Despite living in Florida for nearly 25 years, John Siegwarth has never seen a manatee. But that didn’t stop him from feeling called to respond when it was clear their habitat needed restoration help.
“I’ve always been conservation-minded, ever since I was a little kid,” said John. “With the manatee’s plight and the number of people moving to Florida, I knew they would have an uphill fight.”
John connected with our Foundation in 2021 when fundraising for the supplement feeding was in full swing. He continues to support our Marine Mammal Fund through regular donations to help fund seagrass and eelgrass restoration efforts across the state.
Growing up, John was the youngest of five children. His father would take him and his siblings camping across the country in a station wagon pulling a camper, the beginning of what John calls his “ramblin’ spirit.” After joining the Army as a young man, John saw even more of the country, uprooting every two years, but finally settled on Pensacola in Florida’s panhandle.
As a proud Floridian, John takes his children to coastal cleanups, hiking, boating, and camping in his classic VW on Bear Lake. You can join John in restoring marine habitat by making a donation today, even if you’re never seen a manatee.
