion will provide restrooms and a comfortable place to enjoy the views and enhance the civic identity. Two new
dune crossovers will be constructed. All beach crossovers will have bicycle parking and showers. Native tree and shrub plantings will enhance the
beachside feel and provide durable, low maintenance vegetation to protect the dunes, provide wildlife habitat and educate visitors on the sensitivity
of barrier islands.

by Andrea Marroquin, Programming Coordinator

While many Jekyll Island Club Members were known as “Captains of Industry,” lawyer Robert Weeks De Forest was dubbed the “Captain of Philanthropy” for his lifetime of social service.

The Charity Organization Society was just one of many organizations De Forest created to assist others. It coordinated relief for New York’s poor.

Starting the Christmas of 1912, the Charity Organization Society took an active part in the New York Times’ first Christmas fund drive asking its readers not to forget their jobless, orphaned, aged, injured, homeless, and ill neighbors struggling to make ends meet. Headlines read, “Santa Clause please take notice! Here are New York’s 100 neediest cases.” One of four organizations involved in the campaign’s early years, the Charity Organizajtion Society collected stories about the poor and their struggles. It told personal stories of fathers, mothers, small children, and elderly citizens in distress. The appeals did not request money, but simply presented their circumstances and stated their needs.

Aid was given in many ways. People were provided food, shelter, and medicine. The sick and injured were treated. Boys and girls were sent to school and taught skills to help their struggling families. One hundred percent of the funds raised went to the needy, with The New York Times supporting all the costs of the campaign.

Readers rushed to help those in need of Christmas generosity. Some donations were received from the wealthy, but the drive appealed to everyone according to their means. Letters showed that a dollar given by one meant as much as a thousand given by another, and all gifts were sent in the same spirit of generosity and good will. During the Christmas of 1916, De Forest wrote to thank the New York Times for giving readers an opportunity to help. De Forest wrote “The desire on the part of us who are more ‘blessed’ with prosperity to help those who are least ‘blessed,’ is I am glad to say, quite universal among our American people.” Donations poured in from all ages and social classes, and varied from less than one dollar to $1,600, raising $17,000 of Christmas joy that season alone. To De Forest, the Christmas drive was, in part, an opportunity to develop the spirit of giving in the young. “I have been accustomed to encourage each child of my acquaintance to give each year to some particular case on your list and I have provided each with the means for doing so,” he wrote. One child told him she helped a particular family “because the boys are so brave.” Through the touching stories, people came to care about helping others. The “100 Neediest Cases” fund became a year, the “100 Neediest Cases” has raised $250 million.

Robert Weeks De Forest devoted himself to numerous charitable, civic, and cultural activities. President Taft once called his services on behalf of others a “shining record.” Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. Capture the Holiday Spirit this Season!

This holiday season there are many needs in the local community. The Jekyll Island Authority has created some fun and easy ways to make a big difference locally through its sponsorship of United Way of Coastal Georgia. United Way advances the education, health, and financial independence of Glynn and McIntosh Counties through its many partner agencies. Here are some simple ways you can participate in the season of giving on Jekyll Island and help United Way:

United Way Golf Tournament - Support United Way November 14, 2009. 9:00 am Shot-Gun. 2 Person Scramble on Indian Mound’s Course. $50 per person (includes Golf/Cart, Boxed Lunch & prizes). For more information, contact the Jekyll Island Golf Course, 912-635-2368.

In the early-1940’s, Raccoon Key’s owners built an aquaculture farm for the purpose of raising commercial seafood and freshwater fish. There were six fresh water lakes and a lake that was rotated between freshwater and saltwater that was built as part of the farm. For years, the owners, under the name Marineland Farms, commercially harvested numerous species of seafood and freshwater fish, lobster, crab and shrimp. Due to an increase in freshwater intrusion from the aquifer the ponds could not continue to support commercial quantities of marine life and the owners abandoned their business but kept the island. New owners purchased the Island in 2006 and are excited to open up their paradise to those interested in taking 3 hour day trips to view the magnificent wildlife and pristine beaches that surround Raccoon Key.

Once you depart from the Jekyll Island Wharf Marina, you will be able to enjoy a leisurely 20 minute ride on their roomy 40 passenger boat. You are immediately struck by the beauty of the surrounding marshes and abundance of life, including large amounts of Dolphin and bird life! Unlike most trips to your destination, this one is worth treasuring with its unique views of Jekyll Island and surrounding marshes and tidal rivers.

With over 200 species recorded, bird watching on Raccoon Key is among the finest in the world. Raccoon Key is a stopping point on the Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds, including: the American oystercatcher, Wilson’s plover and the least tern. The freshwater lake are filled with white ibis, roseate spoonbills, wood storks, black skimmers and various species of herons, egrets and ducks. The tree lines around the lakes are filled with upland species, including buntings, dove, woodpeckers, redwinged blackbirds, warblers, and wrens. Raccoon Key is now an official part of the Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival with several field trips to which affords the attendees a stunning array of bird activity.

So if your passion is sea shell collecting, bird watching, relaxing on a pristine priaccommodations, full breakfast buffet in the Grand Dining Room, a romantic Getaway? From November 1, 2009 – February 28, 2010, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel will be offering 25% off this package rate. The package includes Traditional Queen or King Accommodations for two nights, champagne and fresh fruit upon arrival, and a breakfast buffet each morning! This would be a great gift for parents, aunts, uncles, or even just special friends.

Do you have a golf enthusiast you need to buy for? Starting December 1st and running through January 31st the Jekyll Island Club Hotel will offer guests a “Golfer’s Heaven Package.” Guests can bring their clubs for a free round of golf each day. Rates include accommodations and 18 holes of golf on one of Jekyll Island’s four courses. Rates start at $85.00* per night at the hotel. Whether you are a visitor to the island, or a local Golden Islander, there is something for everyone this holiday season at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel! vate beach or strolling through fresh water lakes inhabited with an array of wildlife, Raccoon Key, just 20 minutes away by boat from Jekyll Island is the perfect day time destination for discovery, memories and adventure.

The Wharf also has two restaurants, The Rah Bar and Latitude 31, with great food and casual atmosphere that is uniquely Latitude 31 or enjoy steamed shrimp, oysters and crab legs at the Rah Bar.

more online

You can book your Raccoon Key trip by contacting the Jekyll Wharf Marina at 912-635- 3152. Captain Phillip can also be reached by email at tours@goldenislesfun.com Also please visit their website for pricing and schedules: www.raccoonkey.info

A bountiful Thanksgiving Day Brunch is an annual sell-out in the Grand Dining Room (11:00 a.m. – 2:30 pm.) and the Courtyard at Crane Cottage (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.). Guests will enjoy a vast array of salads and appetizers, omelets and waffles, carving stations, a variety of vegetables and accompaniments, and delectable desserts. The Grand Dining Room also serves Thanksgiving Dinner (6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) and the Crane Cottage continues to serve an a la carte menu. For families looking for the “at home experience” of quality time together, the hotel also offers wonderful private dining spaces. Reservations are required for all meals, so call now!

And, with the holidays just around the corner, don’t forget the annual Jekyll Island Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov.28th (4:30 p.m.). Visitors are invited to the hotel lawn in the Historic District to welcome Santa Clause to town! On December 2nd at 4:00 p.m. guests are invited to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel to enjoy it in all of its Christmas finery, as the guide takes you on a candlelight tour of the Grand Dining Room, lobby, and all public areas.

For those history buffs, you may want to be taken back in time to see what Christmas was like through the years. From December 5th thru December 31st, you can venture inside the cottages of Jekyll Island’s National Historic Landmark District and experience the holidays from the Victorian Era to the Jazz Age with the museum’s “Holidays in History” tour.

Always a holiday favorite, the hotel will be hosting a Gingerbread House making workshop on December 5th at 10:00 a.m. The Hotel’s famous pastry chefs will be prepared to host this family friendly 2-hour event. Put themtogether, ice, decorate, and take home and enjoy! On December 12th, gather in the Boar’s Head Lounge at 7:30 p.m. for a toast to Christmas Present. Follow the merrymakers into the Grand Dining Room for a holiday feast and musical dinner theatre. Based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the Atlanta acting company revisits Christmas with Tiny Tim and a host of other characters.

Santa will be making another appearance on December 13th, and Jolly Old Saint Nick will be welcoming children with a great big “Ho-ho-ho” and an invitation to share their Christmas wishes and stories. Enjoy lunch at the Courtyard at Crane before or after! Leading up to Christmas Day, December 19th- 24th, Scottish bagpiper Tim Akins will celebrate the season and will play traditional holiday favorites while parading toward the Riverfront Veranda from the Cottages. As sunset approaches, he advances to the banks of the Jekyll Rivers for a last salute.

On December 23rd, at 5:30 p.m., don your hats and mufflers and meet on the Riverfront Veranda ready to sing your favorite carols at Crane and Cherokee Cottages, the Club and Sans Souci.

Want to get a head start on holiday shopping? Then give the gift of history and fun with a wonderful vacation package to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. During the holiday season the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is offering a variety of great packages for guests. From November 29th thru December 29th guests are invited to take advantage of the “Christmas at the Historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel Package.” The package features Traditional or Club priaccommodations, full breakfast buffet in the Grand Dining Room, a romantic Getaway? From November 1, 2009 – February 28, 2010, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel will be offering 25% off this package rate. The package includes Traditional Queen or King Accommodations for two nights, champagne and fresh fruit upon arrival, and a breakfast buffet each morning! This would be a great gift for parents, aunts, uncles, or even just special friends.

Do you have a golf enthusiast you need to buy for? Starting December 1st and running through January 31st the Jekyll Island Club Hotel will offer guests a “Golfer’s Heaven Package.” Guests can bring their clubs for a free round ofgolf each day. Rates include accommodations and 18 holes of golf on one of Jekyll Island’s four courses. Rates start at $85.00* per night at the hotel. Whether you are a visitor to the island, or a local Golden Islander, there is something for everyone this holiday season at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel!

more info

Please contact the hotel for details, certain restrictions apply:
(912) 635-2600 www.jekyllclub.com