Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) and The Royal Poinciana, have banded together to celebrate and empower women. To honor the fearless founder of LMC, Eleanor Fletcher, and its own history of trailblazing women, The Royal Poinciana has sponsored an LMC patient – Jane – an adult female Kemp’s ridley to symbolize shared values surrounding female empowerment. The sea turtle patient is named after Lillian Jane Volk, who sought to preserve the architectural and historic integrity of Palm Beach Island, including the idyllic charm of The Royal Poinciana that her late husband designed.
The Royal Poinciana has generously sponsored Jane to support her treatment from rescue to release. Jane arrived at the Center on December 15 after being found stranded on Jensen Beach, FL. She sustained shark bites on her left front flipper, head, and plastron, which are being treated with betadine and therapeutic lasers. LMC’s hospital staff and passionate volunteers will look after Jane until she is fully healed and ready for release back into her ocean home.
“The Up Markets team at The Royal Poinciana Plaza is female-founded and is currently run by women who are incredibly passionate about celebrating other women’s accomplishments of the past, present and future,” said Alexandra Patterson, Senior Director of Development and Interim General Manager of The Royal Poinciana Plaza. “Jane’s adoption means so much to The Plaza because it allows us to celebrate our nearly 20 female-owned businesses and our ongoing commitment to TogetHER with The Royal programs. What better way for us to celebrate female empowerment than with the original Jane who was most certainly central to Mr. Volk’s success.”
Currently, The Royal Poinciana promotes a female focus through monetary and in-kind donations, scholarships, and community partnerships in its TogetHER With The Royal program. Likewise, LMC recognizes the return of investing in women as it exists with 78 percent of full-time female staff members who use hands-on programming and community outreach to promote education. The Center is also being led by its first female board chair, Lynne E. Wells.
“Our Center’s founder, Eleanor Fletcher was a dynamic individual who transformed the perspectives of women in science,” said Jack E. Lighton, LMC President and CEO. “Today our Center is proud to build upon the rich foundation Mrs. Fletcher set for us and have infused our programs and strategic plan with a focus on women in science, technology, engineering and Math (STEM). We are honored to partner with The Royal’s TogetHER program to accelerate and amplify our impact here in Florida and across our beautiful blue planet.”
According to the UN, mobilized women can engage half of their community’s population in sustainability initiatives, inspire methods to reduce carbon emissions and encourage government leaders toward greater sustainable policies. With a combined network of female influencers, the LMC and The Royal Poinciana are creating a community of confident and environmentally-conscious women.
We’re stronger together! Adopt Jane and support up-and-coming, female leaders, who are transforming their families and their community.