Exciting News from Turtle Rescue League President Alexxia Bell

A portrait of Turtle Rescue League President, Alexxia Bell. She is standing in front of trees.

A message from Turtle Rescue League’s President, Alexxia Bell:

August 2, 2022

When co-founding this organization with my partner Natasha in 2010, I had no idea how big it would get, how many turtles we could save, how many amazing volunteers I would get to meet and how much of an impact we, as an organization could have on the turtle populations locally, and even worldwide. I am astounded at the wonderful people we have met, the friends I have made and the knowledge I have garnered. In the early days, it was just Natasha, our Director, and I doing everything from making turtle-crossing signs, printing up turtle pamphlets to leave at local stores to teach people about turtles, and driving any injured turtle we found to get to the nearest wildlife center, or wildlife rehabilitator.

Alexxia Bell and Natasha Nowick at a Turtle Rescue League booth at a convention. — Alexxia and Natasha educating people about turtles at a booth in the very early days of Turtle Rescue League.

We have grown so much since those early days, and have many helpers, employees, volunteers and partnered with many other organizations to help do the enormous job of helping the world’s turtles. I became a wildlife rehabilitator myself, and opened a clinic for injured turtles, that sees hundreds of patients a year and hatched out nearly one thousand turtles each season, we hired another clinician and have many incredible volunteers that I see daily to make sure turtles get the help they so desperately need. It was always our goal to become an official nonprofit organization, or 501(c)(3) so that anyone who donates can deduct contributions and we could receive grants and bequests. It was a long road, and took a large amount of work to get that status. I am happy to announce that we are now officially a federally recognized and tax deductible 501(c)(3) organization.

So, what does this mean? This means that anyone who donates to our organization can deduct contributions from federal tax, we can receive tax deductible bequests, and are considered a public charity. People can donate more, we can help more turtles, and many workplaces offer a matching funds program, too. The Turtle Rescue League is capable of growing, helping more, and making a bigger difference in the turtle populations, and it’s a lot easier on you as a donor.

We have many amazing things in our future, everything from building a new, bigger clinic, hiring more people to help, and of course helping more of our turtle friends. Turtles are one of the most endangered and threatened animals on the planet.

I could never have thought in those early days, when we lived in an 860 square foot apartment, and struggled to pay our utility bills to keep both us and the few turtles we had in our care warm, that we would eventually be able to make such a big difference in the turtle world. We have grown so much since those days and have so much more to do. Now that we are an official 501(c)(3) you have an opportunity to make an even bigger difference when you donate, knowing that the money you give is tax deductible. Lets all of us come together as the Turtle Rescue League, and let us help keep turtles a part of our future and not a thing of the past.

Sincerely,

Alexxia Bell

President, Turtle Rescue League