85 days, 16 hours and 25 minutes

... the amount days, hours, and minutes that oil has been spewing into our precious ocean water.

 Photograph by Win McNamee, Getty Images

You've undoubtedly seen the oil spill images: seagulls covered in splotches of thick brown oil, the mueky waters that now cover the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Experts predict that it will take decades for the wildlife population to recover. So what can you do to make a difference even if you live nowhere near the coast of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi?

I am excited to join Craft Hope with Project 8-

"(Craft Hope is) partnering with The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, the Audubon Nature Institute, and the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge to assist them in their efforts in caring for and cleaning oiled marine mammals, mostly dolphins, other marine mammals, birds, and sea turtles. Dolphins are naturally curious and have been swimming toward the oil plumes to investigate… and that curiosity gets them in a lot of trouble against the oil slick.
So here is what we are going to do… They need hand towels and wash rags to clean all of the nooks and crannies of the dolphins and sea turtles. They only need small hand towels and wash rags, no large towels please."

I've been sitting here for months feeling helpless, wondering what I can do? Until I stumbled upon this via another mommy blogger. Ashley Ann shares a project she did at home with her kids to help them understand the affects of the oil spill.  Don't be surprised if you see Karo Syrup covered manatees and dolphins soon- the boys and I will practice cleaning up wild life right here in our backyard~

You wanna get involved too? Great! For more information be sure to click the Craft Hope link. Wash cloths and/or Dawn can be dropped off here or shipped directly:

Kimberly Davion

c/o IMMS Oil Spill Relief

1700 East La Rua Street

Pensacola, Florida 32501