Teresa's Blog

Be The Change ~ Volunteer

2007-06-21T08:41:42Z

Be The Change

by Teresa Hall -- June 20, 2007

At 5:00 a.m. on Saturday June 16th the alarm went off. Stumbling out of bed completely disoriented, it was nearly comical how different it is when it is the alarm clock style 5:00 a.m. instead of the night of music followed by sunrise style. A life of music tends to be the “still awake at that hour” rather than the “its time to get up” style of weekend. But this was different. This was giving back to Mother Nature and well worth the painful alarm clock on a Saturday morning to Be The Change.

Thanks to unwavering dedication in generating community awareness and encouraging involvement through any means possible, Kurt Zuelsdorf, owner of Kayak Nature Adventures in Gulfport, IS the change that our local habitat desperately needs. His program, Bring Back the Bayou, has attracted local and national attention to an ongoing problem in the precious bay estuaries, namely the pollution and environmental damage that continues due to unfiltered and untreated storm water runoff that carries all manner of debris right into the most delicate areas of the greater Tampa Bay estuary system.

Kurt Zuelsdorf has helped generate media coverage and municipal, corporate and community involvement to clean up decades of trash from Clam Bayou, a nature preserve that is on the border between Gulfport and St. Petersburg. In addition, he enlisted the support of the Southwest Florida Management District and The Green Armada to address the ongoing problem and initiate the type of total community awareness that has lead to necessary changes and upgrades to the Pinellas County Storm Drain infrastructure beginning in 2008. The $6 plus million dollar project includes construction of retention ponds, filtered drainage and restoration of the bayou to a more natural state by 2010.

Although local and state agencies have allocated millions of dollars over the past few years to clean up Clam Bayou, the efforts have been spent on the most visible areas of the preserve, leaving the most delicate areas of the ecosystem still marred with literally TONS of garbage. St. Petersburg may be the first and only city in the state to be named a “Green City” by the Florida Green Building Coalition, but lift up some mangrove branches along her waterways and Mother Nature may just argue that fact. Until vast improvements are implemented in the local drainage system, the problem will continue, but in the meantime, we as a community can help.

The Clam Bayou Cleanup on June 16th was the largest cleanup effort in bay area history attracting upwards of 300 volunteers and a plethora of media. Side by side with volunteers, traipsing through often knee deep muck picking up debris, were mayors Mike Yakes of Gulfport and Rick Baker of St Petersburg. State Representative Rick Kriseman showed his support and thanked all the volunteers, even though his crutches prevented him from participating.

In less than three hours, volunteers scoured a square acre of mangrove forest removing trash in an estimated 9,500 bags, along with items too large for bags that totaled an estimated 24 tons of garbage. During previous Bring Back the Bayou efforts, 15 shopping carts, rusty bicycles, a motorcycle, hot wheels, Barbie dolls, a sofa and even a blow up doll have been fished from the Clam Bayou preserve. Yes, a blow up doll, affectionately named Bayou Betty, that the previous owner most likely enjoyed much more than the wildlife at the preserve. Curiosity certainly begs the question of just exactly how that ended up in a storm drain!

As the sun crept up to the mid-day sky, volunteers covered with mud emerged from the mangrove forest beaming with the wide smiles that only giving of this magnitude can induce as local home owners offered up their hoses for everyone to clean off. While lunch, donated by various local businesses was cooked up on the grill, cleanup participants shared stories of their most interesting finds; hypodermic needles, for rent signs, children’s toys, drug bags, boat hatch doors, building debris, flip flops, oil containers, televisions and tires, just to name a few.

The vibe in the air was tangible as people discussed other upcoming volunteer events and how we can keep the bayous clean until the storm drainage improvements are completed; it was music rising from the souls of people who care enough to crawl out of bed early and get dirty on their day off, just because. The power of community was clearly evident as pride exploded through the conversations in a way that nothing else can. Everywhere someone turned, they could not only see, but hear what it means to Be The Change. Sometimes that 5:00 a.m. alarm clock isn’t so painful when you get to hear such beautiful music at the end of the journey.

Do you want to Be The Change?
Here’s a few of the things YOU can do:

Rather help with your checkbook instead of your time? Then sponsoring a fleet can help support much needed ongoing cleanup efforts. For as little as $50.00, organizations and individuals can sponsor kayak rentals to volunteers willing to help the cleanup effort 365 days a year. See why sponsorship pays in this video.

Are you the destructive sort? Do power tools make you drool? Then maybe spending the day helping to eradicate invasive plant species that choke our natural habitat and waterways is just your flavor of fun.

Enjoy snorkeling AND a scavenger hunts? Then the Great Bay Scallop Search is right up your alley. The Great Bay Scallop Search is a resource- monitoring program where volunteers snorkel along set transect lines in lower Tampa Bay to count scallops and document the population trend. The Great Bay Scallop Search has been conducted since 1993, with coordinating support provided by the Tampa Bay National Estuary Program.

Join a local environmental group such as The Green Armada or Tampa Bay Watch, subscribe to Bay Soundings and support businesses that support the local environment! Every day, in many ways, you CAN Be The Change.

Fast Facts About Tampa Bay
from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program

Tampa Bay is the largest open-water estuary in Florida, encompassing nearly 400 square miles and bordering three counties -- Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas. The bay's sprawling watershed covers a land area nearly five times as large, at 2,200 square miles.
More than 100 tributaries flow into Tampa Bay, including dozens of meandering, brackish-water creeks and four major rivers -- the Hillsborough, Alafia, Manatee and Little Manatee.
A single quart of bay water may contain as many as 1 million phytoplankton -- microscopic, single-celled plants that are an essential thread in the "who eats who" marine food web.
More than 200 species of fish are found in Tampa Bay, including the popular snook, redfish and spotted sea trout.
Mangrove-blanketed islands in Tampa Bay support the most diverse colonial waterbird nesting colonies in North America, annually hosting 40,000 pairs of 25 different species of birds, from the familiar white ibis and great blue heron to the regal reddish egret -- the rarest heron in the nation.
Each square meter of bay sediment contains an average of 10,000 animals -- mostly tiny, burrowing worms, crustaceans and other mud-dwellers that are known as benthic invertebrates. The most numerous creature in the bay sediment is a primitive, fish-like invertebrate about two inches long called branchiostoma.
On average, Tampa Bay is only 12 feet deep. Because it is so shallow, manmade shipping channels have been dredged to allow large ships safe passage to the Port of Tampa and other bay harbors. The largest of these, the main shipping channel, is 43 feet deep and 40 miles long.
The Port of Tampa is Florida's largest port and consistently ranks among the top 10 ports nationwide in trade activity. It contributes billions annually to the region's economy.
More than 4 billion gallons of oil, fertilizer components and other hazardous materials pass through Tampa Bay each year.

Links to recent articles:

Heroes of Conservation: Moving Mountains with Kayaks, published June 18, 2007 – Field & Stream Magazine

Unsoiling Nature, published June 17, 2007 – St. Petersburg Times

Clam Bayou Park collects trash, volunteers, published June 17, 2007 – St. Petersburg Times

Group, cities ready for Clam Bayou cleanup, published June 13, 2007 – St. Petersburg Times

Cities, Community Groups Plan Clam Bayou Cleanup, published June 4, 2007 – Tampa Tribune

Clam Bayou, where the trash flows, published May 16, 2007 – St. Petersburg Times

Clam Bayou Is Making A Comeback, published May 3, 2007 – Tampa Tribune

Hero of the Week, published March 30, 2007 – Field & Stream Magazine

Photo by Scott Keeler - St Petersburg Times

Photo by Marth Rial - St Petersburg Times

Photo by Martha Rials - St Petersburg Times

Photo by Marth Rials - St Petersburg Times

Bayou Betty - Photo from www.kayaknature.com

Photo from www.kayaknature.com

Help Restore Clam Bayou ~ Help your community Saturday June 16th

2007-06-04T13:16:33Z

Help restore Clam Bayou

Join the Green Armada, the cities of St. Petersburg and Gulfport, corporate sponsors, and an expected 500 volunteers as they clean up Clam Bayou. The event will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, 2007. Thousands of pieces of trash that have been dropped in the streets of St. Petersburg have washed up into Clam Bayou. The trash is both a hazard to the wildlife in the area and an eyesore to the residents. Join us in this unique opportunity to do something about it.
Register online and get the following items as a show of our appreciation for your support:

The first 500 volunteers get a Green Armada t-shirt.
The Green Armada will supply supplemental medical insurance at no cost to each volunteer.
If you volunteer for the event before this Friday (June 8th) you will receive a free ticket for the Speak! St. Pete Event at the Mahaffey Theater on Saturday, June 9th. Join Ed Begley, Jr., Dr. Noel Brown, Philippe Cousteau, Dr. Paul Boyle and other world renowned oceanographers, environmentalists, conservationists, actors and musicians. If you care about the environment you should not miss St. Petersburg chance to host a world-class event in our hometown. Click here for more information on Speak! St. Pete.

Parking at Thurgood Marshall Middle School; 3901 22nd Avenue South in St. Petersburg.

Click here for a copy of the flyer distributed for the event. View Flyer

Click here for a map of Clam Bayou and surrounding neighborhoods. View Map

Nick Johnson of the St. Petersburg Times coverage of the event. Click here to View Article

Click here for a copy of the City of St. Petersburg's Press Release. View Press Release

Find out more and SIGN UP

Grill-off Competition and Pet Pals Rescue in St Petersburg, June 9th

2007-06-04T08:20:29Z


Each Year, alarming numbers of discarded pets are euthanized. With euthanization rates of 73% in Pinellas and 83% in Hillsborough, these two counties lead the state and the nation in poor adoption and high kill rates.(1) Pet Pal Rescue was founded in the 1980’s as a non-profit organization to rescue dogs and cats targeted for euthanization from animal shelters. The sad fact is that, during their weekly visits to shelters, they are able to rescue only a fraction of the animals in need. It is heartbreaking to discover that the animals they cannot rescue are almost always euthanized. Pet Pal Rescue invests hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars on rehabilitating the animals they rescue. Most are either sick, injured or require specialized training. Unfortunately, the adoption fee does not cover the actual out-of-pocket expenses for surgery, medications, food, etc. Being a non–profit 501(c)(3) organization, they rely solely on donations, bequests, grants and fund raising events.

	You can help support Pet Pals Rescue at the Patio Daddy-O Grill-Off Competition hosted by Gillie’s Bar-B-Q at 2401 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg on Saturday, June 9th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. TheCleaningService.net owner, Teresa Hall, will be joining other local area businesses to support Pet Pal Rescue and compete for the title of best grilling and best side dish. While cook-off contestants tantalize with the aromas of inspiring grill creations, you can drop off donations to Pet Pal Rescue and find unique grilling souvenirs, demonstrations and displays from area retailers that are guaranteed to get your summer grilling into full swing.

Sponsored by The Home Depot and Winn Dixie, this event is an official Pet Pal Rescue drop spot location for donations and current wish list items include: Kongs (big dog toys) Sturdy dog toys Nylabones Large basted rawhides Paper towels Laundry detergent Cat litter Advantage and Frontline flea control Towels Blankets Any other useful items CASH

For more information call Johnnathan at (727) 214 – 7061 or Gillie’s Bar-B-Q at (727) 327 – 6000.

Water Damage ~ the overlooked maintenance

2007-05-29T15:06:53Z

In over 8 years of experience with real estate cleaning and property management, it is the simplest maintenance that is often overlooked or postponed until costly repairs are necessary. The usual suspect is generally the tub and/or shower. Small cracks that appear in the tile grout over time never seem all that alarming or important but what Mr. or Ms. Homeowner doesn’t realize is that expensive damage is happening behind those innocent little cracks, that loose escution plate or tub spout and the unappealing caulk that never comes clean no matter how much bleach is used.

With even minor grout cracks, the wall board behind the tile becomes soft from continually absorbing water and expands creating slight bulges in the wall tiles that will result in the tiles falling from the wall entirely in as little as six months. In severe cases water damage can extend to the entire framework surround causing the most expensive home repair next to replacing a roof and it isn’t covered by homeowners insurance.

No tile jobs are permanent; all surfaces require regular maintenance in addition to regular cleaning and they have a lifetime much shorter than many homeowners want to accept. Houses settle slightly on the most solid of foundations and as settling occurs over time, it creates small or occasionally large cracks in grout around tiles on walls and floors that need to be filled.

Grout cracks are not the extent of damage culprits, however. Neglected caulk along the tub / wall seam collects moisture that can cause the same extent of damage. Tubs shift slightly from the weight of constant filling and emptying of water and will separate from the tile grout or caulk exposing the wall board to constant moisture. The residual moisture will permeate any new caulk from behind with unsightly black mold within weeks that no cleaning products can penetrate, creating a vicious cycle of recaulking more often that necessary.

The financial cost of repairing water damage in the bathroom is often compounded with adverse health effects due to mold exposure. Reactions to constant mold exposure range from coughs, runny noses, congestion, nose bleeds and chronic sinusitis to more threatening attacks of bronchitis or asthma.

Be sure to have a quality tile and grout company in your home maintenance directory and inspect your tub/shower often for even the slightest signs that maintenance is needed. By doing so, you will protect not just the value of your home, but the health of your family.

Allow me to introduce......

2007-05-01T16:17:56Z

Please allow me to introduce my company, http://www.thecleaningservice.net/. I would like an opportunity to let everyone know how my superior service can be a valuable resource. Impression is everything. A clean and inviting interior is a crucial factor in establishing and maintaining added value during the rapidly changing market of increased competition for both rental and sales dollars.

I have been serving Tampa Bay Area home owner and property management cleaning needs since 2001. Current clients include Julia Galpin, Tina Capitano with Coldwell Banker and the Windjammer Condominiums. Links and contact information are on the Clients page at http://www.thecleaningservice.net/

Thank you for allowing me a moment to introduce myself. Have a wonderful day.

Superior Cleaning Service with an eye on your bottom line!

2007-05-01T05:50:58Z

Impression is everything. Nothing sells or rents a home faster than a clean and inviting interior. The Cleaning Service, serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Florida’s West Coast Beaches, specializes in property management services such as Move-in / Move-out Cleaning. Property managers and home owners can count on The Cleaning Service to remove the years of buildup in rental properties that dull property appearance and leave a less than appealing impression on would-be renters or home buyers. With an exquisite attention to detail and an eye on the bottom line, The Cleaning Service is the first choice of cleaning professionals with property managers and home owners in the greater Tampa Bay Area since 2001. Our goal is a long-term relationship of making your properties show-ready as quickly and profitably as possible and the details count