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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
December 13
, 2018
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Refuge funding continues to decline; private philanthropic support helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
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Click the logo to learn more about our 45/82 Society and leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
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We WON! Click
HERE to read more about America's best restroom
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Thank you to everyone who has made a year-end gift to support the conservation efforts at the Refuge. Every gift makes a difference.
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TODAY:
Lecture & Shop 'Ding' Holiday Event
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We're in the holiday spirit!
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Special lectures and free refreshments will be highlights of
the Refuge Nature Store's Shop "Ding" holiday event in the Visitor & Education Center, hosted by the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society on Thursday, December 13,
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Emeritus Board Member Terry Baldwin contributed a number of photos, such as this Roseate Spoonbill shot on the cover, to Protecting Sanibel and Captiva Islands
. The Store will offer a special discount on the new book today only, along with other exclusive buys.
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Lecture TODAY:
Charles LeBuff and Betty Anholt will debut their new book and present two special lectures today, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with book-signings to follow. Their
Protecting Sanibel and Captiva Islands: The Conservation Story
released this month and is available for purchase and a special offer today READ MORE
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Woodring 100th Anniversary Exhibition
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| Part of the exhibition will explore the long Refuge-Woodring connection. Here, Ralph Woodring, Jr., is pictured with Charles LeBuff, a former Refuge ranger; and Tommy Wood, the first Refuge manager and a former neighbor of the Woodrings. |
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To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Woodring home, now encompassed within Refuge boundaries, the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society will partner with the Woodring family for a special two-month-long exhibition in the admission-free Visitor & Education Center Auditorium.
The exhibition's public unveiling will take place at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 23. At 10 a.m., as part of a seated program, nationally renowned Teddy Roosevelt reprisor Joe Wiegand will make a special guest appearance, and Ralph Woodring will recount stories about growing up in the home and on the island. Another presentation will take place at 3 p.m., with a free showing of the WGCU film
Untold Stories: Sanibel I
at 1 p.m. Through March 25, the exhibition will be open Saturday through Thursday (closed Fridays) and will feature
READ MORE
Thanks to our sponsors for making this exhibition possible: GOLD LEVEL: Mike & Terry Baldwin, Mark & Gretchen Banks, Jim & Patty Sprankle, Ralph & Jean Woodring, Bailey's General Store
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Middle School Photo Contest
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First-place winner "Sunny Side Up" by Amanda Cohen
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Last week, the award ceremony for the annual Sanibel School Middle School Photo Contest took place at the Refuge. The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society sponsors the contest with support from the Bank of the Islands and also holds a similar contest with Cypress Lake Middle School students. First place winner Amanda Cohen submitted this image titled "Sunny Side Up." Jessika Laborde took second place with "Catching a Morning Snack;" and Lydia Whalen won third place for "Wasps of the Death Star."
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Your contributions to the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society support our new water quality studies, wildlife conservation, and the opportunity to educate future generations on the importance of preserving planet Earth. Click
HERE
to read our latest appeal.
Learn more
about contributing to DDWS.
Click
HERE
for the Holiday Wish List and target your donation for specific Refuge needs.
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Improving Water Quality: Ongoing Education
by Sarah Ashton & Jim Metzler, Advocacy Committee Co-Chairs
 One of the most important things we can do to improve water quality is continually educate ourselves on key issues and proposed solutions. Ongoing education enables us to be accurate and up to date when we talk about water quality to friends and when we request our political leaders to take action.
DDWS
is a member of the
Everglades Coalition
(EVCO), a collection of more than 60 organizations dedicated to moving water south out of Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades. EVCO is holding its annual conference January 10-12, 2019, on Duck Cay. At the conference, speakers will discuss a wide range of topics including how to control harmful algae blooms and better manage growth in the state. One session that we are particularly interested in is titled "Post-Election Landscape: Policies and Priorities for Elected Officials."
If you are interested in attending the conference and updating your knowledge of exactly where we stand in the battle for clean water, the conference schedule and registration information can be found
here
. We will be summarizing conference highlights in future newsletters.
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To celebrate the history of the first documented tarpon caught on a rod-and-reel in "Ding" Darling's Tarpon Bay in 1885, Doc Ford's and the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge have partnered to host this eighth annual "catch, care, and release" tournament on May 3, 2019.
Thanks to those
sponsors who have stepped up to make this another stellar event.
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Register
now to attend the seventh annual fundraiser for the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society on
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
, at the Sanibel Community House. This year's
Go Wild for "Ding" - Call of the Osprey
theme continues a series of bird-themed events to benefit the birds, other wildlife, land acquisition, and conservation and education efforts at the Refuge. "Seating is limited and we once again anticipate a sold-out crowd," said event committee member and DDWS President Mike Baldwin. "We encourage people READ MORE.
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CALL OF THE WILD SPONSORS
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Preserving the Islands Book Debuts Here
Tomorrow!
Just in time for holiday giving to the history buffs on your list,
Protecting Sanibel and Captiva Islands: The Conservation Story
by Betty Anholt and Charles LeBuff goes on sale today at the Refuge Nature Store. The book examines the overarching impulse of island residents and visitors to protect the islands. It "describes the evolution of the conservation ethic on the islands and how it continues despite numerous obstacles."
Stop in to pick up your books today, or contact Store Manager
Ann-Marie Wildman
at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for information on shipping. Click
here
to view a gallery of other available gifts at the Nature Store.
Remember, members of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society receive a 10% discount at the Nature Store. Profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
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Every Kid in the Refuge
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Fourth-grade classes that visit the Refuge sign up for students' one-year free passes. |
As part of the federal
Every Kid in a Park initiative
, "Ding" Darling is participating by issuing free annual passes to any fourth-grade student and homeschool equivalent in the U.S. during the 2018-2019 school year.
The passes are available and valid through August 2019 at any national wildlife refuge, national park or forest, and other federal land. They provide free admission for each fourth grader, accompanying siblings up to age 15, and up to three accompanying adults. "The Every Kid in a Park program is part of an ongoing effort
READ MORE
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In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
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Wood Duck
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Location
: St. Charles, Arkansas (160,756 acres)
Totemic Fauna
: Prothonotary Warbler, Wood Duck, Black Bear
Fun for the Family
: An interpretive center introduces the refuge to visitors. Be sure to see the Champion Cypress Tree.
Visitor's Tip
: The refuge includes 356 natural or man-made lakes. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to visit. A Refuge User Permit must be signed and carried during all refuge visits.
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Prothonotary Warbler
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Black Bear family
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In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we share a quick tip on how you can turn your lifestyle greener. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our
Green Holidays
A few tips for keeping your holiday decorating and giving earth friendly:
- Avoid ribbons, wrapping paper, and other decorations with glitter. Considered a microplastic, glitter can end up in our water and food sources.
- Gift bags are a better ecological choice than wrapping paper because they are more likely to be repurposed.
- Buy energy-saving LED holiday lights.
- Recycle your Christmas tree.
- Instead of gifts with a lot of packaging, consider tax-deductible donations to
charitable organizations instead. Click here to learn more.
Doing Our Part to Reduce Plastic
"Ding" Darling is committed to and has led the way on the islands in reducing the single-use plastic products that plague our planet and threaten wildlife. Thanks to DDWS' efforts, we have eliminated plastic shopping bags and one-time-use plastic water bottles in the Refuge Nature Store and at Tarpon Bay Explorers' gift shop. In recent years, the Refuge has also installed a filtered water refill station and DDWS has transitioned to compostable plates, cups, and flatware for event use. We have
a no-straws policy.
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Click
HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings
A Great Blue Heron, courtesy of new Board Member David Jeffrey: The herons made appearances all over Wildlife Drive and Bailey Tract the past few weeks.
T
o see more wildlife photos like this one, click on our social media links:
If you have taken any beautiful, interesting, or just plain goofy photos taken at the Refuge, send them to Development Officer,
Sierra Hoisington, for a chance to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Volunteer Holiday Luncheon
- December 14, 2018
PBS The Swamp Film Preview
- January 7, 2019
Free Winter Programs
- January 7-May 5, 2019
Woodring Homestead 100th Anniversary Exhibit Unveiling
- January 23, 2019
Woodring 100th Anniversary Exhibit - January 23-March 25, 2019
Volunteer Awards Luncheon
- February 8, 2019
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These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our
website to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by Christopher Gutierrez & April Boehnen.
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