ARK's 'Beach treasure' sale set
By Phil Reynolds South Jetty reporter

With water on three sides, what better décor for Port Aransas than beach?

A chance to acquire some honestto goodness "found on the beach" décor will come on Saturday, Oct. 14, when the Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) holds a Treasures from the Beach Sale and Auction.

Proceeds from the sale go to support the ARK, which accepts injured and sick animals and rehabilitates them to be returned to their native habitat. Nearly all the work at the ARK is done by volunteers.

The "treasures" were brought back from Gulf beaches by ARK director Tony Amos, who regularly patrols Mustang and San Jose island beaches as part of a 28-year-long record of what washes up and how beaches are changing over the course of time.

The sale and auction will be at the Port Aransas Community Center, 408 N. Alister Street, from 9 a.m.-noon. Experienced sale-goers say it's wise to show up early if you'd like a good selection of treasures, some of which are one of a kind.

Donations and "treasures" in the past have included a hand-made wooden kayak, Japanese glass fishing floats, major appliances and cast iron steps from the Lydia Ann Lighthouse. As usual, this year's sale will also include floats, boat fenders and plastic shrimp baskets washed up on Mustang Island beaches.

Amos has also said he will contribute a rare message in a bottle found washed up on the beach recently. He said he hasn't opened the bottle and has no idea what the message says, so the buyer may be in for a surprise.

Donations to the sale and auction will be gratefully accepted and are tax deductible, said Joni Ray, board member of Friends of the ARK, the volunteer organization that supports ARK work.

For more information, call the ARK at (361) 749-6793.