The Guy Harvey Resort St. Augustine Beach announced today its adoption of Allen Wrench, an injured sea turtle undergoing medical treatment and rehab at St. Augustine’s  Sea Turtle Hospital operated by the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience.  The turtle has been in the care of hospital staff since March, 2022 when strong currents and offshore winds washed him ashore near the Whitney Lab, suffering from malnourishment, Fibropapilloma tumors and severe osteomyelitis in both elbows. In keeping with its Guy Harvey marine-life conservation brand, the hotel is sponsoring Allen Wrench’s care and medical supplies as he is nursed back to health and planned release later in 2022.

“We are fortunate to have just south of our resort such an outstanding group of marine scientists and vets dedicated to research, rehab and release of these inspiring marine animals” said Andre Callen, President of the hotel’s ownership and management group. ”We’re launching an initiative to showcase the challenges facing sea turtles and how important marine rescue and rehab efforts are to their health and that of our local marine ecosystem.”

Adds Kevin DeNell, Chief Branding Officer and EVP of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts, “Guy Harvey reminds us, ‘It takes cash to care’ and we’re looking at this adoption as the first of many. This initiative reflects our brand’s commitment to local stakeholders who are dedicated to a healthy marine environment for ours and future generations.”

The resort is introducing various informational and promotional programs to encourage guests to participate in Allen Wrench’s rehab and receive updates on his future release. It has teamed with local distiller, Madi Rum and its Madagascar-island based conservation affiliate, Madis Mission, offering two craft cocktails the Coral Reef and Mellow Turtle, the sale of which at the resort will support the adoption and care for Allen Wrench.

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About Guy Harvey Resort St. Augustine Beach.  Located on the sands of St. Augustine Beach, guests of this 152-room resort can soak up the sun but be only minutes away from St. Augustine’s charming historic downtown. Enjoy panoramic guestroom ocean views, state of the art banquet and meeting facilities, dining options that range from fresh seafood from the popular “Santiago’s Florida Kitchen & Craft Bar” to  ice cold drinks at our seasonal “Surf Shack” tiki bar overlooking our outdoor pool with beach access, and authentic Guy Harvey merchandise sold in the resort’s “Outfitter Shop” where guests can also book outdoor adventures and excursions including  kayaking tours, eco-tours, fishing charters and more.

About Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts.  Dedicated to the Guy Harvey brand mission of marine conservation and sustainability, Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts is a collection of boutique-scaled hospitality properties located in unique waterfront destinations, both saltwater and freshwater.  Based in Ft. Lauderdale along with Guy Harvey Inc., the company’s current portfolio includes a 152 room St. Augustine Beach resort and  40 room lodge and 150-unit RV park on the north shore of Lake Kissimmee. Recent members of the system include Florida resorts in St. Pete Beach, Islamorada.

About Whitney Laboratory.  Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience is a full-time University of Florida research center for biomedical research and biotechnology made up of eleven faculty-led research laboratories with more than 70 researchers and staff. Founded in 1974, the Whitney Lab is dedicated to using marine model animals for studying fundamental problems in biology and applying that knowledge to issues of human health, natural resources, and the environment. The Sea Turtle Hospital opened in October 2015 to provide rehabilitation, education and research for sea turtle conservation in Northeast Florida.  Once healthy and cleared by the veterinarian staff, rescued sea turtles are released back to their habitat.

About Madi Rum.  Where the world’s best vanilla meets local Florida sugar cane rum.  The Vanilla explosion in every bottle comes from the infusion of Madagascar’s juiciest vanilla beans!  Each sip supports the local Malagasy farmers and the island’s endangered wildlife!  We commit a portion of the proceeds of all sales to a non-profit called Madis Mission, please read more at madismission.org about the work they are doing.  So pop the cork for a great cause and leave your taste buds tingling!