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Island paddle race raises $25k for marine programs

COURTESY PHOTO Gathering meets to support our bays.
COURTESY PHOTO Gathering  to support our bays.

The Great Peconic Race that brought all sorts of paddlers here to compete in a 19.5-mile circumnavigation of Shelter Island in September has raised $25,000 to benefit the Cornell Cooperative Marine Program (CCMP).

Members of the race committee handed off a check to CCMP representative Kim Barbour recently at The American Hotel in Sag Harbor, one of the many East End businesses supporting the race.

Pictured in the photo above are, from left : Don D’Amato, Peter McCracken, Eddie Brennan, Todd Sloan, Ms. Barbour, Billy Baldwin (race founder) and Rick Drew.

The funds will be used for Peconic Bay water quality improvements, including the creation of a new bay scallop spawner sanctuary, eelgrass habitat restoration, hard clam seeding and oyster bed development, Ms. Barbour said.

Plans are underway for next year’s race.

Meantime, donations can be made at greatpeconicrace.com.