First Island Treasures Float of 2009 Discovered
Friday, January 9th, 2009
The first float finder of Jekyll Island’s 2009 Island Treasure promotion is Eric and Deborah Stevens from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Staying at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, the couple read about Island Treasures in Jekyll Island’s Beachscape Newsletter.
“Island Treasures on Jekyll Island” is a unique treasure hunting experience on Georgia’s most popular public beach. The treasures are hand-crafted glass floats, called Island Treasures. The glass floats have been sought after by Jekyll Island guests since 2002. Each is unique and stamped with the year to be a collector’s item for the lucky beachcomber who finds one.
Island Treasures mimic glass floats once used on the fishing nets of fishermen in the early 1900s. The floats would sometimes break loose and wash ashore for lucky beachcombers to find and keep. Collecting these glass floats became a hobby in the 1950’s, declined as commercial fishing moved to plastic and Styrofoam floats. Glass fishing floats became rarer and are highly sought after and very valuable today.
During January and February, the Jekyll Island Authority recreates this hunt-and-find experience is recreated. The glass float treasures are the works of commissioned artists from across the country. “Beach Buddies” hide them along the shore line every day for lucky visitors to find and keep. Treasure finders can register their Island Treasure at the Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center to receive a bio on the artist and a certificate of authenticity. The Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center has Island Treasure floats and an array of the other colorful glass creations for purchase in-store or online at www.jekyllisland.com/islandtreasures.
Since the promotion began six years ago, over 1,000 glass floats have been found by guests from across the U.S., Canada and England. Jekyll Island floats are collector’s items and can be occasionally found on auction sites like eBay.
Those who are unable to visit Jekyll Island can participate in a virtual treasure hunt on www.jekyllisland.com. Search the website for small, hidden Island Treasure pictures. The first person to click on one will win an actual Island Treasure that will be shipped to them.
To Whom It May Concern,
Investopedia
Jekyll Island Club — 
You won’t run into Ray Charles, but if you head on down to Woodbine, Georgia, you can take in some great country and bluegrass 
It’s not the Ryman Auditorium, but neither does it cost $50 for a front row seat. For about eight dollars you have a fine country dinner before the music starts. The music is free but you can buy a ticket for the homemade cake raffle or make a 
From Woodbine you can take a short drive down to Kingsland which is a good starting point for those wishing to venture a bit west into the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuse and Wilderness Area. Or go a few miles east to the delightful little town of St. Marys. Be sure to visit the Oak Grove Cemetery. Remember to ask someone about the resident ghosts.
If you’re ready for a bit of exercise and looking to find a few dolphins you probably ought to hook up with Up the Creek Xpeditions for a half day kayaking trip on the St. Marys River. And, if you’re really adventurous they can even arrange a night trip into the Okefenokee to spot alligators with your headlamp. If you haven’t kayaked before don’t let that stop you. They’ll give you excellent instruction and the equipment is first 
It’s time to turn a bit north and 
As long as you’re in the neighborhood you wouldn’t want to miss the famous and historic Jekyll Island Club. It’s a wonderful place to overnight and walk around the grounds to view the historic district. You’ll recognize some of the names of the early club members. Marshall Field, Joseph Pulitzer, William Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, Frank Goodyear, William Rockefeller are but a few on the list. The grounds are meticulously cared for.
A short walk from the Center you will discover the unusual and scenic Driftwood Beach. It’s not really “driftwood” but rather trees that have been uprooted by the changing tides and left in place to be polished by the water. The shapes are beautiful and if you forget to bring your camera you’ll regret it later.
Savannah is a perfect city for walking. There are scooters, segways, trolleys and even a GPS tour for the trendy techies. I like to walk and you can pick up a good map for your tour around the city. The trolley is an on and off vehicle so you can stop wherever you want and catch the next one when you’re ready.
You may know that Savannah was Georgia’s first city. You may not know that people were free to worship as they pleased. Excluding Catholics, however. At first, rum, lawyers and slavery were forbidden. I wonder what they had against rum.
Savannah has many faces. America’s Most Haunted City has a wonderful river walk with plenty of restaurants in which to sample the local southern cuisine and enough bars to keep you from getting too thirsty. There are lots of interesting shops including the typical tourist places on River Street. And, if you don’t like “tourist shops” stop in a couple of them anyway. You might stumble upon one pulling taffy or making that delightful southern treat, pralines. And, don’t miss the City Market in the heart of the Historic District.
Savannah is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the country. There are 22 squares that are experienced by millions every year. The beautiful sprawling oaks trees decorated by nature with the lacey Spanish moss contribute to the antebellum look of the city along with the restoration of many Colonial, Victorian, Georgian and other architectural gems.
An important part of the history of Savannah is its Black heritage. There are numerous monuments, homes, parks, churches and institutions marking this cultural aspect. I remember walking past a monument and stopping to read the inscription. I was surprised to read that the young drummer boy grew up to eventually become the King of Haiti. The oldest standing brick building in Georgia is the First African Baptist Church, built by slaves, for slaves, in the evenings following a full day of work in the fields. I’ll leave it to you to discover more about the Gullah culture when you visit.
A couple more hours up the road and you’ll discover Augusta, another Georgia treasure. You’ve probably heard of Augusta National Golf Club, official site of the Masters Tournament, but you may not know about the National Science Center, also in Augusta. It was created by law to promote science and math education for all ages nationwide. It is a fascinating place. Take your kids or go without them, but whatever time you allot for the visit plan to tack on another hour or two. The interactive displays and hands-on exhibits may just make you forget about looking at your watch.
Augusta is filled with beautiful homes, parks, gardens and monuments. Spreading oaks covered with Spanish moss and antebellum homes. A delightful Riverwalk and a great canal that used to be used to haul cotton and other goods. Some of the old mills have been restored and converted into businesses and residences. You’ll want to visit the childhood home of Woodrow Wilson and learn a bit more about life during the Civil War and Reconstruction. 
I hope you manage to visit the Augusta Museum of History and see The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown exhibit. It is the first major exhibit dedicated to James Brown and will be at the 
museum through May 2011. James Brown was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He grew up in Augusta and used his fame to be a positive advocate of peaceful race relations in the south.
