Preview of “Waterlily Weekend”; Manatee and Sea Turtle Stickers Available
Volunteers are needed for Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 21st in Bonita Beach.
You can pick up cleaning supplies on Friday, September 20th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bonita Springs City Hall, 9101 Bonita Beach RD. SE.
Gloves, bags and a safety vest are provided courtesy of the city.
Volunteers will also be given a map of potential locations that participants can use to find spots that need cleaning. The city will provide a dumpster for participants to throw items they collect during the cleanup.
For additional cleanup locations and information about Keep Lee County Beautiful cleanups, visit klcb.org/events/coastal-cleanup/. You can also visit cityofbonitasprings.org or call 239-949-6262.
“Waterlily Weekend” in September
On September 7th and 8th, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the “Waterlily Weekend” will take place again at the Naples Botanical Garden.
During the event, there will be ample opportunity to admire the beauty of the nearly 500 water lilies displayed in the garden’s water features. Guests can enjoy demonstrations, family activities and conversations with our knowledgeable staff, all included in the price of admission to the garden.
For those who would like to delve deeper into the garden’s water lily collection, special paid tours are offered throughout the weekend.
Guests have the opportunity to see the brightest water lilies in their late summer bloom and participate in water lily demonstrations and expert talks.
Tours cost $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers.
Manatee and sea turtle stickers available
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has released its 2024-2025 manatee and sea turtle decals, which can be placed on watercraft and vehicle bumpers, as well as water bottles, coolers, tackle boxes and laptops.
New, waterproof stickers with original artwork are released each year and are available for a $5 donation at your local tax office. Sticker donations go directly to funding manatee and sea turtle research, rescue and management.
This year’s stickers emphasize the importance of protecting Florida’s waterways and beaches for manatees and sea turtles.
This year’s stickers also list the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922), where you can report dead, injured, entangled or sick manatees or sea turtles.
You can also help protect manatees and sea turtles by purchasing a special license plate from your local tax office that says “Save the Manatees” or “Help Sea Turtles Survive.”
For more information about protecting manatees and sea turtles in Florida, visit MyFWC.com/Manatee or MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle. If you are out of state, or the new stickers are not available at your tax office, or you would like to view and pick up stickers from previous years (1992-2023), type “stickers” into the search bar on MyFWC.com.
6th Annual Rookery Bay Classic Car Show is looking for vehicles
The 6th Annual Rookery Bay Classic Car Show will be held Saturday, November 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Florida SouthWestern State College, 7505 Grand Lely Drive, Naples.
The event will feature over 100 cars, from pre-1930s antiques to icons of the 30s, 40s and 50s and muscle cars of the 60s/70s to exotic/high-performance race cars from yesterday and today.
The day will feature food and specialty vendors, family-friendly activities and entertainment.
Car registration is now open at rookerybay.org/carshow for $25 per vehicle. Same-day registration is $35.
Admission to the animal-friendly car show is $10 cash for adults, $5 for ages 3 to 12, and free for children 3 and under. It also includes a free same-day pass to the nearby Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center at 300 Tower Road. The center features aquariums, a touch pool, exhibits, walking trails, a butterfly garden, picnic areas, an art gallery, and a gift shop.
Proceeds from the event benefit education, conservation and research at the 110,000-acre Rookery Bay Research Reserve, which covers 40 percent of Collier County’s coastline.
For more information call 239-530-5972.
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