ANDREW "RED" HARRIS FOUNDATION
Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation is working on improving our marine environment along with keeping Andrew Harris’ legacy alive. Andrew, like most Floridians, had pure love for our local south Florida waters, whether it is leisurely snorkeling and observing the natural wildlife or hunting for fish and lobsters, fishing out in the ocean or the Intercostal Waterways. Heartbreakingly, on June 8, 2014, Andrew life was taken abruptly after being struck by a boat while snorkeling in the Jupiter Inlet. Andrew’s family and friends have joined together to build this Foundation to represent all what Andrew lived for. His athletics, his love for the ocean, and you can do anything attitude.
The first foundations fundraising event will be a golf tournament at Tequesta Country Club on October 12, 2014. It will have a silent auction on October 11th and 12th with a treasure trove of auction items that cannot be bought anywhere else. Those that do not golf are able to participate by sponsoring the tournament or buying lunch and tickets for the auction for $25 through the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation website.
The foundation will work hard to make sure that the entire marine industry and everyone who enjoys fishing and diving in South Florida is aware of the common goals and benefits. By contributing funds and help raise money for artificial reef building projects, it will enhance private recreational charter fishing and diving opportunities, provide a socio-economic benefit to our local coastal communities, increase fish habitat and facilitate reef related research. The foundation will also be naming artificial reefs in Andrew’s honor which is the most appropriate way to build awareness for the present and future generations who have the same intentions of loving Jupiter and northern Palm Beach County, just like Andrew did.
The Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation will create small reefs near the shore depths of 30 feet of water that would be appropriate for snorkelers and large new reefs in depths of 80 feet that Scuba divers can observe. The foundation expects that the first two reefs will be off Juno Beach, Florida.
This is the only organization in Palm Beach County that only builds artificial reefs and all reefs will be created under the direction of the environmental agencies and the Palm Beach County Department of Resource Management (ERM) in quest of the same goal of enhancing the marine environment.
Get the latest updates on the reef developments by getting notified on Andrew "Red" Harris’ Foundation Facebook page.
While keeping Andrew Harris’ legacy alive and help enhance our beautiful waters, we can do anything by coming together, like leaves on a tree.
This reef is awesome! What a great monument to Red Harris. So many people worked to make this happen. I volunteered at ReefCells to help build these things. I met Chris O'Hare, the inventor. He said he has been doing this for years. This is so cool.
Posted by Joe Smith on Wednesday, August 26th, 2015 at 9:54amLeave A Comment