Bruce Berman, Neighbor

Bruce Berman — Cupid Splash Organizer, Advocate, Educator and Environmentalist

A lifelong advocate and impassioned environmental activist, Bruce served as Boston's BayWatcher and Director of Strategy & Communications at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay in Boston for more than 35 years and taught marine science and public policy at Boston University for 15 years.

Since 2000, he and his wife Patricia Foley raised more than $10 million dollars to to restore and protect Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay, and connected more than 250,000 youth and teens to Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands with free youth environmental programs on the region's public beaches. One cornerstone of their success was polar plunge fundraisers like the Cupid Splash. Their first Splash for Boston Harbor was in 2010. Today, the annual event draws hundreds of costumed participants who eagerly plunge into frigid waters to fulfill fundraising pledges from family, friends and sponsors.

Fifteen years ago, Bruce and Patty fell in love with Miami Beach and bought a condo here. Now, the couple spends May through November living aboard their boat (the Verandah) at Constitution Marina on Boston Harbor and December through April on Miami Beach — where you can find Bruce exploring Biscayne Bay and fishing offshore.

It was only natural that Bruce saw the opportunity to leverage his success from Boston Harbor for the benefit of Biscayne Bay and our community, and the first annual Miami Beach Cupid Splash was born. The event kicks off February 16, using the same winning formula from Boston Harbor’s polar plunges — though the water will be slightly warmer! The goal is to establish a successful annual event that will generate awareness and critical funds for Biscayne Bay and our community.

According to Berman, “I firmly believe the best way to save a degraded urban natural resource is to engage the public with free events and environmental education programs to nurture a new generation of environmental stewards, continuing the work that began with the Clean Water Act in 1972.”