March 23, 2023

March 25: Join Us for Sounds of the Sand

Join DDWS and Two Lane Lager in supporting the Refuge at our Sounds of the Sand music festval at Bell Tower shops in Fort Myers on Saturday, March 25, from 1 to 7 p.m. Island musician Danny Morgan and other acts will perform throughout the day.

Enjoy family activities such as face-painting, a bounce house, lawn games, and cotton candy; along with beer-drinking, archery instruction, axe-throwing, themed photo ops, artist-in-residence demonstrations, and store specials. This is a free event to attend.

Event Partners: Two Lane Lager and Bell Tower.

Sponsors: Bubbly Latitude (a Sanibel-based Bell Tower merchant), Dixie Fish Company, Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille, RS Walsh Landscaping, The Island Store and Bailey's General Store

For more information, follow the event on Facebook.

View flyer.

April 4: Wildlife Drive, Visitor Center, and Bailey Tract Reopen

On April 4, “Ding” Darling will open the gate to Wildlife Drive for the first time since Hurricane Ian with a 9:30 a.m. Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony. The “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center and Bailey Tract will also reopen that day.

“The ‘Ding’ team, with help from refuge crews around the U.S., has been working nonstop to get parts of the Refuge open so the public can once again view the wildlife, which has made a remarkable comeback since Hurricane Ian, especially the birds,” said “Ding” Refuge Complex Project Leader Kevin Godsea. READ MORE

WoW Update: Post-Spring-Break Action

Following Spring Break for local schools this week, WoW (Wildlife on Wheels heads to Title-1 Sunshine Elementary in Lehigh Acres on March 27 for a four-week stay. It winds up the school year with Lehigh Senior High April 24 to 28.

The general public can experience WoW for free on April 22 to celebrate “Ding” Darling Day and Earth Day at Lakes Park in Fort Myers. Urban Education Leader Melissa Maher is currently scheduling summer camps once school is out.

Now more than ever, with post-hurricane staffing cuts, Refuge community outreach needs your help. Donate today to support the upkeep and staffing for WoW. Thank you for helping us spread the conservation message to those with limited opportunities, so they can experience and appreciate wildlife and its habitat.

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 road to recovery.

A high-level sponsor for the "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament since year 1 in 2012, Diversified Yacht Services (DYS) of Fort Myers Beach recovered relatively quickly from hurricane damage, at first to begin checking on customers’ boats, then, within six weeks, to open its yard to bring boats in.

The docks at DYS received the most damage, but its haul-out slip has passed inspection and is fully operational. It currently uses temporary floating docks with fueling capacities and expects new docks and fuel pumps by midsummer.

“We are excited to be a sponsor for the tarpon tournament again this year,” said General Manager Mary Boutelle. “The positive impact that ‘Ding' Darling has on our local waters and fisheries is something that we value and want to support. The tarpon tournament is a great way to partner with a cause that is so important to this area’s boaters and our local fishing community.”

ShopDingDarling.com

Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs, wildlife research, and overall conservation efforts.

Refuge Cleanups

This week, the Refuge tackled the muck, debris, and other destruction at Bailey Tract. Thanks to the 60 volunteers - students and chaperones from Marquette High School in St. Louis, Missouri – who worked through Keep Lee County Beautiful for their service project. The ongoing cleanup at Bailey Tract involves hard work and heavy lifting - removing furniture and lots of other household wash-up from the storm’s flood.

Hurricane (and Related Environmental) Update

We consistently update our Resource Page and include a hurricane update each week in our "Ding" on the Wing. Call us with any Refuge questions at 239-292-0566. 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 Waste Management Resuming Collection of Horticulture & Vegetation
Turtle Season begins soon. Things to remember.
CROW Hospital has reopened on Sanibel
More information about mayor and vice mayor election.
Deadline nears for Lee County FDEM debris removal
MOTE Marine Laboratory working with dozen promising ideas to Combat Red Tide
"Wading bird season produced historic numbers in Everglades. What we know"
Southwest Florida Real Estate experts share insight for 2023
Florida tries to prepare for increasingly intense hurricanes : NPR
Got hurricane insurance from Citizens? Here’s a new reason your bill may rise in Florida
New customers needing hurricane repairs flood Citizens Insurance
Lee County Chairman foresees building back better after Hurricane Ian
Hurricane debris in water hazards still present. Sanibel Fire rescues 7
Florida leaders share Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Fort Myers
Red tide is killing manatees across Florida
Plover suffering from red tide poisoning on Sanibel
FWC and DEP Visit Southwest Florida to Survey Red Tide Conditions and Ensure Local Needs Are Being Met
TCH event to mark post-hurricane reopening of island gathering place
Gov. DeSantis visits Fort Myers as insurance crisis worsens
Ian's storm surge changed Sanibel's freshwater lake environments and now brings a new algae concern
UN Climate Change Report Warns World Is on 'Thin Ice'
Pine Island, Sanibel bridge repair estimates total $375M
Homeowners without insurance can pay for Hurricane Ian damage repairs with grant money
This bipartisan bill in Congress would help Florida tackle harmful algal blooms
A message to Florida from 1953: Please don’t do what we did
FGCU expert addresses seaweed mass and what it means for Southwest Florida
Researchers hope to see Gulf waters improving 6 months after Ian
Cleanup work continuing in SWFL waters for ‘the next year’ after Hurricane Ian
UN warns against 'vampiric' global water use
Beware Florida: New mosquito found 'thriving' in 3 counties may spread, transmit disease
Save the Florida Panther Day in Collier County recognizes local conservation efforts
Read about the history of Sanibel's Freshwater and SCCF account on Hurricane Ian's impact on it.
"U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service seeks public input on proposed SWFL wildlife conservation area" WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida

Conservation scholarships help replenish our world with young wildlife ambassadors.

13 DDWS Conservation Scholarships Available

Application deadline is March 31 for 13 DDWS scholarships amounting to more than $20,000. Ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each, the scholarships are available to high school seniors, college students, and graduate students in or from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties pursuing degrees in environmental-related studies. This year’s named scholarships include READ MORE

Refuge Programming & Events

The Visitor & Education Center and Wildlife Drive remain closed due to hurricane damage until further notice. Consequently, many programs and events have been canceled or postponed. Read DOTW for news of activities still being planned.

Sounds of the Sand fundraiser at Bell Tower, 1 to 7 p.m. on March 25, benefits Refuge hurricane recovery and conservation. DDWS, Two Lane Lager, and Bell Tower partner for the free event.
Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) hosts Get Inspired! SanCap Volunteer Expo at Sanibel's BIG ARTS on Thursday, March 30, Online registration is required.
Deadline to apply for DDWS Scholarships for Environmental Studies is March 31.
The Nature Store pops up at the Rachel Pierce Art Gallery marketplace from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. most Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays through March.
Refuge Cleanup with a Ranger takes place every Thursday in March at 9 a.m. Participation is limited; preregister on Eventbrite.
Come out to celebrate the post-hurricane reopening of Wildlife Drive and the Visitor & Education Center on Tuesday, April 4.
“Ding” Darling Day Conservation Carnival once again visits Lakes Park in Fort Myers on Saturday, April 22, in concert with Earth Day.
May 3-10, “Ding” Wellness Week precedes National Mental Health Awareness Week.
The annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament takes place May 19. Registration is open. Only two spots remain. Thanks to our 2023 sponsors. To become a sponsor, contact April Boehnen.
Mark your calendar for Art in the Wild on Saturday, October 21, at the Refuge.

Feel-Good Finds

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 .

John & Terry Thomas shared a beautiful Captiva sunset from a trip in 2019.

Steve Allen shared this photo he took at "Ding" in 2018 of a White Ibis.

Wellness Tip

As part of our Nature Wellness Program for 2023, watch here for tips and advice on how to center your mind and improve your wellbeing both outdoors and indoors.

A Breath of Calm

You feel overwhelmed or nervous. The feeling is real, and your throat is tight. What is the first thing that you do to recenter yourself? Take a breath. Intentional breathing can help us feel calm and collected.

Why? This article from Harvard Health outlines the various reasons intentional breathing exercises work by shifting your body from the activated “fight or flight” response to the restorative “rest and digest” state.

This week’s tip: Experiment with different breathing exercises to see which you like best. Learn and practice the breathing exercise in a state of calm; once you have the hang of it, use it as needed for calming and grounding.

Some of the most popular breathing exercises include square breathing (breath in, hold, out, hold in equal time allotments) and pursed-lip breathing (slow and extend your exhale by pursing your lips, as if blowing through a straw).