S.T.A.R. Center receives $1,600 donation from The Cottage Shop to support sea turtle care and rehabilitation
On April 23 during Earth Week, The Cottage Shop/Kellogg Supply Company on Dare County presented a check for $1,600 to the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island for its Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (S.T.A.R.) Center to support sea turtle care. For the sixth year, The Cottage Shop has raised donations for the S.T.A.R. Center exclusively by setting aside 10 cents for each Cottage Shop customer who chooses to “skip-the-bag” on their purchases. Additional funds are raised when customers offer to contribute more to the popular program.
The Cottage Shop’s reduction of single-use plastic by promoting the Skip-the-Bag program is reflective of the Aquarium’s mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. A discarded plastic bag floating in the water looks like a jellyfish, a food source for sea turtles. Because sea turtles cannot tell the difference between a plastic bag and a jellyfish, they often ingest plastic bags, which leads to dire health consequences.
The 3,000-square-foot S.T.A.R. Center, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024, provides year-round medical care and rehabilitation assistance to sea turtles, mostly loggerhead, Kemps ridley and greens. During the winter of 2024-25, the Center provided care to a nearly 800 cold-stunned sea turtles, breaking previous records for the season. Founded in 1976, the Aquarium is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2026. 🌟🐢
