“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” -Anne of Green Gables

October 1, 2018



Louie Anderson





“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers”
-Anne of Green Gables

It seems once again that summer has flown past and we are already at the month of October, this is the month when things really kick in to high gear in Key West as we start the rollercoaster ride that really gets underway with Fantasy Fest and rolls along at full speed for us, until at least mid-January and the end of the Key West Literary Seminar. It is pretty much a non-stop ride from here on out and soon we will long for those quiet, lazy summer days.





Beth





The Fantasy Fest season is already well underway as the competition for the King and Queen of Fantasy Fest has been underway for more than a month. The largest fundraiser of the year for AH (Affordable Healthcare, formerly AIDS Help), the competition will crown a new king and queen based on who raises the most money through a series of activities and events that fill the calendar leading up to the start of Fantasy Fest itself in late October.





Beth



One of the events is the annual Red Shirt Run, a 5K race organized by my friend Beth and the fine folks at Theme Runs. As the name implies, the race features red-clad runners who run raising money for the various king and queen candidates and for me has always sort of heralded the arrival of Fantasy Fest season.



Diamond Dave





I did not participate directly, but instead walked Jack down to Higgs Beach and the Key West AIDS memorial that marked the start and finish line of the race to watch and take a few photos. It wasn’t a huge turnout, but it was an enthusiastic group of runners and walkers who raced under perfect overcast conditions. September was the second month of the summer (along with July) that broke the record for the hottest month ever recorded in Key West. The average temperature was 85.6 for the entire month with some 15 straight days that the high temperature topped 90. Thankfully the race was contested on the slightly cooler end of the spectrum which made it tolerable for the runners.









Marilyn and Jim

I was back at Higgs Beach later in the same afternoon for the release of a rehabilitated sea turtle by the Turtle Hospital and the Key West Sea Turtle Club. Buddy – a 170 pound adult female loggerhead sea turtle was rescued off the lower keys late July. When he was found by my friend Jason and his daughter floating with a condition known as bubble butt, where trapped air does not allow the turtle to submerge correctly or for very long at all.









Ritchie and Buddy

Buddy was treated at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon for a severe intestinal impaction and lung infection.  Buddy’s treatment included IV nutrition, lactulose, fluids, broad spectrum antibiotics, vitamins and a healthy diet of fish and squid. After his treatment and a period of rehabilitation, Buddy was deemed fit enough to be returned to the sea to live out a normal turtle life.









I have known Ritchie Moretti, the founder of the Turtle Hospital since my early days in Key West almost 30 years ago. We worked together on a few projects when I was working for Reef Relief. He does an amazing job at the Turtle Hospital which is the former Hidden Harbor Hotel in Marathon that Ritchie transformed into a full time turtle rescue facility after Hurricane Wilma.



The Turtle Hospital has rescued, rehabilitated and released over 1,500 sea turtles to date and is one of the leading facilities of its kind in the United States. The staff and crew of the turtle hospital has grown immensely over the years and they have achieved remarkable success in their mission.









I have attended a number of turtle releases over the years, both aboard their boats and the land based releases like the one here in Key West. A huge throng of people was on hand to witness this release including hundreds of kids. Ritchie always pauses and allows the children (and adults) a quick opportunity to come up and get a close look at the turtle before the release and it really makes an impact on teaching the kids the value of saving these beautiful creatures.









I concluded the week by attending the stand-up comedy performance by the iconic comedian Louie Anderson at the Key West Theater. It was sort of a last minute decision to go, with Kathy still out of town, I was not sure I really wanted to go out, but I am sure glad that I did. It was hysterical and sweet at the same time. What a funny, warm, wonderful gentle soul Mr. Anderson is. He is touring in celebration of forty years of being a stand-up, in addition to the many films, TV specials and network shows he has been on, everything from Eddie Murphy’s “Coming to America” to the current TV hit show, “Baskets”.





http://www.turtlehospital.org/

http://louieanderson.com/