Do you know a great name for the blue crab on Maryland’s famed Treasure the Chesapeake license plate? Then now is the time to enter the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s “Name our Crab” competition. The Chesapeake Bay Trust, a non-profit, grantmaking organization dedicated to restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, has officially launched its “Name our Crab” competition. The Trust is looking for creative names to give an identity to the iconic blue crab seen by millions on Maryland’s Treasure the Chesapeake license plates.
“Last year residents around the Chesapeake Bay region participated in our first contest and helped give a name to our beloved blue heron mascot, Wade,” said Molly Alton Mullins, director of communications at the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “We wanted to continue that tradition by launching this contest for another iconic Chesapeake Bay creature that we all care about, the blue crab.”
The contest launches July 7 and name submissions can be made through the Trust’s Bay plate website. The naming submission period will end on July 21. Three names will be chosen as finalists and voted on by the public from July 23 until July 30. The official winner will be announced on August 4 and there are multiple chances to win prizes. There will be two grand prize winners: one for whose name is chosen to represent the blue crab and the other will be a randomly selected voter who chooses the winning name. These two lucky recipients will receive great prizes, including Southwest airline tickets, a free Bay plate, tickets to the Trust’s Treasure the Chesapeake Celebration gala and other upcoming events. There are also fantastic giveaways for the runner-ups and randomly chosen participants daily throughout the contest. Visit www.bayplate.org to see the official rules and prizes.
“Most Marylanders don’t know that when they spend $20 to buy a Bay plate, that money funds projects in their local community. These dollars plant trees, restore shorelines, remove trash and support outdoor education for children,” continued Mullins. “By holding these contests we are given the opportunity to showcase all the great work the Treasure the Chesapeake license plate does and hopefully encourage more people to support the Chesapeake by purchasing a Bay plate.”
Last year more than 1,000 individuals participated in the “Name our Bird” contest. The name “Wade” was chosen from hundreds of great ideas and beat out “Hattie the Heron” and “Seemore D. Bay” as the final selection. The “Name our Crab” contest is designed to build on the popularity of the initial contest while also increasing awareness for the work of the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Treasure the Chesapeake license plate.
To enter the contest and for its official rules, visit www.bayplate.org. Bay plates can be purchased online any time at www.bayplate.org and are mailed directly to your home. For more information on the Chesapeake Bay Trust and what Bay plates fund in your community, visit www.cbtrust.org.
