Artist Robert Wyland painting one of the USA Surf Team's Surfboards, courtesy of Wyland Foundation

The Wyland Foundation, founded by environmental artist Robert Wyland, promotes, protects and preserves the world’s oceans, waterways and marine life. This year, the nonprofit will be supporting the efforts of the first-ever USA Surf team at the summer Tokyo Olympics through fundraising merchandise, including Wyland painted surfboards to be auctioned off. The Wyland Foundation is integrating these efforts in hopes to maintain healthy waterways and coasts into this year’s National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation with an emphasis on the recreational role water plays in our lives.

Year after year, WylandFoundation.org rallies the support of mayors and cities nationwide, including the City of Sarasota, to urge constituents to consider their environmental impact and conservation strategies for cleaner waters. The Foundation worked with Mayor Liz Alpert last year for the Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. Thousands participated nationwide annually, pledging to save billions of gallons of water. The annual challenge returns April 1-30, a nonprofit national community service campaign that encourages leaders to inspire their residents to make a series of simple pledges at mywaterpledge.com to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution and save energy.

The 2020 Challenge was a bit derailed because of Covid but, nonetheless, Wyland Foundation is now working with Mayor Hagen Brody to campaign in Sarasota. Wyland Gallery, located on St. Armands Circle, hopes to get the number of people in the community on board again this go around with efforts focused on keeping local Gulf Coast beaches clean. In return, residents can win $3,000 toward their home utility payments, water-saving fixtures and hundreds of other prizes. 

Surfboards will be available at wylandfoundation.org.For more information, visit mywaterpledge.com or call the Sustainability office at 941-941-926-6686, ext. 4202. 

Wyland Galleries of Sarasota is located at 314 John Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 941-388-5331, @wylandgallery 

Artist Robert Wyland painting one of the USA Surf Team's Surfboards, courtesy of Wyland Foundation

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