“You Don’t Ever Not Need Your Mama”
The Love and Care Behind the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island
During my time at Sapelo Island, I was amazed at how much behind the scenes work occurred in the UGA Marine Institute. The entire property is set in an idyllic point on Sapelo- the perfect biking distance from the lighthouse and beach, yet still close enough to the salt marsh and other landscapes. While some of the buildings on the Marine Institute property were in pristine condition, others had major signs of weathering. Granted some of the abandoned buildings made for awesome photos, but I wanted to learn more about how all the facilities on Sapelo are managed for visitors like myself who come for academic purposes.
Enter Gracie Townsend, the Program Coordinator of the UGA Marine Institute. I interviewed Gracie in the hopes of understanding a little more about the people behind the Institute. When I met Gracie for our interview, I found her in a place I never expected for the Program Coordinator. She was in the kitchen, making a giant down-home southern meal.
As Gracie was preparing a large batch of banana pudding- Nilla wafers and all- I had the feeling that she was the type of person that everyone wants to have as a Grandma. She’s quite a character, with the craziest aqua blue toenails and a face crisscrossed with laugh lines for good measure. She began talking about her past, one she calls fondly “A simple life.” The title “Program Coordinator” is deceivingly simple. If anyone wants to come to the Marine Institute on the island, they have to go through Gracie Townsend. She oversees pretty much everything, the guests, main calendar, rooms, cleaning services, vehicles, and buildings — everything except the Greenhouse Window Restoration Project, creatively dubbed “Pain in the glass.” I’m sure her job description included a line in fine print at the bottom stating that she is responsible for completing any tasks needed, which is where cooking probably played a role in her job as “Program Coordinator.”
Gracie lives on the island in order to help all the visitors who come to the Institute. When talking about her children and grandchildren, she told me that “You don’t ever not need your Mama”, and it seems as though she uses that same mentality with everything and everybody on the island. Her favorite part of Sapelo- much like mine- is the marsh in her backyard. I guess having an all inclusive job comes with perks- like living on a secluded island with gorgeous views and, according to her, some amazing fishing opportunities. Had R. J. Reynolds not given the property on Sapelo to Eugene Odum for research and scientific studies in 1953, none of this would have been possible.
She does love her job though, that much was obvious. And her love and hard work pay off for all of the visitors that come to the Marine Institute. It is what made me- and all my fellow students on IFP- want to go back to Sapelo Island.
