It has been a tradition since 1994 for the members of the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program (also call the Holden Beach Turtle Patrol) to design, produce and sell a new T-shirt every year. This year they announced their first ever open contest for the creation of an original design for their 2025 T- shirt. The contest winner is….Lois Palermo, a local sea turtle lover, and her artistic sister Alyson Natale from Woodlands, Texas, with their “Let the Sea Set you Free” design. Congratulations to Lois and Alyson!
Selling merchandise is the HBTWP’s major fundraiser each year. The 2025 T-shirts, along with tote bags and hats, are in stock and can be purchased at The Lighthouse Gifts on the Holden Beach causeway. Merchandise is also available by mail from the HBTWP website, www.hbturtlewatch.org, and they will be available at the Turtle Talk and Children’s Turtle Time programs.
Merchandise prices will be the same as last year, Youth Short Sleeve Shirts are $17, Adult Short Sleeve Shirts are $20-22 (depending on size), Adult Long Sleeve Shirts are $25-27, Hats and Tote Bags are $22. The complete collection of T-shirts from 1994 can be viewed in the photo section of the website.
Participation in the first Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program T-Shirt Contest was greatly appreciated. There were more than 20 submissions from participants in eight different states, and selecting the winning design from all of the submissions was very difficult.
The 2026 Contest Is Open
The HBTWP 2026 T-Shirt Design Contest is open through Oct. 15, 2025 for submissions of original, hand drawn designs for the 2026 season T-Shirt. If you love turtles and have a talent for graphic design, please consider donating your design to the contest.
Put your creative cap on and note these requirements:
• Only one design submission allowed, per individual
• The design must include a sea turtle
• The design must be an original hand drawn design
• The design is limited to two colors
• The design must be in a PDF format to allow for possible changes in printing constraints
• The chosen design will become the property of the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program
• Submissions should be sent to orders@hbturtlewatch.org
• FINAL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER, 2025 @ 11:59 PM
• All submissions will be acknowledged upon receipt
HBTWP was founded in 1989 to monitor and protect the sea turtle population on Holden Beach. This all volunteer, nonprofit conservation organization operates under the authority of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.
For more information about the HBTWP, visit them on their website at www.hbturtlewatch.org or find the group on Facebook.
