Local Conservancy Raises $50,000 for Shoreline
A sold-out gala in September funded oyster seeding and trail development along Long Island's South Shore.
By Riya Zhao ·
The Mastic Beach Conservancy raised $50,000 during its Fifth Annual Bivalve Ball held on September 26. The event took place at the Mastic Beach Property Owners Clubhouse and attracted a crowd of 130 attendees. This marks the organization's largest annual fundraising effort to date.
Proceeds from the dinner and auction support specific ecological projects in the region. Funds cover oyster and kelp seeding in Narrow Bay, as well as horseshoe crab monitoring. The money also pays for native plantings, invasive species removal, and operations for the Ecology Art Lab. Additionally, the revenue aids the development of public blue and green trails around the Mastic peninsula.
The evening featured two awards for environmental leaders. Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, received the Environmental Leadership Award. She has led advocacy efforts on drinking water and renewable energy since co-founding her organization in 1985. Cynthia Seibold accepted the Community Impact Award for Balloon Mission. Her nonprofit started in 2023 as the country's first post-event balloon collection program. It now works with more than 100 organizations across twelve states.
Local artist Jessamyn Go created the custom awards for the honorees. Go serves as the director of the Conservancy's Ecology Art Lab. Maura Spery, president of the Mastic Beach Conservancy, noted the group's growth since its inception. She said the organization began with volunteers and rakes five years ago. Spery stated that every dollar raised returns to the water, marsh, and community programs.
The Conservancy has expanded its role in regional planning over the last five years. It transitioned from a neighborhood cleanup group to a partner for state and federal agencies. Its advocacy helped secure millions in state and county funding to establish Violet Cove as a county park. A National Coastal Resilience Grant also covers salt marsh habitat in southern Mastic Beach. These wetlands absorbed storm surge during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
The Mastic Beach Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It focuses on preserving 6.5 miles of waterfront parkland in the Mastic Beach and Shirley Conservation Area. The group conducts community cleanups and educational programming. It also partners on ecological restoration projects to protect South Shore wetlands.
