Happy Holidays!
From the family of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, wishing you and your family joy, peace, and the miracle of Nature this holiday season. Thank you for caring about our natural world.
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Refuge Cleanup with a Ranger
Want to help clean up the mess left behind by Hurricane Ian? We do, too! Join a Refuge Ranger every Wednesday to start gathering all the small debris left behind. Part of our Wellness Wednesday, the program will include information about the benefits of being active and spending time in nature. We will target different parts of the Refuge every week. Meet at the Visitor & Education Center parking lot for a safety brief before traveling to the cleanup site of the week. The Refuge will provide gloves, bags, and grabbers. Participation is limited; preregister on Eventbrite.
NOTE: You must be able to independently access the Refuge and Sanibel for this clean up. We will not be transporting anyone over the Causeway at this time.
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March 6, 2023: Annual Fundraiser
Go Wild for “Ding” has taken many shapes through the years as the major fundraiser for DDWS. To meet the challenges of the islands’ hurricane-recovery status, this year’s event evolves to take place on March 6 as Go Bully for “Ding” – An Evening with Teddy Roosevelt, riffing off one of the president’s favorite expressions.
The venue, too, has changed. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. at Broadway Palm in Fort Myers. In consideration of the hardships many island residents and business owners have suffered since the hurricane in September, DDWS has lowered the price of tickets to $75 per person this year. The mission, however, remains the same: All profits will support READ MORE.
Reservations go live January 11. Visit the Go Bully webpage for more information and to become a sponsor.
And here’s a word from “Teddy,” a special holiday message he sent to Refuge and DDWS staff and volunteers.
Thanks to the sponsors who have already pledged their support, listed below.
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Current sponsors:
Call of the Wild Sponsors: Gretchen Banks, Jim & Liz Birmingham, The Bluedorn Family, Jim & Patty Sprankle
Champion Sponsors: Wayne & Linda Boyd, Bill & Laurie Harkey, Jo Smith
Guardian Sponsors: Milestone Auctions, Willam & Barbara Millar, Bill & Heather O'Keefe
Protector Sponsors: Mike & Terry Baldwin
Defender Sponsors: A Friend of the Refuge, HighTower Advisors Fort Myers, Chip & Nancy Roach, Hank & Linda Spire
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Spotlight: Friends Rebuilding
As a regular feature, “Ding” on the Wing spotlights a business on the islands that has strongly supported the Refuge in the past and now needs us all to rally behind it as it navigates the long and arduous road to recovery.
One of our most cherished friends, Tarpon Bay Explorers serves a much bigger role than renting recreational equipment, conducting Refuge tours, and staffing the Wildlife Drive fee booth. As the official recreation concession for “Ding” Darling, co-owner Wendy Schnapp and her team are forever stepping in to volunteer at Refuge events, offer free tours for visiting media and VIP groups, contribute to our Conservation Scholarship program, and the list goes on and on.
The operation at Tarpon Bay Recreation Area took a hard hit from Hurricane Ian. It lost the greater part of its rental paddlecraft and bikes, all five of its rental pontoon boats, and the 40-passenger tour boat. The trams that take tours along Wildlife Drive may not be a total loss, but are currently inoperable. The good news, however, is that TBE expects to open sometime early to mid-February at a limited capacity. It will start by offering kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals, then add tours as demand requires – hours to be determined.
“We apologize for a vague timeline, but we are working with ‘Ding’ rangers and staff to ensure that the site’s safety concerns are addressed and completed before visitors are allowed to return to enjoy,” said Adam Sauerland, Assistant Manager. “We have worked very hard during the recovery process, and opening, albeit to a limited capacity, will be a breath of fresh air.”
He plans to open the site’s popular Gift & Nature Shop, which suffered only minor roof damage, at the same time. Watch “Ding” on the Wing and TBE’s social media pages for updates.
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Reflections on ‘Ding’ Darling
By Dan Pickard
Dan’s father, Dr. Sol Pickard, passed away on November 1, 2022, and Dan shared this memory with those who attended the memorial service.
I teach physics and astronomy. The current consensus among astrophysicists is that if time-travel is possible, that is more likely to be possible into the future than to the past. I don’t have time to explain why - nor can I do so with certainty. Fortunately, we have the phenomena of memory to reflect on our past, to guide our future, and to simply linger on the good moments.
A time and place filled with many good moments for me is the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a freshwater oasis in the middle of Sanibel Island along the salty Gulf Coast of Florida. My family has visited there every February for over 40 years, most of those years with my dad.
There is one spot in the Refuge, a favorite of mine and my dad’s. It is a large lagoon at the far end of the Refgue - often filled with hundreds READ MORE
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Hurricane Update
We will consistently update our Resource Page and include a hurricane update each week in our "Ding" on the Wing. Please access those sites doing a better job with on-the-ground updates, such as the City of Sanibel. Please call us with any Refuge questions at 239-292-0566.
For residents and businesses affected by Hurricane Ian, here is a printable pdf of resources. We are trying to keep it updated and hoping it helps.
Here are a few new links:
- City of Sanibel Hurricane Ian Recovery Facebook Live Update.
- City of Sanibel Mayoral proclamation on vegetation permits and demolition fees Link
- High water mark article by SCCF. Read
- Wink News - "Working to get Sanibel beaches and business open after Ian" article.
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WoW Update: Celebrating Tice
WoW (Wildlife on Wheels) participated last week in the community Fall Festival at James Stephens Elementary in the community of Tice. Some 175 students and parents toured the mobile nature classroom that afternoon.
During this time the Refuge is closed to school groups due to hurricane damage, WoW is the most important tool in the “Ding” repertoire for education and community outreach, both crucial to the Refuge mission. It keeps us #DingStrong.
WoW currently operates with a reduced team because of the hurricane’s impact on staffing. Now, more than ever, Refuge community outreach needs your help. Donate today to support the upkeep and programming for WoW efforts. Thank you for helping us spread the conservation message to those with limited opportunities to experience and appreciate the wonder of nature.
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Refuge Programming & Events
The Visitor & Education Center and Wildlife Drive remains closed due to hurricane damage until further notice. Consequently, many programs and events have been canceled. Read DOTW for news of activities that are still being planned.
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Starting January 2, the Refuge Wellness team begins mindfulness programming at the Sanibel Rec Center. Stay tuned for details.
- In January, the Refuge Education Team begins its round of school visits to get students excited about the Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Watch this video created by “Ding” rangers to learn more about the contest and how to draw a duck. The judging for the Florida contest is held each year at “Ding” Darling, where the program got its start.
Photo caption: Stay tuned for news about upcoming mindfulness and other wellness programming.
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Show Us Your #DingStrong Merch
Thank you to everyone who has purchased their #DingStrong merch! We can't wait to see all our supporters in their newest additions to their fall fashion. For a chance to be highlighted in "Ding" on the Wing, send in a photo of yourself wearing your #DingStrong merch to April Boehnen.
If you still need to purchase your #DingStrong merch, you can do so HERE.
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Susan Miller and Family in Ohio | |  |
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Pick a Refuge Wish List Gift
With the holidays upon us, you may want to add the Refuge to your gift list this season. Take a list of our Symbolic Gifts for Wildlife to see how you can benefit those that mean the most to us – the wildlife.
You can also make a gift in honor or in memory of someone and the DDWS will send an email to your recipient before Christmas letting them know of your thoughtful support.
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Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs, wildlife research, and overall conservation efforts.
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A Poem by Meghan Prindle
If you have a photo, poem, video, or other feel-good find and you'd like the chance to be highlighted in our "Ding" on the Wing, please email it to April Boehnen .
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I Found an Old Picture of You
by Meghan Prindle
White. A condo bathed in citrus sun; a slender egret painted in the window-pane; well-pressed khakis and light linen shirts; hair soft and familiar, rendered wise and well-worn crowns.
Black. Typeface saved in albums old; Montana mountains, rocketships, and stars; bridal and mannerly fetes remembered; a world at war written down.
Sepia. Twinkling fireflies cinema-bound; arrow shirts and lost family farms; grocery aisles in Western Reserves; Howard, red-headed, under the sun; Naomi, raven-haired, trolleying to town.
Yet, black and white and sepia (united all)
Yield more than what technicolor could recall.
A man and a wife, a girl, a spaniel – and a twinkle in their eyes;
Denim rolled, shoes off, a welcoming pair of hosts;
Young and happy and unafraid, looking to what ahead lies;
The start and substance of a life.
Photo of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron by David Jeffrey
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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,
Birgit Miller, Executive Director
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by April Boehnen
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