Celebrating Coastal Stewardship
Every day, dedicated people across North Carolina are making a difference for our coast. On Saturday, August 1, we invite you to join us in recognizing and celebrating exceptional individuals, organizations, and partners at the 23rd Annual Pelican Awards.
The Pelican Awards honor the dedication, innovation, stewardship, and service that have helped protect, restore, and enhance North Carolina’s coast. We hope you’ll be part of this special afternoon as we unveil this year’s inspiring award recipients and the many people working together to create a healthier coast.
Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to the Federation, we’d love to celebrate with you. Join us for an afternoon of inspiring stories, meaningful connections, and recognition of the people whose dedication is helping shape the future of North Carolina’s coast.
Become a Member Today!
Are you a Coastal Federation member yet? If not, now is the perfect time to join us in our efforts to protect and restore the coast. Become a member today and you’ll be entered to win the perfect Ocracoke trip:
- Two-night stay for two at Crews Inn
- Gift certificate to Ocracoke Coffee
- Expert local advice from friends of the Coastal Federation
If you’re already a member, you can still throw your name in the raffle by sharing this ecard with a friend!
Don’t wait, our summer membership drive ends on September 26.
Coastal STEM Career Fair
This month, we hosted the fourth annual Coastal STEM Career Fair in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain for a day filled with fun and opportunities to learn about a variety of different careers.
The event aims to bridge the gap between education and the local job market by connecting students with industry professionals from various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) career fields.
“Our goal is to build awareness of STEM careers and opportunities for students right here in their own backyards,” explained Coastal Federation Coastal Education Coordinator and event organizer, Rachel Bisesi. “This event really exemplifies the Federation’s tagline of ‘Working Together for a Healthy Coast,’ and it is always an honor to see our coastal science community come together to support local students.”
Aside from the Coastal Federation, 14 other businesses and organizations were in attendance, with around 100 middle and high school students from clubs around the area.
A Night on the Coast
Mark your calendars! The Coastal Federation’s biggest celebration of the year, the Taste of the Coast, is happening on Saturday, September 12, in Morehead City.
Make plans to join us for a festive evening on the banks of Bogue Sound with live music, fresh seafood tastings and wine pairings, steamed oysters, and a dynamic silent auction featuring coastal art, experiences, and more.
Ticket sales for the Taste of the Coast Celebration are open. Register by 5:00 pm on August 15 and enjoy 10% off your ticket price, using the discount code EARLY.
End of an Era
After more than 30 years, we’ve officially said goodbye to our headquarters office, a home to generations of Coastal Federation staff, interns, volunteers, partners, and supporters. It’s where projects were dreamed up, victories were celebrated, lessons were learned, and lifelong memories were made.
As bittersweet as it is to say goodbye, we’re thrilled about what’s next. Soon we’ll be settling into our new Coastal Protection and Restoration Center, a space built to help us do even more to protect and restore the NC coast.
Thank you to everyone who became a part of our story through the old HQ. We can’t wait to welcome you to the next chapter.
Investing in the Coast
This fall, we’ll open our transformational new Coastal Protection and Restoration Center. Centrally located off Highway 24 between Morehead City and Swansboro, the Coastal Center will serve as a hub for coastal education, conservation, and community engagement for generations to come.
Designed to embody our mission, the Coastal Center will feature nature trails, a living shoreline and oyster reef, pollinator and rain gardens, permeable pavement, an educational classroom for students, and a versatile event center that will welcome community partners, local businesses, and supporters from across the coast. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand our impact and inspire more people than ever to understand, appreciate, and protect North Carolina’s coast. This summer, we invite you to help bring this vision to life.
Your support today will help create a lasting place for education, restoration, and community connection — a place where future generations will discover the importance of protecting our coast. Thanks to a generous Summer Matching Challenge, all gifts received by August 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $50,000. Please give today to double your impact and help open the doors to this extraordinary new Center.
In the News
- Coastal Federation: State Budget Makes Major Investments in North Carolina’s Coast – Carteret County News Times
- N.C. Coastal Federation launches Salt Marsh Action Plan to save critical wetlands along the coast – Public Radio East
- Coastal Federation announces date of 23rd Pelican Awards – Coastal Review
- Cypress Bay plans Neuse River shoreline project – New Bern Sun Journal
- Stein signs budget with safe water provisions, new ferry tolls – Coastal Review