Employee of the Month - Peggy Wood
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By Katie Moss, Lover's Key Park Manager
Lovers Key State Park staff work hard to ensure the park is enjoyable for visitors from around the world. The park is open 365 days a year from 8AM until sunset, which means a lot of staff miss out on holidays with their families. Although, the staff at Lovers Key creates their own family and support one another.
Every month, the staff nominates one of their fellow coworkers for an Employee of the Month award. November’s Employee of the Month is Margaret “Peggy” Wood. Ranger Ally Cross says, “Peggy is very knowledgeable about the park and always helps however she can because she sure knows her stuff!” Most everyone has met Peggy at one point or another. She is Lovers Key State Park’s Senior Toll Collector and works daily in the Ranger Station. Peggy says, “My favorite part of my job is greeting and talking with visitors.”
She is incredibly knowledgeable about the wildlife found in the park which she has learned over the 16 years she has been working at Lovers Key State Park. Although she wants to keep her favorite part of the park a secret she will share what she loves most about Lovers Key is the beach. Quite often you can see Peggy taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the Ranger Station by heading out to the beach on one of the park’s carts to check out the beach. Afterwards she can provide visitors with the most up to date information on the conditions of the beach.
Next time you visit Lovers Key State Park make sure to say Thank You for her incredible service to Florida State Parks! Without people like Peggy, Lovers Key would not be such a wonderful place to visit.
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FOLKs 2019 Calendar
For the second year now, the FOLKS Calendar Committee is proud to present the new calendar for 2019. Again, the calendar will feature the excellent nature photography of Dennis Goodman who this year is joined by John Brady, whose serene large format landscapes contribute to the high quality and beauty of this years’ presentation.
Last year some 1500 calendars were sold with the proceeds going to the fundraising campaign established to complete the installation of environmental exhibits in the new Welcome and Discovery Center. 17 different area businesses provided generous donations to assist in the publication of the calendar, a campaign successfully headed up by FOLKs member Kathryn Klar. In addition to being a very successful fundraiser for FOLKS the high quality of the art in the calendar helps introduce and support the skills of area nature photography which will continue to be a focus by calendars in the years to come. We hope to sponsor and introduce the art of these special artisans as they present the natural beauty of SW Florida and Lovers Key State Park.
Calendars can now be purchased on the website or at several locations within the Park . Enjoy!
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“After a visit to the beach, it's hard to believe that we live in a material world."
Pam Shaw
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FOLKs - A Fun Fundraising Retailer
The goals of the Friends of Lovers Key, Inc., a not for profit Citizen’s Support Organization (CSO) are to preserve, protect and support Lovers Key State Park. To meet these goals, FOLKS volunteers conduct a variety of fundraising activities. Some of the activities are: an annual Wedding Vow Renewal, an annual 5 K race, an annual Nautical Market and Boat Show, collecting membership dues and conducting retail sales.
Proceeds from the sale of merchandise makes up about 25% of the net annual revenue derived from the actives noted. The merchandise consists of cookbooks, calendars, T-shirts and ladies tank tops.
Cotton T-shirts have long been sold at the park Ranger Station. New to our collection are moisture-wicking ladies V-neck T-shirts and racerback tank tops, and moisture-wicking adult crew neck T-shirts, short and long sleeve. The short sleeve cotton T-shirts and tank tops are $15. Moisture-wicking T-shirts and tank tops are $20, and long sleeves are $25.00. All apparel has printed on the upper left frontside our iconic sea turtle logo. On the back are the sea turtles swimming past the “Lovn’ it at Lovers Key” message.
All merchandise is available on site at Lovers Key State Park and various offsite events. The cookbooks and calendars may also be ordered directly from our website, www.friendsofloverskey.org
In keeping with our goal to support the Park, in recent years the revenue from the retail sales, events and membership dues have been used to purchase a beach wheelchair, charcoal grills, printer/copier, office furniture and supplies, a solar powered bird call for nesting shore birds as well as repairs to field equipment. In addition to purchases to meet emergency needs, the remaining revenue is directed to the Welcome and Discovery Center Fund to aid in acquiring the exhibits and furnishings for the soon to be Welcome and Discovery Center.
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$$$$
What did you want to be when you grew up? What did you want to do in retirement? How about a King in his counting house counting out his money?
That can be you! If you are interested in being a money counter, Friends of Lovers Key, Inc. has just the place for you. Wanted! A treasurer. Contact Jack DeLancy at 239 470 9556 or email jdelancy@aol.com.
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Mark your Calendars!
Save the Dates!
2018/2019 Season of FOLKS Special Events
Check our website and upcoming E-News for more details as these events draw near.
2018
December 6 Groundbreaking Ceremony for Welcome and Discovery Center
December 9 Santa on the Sand (1-4 PM)
December 14-16 Bid on the FOLKs Christmas tree at the Fort Myers Beach Woman's Club Christmas Tree Festival and Auction
2019
January 12 Wine Tasting
January 22 Annual Board Meeting (6-7 PM)
Speaker: Dr. Jose Leal, Science Director and Curator, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum
January 25-27 Nautical Market and Boat Show
February 14 Valentines Day Vow Renewal
10 AM-12 PM, 1-3 PM, 4-6 PM
February TBA Star Gazing - Members Only Event
April 12 Luau on the Beach (6-8 PM)
May 11 Annual Turtle Trot 5K
Songwriters at Sunset Free Live Acoustic Musical Concerts in the Gazebo – First Thursday of the Month
Dec. 13, 2018
Jan. 3, 2019
Feb. 7, 2019
March 7, 2019
April 4, 2019 |
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Santa on the Sand returns by popular demand on Dec. 9.
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Seeking a Volunteer Media Coordinator
The FOLKS Board is looking for a volunteer to assume duties as Media Coordinator. The position involves writing and distributing press releases, getting to know community leaders and press staff, website content management, and a host of challenging and fun opportunities. The FOLKS Media Coordinator is now even more important to the Park as the new building comes out of the ground and the Capital Campaign to outfit the building moves into high gear!
Come Join us!! Call Rich Donnelly, President: 239 495 7045.
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| FOLKS would like to thank the following Business Sponsors for their support as we fund raise for the future Welcome and Discovery Center. Please consider visiting their businesses and supporting them as well. Business Partners help support the environmental education mission of the Park.
Add your business to the list!
Contact Rich Donnelly at: president@friendsofloverskey.org
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The Friends of Lovers Key, Inc. is a non-profit organization formed by the citizens of the community to support Lovers Key State Park and is registered as a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As such, your Membership and Donations are tax-deductible.
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