VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: DANETTE KANE

By Megan Maynard

This month’s volunteer spotlight is Danette Kane.

Danette Kane and her family are happily homesteaded in Cocoa, but many are unaware that they moved to Florida after living in Alaska for 24 years. Though they absolutely loved Alaska, Danette grew tired of the cold and dark conditions. Having married into the Air Force, she had previously lived in and had her children in the Panhandle, and she knew she’d like to return.

When her time isn’t occupied at work at the local credit union, she and her husband love to ride their Harleys. She is also a talented quilter. Each year she and her family attend the High Seas Rally, and she creates a T-shirt quilt to be raffled to benefit a dialysis charity. One auctioned for $7,000. Her most recent accomplishment includes becoming open water SCUBA certified.

Not long after they settled in Florida, Danette’s daughter Stephanie stumbled across STPS. Being a marine biology major, it was right up her alley. Soon, the whole family was on board and they have been members for six years. During the summer, Danette helps with night walks and is also on the transport permit. Danette also helps at the Brevard Zoo’s Sea Turtle Healing Center and hopes in the future to be part of the stranding team. Her whole family gets fulfillment out of seeing a sea turtle survive through rehab. All of the work and effort, however great or small, is rewarding when you get to see the species survive. There are frustrating points as well for Danette. Sometimes during her beach walks, she encounters less than friendly individuals who don’t want to hear what she has to say despite being for the turtle’s safety. Also despite the best rehab and medicine, not every turtle will survive.

There are practically endless ways in which you can help, Danette says. She encourages everyone to try to learn as much as they can whether through your own research or by asking a volunteer. We learn more each day about the species and must adapt, Danette says, and even in the smallest capacity, every volunteer makes a difference.