Environment and community benefit from Dyer Difference Award
For the third year in a row, Indian River Firefighters Benevolent Association hosts an offshore fishing tournament to help maintain the beautiful Indian River Lagoon. While you may pass by the lagoon and smile, you might be surprised to learn that the Indian River Lagoon is considered one of the most diverse estuaries in North America, consisting of roughly 156 miles of mangrove covered shorelines comprised of three main bodies of water: The Banana River, The Indian River and The Mosquito Lagoon.
The lagoon has been called “the cradle of the ocean and acts as a refuge for countless species of fish, birds and plants. The lagoon is a key driver to the wealth and health of Florida’s economy, too, generating $7.7 billion annually by providing jobs, housing, tourism, industry and recreation. Unfortunately, the lagoon, like most of Florida’s estuaries, is in a real crisis. Marine life and sea grass have been decimated by a chain reaction started from fertilizer run-off and waste water redistribution. Proceeds from the third annual Firefighters Benevolent Offshore Fishing Tournament, slated for June 14th and 15th, will benefit the Captains for Clean Water and help ensure the health and diversity of the magnificent Indian River Lagoon.
In St. Lucie County, the Dyer Difference Award recognizes the work of Mustard Seed Ministries, a nonprofit organization which serves nearly 60,000 individuals struggling to meet basic life necessities including food, shelter, and clothing. Since 1986, Mustard Seed has assisted St. Lucie County individuals who live at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level with financial, medical, emotional, and spiritual needs, which include rent and mortgage assistance, emergency food and two local food pantries serving hot meals, utilities assistance, and financial education classes, dental and prescription assistance, clothing, furniture, diapers, and basic household furnishings. The staff family at Dyer has long supported the work of Mustard Seed and is happy to recognize the tireless work of the staff and volunteers who keep Mustard Seed helping the community.
The Dyer Difference Award is all about celebrating the beauty and kindness in our midst. For the Dyer family and the members of the Dyer staff, the award and the $6,000 in donations made monthly between the St. Lucie and Indian River Counties are all about helping to make a positive difference in the community. For the recipients, it’s an acknowledgement of their tireless efforts to do the same and a much-needed financial boost to help further their missions. If you’d like to nominate a non-profit organization for the Dyer Difference Award, please visit www.dyerdifference.org or find Dyer Difference on Facebook.
Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email news@indianrivermedia.com