Earth Hour – March 28 – 8:30pm-9:30pm

The St. Marys EarthKeepers are pleased to announce that the cities of St. Marys, Kingsland and Woodbine, along with Camden County have issued a joint proclamation declaring countywide participation in EARTH HOUR, 2009.

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the World Wildlife Fund wherein governments, businesses and households are asked to turn off non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness of the need to protect our planet through energy conservation.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people participating. International landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Coliseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

The Earth Hour 2009 goal is an ambitious one: One billion people switching off their lights as part of a global movement and statement. Over 80 countries and territories have pledged their support during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday. In the United States, cities such as New York, St. Louis, Atlanta and even Las Vegas are joining in along with countless others in our nation.

St. Marys EarthKeepers Chair Frank Quinby said, “This is an extraordinary movement and one that will make a huge impact in terms of energy savings and represents a visible commitment to a more sustainable future as well. Earth Hour is a time for everyone to take action and become great Earth stewards.”

We urge all residents to join in on March 28 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. Let’s show the world that Camden County cares! Collectively, by turning out the lights, we can create a brighter tomorrow.

For more information visit www.earthhour.org or www.stmarysearthkeepers.com or call 912-729-1103.

Entertainment legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton announced a groundbreaking partnership Friday between her Dollywood Foundation and Rotary International to promote early childhood reading. The result of the partnership will be a statewide expansion of Georgia’s Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy. Pre-school children in every county will one day receive age appropriate books to better prepare them for reading and learning success.
In an agreement approved by the leadership of Rotary International and the Dollywood Foundation, Rotary clubs in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom will support the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library program, which provides books to children from birth until they enter kindergarten. Through the joint leadership of all three Georgia Rotary District Governors, all Rotary clubs in the state will be encouraged
to participate and raise funds for the Ferst Foundation in the expanded program.
Ms. Parton made the announcement Friday morning at the AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta. Rotary Foundation Trustee John Germ and the founder of the Ferst Foundation, Robin Ferst, among others, joined Ms. Parton on stage.
“We have dreamed of this day since we mailed our first books to children in Morgan County in 1999,” Ms. Ferst said. “We’ve strived to reach every child under the age of 5 in Georgia and now with Dolly’s support and the leadership of Rotary International we are finally within reach of that goal.”
Ms. Parton grew up in an underprivileged Tennessee community where many around her lacked the literacy skills she developed through her personal love of books. From that experience she started the Imagination Library, which includes 60 classic childhood books such as “The Little Engine That Could.” Ms. Parton’s foundation now sends 500,000 books each month to children at risk of falling behind their peers because they
lack exposure to reading and age appropriate material at an early age.
Ms. Parton’s program has been an inspiration to many, including Ms. Ferst, a fourth generation philanthropist in Atlanta who created the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy in 1999. Ms. Ferst’s goal is to emulate Ms. Parton’s Tennessee success in Georgia. Rotary clubs will help Ferst expand the Foundation’s presence in Georgia from 64 counties now (representing 42,000 books a month) to all 159 counties.
The Ferst Foundation encourages children to dream and learn through reading, promoting family involvement in achieving early school success for children. “We are thrilled to have Dolly’s support and the support of Rotary International,” said Midtown Atlanta Rotary club’s president Barbara Rose. “We believe Georgia’s Rotary clubs are key to providing structured leadership across the state to ensure success. We now have the tools needed to break the cycle of illiteracy in Georgia. Our job as Rotarians is to elevate this issue to a new level of consciousness and activate our communities to address this often hidden menace.”

Harold Cohn, the author of Three Buzzards and apple pie, was on First Coast News this week.  The book was just recently released and is available world wide.

For more Information about Three Buzzards and apple pie, check out our previous post. 

Also make sure to check out Harold Cohn’s website www.haroldcohn.com

Cumberland Sound Ferry announces its new spring/summer schedule with increased service to and from St. Mary’s Georgia and Fernandina Beach, Florida. Connecting these two historic towns, Kevin McCarthy and Cumberland Sound Ferry captains offer 3 roundtrips daily, six days a week (Tuesday through Sunday) from March 1 through August 31, 2009, with a late ferry on Saturdays.

The Cumberland Sound Ferry is a 51 foot long vessel with an 80 passenger capacity, offering pet and bicycle friendly service between St. Mary’s, GA and Fernandina Beach, FL without the drive or parking issues. Soft drinks and water are available on board for a $1 donation or passengers can bring their own favorite food and beverage (non-alcoholic and alcoholic allowed).

Views of the Cumberland Sound Ferry include the beautiful shores of Amelia Island, as well as the pristine sand dunes of Cumberland Island, Georgia. Leave the driving to us as you visit the many cafes, historic attractions, antique and other unique shopping experiences. Our ferry will deliver you at the port of Fernandina, within walking distance of horse and buggy rides, great food, music and a colorful town steeped in history.

Your roundtrip cruise may bring you face to face with dancing dolphins, beguiling sea otters, or even a submarine coming into its homeport of Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. Both Fernandina Beach and St. Mary’s are great walking towns with outdoor café’s, art and antique galleries, museums, eclectic shopping and historic attractions just steps from the waterfront.

The Cumberland Sound Ferry is $15 roundtrip and major credit cards are accepted. Reservation times and ticket prices are subject to change. Minimum passenger count is required and we may cancel the ferry if minimum is not met. The captain makes the final decision regarding weather cancellations. Reservations are recommended, but not required EXCEPT for Saturday late ferry and 24 hour cancellation is requested.

For more information, please call our office at: 904-261-9972 or toll free at (877) 264-9972. Visit us on the web at: www.ameliarivercruises.com. Cumberland Sound Ferry is owned and operated by Amelia River Excursions, Inc. (Captain Kevin McCarthy, Captain Willie Sweatt, and Cecilia McCarthy)

New Spring / Summer Schedule (March 1 – August 31, 2009):

Fernandina Beach, Florida St. Mary’s, Georgia

Departs Departs

10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
4:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
8:00 p.m. (Saturdays only) 9:00 (Saturdays only)

***Ask about added boat service for Shrimp Fest Weekend!***

Visit Kingsland for its annual ‘Run about in the Royal District, Horses to Horsepower’ Transportation & Vehicle Show on March 21st. This event is a lavish display of cars, trucks, motorcycles & tractors. The celebration of transportation is held annually on the third Saturday in March. This is a special show for all vehicles, celebrating transportation throughout the years. There will be a variety of styles for every enthusiast, including vintage and modern collections.