Planned Giving

Why We Give

Rich and Judi Benimeli Donate to Mote First, Then Volunteer

Rich and Judi Benimeli didn't follow the usual pattern of volunteering at Mote, and then including Mote in their estate plans. They decided early on to make Mote's mission their own, and have become loyal supporters in every way. More

Romance Leads New Donors to Mote

Patrice Boeke and Tom Alburn were brought together thanks to the amateur matchmaking of Mote's own Dr. Eugenie Clark and a love of diving. Their shared love of marine life also led them to Mote Marine Laboratory. More

Respected Fundraiser Brings Talents and Support to Mote

Tom Waters was a man on a mission almost from the start. The Massachusetts native graduated from American International College in 1978 with majors in management and economics, a solid foundation for the work he would spend many years doing. More

How Boomers Become Mote Donors

Rande Ridenour comes on strong because he is a believer in advancing the science of the sea. Laboratory projects now include everything from understanding the role of microbes in coral health, to tracking whale sharks, to cost-effective systems to grow marine and freshwater fish using environmentally sound practices. More

Educators Tell How They Became Mote Donors
How do people go from not knowing about all Mote Marine Laboratory has to offer to including the Lab in their estate plans? Just ask Tom and Carol Kerr. More

Leaving a Legacy
While Dwight Davis has had a love for the sea since early childhood, his passion did not lead him to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium until after his retirement. His relationship with Mote may have just begun but he is making sure it continues for a long time—even after his lifetime. More

A Mote Donor Cast in Concrete

Although Ken Rear built a career in concrete, his interest in marine life has never waned. Now that he is retired, he is able to invest more time in his passion. That includes making sure that marine life is protected in the future. More

Where There's a Will There's a Way—Ask Don Marshall

If you ask Don Marshall how he came to support Mote education in his will, like many other major donors, he will say he came to his decision the long way—over time and by life experience. Read about his journey and how Mote wound up being a big part of it. More

I'm a Snowbird and a Mote Donor

Who says a Mote donor has to be a year-round Florida resident? Not me. I'm a native Michigander who spends six months up there and six months down here. After retirement, just over 15 years ago, I settled in Sarasota and almost at once became a supporting member of Mote Marine Laboratory, and later a volunteer at the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center. More

I Joined Mote, Left Mote, Then Returned Bearing a Gift

There are many places to give one's time and energy to help people. After retirement, my husband Ed and I moved from Pittsburgh to Sarasota and discovered an outstanding one — Mote Marine Laboratory. We became volunteers at Mote where my background in education found a perfect fit, interaction with diverse age groups and the opportunity to both teach and learn. More

A Letter to Mote

What does it take to make a person a Mote donor? It must be different for different people. For me, it was a love of the sea from earliest childhood. That was in Tampa, way back in the mists of time. Later in Hollywood, Fla., as a teenager and an avid fisherman and a collector of things washed up on the beach, my interest in marine life became even keener. More

About Us

Mote Marine Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. Today, we incorporate public outreach as a key part of our mission. Mote is an independent nonprofit organization and has centers for marine research, the public Mote Aquarium and an Education Division specializing in public programs for all ages.

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Gifts in Action

Don Marshall (left) and Anna Hayes (right)

Don and his wife, Roma, were dedicated Mote volunteers, and when Roma died in '04, Don threw himself even more into his Mote volunteering. He is more convinced than ever that educating the public about marine life is the best way to safeguard it. That was the motive for his gift in his will to Mote Education Division. Read More