On a local level, Mary Barley has been a long-time financial supporter of Coral Shores High School athletics. If you squint, you will see her late husband George named for our football field in the background.

 

Mary’s favorite, the Everglades K-12 Literacy Program, is making a big impact statewide. Now in its eighth year, the initiative has provided more than 4,500 teachers with free training, curriculum, and materials, and reached more than 150,000 students, in 28 Florida counties, with 51 champion schools, including schools right here in Monroe County.

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MAKING AN IMPACT

 

This is who Mary is. Who she’s always been. Fight for something bigger than yourself, something that isn’t about your personal bank account. Tackle the problems head-on. Learn more. Work with others. Consider the future always. Never give up.

 

THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

 

Mary Barley understood early on that saving Florida Bay and the Everglades would be a marathon, not a sprint. She also knew educating our youth would be critical. So, she planned for it.

 

“We must get our young people involved. Once they understand this ecosystem and its importance, they will fight to protect it.”

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FOCUSING ON THE NEXT GENERATION

 

She was right. And today, the Everglades Foundation has incorporated programs for young people, from kindergarten to college internships, scholarships, and fellowships.