Nine years ago, when Jupiter resident Joe Zavertnik began volunteering with his daughter at the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach, he admits he "didn't have a clue about turtles." What Zavertnik did notice on that first Saturday morning was a need: the Loggerhead Center had only one person working at the turtle rehabilitation center. Today, Zavertnik has volunteered nearly 6,000 hours at the Loggerhead Center, assisting in the rehabilitation of sick and injured sea turtles, leading turtle walks, and educating children about marine life. Zavertnik, a Juno-based employee of Florida Power & Light Company, has enriched the lives of thousands of locals- both human and reptile. That's why he's been named the 2009 FPL "Volunteer of the Year" at FPL's Juno Beach headquarters.

Zavertnik began volunteering for the Loggerhead Center as a "turtle nurse." For six years he helped rehabilitate sea turtles from boat injuries or illness. Learning how to care for the turtles, checking eyesight and hearing, monitoring diet, and testing blood gave Zavertnik a great deal of knowledge to share and the focus of his work at the Center eventually turned to education.

Today, he works at the Loggerhead Center every Saturday as an educational docent. Zavertnik is particularly proud of his role in the development of the popular "Dr. Loggerhead" show, an interactive learning experience where visitors help in the medical treatment of a "mock" turtle checking in to the hospital. Over the years, his personal volunteerism has translated into greater FPL support and involvement with the turtle hospital.