Yesterday, Coastal Expeditions had the privilege to be the boat support for the Sea Turtle Care Center  as they returned their 300th rehabilitated turtle to the ocean.  

Along with a team from the South Carolina Aquarium, we invited first-grader Sam DiBenedetto and his dad, Dave, to come along, too.  Sam has raised several thousand dollars for the Sea Turtle Care Center over the last 3 years.  This year, Sam also gave the Coastal Expeditions Foundation over $1000 to help with the loggerhead program in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.

This morning before Chris left for work, I asked him a simple question looking for a “pull quote” that I could use in a blog post.   Here it is without any editing- just his ramble.  Photos are from Olivia DuPue of Coastal Expeditions.

Kari Crolley (Chris’s wife):  What was your main takeaway from yesterday’s sea turtle release with the  Aquarium?

Chris Crolley: I don’t know what the dates are, but for Kelly Thorvalson to have started the sea turtle care project 300 turtles ago and then for her to be present to release the 300th turtle.  I’m finding that as a human what you’re really looking for in life is your purpose.  Does it have a purpose?  If it doesn’t, it’s hollow but when it does it is full and relevant, you know.  So to see Kelly release that turtle was getting to see her energy as a human spent on over 300 turtles over 20 years.  That has got to make a difference, right?

And then little Sam, seven-year-old Sam, who managed to give over $3000 when we’re trying to coax full grown adults to give 25 bucks.

KC:  (laughing) Yeah.

CC: I almost felt like when Sam was on the bow there was some sort of energy force moving out in front of the boat as we went to deliver the turtles.  I was thinking we’ve got to watch Sam.  What he’s doing right now is demonstrating purpose.  As a seven-year-old.

And the CEO of the Aquarium, Kevin Mills, said something about Sam being the future.  And I thought that’s the future informing the present.

So yeah, my takeaway was it was a turtle story, but it was also a human story.