Meet Vern Adkins

Vern lives just down the road from the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, so when he began looking for volunteer opportunities, it felt like a natural place to start. He fondly remembered his first visit to the Center years earlier while on vacation and how much he enjoyed the experience. That positive impression stayed with him, and when he and his wife, Melinda, moved cross-country from Minnesota to the Treasure Coast in 2018, Florida Oceanographic was already on his radar.

After settling in, Vern and Melinda purchased a family membership and often took breaks from unpacking to hike the Coastal Center’s nature trail. Living nearby and visiting regularly allowed Vern to become deeply familiar with Florida Oceanographic Society’s mission and goals. In 2020, he decided that volunteering was his way of giving back and helping protect the local environment and the wildlife that depend on it. Since then, he has contributed more than 100 volunteer hours and enjoys working alongside a passionate team dedicated to conservation.

Vern supports a variety of research and stewardship projects aimed at preserving Florida’s coastal ecosystems for future generations. He participates in the Beach Cleanup Program, which allows him to remove trash and man-made debris from local beaches and roadways in Martin County on a schedule that works best for him. Most recently, he joined the Sea Turtle Scout Patrol Program, where volunteers walk designated beaches after dark searching for nesting loggerhead sea turtles. When a turtle is found, scouts identify the species and nesting stage before escorting classroom guests to the beach to witness the nesting process—from egg laying to the turtle’s return to the ocean. The goal is to provide a safe, educational, and unforgettable experience that inspires stewardship.

After consulting for several years, Vern officially retired in 2024 following more than 50 years as an electrician and engineer. He and Melinda, who also volunteers at Florida Oceanographic, raised two sons and are proud grandparents to two grandsons and two granddaughters. In his free time, Vern enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and observing wildlife at Florida Oceanographic, as well as at local parks and beaches. Earlier in life, he also enjoyed piloting private airplanes and even had the opportunity to co-pilot a charter flight—an experience he still looks back on fondly.

SNAP SHOT

BORN: Jackson, Minnesota

COLLEGE: Attended several vocational schools and took many other classes, mainly programming related

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT: The Dolphin for good meals and great happy hour

RECENT BOOK: Mainly programming type books

MOVIES, TV, STREAMING: Action movies and the Landman series