We Are Stronger All Together

by Annie Ulichey, Institute Supporter and Board Member

There is a village in Vietnam where a respected elder lost his beloved wife to an extended illness and became destitute and stricken with depression. After a long isolation, his village decided to support him as a community, gathered resources and bought him a cow. The collective gift of a cow lifted his mood, provided a source of income, and reconnected him to his community. This simple story has remained with me for many years.

We are stronger all together, and with purpose we all flourish together.

For my whole life, Stone Harbor has been a source of renewal and strength. There is beautiful magic here within the vibrant simplicity of the nature around us. Nothing is more at the heart of our island community than The Wetlands Institute.

The Wetlands team is tirelessly working to preserve our cherished community with nationally acclaimed projects focused on saving our vulnerable drowning marshes and an array of species. Our local species are amazing critters, one – the Horseshoe Crab – who has survived for millions of years. The humbling Red Knots fly 9,000 miles to our shores each spring. This is a Herculean level of endurance and we are the beneficiaries of the work to protect them.

For decades, the Wetlands team has been pouring their own hearts into conserving the biodiversity we love. If you stroll around TWI’s campus and see kids and adults riveted as they stumble upon a turtle laying her eggs or the intent focus of a group watching a horseshoe crab eat a scallop, these moments stay with us forever and bond us together. The Wetlands is the heartbeat and the bridge to our vital yet very fragile nature at the shore. Our family supports their relentless efforts, and now more than ever our coast and critter neighbors need our help, all of our help. I encourage you to join in on a program, take a stroll for yourself, and be an active part of this tremendous community.