Rockport Library was the place for happy faces when Children’s Librarian Charlie Gluck invited the Stewardship Education Alliance to bring its Mobile Marine Tank with sea critters for a visit. S.E.A. Vice President Wayne Ruesswick, who built the tank, and Board Member Sarah Doudera introduced children and their parents to hermit crabs, sea shrimp, a rock crab, a Jonah crab, and the invasive green crab as well as sea weed, barnacles, and two lobsters. One of them, provided by Liz and Dom Gioia of Camden Harbor Cruises, was a glorious and rare blue lobster!

 

Librarian Charlie Gluck offered materials for other activities including paper and instruction to make a handsome origami frog and an array of art supplies. Wayne and Sarah were delighted that so many children and their parents enjoyed the tank, and that most stayed for the entire two hours of the event. Wayne and Sarah look forward to taking the marine tank to Seaside Village Preschool this week.

 

S.E.A. can bring the tank to schools and libraries within the towns of Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville, and Rockport. There is no fee for this service, which is one of the ways in which S.E.A. fulfills its mission: to increase community awareness of ways to be better stewards of our local watersheds.

 

S.E.A. is licensed by the Department of Marine Resources to collect animals for display, and all are returned to the ocean after their performance.  First National Bank and First National Wealth Management as well as Hammond Lumber and Camden Architectural Woodworking have made it possible for S.E.A. to bring the tank to school and libraries.