The third annual Turtle (Bar) Crawl coming up on Saturday, Sept. 7, combines a thirst-quenching tour of area breweries with the joy of helping others—in this case, sea turtles.
“We have five breweries participating this year (Twin Fork, Long Ireland, Tradewinds, North Fork and übergeek),” said Maxine Montello, executive director of the New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC). “A purchased ticket covers a crawl T-shirt, discounts at each brewery, a chance to win prizes and a ton of fun.”
With not a storm cloud anticipated, the popular event may hit more than 100 participants, Montello predicted. Every ticket purchased helps NYMRC, a non-profit group based in Riverhead, continue its work on behalf of area marine life, such as the turtle for which the crawl is named.
“All proceeds go to the NY Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC), which is the primary organization to rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles for the entire state of New York,” Montello said. The group goes all out in this regard—from its seal and sea turtle hospital in Riverhead to the 24-hour hotline where residents can report sightings of sick and injured marine mammals and turtles.
“Many of our animals remain in rehab from two months to nine months. The goal is to return these animals back home into the ocean and provide them with a second chance at life,” Montello said of the push for fundraising.
Montello, who joined NYMRC in 2017, came up with the idea for the turtle crawl as the nonprofit searched for a new fundraising event. She became familiar with the breweries through the "Geek Talks" series by übergeek Brewing Co. and Fish Guy Photos.
“Three years ago I pitched the idea for a turtle crawl, and all the breweries were thrilled to join the effort. It’s a great event for sea turtles but also a great way to support our local community,” she said.
Those planning to attend for the first time, or those returning, can save on tickets purchased in advance for $45 through the Eventbrite listing or Venmo. Tickets will also are available at the door for $50. The event runs from 1 to 6 p.m., "crawling" from Twin Fork Beer Co. and continuing on to each participating venue.
Montello encouraged area residents to check out the rescue's website to find out more about how they can help as “we are a small not-for-profit that thrives on donations of all sizes.” According to the website, folks also can make a difference by recycling, avoiding single-use plastics like toss-away utensils and joining in beach cleanup days.
Since the organization began in 1996, it has rehabilitated and released more than 3,900 animals, according to the website. Their operation includes tracking, which provides useful data on animals returned to their natural environment. Among those rescues are 119 sea turtles, a species that struggles because of contact with fishing hooks, boating encounters but primarily cold stunning. The latter is a type of hypothermia that leaves turtles helpless on NY shores. Montello, with a master’s in science from Pace University, has developed critical care methods for responding to cold stunning, helping to ensure the success of these rescues.
With cold stun season round the corner in October, preparations typically begin in September and include readying the hospital for what could be multiple rescues on a single day.
Montello’s experience includes working with marine mammals and sea turtles for more than 10 years in New York and Connecticut as well as in the Caribbean.