by Robert J. Nebel
Editor, Mens Traveler

Atlanta Falcons’ fullback Ovie Mughelli confesses that he had never heard of Tybee Island, Georgia. Mughelli had no idea that there was such beauty off of South Georgia’s coast. So when he went on a vacation to the island’s Oceanfront Cottage Rentals, Mughelli discovered that beauty and plenty of recreation is a short drive from his home in suburban Atlanta. “Being on Tybee is just like being on St. Bart’s,” he recalls. “The island has calm, peace and tranquility.”

The Oceanfront Cottage Rentals is a slice of heaven for guests like Mughelli. “The master bed where I stayed has three sides glass,” Mughelli says. “I loved waking up to the sun. I can’t say that for a lot of cottages where I stayed in the past.” There are over 70 one to seven luxurious bedroom homes located at Oceanfront. All the rooms have today’s “must-have amenities” including wireless Internet access.

This property is also great for a “Guys Weekend.” Fishing, golf, gambling, a night on the town or a history tour of Tybee and Savannah are just a few of the activities that a group of guys can do for a weekend visit.
Click here for more details: Oceanfront Cottage Rentals Guys Weekend

For Mughelli, the Oceanfront is his great escape from life on the gridiron. Long strolls on the beach, biking and fishing are enough for this young athlete to get his “water and beach fix” since Atlanta doesn’t have natural aquatic opportunities that the Georgia coast provides. Indeed, Mughelli grew up in Charleston, but his family occasionally visited the South Carolina town’s public beaches. So a trip to this beach was an instant hit for Mughelli.

Recently, Mughelli discovered that there is more to life than football. “Being with the Falcons, we have always done a lot of community work like the Captain Planet events,” he says. The Captain Planet Foundation is the brainchild of media mogul turned restaurateur, Ted Turner. Turner created the foundation to bring about environmental awareness through the successful Captain Planet cartoons and community initiatives. “I always loved Captain Planet, even knew that opening jingle so I had to be at this event,” Mughelli recalls.

It was at that Captain Planet event where Turner’s daughter, Laura Turner Seydel challenged Mughelli to become environmentally aware. “The things that Laura brought up, I didn’t agree with at first,” Mughelli recalls. “But when she talked about the connection between how we treat the Earth and how it affects our kids’ future -- that changed me.”

As a result, Mughelli added environmental awareness to the foundation that he set up. These days, Mughelli goes around to schools to talk with children about the environment. He also runs football/eco camps to underprivileged kids in Atlanta and Charleston. One activity he conducts is a recycling exercise in the middle of a football field. By running these camps for the underprivileged, Mughelli hopes to be the catalyst for change in their neighborhoods. “In these camps, I make the kids aware that they have landfills in their backyards,” Mughelli says. “If they want to go to the beach, they have to go to the public ones which are not nearly as clean as Tybee Island. Kids shouldn’t have to worry about stepping on glass when they’re at the beach.” Are all the kids betting the eco-message? “Some of the kids think that they’re too cool,” he says. “But, overall, I think I’m getting through to most of them.”

In May 2010, Mughelli teamed up with Oceanfront Beach Cottage Rental owner Stacye Jarrell for a eco-conscious press conference. It was there where Mughelli and Jarrell raised awareness teaching children and their parents the importance of preserving areas like Tybee. Buying locally grown organic foods, recycling, reducing the use of gasoline-powered motorized vehicles and shrinking ones carbon footprint are just a few of the items discussed at the conference. With the recent Gulf oil spill, that conference stressing oceanfront preservation, couldn’t have come at a better time.

When guests visit the Oceanfront Rentals, they will see the excellence that owner Stacye Jarrell has put into the property. “My parents were totally surprised by this place,” Mughelli says. “At first, they said, ‘where are you taking us’?”

Mughelli hopes to retire from football in the near future and expand the Ovie Mughelli Foundation. He hopes to appear at more schools, run more camps and speak at companies to discuss the environment. “I’ve been playing the game most of my life,” he says. “My body has gotten quite beat up. I’m ready for new challenges.” MT

Visit Oceanfront Cottage Rentals on Tybee Island

The Ovie Mughelli Foundation

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