Happy Little Cottages By The Sea

Cottage Charm, Coastal Calm

Voluntourism

lisa ward's daughter in the tybee surf

Re-Beachables And The Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers

Re-Beachables and The Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers campaign is a cause very dear to our Mermaids, Mermaid Cottages and our guests. Each year, Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers remove hundreds of discarded or forgotten toys from the beach and give them to a network of volunteers (kids and their parents), who created the Re-beachables program. They clean them up and place a fun selection in a reusable beach bag and offer them to visitors and residents as a gift. What a great way to re-use perfectly good toys and prevent microplastic pollution from entering the ocean. If you have reusable beach toys to donate, please drop them in the marked box at the Tybee Island Visitors Center.

As you valued guests, you can support this program and other beach clean up activities by making a donation to Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=K3QNRCU7KYS8S

Re-beach. Renew. Refresh. Rejoice. Vacation with a purpose at Mermaid Cottages in Tybee Island. Join in celebration and support of Re-beachables and The Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers!

 

 

the logo for the tybee clean beach volunteers on tybee island ga

Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers

Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers is our favorite group to clean with.  The Mermaids have been a part of this cleaning effort since it’s inception in 2016 and Head Mermaid Diane was one of the founding members, too.

Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers is a grass-roots organization made up of local volunteers who sweep Tybee’s beaches free of trash on a regular basis.  The group recycles or reuses as much of the recovered debris as possible much like our Mermaids do as a part of our cottages management plans.

Most beach cleanups are on Sunday afternoons, but sometimes additional cleanings are necessary due to weather or holidays or special event dates that result in extra debris buildup.

Mermaid Cottages’ guests are always invited to volunteer during their visits, so be sure to check our App, the event calendar on our website, our social media and the Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers calendar, as well.  Dates, time and locations may change according to the needs of our three-mile stretch of beaches.

96% of the Top Ten is made of plastic, including cigarette filters and Styrofoam – Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers

If you’re planning to join us, report to the announced meeting location and look for the volunteers banner.  Just pick up a bucket and a trash grabber and hit the beach for as long as you like! When you’re finished, simply leave the full bucket and grabber by the cart so we can sort and recycle as much of the trash as possible.

Our next scheduled beach cleanups are:

Sunday, November 25th @4 PM. Meet in front of the Marine Science Center, parking passes available at the sign-in table
Sunday, December 9th @4 PM, location to be announced

Vacation with a purpose very soon.  Be a volunteer when you visit Mermaid Cottages and Tybee Island!

Mermaid Cottages’ New Back To School Special Supports Education

Mermaid Cottages' Back To School Special Supports Education
Enlisted Mens Mess Hall circa 1929

Mermaid Cottages’ new Back To School Special supports education!  We’re offering a 10% discount off of our rental price PLUS for every reservation made that mentions the Fall Special, we’ll be making a donation for School Lunches to two schools where the children need help: East Broad Street Elementary School in Savannah, GA  and Westgate Community Conservancy School in Samburu, Kenya.  Our goal is to serve as many children as possible.  So, come enjoy some Tybee Time and help children in need of school lunches!

mermaid cottages' back to school special supports education
Happy Ours Cottage photo by Jason Thrasher

How can you help? The Davenport House Museum in Savannah hosts a day long program each year for East Broad Street Elementary students in Mrs. Jones’ class.  You can make a difference, too, when you donate supplies for education as a part of your stay using our Back to School discount.  Here’s a list of some of the things Mrs. Jones could use for her classroom:

Surfers For Autism Comes To Tybee

surfers for autism comes to tybeeSurfers For Autism comes to Tybee on Saturday, September 6th, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to our cottages!  The Surfers For Autism mission is to unlock the potential of people with developmental delays, support advocacy for autism issues and scientific research. Their focus is to eliminate stigma through public awareness and education and to unite communities through volunteerism.  From 9 a.m.-4 p.m., come be with us on the beach area south side of Walter W. Parker Pier & Pavilion.  It’ll be a day of fun and it’ll also be educational for special needs children and their families.  It’s a fantastic time to be in Tybee Island and to be inspired as we support these special guests and their families.  Our cottages are happy to be supporters of Surfers For Autism and here’s a look at some of the vacation rentals we have available. …

Paula Deen’s Operation Backpack

paula deen's operation backpackPaula Deen’s Operation Backpack is a wonderful new way to make a difference when you visit.  Y’all know our Mermaids Make A Difference in many ways and we always have fun when we do.  This is a wonderful opportunity for you to make a difference, too, and it’s so easy.  In fact, it’s as easy as pie!

Operation Backpack is helping our kids make the grade.  The West Broad Street YMCA serves all of downtown Savannah by providing an early learning center, school alternative, after school programs, summer enrichment, primary healthcare, job training, organic gardening,  nutrition, adult education, public library and much more.  We’re asking for your participation July through September and here’s how you can help:

1.  Add a $1 donation to your dining check at The Lady & Sons and the Deen Team will match it.

2. Donate school supplies for the after school program.

3.  1 dessert = 1 meal.  For every dessert purchased a meal will be donated for a child in the after school program.

Paula Deen’s Operation Backpack is a program we can all get behind.  It’s as easy as pie, literally, so make your reservations to dine at The Lady & Sons and you can make a difference, too.  Guests of Mermaid Cottages staying in Paula Deen’s Y’all Come Inn and at Back River Bungalow also receive VIP Dining Reservations with their stays.  You can make reservations to dine without waiting in that long line, too.  Give us a call and we’ll even help plan your visit!