Project Description Region: North America Country: US Virgin Islands Location: Fredriksted Total Budget: $170,362 Area of Focus: The environment Coral reef ecosystems surrounding St. Croix have experienced significant degradation due to coral bleaching, hurricane damage, coastal development, and human activity. This decline has reduced marine biodiversity, weakened coastal resilience, and negatively impacted local livelihoods dependent on fishing and marine tourism. Community feedback from divers, fishers, and environmental stakeholders indicates a strong need for reef restoration, habitat enhancement, and sustainable marine education initiatives. This project will address these needs through the construction and deployment of a hurricane-resistant artificial coral reef in the shape of a Rotary Wheel approximately 4m high Ã- 21m wide. The structure will be built using marine-grade, eco-friendly materials designed to promote coral recruitment and provide habitat for marine species. Its modular design ensures durability, ease of installation, and long-term stability in a high-energy marine environment. Global Grant funds will be allocated as follows: Marine engineering and design services Fabrication of reef modules using marine-grade concrete and reinforcement materials Permitting, environmental assessments, and regulatory compliance Transportation and offshore deployment (barge and dive teams) Monitoring and evaluation (equipment, surveys, and reporting) Educational outreach and community engagement programs Timeline: Months 1 - 3: Final engineering design and project planning Months 2 - 6: Permitting and regulatory approvals Months 5 - 8: Fabrication of reef components Months 9 - 12: Deployment and installation Months 12 - 36: Monitoring, evaluation, and community programming Members of the Rotary Club of St. Croix West will play an active role throughout the project lifecycle, including: Participating in project planning and oversight committees Supporting fundraising and partnership development Assisting with community outreach and educational events Engaging in site visits and monitoring activities (where appropriate) Providing ongoing stewardship and reporting to The Rotary Foundation Through this hands-on involvement, Rotarians will ensure strong local ownership, accountability, and long-term sustainability of the project. Primary Host Partner District: 7020 Rotary Club of: St. Croix West Primary Contact: Cheru Ross Email: cheruross7020@gmail.com Primary International Partner District: 5330 Rotary Club of: Save Our Planet Primary Contact: Bricia ElAwar Email: saveourplanet5330@gmail.com Project Status Need $142,562 This project needs to receive some pledges to go to the next level. Please check the "Financing" tab to see the list of current pledges. Once the amount pledged is equal to the project budget, the status of the project will be automatically changed to "Fully Pledged". Click here to pledge support for this project. Project listed for the 2025-26 Rotary Year. The TRF Grant application number is #2693425.

Proposed Financing Existing Contributions Towards This Project Date Cash DDF Total St. Croix West (7020) 17-Mar-26 $6,000 $12,000 $18,000 Save Our Planet (5330) 17-Mar-26 $100 $0 $100 Save Our Planet (5330) 30-Mar-26 $100 $0 $100 Remaining Amount to Raise Additional Club Contribution (Needed) - Add a contribution $142,562 - $142,562 Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation - $9,600 $9,600 Total $170,362 Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.

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History Log Entries 17-Mar-26 System Entry System Entry: Creation of project page. 17-Mar-26 System Entry System Entry: Pledge of $100 by Bricia ElAwar of the Rotary Club of Save Our Planet, District 5330. 30-Mar-26 System Entry System Entry: Pledge of $100 by Bricia ElAwar of the Rotary Club of Save Our Planet, District 5330.