#MADDFORASHLEY EDUCATION FUND AND ARTIFICIAL REEF
Donation protected
We want to honor the memory of Ashley LeAnn Walters Avant who was killed by a drunk driver in October of 2019. She left a loving husband and three precious daughters. Since her death, her entire family and many friends grieve for her.
It is our goal to begin an education fund for Ashley’s three daughters and establish an artificial reef named the Ashley Avent Memorial Artificial Reef.
WHY ARE EDUCATIONAL FUNDS NEEDED?
Opening a 529 plan for Ahley's daughters will help her daughters attend college without accruing a lot of debt. Everyone understands the benefit of a college education. We want Ashley's daughters' to experience future personal growth, earning potential, career opportunities and financial stability. We know this was so important to Ashley! It's very important to the childrens' father and grandparents too.
WHY ARE ARTIFICIAL REEFS IMPORTANT?
Apart from restoring natural beauty, having healthy reefs are important for many reasons for our SC Coasts!
PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY
The global loss of reefs threatens to wipe out various ecologically and commercially important species. Artificial reefs can help combat this loss by providing the habitat and feeding grounds many reef-dependent SC species need to survive, which will help to preserve the Horry & Georgetown County’s biodiversity.
INCREASING FISH STOCKS
By providing a safe refuge for juvenile fish to settle, artificial reefs can enhance fish populations, which in turn benefits local fishing communities by ensuring an ongoing source of food and income.
PROVIDING HABITAT COMPLEXITY
Various creatures rely on good habitat complexity (tunnels, holes, overhangs, caves) to escape predators. Artificial reefs can be designed to increase the habitat complexity of an area that may have been degraded by intense storms or destructive fishing practises, thus providing much-needed habitat for the survival of these reef species.
HOW DO ARTIFICIAL CORAL REEFS WORK?
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas that lack natural biodiversity or have experienced habitat loss. Within hours of sinking an artificial reef, small coral reef fish move into their new home, initiating a parade of marine life over several months. The hard structure of an artificial reef is slowly colonised by soft corals, sponges, plants and barnacles. Small fish will soon have new neighbors like black sea bass, snapper, grouper, larger sea bass, trigger, wahoo, and king mackerel take residence, while nearby sand sediments come to life with sea stars, sand dollars and other exciting invertebrate species.
HOW DO YOUR DONATIONS HELP?
Creating artificial reefs is not as simple as throwing some wooden, metal or concrete structures in the water. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the design, materials, construction and placement of the artificial reef does not negatively impact surrounding natural habitats. As such, the SC DNR produces prototypes designs to find the ones that work best in our beloved marine reserve. Donations received will directly support The Perry’s Reef Project, in addition to funding the creation and installation of a reef, you will be actively involved in making the reefs off the coast of Georgetown County healthier and more biodiverse. Funds we raise for our next reef will be in memory for Ashley Avant.
Please consider helping us create an education fund for Ashley's daughters and assist in in dropping an artificial reef in her memory.
It is our goal to begin an education fund for Ashley’s three daughters and establish an artificial reef named the Ashley Avent Memorial Artificial Reef.
WHY ARE EDUCATIONAL FUNDS NEEDED?
Opening a 529 plan for Ahley's daughters will help her daughters attend college without accruing a lot of debt. Everyone understands the benefit of a college education. We want Ashley's daughters' to experience future personal growth, earning potential, career opportunities and financial stability. We know this was so important to Ashley! It's very important to the childrens' father and grandparents too.
WHY ARE ARTIFICIAL REEFS IMPORTANT?
Apart from restoring natural beauty, having healthy reefs are important for many reasons for our SC Coasts!
PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY
The global loss of reefs threatens to wipe out various ecologically and commercially important species. Artificial reefs can help combat this loss by providing the habitat and feeding grounds many reef-dependent SC species need to survive, which will help to preserve the Horry & Georgetown County’s biodiversity.
INCREASING FISH STOCKS
By providing a safe refuge for juvenile fish to settle, artificial reefs can enhance fish populations, which in turn benefits local fishing communities by ensuring an ongoing source of food and income.
PROVIDING HABITAT COMPLEXITY
Various creatures rely on good habitat complexity (tunnels, holes, overhangs, caves) to escape predators. Artificial reefs can be designed to increase the habitat complexity of an area that may have been degraded by intense storms or destructive fishing practises, thus providing much-needed habitat for the survival of these reef species.
HOW DO ARTIFICIAL CORAL REEFS WORK?
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas that lack natural biodiversity or have experienced habitat loss. Within hours of sinking an artificial reef, small coral reef fish move into their new home, initiating a parade of marine life over several months. The hard structure of an artificial reef is slowly colonised by soft corals, sponges, plants and barnacles. Small fish will soon have new neighbors like black sea bass, snapper, grouper, larger sea bass, trigger, wahoo, and king mackerel take residence, while nearby sand sediments come to life with sea stars, sand dollars and other exciting invertebrate species.
HOW DO YOUR DONATIONS HELP?
Creating artificial reefs is not as simple as throwing some wooden, metal or concrete structures in the water. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the design, materials, construction and placement of the artificial reef does not negatively impact surrounding natural habitats. As such, the SC DNR produces prototypes designs to find the ones that work best in our beloved marine reserve. Donations received will directly support The Perry’s Reef Project, in addition to funding the creation and installation of a reef, you will be actively involved in making the reefs off the coast of Georgetown County healthier and more biodiverse. Funds we raise for our next reef will be in memory for Ashley Avant.
Please consider helping us create an education fund for Ashley's daughters and assist in in dropping an artificial reef in her memory.
Organizer
Sharon Doehner
Organizer
Myrtle Beach, SC
