Artificial reef to be installed in St. Lucie River in honor of late FPRA chapter founder

PORT ST. LUCIE – The Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) will be installing an artificial mini reef in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, under a dock located near 1199 Southeast Coral Reef St., just below the Crosstown Parkway Extension Bridge, on Friday, July 30 at 9:30 a.m.

This installation is not only a gift to the Treasure Coast, but a memorial to chapter founder and longtime FPRA member Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC. Her expansive career in journalism and public relations has been recognized time and time again, as she most recently received a Lifetime Membership, the highest and most prestigious honor awarded by the FPRA.

All are welcome to attend the installation ceremony to honor the memory of Adrienne. Jenny Tomes, APR, spearheaded this project during her term as Chapter President in 2019/2020. The chapter sold shirts and used the proceeds to purchase the reef. And with a generous donation from broadcast journalist and videographer David Smalley, the chapter was also able to pay for the shipping of the reef, as well a plaque to be displayed on the dock.

This mini reef is capable of filtering around 30,000 gallons of water a day and housing 300 fish and 200 crab per year. When placed under the dock, it will create an ecosystem by mimicking the prop roots of a mangrove system, creating an excellent hangout for fish and birds alike.

“I am thrilled that our community project will not only help us remember Adrienne’s contributions to this community, but it will also help protect its finest asset—the North Fork of the St. Lucie River,” Jenny Tomes said. “I think Adrienne would be extremely proud to see us come together as a chapter to give back to the Treasure Coast in such a beneficial way.”