05 Dec Giving Tuesday is a chance to do Good Deeds

By David Sneed

CCA NC Executive Director

Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: A day that encourages people to do good deeds. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity.

Generosity allows people to assert their individual power to shape their communities and to make a positive change in the lives of others. It is a fundamental value we can all act on.

On Giving Tuesday 2019 and beyond, we are asking for your support of the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina through your involvement or financial support. You can help make a difference in the future of our coastal marine resources by volunteering your time and talents, or through your financial support.

In 2019, CCA NC was part of the effort that saw through passage by the NC House of Representatives of HB 483 that advocated for simple, commonsense legislation to set minimum size limits for important fish stocks that would allow them to spawn at least one time before they are harvested.

CCA NC was also instrumental in working with the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission to pass new striped bass regulations that removed gill nets from the upper Pamlico and Neuse Rivers.

CCA NC is participating in the Land for Tomorrow coalition that lobbied for full funding of the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund with a focus on protecting and restoring the state’s land and water resources.  CWMTF projects support outdoor recreational activities that contribute $3.3 billion to N.C.’s economy annually. The Land for Tomorrow coalition was also instrumental in the creation of four new state parks in 2019.

This year also saw the completion of Phase 1 of the New River Oyster Highway with support from CCA NC members both financially and through physical labor to get six new oyster reefs into the New River near Jacksonville. With help from CCA NC, there are now six new oyster sanctuaries with over 6 million new oysters contributing to better water quality and new fish habitat.

Getting involved with CCA NC means opportunities to advocate for conservation of our coastal fisheries, fund and build oyster reefs, restore degraded habitat, fund scholarships for college students in marine fisheries studies, host kids’ fishing tournaments, help our neighbors after natural disasters, and host fishing weekends for wounded veterans and active duty military personnel. We are happy to let you know how you can volunteer. Simply reply to: david@ccanc.org to be connected with your local chapter.

To paraphrase the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that North Carolina is worthy of its good fortune.”

Your membership in CCA NC and financial support on Giving Tuesday and beyond gives a name and a voice to the struggle to protect the future of fishing in North Carolina.

Please help us protect and grow our precious coastal resources for future generations to experience and enjoy.

To join, click on www.ccanc.org/join-ccanc/

To donate, click on www.ccanc.org/donate  

Share your stories of support for CCA NC on social media with the hashtag #GivingTuesday and #CCANC to help spread the message of service and community on Giving Tuesday 2019.