This was an exciting week! There’s a lot going on at the GSTC as we prepare the rehab area to receive our first patients. Our filtration systems have arrived and we worked with our colleagues from Aquatic Eco-Systems to begin installing them (Photo 1). The 9 huge tanks should arrive early next week and everything should be completed and ready to test by Friday.

Renovations of the powerplant are also nearing completion for the educational exhibit area (Photo 2). In the photo you can see the huge 8′ x 4′ window that will allow visitors to look into the treatment, laboratory and surgical areas.

We had a great group of students from the University of Central Florida (UCF) here doing volunteer work on an “alternative spring break” (Photo3). They were fantastic and helped out many divisions of the Jekyll Island State Park Authority. Among other things, they helped the GSTC with beach clean-ups and preparing educational materials for our “Lights-Out” and fishing line recycling programs. They did a lot of work and I think they had a lot of fun too. Jekyll Island has the most beautiful beach in the world and I can’t imagine a better place to spend a week working and playing in the sun. I’ve invited them back for a private tour once we’re open (they deserve it!).

I spoke at the Country Coach rally that was at our Convention Center on Wednesday; they were a great group! It occurred to me that motor home travelers are just like sea turtles – they both migrate with the changing seasons and take everything they need with them!

We chose a new GSTC logo. If you missed it, we had a contest where anyone could submit artwork for our official logo. We had over 250 submissions and many of them were outstanding. It was hard to choose, but we finally picked one. When the winner has been contacted and all the paperwork is done I’ll post it on this BLOG.

I’m heading to our Bella Sera Jazz Festival. I hear there’s a great band playing at 6:30 and then a “jam session” afterward.