I have been asked by Save the Manatee Club (SMC) to help spread the word that November is Manatee Awareness Month. This is the time of year when manatees travel close to shore and into warm springs and inner waterways, where they feed primarily on seagrass.

Recently, due of decades of human-produced pollution, seagrass beds have been choked out by algae blooms leading to a massive loss of seagrass. This has lead to a horrific loss of manatees from starvation. Those that have ventured out of their winter safe havens risked cold stress and boat strikes. It’s not an easy time to be a manatee.

When SMC reaches out

I will say yes without a doubt


To raise a bit for the manatee

(You know they are my cup of tea!)

So I am doing this all November

Sharing that we must remember

The gentle giant of the sea

Otherwise known as the manatee

With boating dangers and pollution

We must provide a real solution

The many insults that they face

From the reckless human race

Entanglements with fishing line

The lack of veggies where they dine

Endangerment from climate change

Risks across their watery range

Thirty million years they’ve been around

Perfecting the art of slowing down

The manatee is ancient stuff

Although that hasn’t made her tough

The sea cow is a gentle sort

Not prone to take us into court

That’s why she needs an advocate

A helping hand that will not quit

So I support the SMC

Because they help the manatee

They clearly made the admirable choice

To be the sea cow’s human voice

All this month please help by giving

To keep the manatee simply living

To prevent her progress from regressing

—Even five bucks is a blessing!

All year round, I give 10% of my earnings from the small business of selling vintage clothing at denisebrain on Etsy. This November it is my ambitious goal to raise an additional $500 for Save the Manatee Club. Will you help?

Thank you so much for your support!!