The most recent initiative of The Jekyll Island Foundation was the development of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. The Center, now open, provides immediate medical assistance and long-term rehabilitation for injured sea turtles, as well as a venue for educating visitors about the importance of protecting these magnificent creatures and their natural habitats.

The facility is located in a century-old power plant building located in the historic district where it once housed the generator for the Jekyll Island Club, now a turreted four-star resort hotel that was once the exclusive retreat of America’s most powerful and prolific famililies, including the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, and Pulitzers.

The renovated 5,250 square foot facility includes an interactive exhibit area, visitor and retail space as well as a restricted area for the veterinary clinic. New construction brings the total square footage of the Center to 10, 054 square feet. Importantly, this $2.9 million project reinforces key elements of the Foundation’s mission: conservation, preservation and education.

Support for the project came from a wide base of institutions and individuals, with over 2644 donors from all 50 states, as well as three foreign countries.

Buoyed by the success of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the Jekyll Island Foundation has begun work to determine the next project to undertake. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center will serve as a model for how the Jekyll Island Foundation and its supporters can influence conservation, preservation, and education on Jekyll Island in a manner that provides a sustainable economic impact.

For more information on how you can help support the Jekyll Island Foundation’s efforts at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center or upcoming projects, visit our webpage at Ways To Give or contact us directly at:

Office: 912-635-4402
Fax: 912-635-4420
Email: foundation@jekyllisland.com
Mail: 381 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island GA 31527

In person: Villa Ospo, 381 Riverview Drive. Located at the north end of the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District

For more information about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, visit their website at www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org or their blog at gstc.blogspotcom.