Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October!

Thursday, September 27, 2012



October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there is good news in the fight against breast cancer.  Survival rates are up.  They are longer in term.  Quality of life measurements are way up.  All the research and attention this cruel disease gets is helping.  A lot.

There is also bad news.  A quarter million women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012.  More than 40,000 will die.  Think of 8 women in your life.  Mothers, daughters, sisters, teachers, friends, wives, co-workers … one of them will get breast cancer in her lifetime.   That hits home too many times and more research is needed to reduce that rate and to increase the number of survivors of this disease which now number 2.6 million in the U.S.

That requires funding and that’s where Absolutely Natural is stepping up to help.  We are adding to our widely popular Spa Series with a Cherry Blossom lotion with special pink decoration.  Oriental and sensual, our new lotion captures the delicate essence of Japanese Cherry Blossoms with warm base notes of vanilla and oriental woods; this essence is both warm and exotic.

The lotion itself is awesome with Organic aloe, Shea butter and Mango butter to help heal skin while leaving it smooth and silky. Super anti-oxidants such as Irish Moss (Red Algae Extract-Carrageen), Vitamin D Complex and Organic Green Tea keep skin healthy and are 500 times more potent than Vitamin D alone.  

Other nutrient rich raw materials such as Olive Leaf Extract, African Red Bush and Ginkgo Biloba are carefully selected to make this Restorative Body Lotion incredibly effective for daily use.

Our company will also donate 5% of proceeds to an organization dedicated to Breast Cancer prevention and treatment and one that distributes a majority of their revenues to research for finding a cure for the cause. 

And, we’re not just going to do it for October.  This will be an ongoing project and with the help of our 10’s of thousands of customers, we hope to contribute a significant amount of money to this worthy cause.

Best regards

Charley

Absolutely Natural's Factory Fresh Retail Store

Monday, September 24, 2012



On the heels of our successful Absolutely Natural store in Kauai, we are bringing a touch of Aloha to Melbourne Florida with the grand opening of our Factory Fresh store.  Our “in house” designer (and my wife!), Kelly Richards, has helped us put together our latest venture.

Our visitors can now enjoy a cup of Kona coffee while perusing our entire line of products which include suncare, personal care, facial systems and spa products.  Some people would expect a factory store to have last year’s “models”, out of date inventory or close outs, but our store features products freshly manufactured at our facility and presented by our knowledgeable sales personnel.

And, that is another advantage of visiting our location as our staff can evaluate your skin type before recommending what product will most benefit you in the sun, for your beauty regimen and as your daily use products in the bath and shower.  Not really clear about the differences among lotions, butters crèmes and oils?  We will educate you.


The store will also occasionally feature products we have developed for resorts all over the world for their private label lines.  

Featured in the store:
·         Suncare
·         Personal Care
·         Spa Products
·         Facials System
·         Organic
·         Other specialty products 

So plan to visit us soon at 644 Atlantis Road in Melbourne Florida.  Call 321-728-7191 for further information or visit us on line at www.absolutely-natural.com


Best regards,
Charley

Wildlife Conservation through Education and Participation

Wednesday, September 19, 2012


Brevard Zoo’s mission is “Wildlife Conservation through Education and Participation” and it fulfills this through hands-on conservation projects run by Brevard Zoo, as well as educating Zoo guests and school groups and supporting other organizations’ research and conservation efforts.

Through its Quarters for Conservation program, Brevard Zoo has supported oyster reef and shoreline restoration, sea turtle research and conservation, Northern Right Whale monitoring, a monofilament recycling program, dolphin and manatee research and conservation and coral reef restoration. In 2011, Brevard Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation Program raised over $24,000 to support marine research and conservation projects!

Brevard Zoo also has some of its own hands-on, community-based conservation projects including oyster reef restoration and shoreline restoration along the Indian River Lagoon. The Indian River Lagoon is the most biologically diverse estuary in North America with over 4,300 plant and animal species considering it home!

Photo by: Jody Palmer 

Oyster Reef Restoration Project
The Oyster Reef Restoration Project was started in 2005 by Dr. Linda Walters of the University of Central Florida and now includes Brevard Zoo and The Nature Conservancy as partners. The oyster mats—constructed from mesh and oyster shells—are placed in the Indian River Lagoon to provide a natural substrate for oyster larvae to settle. Results show that the oyster mat restoration technique is very successful - after one year in the water, an average of 79 new oysters settled on each mat.

Why oysters? Oysters are filter feeders that improve water quality and clarity by filtering–one oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day! Oysters are also a food source and provide habitat for many species of fish, birds, and invertebrates, and oyster reefs stabilize and protect shorelines. But, oysters face a number of threats including overharvesting, habitat degradation, reduced water quality, disease, and boat wakes.

Thanks to approximately 25,000 volunteers since the project started, together with the project partners, more than 28,000 oyster restoration mats have been constructed to restore 50 reefs in Mosquito Lagoon. 

Photo by: Amy Fenwick Reaume

Indian River Lagoon Shoreline Restoration Project
Brevard Zoo partnered with Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Indian River Lagoon Shoreline Restoration Project (FDEP IRL SRP) in 2010 to create the Adopt-a-Mangrove program.
The Adopt-a-Mangrove workshops are held at Brevard Zoo with a fieldtrip to the Brevard Zoo’s Indian River Lagoon exhibit to discuss the importance and background of the Indian River Lagoon. 

Participants also learn about the history of FDEP’s Indian River Lagoon Shoreline Restoration Project, the importance of mangroves and shoreline restoration and plant care. At the end of each workshop, participants take home a plant to "foster".  Workshop participants include Zoo guests and members, school groups, scout troops and community members.

After six months of “fostering” the plants, participants return them to be provided to Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Indian River Lagoon Shoreline Restoration Project for use in habitat restoration along the Lagoon. 

From hands-on conservation and restoration programs to educating Zoo guests and school groups about the Indian River Lagoon and its inhabitants to supporting other organizations’ research and conservation efforts, Brevard Zoo is dedicated to its mission of “Wildlife Conservation through Education and Participation!”


How to get involved:
Consider one of the following options:
  1. Become a Brevard Zoo volunteer and help with conservation projects, as well as assist in other areas of the Zoo ranging from administration to animal feeding.

  1. Participate in one of our local public events. See Schedules below.
Oyster Reef Restoration 2012 Workshop Schedule:

August 7 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Barrier Island Sanctuary
August 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Erna Nixon Park
August 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Riverwalk: A Family Park

Please note, mat making workshops are free and open to the public. Workshops do not include Zoo admission if the event is held at Brevard Zoo.

If you are interested in booking a private event for your class or group, or for more information about this project, please contact Jody Palmer at Jpalmer@brevardzoo.org or call 321.254.9453 x 265.

Adopt-a-Mangrove 2012 Workshop Schedule:
 October 4
 October 6
November 14
November 17

Workshops are provided free to the public. For more information or to attend a workshop please email Amy Reaume at areaume@brevardzoo.org.