Project 5 – 2004 KEEP/CCES Featured Program Presenters at The International Osprey Foundation Annual Meeting-Sanibel Island, FL

KEEP, Inc., CCES STLP students and teacher project leader were invited to present the featured program on our osprey nesting projects at The International Osprey Foundation’s (TIOF) annual meeting at Sanibel Island, FL, March 28, 2004. The Kentucky osprey project group presented an especially well-received teacher created and lead production of an osprey shadow show student performance. The performance featured an osprey pair’s life story with our group singing with guitar during the program for TIOF officers and members. TIOF was a super host for the Kentuckians on a mission for the ospreys and a safer-cleaner environment. TIOF made a very generous donation to KEEP and joined KEEP as an organizational member. TIOF support for KEEP helps make it possible to continue placing osprey platforms throughout Kentucky as needed. During the Florida trip, the enthusiastic elementary students adopted a new osprey project on their own. The students counted and recorded 135 Florida ospreys sighted during their visit giving the young conservationists a much larger perspective of our natural world!

ED RAY, KEEP FOUNDER/DIRECTOR FAR LEFT; PRESIDENT TIOF TIM GARDNER AND WIFE, CENTER ADULTS; TAMMIE SANDERS, CCES TEACHER PROJECT LEADER FAR RIGHT AND CCES/STLP OSPREY PROJECT STUDENTS, STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT, CALEB BROWN, DYLAN McGOWAN, JACOB ROGERS.
FRONT ROW: RESHAE BOYD AND AUDREY CUMMINS.

2004 was a great year for Western Kentucky’s nesting ospreys!  The ospreys now have a total of twenty-two additional quality nesting platforms as a result of a two-year project. The KEEP education program has expanded from one school to people and schools throughout the nation and world learning about ospreys and their needs through the Internet live cam project. The environment has been made safer at Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake from potential toxic spills by ensuring improved navigation light operations while improving boating safety! Nighttime public boating safety has been greatly improved with navigation lights now working twelve months per year saving the USCG much maintenance time and effort. Special thanks are credited to CCES, KTVC, USCG, CLO, KDFWR, TIOF, KEEP members, donors, volunteers, and others. Without such generous and widespread support this project with its many successes would not have been possible. Your help and support are needed, please join our team and help continue our progress and success!