A growing army of enthusiasts for Loggerhead Marinelife Center are having a noticeable impact on ocean conservation in South Florida and are looking for like-minded people to join them.
The Blue Friends Society does everything from helping run weekly beach cleanups at Juno Beach to hosting one of LMC’s signature events, the Go Blue Awards, recognizing major contributions in ocean conservation. They also get together regularly to socialize, and the founders say friendships have flourished in the group.
Palm Beach County residents Lynne and Pete Wells started the Blue Friends Society 17 years ago as a way to get LMC supporters more involved in the mission. “We met people in the community that were really passionate about Loggerhead, and we started talking about a way to get a group of supporters more involved in an active, meaningful way than just writing a check,” Lynne Wells said in a recent interview. (Lynne also is a LMC board member).
They recruited 35 friends. Now the Society has grown to 350 active members.
There are three main activities of the Blue Friends Society, which costs $150 annually:
Get-togethers
There are at least four events a year, one each quarter. Recent activities included a get-together at a Jupiter restaurant and bar,Topside at the Beacon; a nighttime turtle walk with LMC researchers to see nesting on Juno Beach; and attendance at a Florida League baseball game of the Jupiter Hammerheads, who became the Loggerheads for one game to promote LMC. Past events have included behind-the-scenes tours at LMC, a Pontiki boat ride, ice-cream social, and “pop-up” events such as kayaking or paddle-boarding at the beach.
LMC leaders attend the social events a few times a year to give updates on the turtles, research and conservation efforts.
Go Blue Awards
The Go Blue Awards program is entering its 16th season as the signature event of the Blue Friends Society. It recognizes people and organizations making a difference in ocean conservation to help protect our precious oceans and planet.
An independent panel of ocean conservation experts and past winners choose the recipients, who are selected from nominations from around the world. This year the event will be a luncheon held Oct. 24 at the Kravis Center-Cohen Pavilion in West Palm Beach. Nominations are open, and tickets are on sale. The keynote speaker this year is Kerry Sanders, retired senior national news correspondent for NBC News and recipient of the 2025 Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award.
The next event of the Blue Friends Society is on Sept. 25 at the LMC campus, to announce the finalists for the Go Blue awards.
Beach clean-ups
The beach cleanups started in 2010 as monthly events, but during the Covid pandemic they became weekly and self-guided. Co-founder Pete Wells said that they have collected 25,000 pounds of trash with the help of 31,000 volunteers in the past 15 years.
The weekly cleanups attract about 50 to 100 people each week, many who see it promoted on social media. The trash collection effort is especially important during turtle nesting season since the turtles need clear paths to and from the ocean to be successful. Blue Friends members organize the volunteers, and assist the conservation team in handing out and collecting materials.
Joining Blue Friends
Jenna Jones, LMC’s individual giving manager, says the Blue Friends Society is instrumental in introducing new people to LMC’s mission and work. They encourage members to invite guests to spread the word about LMC at a grass-roots level.
The Blue Friends Society is the first of four levels of donor giving, but any donor can opt in to join the Blue Friends Society. Guests also can come to Society events for $50 if they want to experience being a member before joining.
“It’s a chance to be able to connect with us, get the updates on our latest impact and projects,” Jones said.
For the Wellses, who have shepherded this group from the very beginning, it’s a fun way to support the mission of Loggerhead Marinelife Center and make new friends. They’re working hard to recruit the next generation of conservationists and are excited to have a dynamic group of members in their 30s.
“Everyone’s welcome, we have members of all ages, and families too,” Lynne Wells said.