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Look closely: Zebra longwing butterflies cozy up to the new native plants Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources planted along the Legacy Trail in Venice last month. The native plants are replacing invasive plants that were recently removed — and the butterflies seem happy about that!
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Once every two years, this unique 24-hour event enables all donors to maximize the value of their contributions to Friends of The Legacy Trail. Every donation of $25-$100 is matched by the Patterson Foundation. In addition, two FLT board directors will also match all $25-$100 donations up to a total of $2,000. Therefore the first $2,000 in donations will equal $6,000!
If you have been thinking of making a donation to support the Legacy Trail, please take advantage of this opportunity on April 28-29 to leverage your donation. As we approach the event date, this page on our website and our social media channels will provide more information and a link to the donation site.
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The Giving Partner Challenge is an exciting 24-hour giving event supporting local non-profits, including Friends of The Legacy Trail.
Presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County
with giving strengthened by The Patterson Foundation.
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Be the First to Know What's Happening
Follow Us on Social Media!
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COVID-19 Legacy Trail Status
Sarasota County is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources is in regular communication with the Sarasota County Health Department and continues to receive updates related to its operations. As of now, the Legacy Trail remains open. Everyone should observe six feet of social distancing. Please be especially cognizant of your social distancing at trailheads and stop stations. All state parks are closed, including Oscar Scherer State Park. If you have any questions, please email parksonline@scgov.net or call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000. For the latest information on COVID-19, please visit the Florida Department of Health website or call the Florida Department of Health 24/7 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. |
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Tour de Parks Rescheduled
As many of you know, this year's Tour de Parks, scheduled for March 22, was canceled due to COVID-19. We have rescheduled the event for March 21, 2021. For more information, please visit the Tour de Parks page of our website.
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Do You Want What We Want?
Consider Joining Us!
Your Membership Makes Us Stronger!
Just $15 for Individuals, $20 for Families.
Join Here.
Thank You.
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Surrey and Pedicab Update
Because of COVID-19, surrey rides and pedicab rides on the Legacy Trail have been suspended. Stay tuned for further updates.
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<— New Safety Signs —>
Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources recently installed these new signs encouraging Legacy Trail users to look both ways before crossing, push the button for flashing crossing lights, wait for the traffic to stop, and cross with caution. The one pictured here is at Bay Street. Others have been placed at Palmer Ranch Boulevard and Central Sarasota Parkway. One will also be placed at Colonia Lane.
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Thanks to your donations, Friends of The Legacy Trail was able to purchase this industrial blower to help keep the trail clean. Mowing and storms cause the Legacy Trail to be littered with debris. After discussions with the management of Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources, FLT moved ahead to purchase a stand-on debris blower for the county. This will help prevent flat tires and provide a better trail experience. Seen in this photo are Friends of The Legacy Trail President Louis Kosiba and Sarasota County PRNR Trails Specialist Sam Wright.
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The Public Votes on Trail Amenities
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Making the trail more beautiful than it already is, Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources is planning for a number of new amenities for the trail extension to enhance the overall park experience. Amenities include hardscape trail treatments (above), food trucks, areas for outdoor dining, playgrounds, and various shade shelters (below). The public was able to vote on these amenities at the public presentations about the Legacy Trail extension conducted by the county last fall. The top vote getter was the hardscape trail treatments. Food trucks came in second, and natural playgrounds, outdoor dining areas, and stops stations with benches all came in third. The county will consider these preferences as it continues with its planning for the extension.
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Stay in the Know!
A reminder that Sarasota County has a designated web page for Legacy Trail updates. You can sign up there to receive periodic email announcements.
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From the President
By Louis Kosiba
President
Friends of The Legacy Trail
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We hope this April edition of our newsletter finds you and your family in good health and spirits. Your friends at FLT wish you the very best during these trying times. While we do not track age, I believe our membership demographics trend toward more mature age groups, which seem to be more susceptible to COVID-19. However, I firmly believe exercise is the fountain of youth. Your daily activity, whether it be walking, running, cycling, or some other exercise, makes you stronger physically and mentally. So I hope you are able to continue your routine. As of this writing, the Legacy Trail remains open. However, as you can imagine, this may change at any time. The trail has been extremely busy. Courtesy and social distancing needs to be practiced. This is especially true when you arrive at trailheads and stop stations.
FLT will continue to work to ensure that the trail and its extension provide a pleasant experience for our community. However, since March 18, Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources has temporarily suspended its volunteer program. That means that the FLT ambassador program is suspended as well as the surrey and pedicab. As of this writing, county staff continues to work on the trail and its extension. If you see one of them, please consider thanking them for their dedication and hard work. The trail you love could not exist without them.
This year FLT planned three major fundraisers to support the trail: Tour de Parks, which was canceled and rescheduled for next year; Sharky’s Ride the Beaches, which has been postponed; and the upcoming Giving Challenge, which is still on! This will be an easy, safe way to contribute to FLT and many other charitable or non-profit organizations that you support.
Finally, small businesses are hurting. FLT has supporting business members and sponsors. Please take a look at the list of business members and sponsors on our website, and, if you can, please patronize them now and in the future. They will appreciate your support. Please tell them, “FLT sent me.”
We are in this together. Stay safe.
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Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources staff and volunteers recently installed 109 native plants consisting of 18 different species along the Legacy Trail. The plants were purchased with a donation from Friends of The Legacy Trail. The purpose of the planting is to enhance and improve habitat in an area where invasive plant species were recently removed. The plants that were chosen are appropriate for the habitat and also beneficial to native wildlife. Positive results can already be seen!
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Before the plants were even in the ground, zebra longwing butterflies landed on the corkystem passionflower and laid eggs. Caterpillars of gulf fritillary butterflies are appearing on the passionflower. All the plants are currently doing well and we expect to see more wildlife as the plants grow and fill in the area. Thank you to the Friends of The Legacy Trail for purchasing the plants and making this project happen!
This month's update was written by Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Trails Specialist Sam Wright.
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📝 Stories from the Trail 📝
Friends of The Legacy Trail wants to hear from you!
Have a good trail story to tell? Want to share what the trail means to you? We will be running some of these stories in our upcoming newsletters. Submit your stories (200 words or less) to news@friendsofthelegacytrail.org.
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Be the First to Know What's Happening
Follow Us on Social Media!
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New T-Shirts
Our new Friends of The Legacy Trail t-shirts are in! They are available through our website. We have short-sleeves, long-sleeves, v-necks, crew-necks, and four different bright colors (colors other than yellow are limited).
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A GREAT GIFT!
Get Your Own Square Foot on the Trail!
Donate to Our Square-Foot Campaign!
Total Amount Raised to Date: $78,573
Total Donations to Date: 663
THANK YOU!
All Donations Improve
the Legacy Trail Extension
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