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#ProtectOurParadise Campaign & Photo Contest

June 23, 2016
The Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing, in partnership with Stuart Main Street, is launching #protectourparadise, the second part of its "tourism advocacy" campaign. Officials are calling on residents and visitors to advocate for clean water and support our local businesses that depend on tourism.

Show us why you're so passionate about protecting our paradise. We ask that you share images of our local scene with the hashtag #protectourparadise at www.protectourparadise.com. Here are some photo ideas to get you started: Enjoying a cup of coffee at an outdoor café, listening to live music, exploring our parks and conservation lands, visiting galleries and museums, shopping our local stores and, of course, relaxing at our beautiful beaches.

The top ten finalists in the photo contest will receive a limited edition Martin County Tervis Tumbler. The grand prize winner will receive an overnight stay for two in Downtown Stuart, a $250 downtown shopping spree and VIP tickets to Dancin' in the Streets.

"Historic Downtown Stuart and our waterways are inextricably linked. This community grew here because of the river, and its future remains linked to the river's health. We're working together with the Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing to protect our local economy and our local ecology, so we all thrive," said Stuart Main Street's Thondra Lanese.

Nerissa Okiye, Martin County's Tourism and Marketing Manager said, "As residents, we understand first-hand the frustration and feelings of helplessness as circumstances beyond our control that are affecting our home. We know that freshwater releases can have a serious and detrimental impact on the natural ecosystem of the St. Lucie River and Estuary. However, we also know the important role tourism plays on the health of our local economy. We are delighted to partner with Stuart Main Street and the Downtown Business Association on this project. We want to show the world what we are fighting to protect. We want our visitors and residents to share their memorable experiences so we can help showcase why we work so hard to #protectourparadise."

Okiye and her team have created two digital marketing campaigns anchored by short videos to spark advocacy about the best of Martin County. The latest video outlines the #protectourparadise concept. "Share the videos, take part in our campaign and showcase to what we are all fighting to protect," Okiye added.