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Asbury Park Press, 4/23/2007
PADDLE FOR CHANGE
TOMS RIVER - Margo Pellegrino will never be described as an activist who is content to stand on a soapbox.

In fact, she is very much the contrary: The dedicated environmentalist may stand her ground on the perils facing the ocean, but she has also launched a campaign to raise awareness about these environmental threats by paddling from Miami to Maine in an outrigger canoe.

Pellegrino will depart on her 11-week "Miami2Maine Paddle" on May 7 from the shores of Miami and end her 1,000-mile trek in Camden, Maine. Along the way, she'll be paddling in support of groups who are working diligently to solve coastal environmental problems, including the National Environmental Trust's ocean and marine life campaign to tackle the problems of unsustainable fishing; Oceana, an international group that focuses on the preservation of ocean habitats and endangered sea life; and the Mordecai Island Land Trust, whose mission is to preserve the migratory seabird population on Mordecai Island in Little Egg Harbor.

Pellegrino, 39, is also hoping to raise funds for all East Coast Surfrider Foundation chapters - of which she is a member. For her efforts, she was honored Friday by fellow members of the Jersey Shore Chapter of the Surfrider Foundationduring its annual "Stokefest" event at the Labrador Lounge in the Normandy Beach section of Toms River Township.

"Margo is demonstrating how one person can make a difference," said John Weber, East Coast regional manager of Surfrider Foundation. "Here's someone who is willing to paddle 1,000 miles to highlight environmental issues, and by doing so, she's sending out the message that everyone of us can do something to help."

"We're at a real crossroads where our oceans are concerned," Pellegrino said as she emerged from the Second Avenue beach access in Normandy Beach with a plastic bag filled with several empty plastic bottles that had been discarded in the sand. "I feel that we are truly on the brink in terms of whether or not we'll be able to save the ocean from all of the threats it faces, from global warming, pollution, and fishing practices that damage the ocean ecosystem like never before in our history."

Pellegrino, a Medford Lakes resident, is in top shape physically and emotionally for the journey. An environmentalist and a conservationist as well as an avid outdoorswoman, she exudes a very positive outlook in describing her upcoming adventure.

As part of her "Miami2Maine" campaign, she will be making 74 stops in her quest to meet with individuals and organizations to underscore the dire environmental threats facing our ocean waters. Her goal is to paddle at least 25 miles per day, which she said is not taxing, considering her usual paddling pace of around 4 mph.

Surfrider Foundation has arranged for Pellegrino to stay with members from various East Coast Surfrider chapters along the route and to offer support in championing her cause.

"This has been a completely grassroots effort," Pellegrino said of the Surfrider Foundation. "And I wouldn't be able to do this without their support. As a group, they don't just talk about change; they are actually involved in efforts to make things happen."

The 11-week paddling trip will require Pellegrino to be away from her family for an extended period of time. Although she said her family would miss her, Pellegrino said she wanted to be a living example for not only the whole world, but also for her husband and two small children.

"My kids are 5 and 2-1/2 years old," Pellegrino said. "And I have to think about their future, the ocean's future, and the future of the world if we don't do something to help turn things around. I started thinking that the best way I could bring a change in awareness was by paddling. And that includes things like taking responsibility for overfishing, polluting and endangering our ocean waters. I don't know of any better way to teach not only this generation but also future generations, of how to take an active role in bringing about positive change."

At first, Pellegrino declined the inland vehicle escort she was offered to shadow her as she paddled up the coast. Her concern was burning fossil fuels, which she said would counteract the positive efforts she was trying to make via her outrigger canoe. But she did agree to bring a boatload of food bars from one of her sponsors to hand out while making stops along the way and to be interviewed in order to get her message of environmental change out to as many people as possible.

In stark contrast, Pellegrino will also have to weather not only the elements, but also the solitude that is inevitably a part of her expedition. But she said she welcomes the tranquility that accompanies her daily paddle; in fact, she considers it a time of reflection that she ultimately treasures.

"You really do get into a zone when you're paddling," Pellegrino said. "I notice it when I'm paddling along the coast of New Jersey. My arms may get tired but it's more of the kind of adrenaline surge I remember from running and swimming."

As Weber said, Pellegrino is a sterling example of what one individual can accomplish when setting his or her mind to the task. With less than two weeks before she sets sail for Maine, Pellegrino is ready to embark on the quest of a lifetime.

"I can't wait to get started," she said.

Those who would like to make a donation in support of Pellegrino's "Miami2Maine" paddle may log onto http://www.miami2maine.com/