The Steamship Authority (SSA) is teaming up with Impact Melanoma, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to working to reduce the incidence of melanoma, to install sunscreen dispensers at all SSA ports.
Look for the yellow Brightguard sunscreen (SPF 30) dispensers at all ports of entry: Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, Woods Hole, Hyannis, and Nantucket.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and staff at Impact Melanoma want visitors to the Islands to be conscious about protecting themselves from harmful UV rays.
Laurie Seavey, practice safe skin manager at Impact Melanoma, said she thinks having dispensers at ports near beach-loving coastal communities makes a lot of sense.
“The issue is that people need sunscreen. Sometimes people forget it, or they don’t know where to buy it, so we give them a convenient and free way to stay safe,” Seavey said.
According to Seavey, skin cancer rates continue to escalate, and the appropriate use of sunscreen can “significantly reduce the chance of skin cancer and melanoma.”
“And it saves you from getting a bad sunburn,” she added.
So far, 5,000 Brightguard automatic dispensers have been installed across the country, including one at the Chappy Beach Club.
Seavey said she hopes getting dispensers at the SSA will be just the start, and more publicly available units will be installed around the Island.
SSA spokesman Sean Driscoll said the ferry service is happy to be able to provide free skin protection to customers and staff.
“We are hoping to put dispensers in high-traffic areas, where people will be able to see them easily and access them whenever they need,” Driscoll said.
So, I guess working on acquiring ferry boats that are mechanically sound, not spending more time in dry dock than transporting passengers was a ‘bridge too far’?
This is funny. We get sun 3 months out of the year. I guess you cant be too careful.
Toomanysportsteamstomention, bear in mind there can be harmful UV rays can be well outside three months of the summer.
However, we are subjected to those floating lemons 365 days of the year.
Programs like this are designed to conceal their incompetence everywhere else.
I’m all for this, but does this company provide Reef Safe sunscreen? Believe it or not, there are coral reefs this far up north. Cutting out more harsh chemicals for people and the environment definitely is ideal, especially since this is a new implementation…
Are you serious?? SSA should worry about the crossings and leave the sunblock distribution to the parents