Author: CREW Land & Water Trust

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The CREW Concert Sponsor

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Support Environmental Education

DEADLINE to become a CREW Concert Sponsor: February 17th

Would you like to contribute to a very worthy local cause? Maybe highlight your company’s name? Or show your personal commitment to educating students in our local environment? 

The worthy local cause you’re looking for is the CREW Land & Water Trust, a non-profit organization that provides environmental education and public outreach for the CREW Project, the 60,000-acre watershed that collects and stores our water, offers wildlife habitat, and provides spectacular recreational opportunities. 

You know what “non-profit” means – it means we need the support of local organizations and people to help us with fundraising. Please consider becoming a sponsor for our most important fundraiser of the year, the 13th annual CREW Concert Under the Stars. It’s coming up soon — February 29, 2020 at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs.  

Proceeds from this year’s Concert will support our efforts to continue developing trails and education programs at our newest trail system, Flint Pen Strand off of Bonita Beach Road. To see your sponsorship money at work, please attend one of our free weekly guided walks (Thursdays through April) to experience the varied and rich environment of this big piece of the CREW Project. It’s a bird watcher’s paradise. We even have a bald eagle who makes regular appearances.  

Many of our sponsors have been supporting this event for years (thank you!) but we always need more sponsors. If you have an environmentally-focused business, this is the perfect chance to showcase your company’s work. Our annual concert is always well attended, offering great dance music and a Silent Eco-Auction featuring unique nature-themed arts and special southwest Florida experiences. 

Sponsors enjoy special perks, including tickets to the VIP Cafe – a reserved area of tables with great food. The VIP Cafe is located near the stage to allow you to enjoy the music of the High Voltage Band.

Here are the perks that come with each level of sponsorship:

$10,000 – Event Naming Sponsor

Top billing on all advertising, social media, website, event program cover and t-shirts, plus a banner on stage. Name announced during  the concert. Seating for 12 guests in the VIP Cafe.

$5,000 – VIP Cafe sponsor

Name on VIP Cafe banner, website, social media, event program and t-shirts. Seating for 10 guests in the VIP Cafe.

$2,500 – Silent Eco-Auction Sponsor

Name on Eco-Auction banner, website, social media, event program and t-shirts. Seating for 8 guests in the VIP Cafe.    

$1,000 – 1K Sponsor

Name on website, social media, event program and t-shirts. Seating for 6 guests in the VIP Cafe.  

$500 – Sponsor

Name on website, social media, event program and t-shirts. Seating for 4 guests in the VIP Cafe.

Enjoy the concert as a sponsor and a VIP! Feel good while you’re doing good. Download a 2020 CREW Concert Sponsor Flyer (CREWtrust.org) or email brenda@CREWtrust.org for more information on becoming a sponsor. 

Sponsor Program Concert 2020Download
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CREW Concert Tickets

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Why should you give?

You depend on CREW trust staff and volunteers to use your money wisely to provide environmental education for all ages. We take this job seriously and make sure we provide the best field trip experiences to all.  We emphasize the importance of protecting our watershed that we all rely on to provide water to parts of Lee and Collier counties. The CREW lands protect habitat for wildlife and also provides wonderful recreational opportunities.  

Revenue from last year’s CREW Concert helped to fund the Dr. David R. Cooper Education Fund which directly supports our education programs. This year, proceeds from the concert will support our efforts to develop more trails and education programs at our newest trail system, Flint Pen Strand off of Bonita Beach Road. Check out our free guided walks offered every Thursday through April to get a great introduction to this unique ecosystem – home to bald eagles, ospreys, many songbirds and other wildlife.

Have we mentioned how much fun our yearly concerts are?  Attending the concert is a great way to give back while having a great time with friends and family. Dance to the music of the High Voltage Band (a local group), buy some great food from local food vendors, enter a bid for something special in our Silent Eco-Auction and enjoy a night out with friends and family. Think of all you get and all you contribute to CREW for the cost of your ticket! 

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CREW Concert Tickets

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Where does my money go?

As a CREW Trust member, you know how much the CREW Land & Water Trust relies on your membership dues and your donations to continue our  work of environmental education, introducing people to our vital 60,000-acre watershed. Because of your generosity, we can continue to offer guided hikes on our trail systems to local elementary schools, FGCU, Ave Maria University, and other special groups. Our “Nature’s Peace” walks are for those with Alzheimer’s and also those with visual impairments so that they may also enjoy the serenity that nature has to offer along our CREW trails.  

On February 29, 2020 (yes, it’s a Leap Year) we will be celebrating our 13th annual “Concert & Silent Eco-Auction” at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs.  Tickets and more information are now available on our website (CREWtrust.org) for $15; children 12 and under are free to attend. If you wait to buy tickets at the door, the cost will be $20 per person. Sign up early and save $5 per ticket! 

Don’t forget to bring a chair, but leave coolers and pets at home. Food and drink vendors will be available throughout the evening.

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SAVE THE DATE: CREW Concert & Silent Eco Auction

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Buy Concert Tickets now!

CREW Land & Water Trust will host the 2020 CREW Concert Under the Stars on Saturday, February 29 from 5-9 p.m. at Riverside Park, located at 10450 Reynolds St. in Bonita Springs.

This year’s concert will raise money for our environmental education programs led at the CREW trails. These programs include field trips for all ages from area schools, classes from Florida Gulf Coast University and Nature’s Peace, a program that provides guided walks for people with Alzheimer’s disease and also visually impaired guests. Funds raised at this year’s concert will also go towards developing programs at Flint Pen Strand, the fourth CREW trail system that opened late last year.

The Silent Eco-Auction is a highlight of the fundraiser, offering attendees the opportunity to bid on a variety of nature-based items and experiences. “With over three-dozen eco-items to choose from, there is something for everyone,” noted Barbara Centola, Committee Chair for the CREW Trust Silent Eco-Auction. “People look forward to bidding so much we have to hold onto the bid sheets until the official start time.”

This year we have many new items in addition to old favorites. For the sportsperson, we have two fishing kayaks and a handcrafted fishing rod. For the art enthusiast, we have nature photography by News Press photographer Andrew West and an original oil painting by Ehren Fritz Gerhard titled “Summertime Swamp Walk”. If you’re looking for an experience, bid on the wildflower walk led by Brenda Thomas or the Eco Cruise with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

High Voltage Band returns for this year’s concert, playing everything from Motown’s greatest hits to today’s Top 40 songs. High Voltage Band has played for the NFL Players Association, Panasonic, The Boston Red Sox, Toyota, The Dale Earnhardt Jr. Foundation, Hope for Haiti and more.

The Rotary Club of Bonita Springs will sell wine and beer including craft beer from Momentum Brewhouse. Owner Brian Hahn is working to craft a unique brew in honor of CREW that will be served at the concert. Food vendors Haney’s, Cherie’s Sweet Treats and The Lunch Box will also be on-site.

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit and enjoy the concert; dogs and outside food and drink will not be permitted.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and include access to the VIP café. General admission tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate; children 12 and under are free.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit crewtrust.org.

For more information about the concert, silent eco-auction or to schedule interviews, please contact Allison Vincent at allison@crewtrust.org.

About CREW Land & Water Trust

The CREW Land & Water Trust is a private, nonprofit conservation organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW), a 60,000 acre watershed located in Southwest Florida and critical to maintaining the local water supply. The watershed stores and filters water which enhances our local water supply, reduces the risk of flooding in surrounding areas and provides essential wildlife habitat for many species of plants and animals. The CREW Land & Water Trust was founded in 1989 and helps to purchase land, assist with land management and provides quality environmental education programs for all ages. For more information, visit crewtrust.org.

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Story of a CREW Partnership: Lighthouse of Collier

Sometimes it takes a new perspective to appreciate the beauty of a place. Recently, one of our partners, Lighthouse of Collier, Center for Blindness and Vision Loss visited CREW as part of our Nature’s Peace program. They made the adventurous trip to the Bird Rookery Swamp trail for a specialty guided walk for their 20 guests, all of whom have visual impairments. Patiently they unloaded from their bus, white canes in hand, taking in the powerful smell of cypress trees and fresh rainfall. 

The weather was perfect for a walk and our hike leader, Doug Machesney and other CREW Trust volunteers were ready with special sensorial things to do, like listening to the blustery wind blowing through the bald cypress trees and passing around sweet smelling exotic flowers. The shedding cypress needles reminded these astute observers of the seasonal changes taking place. Florida’s subtle fall giving walkers the sensation of autumn leaf piles as they crunched their way along the edges of the boardwalk.   

Everyone enjoyed when Doug pointed out the traces of a bear on the handrail. They each took their time running their fingers over the claw marks engraved deep into the boardwalk handrail. Each person helping the next by slowly guiding hands to the indentations. 

Furthering the challenges of some, several of the participants did not speak English. Fortunately, a leader emerged from the group and self-appointed herself as the translator. She listened attentively to Doug’s stories and quietly translated for her friends. At the close of the hike, while everyone loaded back on the bus, she told me, “I’m forever grateful to the people at Lighthouse of Collier. They’ve changed my life, so I try to do everything I can to help others like me.” 

We are also grateful to Lighthouse of Collier for partnering with us years ago so their clients get the opportunity to enjoy all that nature has to offer them at CREW. We’re also very grateful to YOU for making this Nature’s Peace program and all of our other programs possible.

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Forest Bathing in CREW’s Bird Rookery Swamp

Forest bathing is widely practiced for health reasons. The concept is simple:  to surround yourself in nature for the purpose of absorbing the healing properties of the forest. Adherents claim that it can lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate and reduce the levels of harmful hormones such as cortisol. Overall it has a calming effect.

But does it really work or is it the product of someone’s imagination? Research shows that the effects of forest bathing are real and demonstrable. A Russian scientist began to study forest bathing in the 1920’s, working on the theory that the “aromas of the forest” strengthen our immune systems. Subsequent study has shown that trees emit an organic, antimicrobial volatile compound that our bodies absorb and which reduces inflammation and helps us fight off germs.

So how to practice forest bathing? First, find a peaceful wooded area where you can linger for 20 minutes daily. When you enter that quiet forest, walk slowly and stop often, listening and observing. This is not a time for your daily jog – vigorous exercise defeats the purpose. Instead immerse your senses in the sights and sounds of nature while you’re absorbing that healthy aroma of the forest. The nearby presence of water enhances the effect.

Of interest to those of us who live in southwest Florida, modern research has determined that the trees which give us the greatest benefits in forest bathing are all varieties of cypress trees. CREW’s Bird Rookery Swamp Trail is an ideal place to practice forest bathing. Surrounded by cypress trees and plenty of water, you leave feeling refreshed.     

By a CREW Trust Volunteer

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White Pelican Party

As the water dries down at CREW’s Flint Pen Strand trails, an abundance of wading birds have become regular visitors to the lakes. You can access the lakes two different ways: by hiking from the Main Parking lot or parking in the smaller Lakes Parking lot adjacent to the lakes. If you want to see these birds arrive early for sunrise or later for sunset. Take your time approaching these flighty hunters and you will be rewarded with views perfect for unbelievable photographs. For some inspiration, take a look through this collection from CREW Trust volunteer, Bill Zaino’s recent photos capturing White Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills, Woodstorks, Tricolored Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Limpkins and Greater Yellowlegs .

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Snake Sticks

Written by Allison Vincent, communications director

Starting a new job can be challenging. The first year of work is like an anthropological research project, studying the behaviors of a faraway culture. Many things are ordinary; check email, print labels, write blog posts etc.. but some things are exciting and new, like hiking down long trails alone early in the morning. 

I’ve never really hiked alone and I find the experience makes me feel both mindful and vigilant. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve frozen mid-step to over-analyze a crooked stick down the trail from me to make sure it’s not a snake. In fact this has happened enough times that I’ve taken to calling them snake sticks, out of respect. Before moving on, I should add that I like snakes but didn’t come across quite so many of them in previous position. 

Snake stick versus actual snake

These wriggly wandering sticks have done more than stop me in my tracks. They’ve helped me realize that my overactive imagination has resulted in many animal misidentifications. For my first few weeks at CREW whenever I would simultaneously see a shadowy figure in the palmettos and hear the crunchy noise of foot-steps I’d automatically assume it was a bear or panther too close for my comfort. There’s been more than one instance when I’ve started whistling or said something original like, “Hey, Bear! Or whatever you are, I’m walking here”.

Thankfully, with time on the trails during these purposeful work-hikes I’ve come to accept many of my false assumptions about wildlife. Now I expertly breeze past snake sticks without a missed step and huff at shadowy palmetto bushes. I know where to look for the wispy pink flag that marks the entrance to check the water gauge, a regular job detail during the rainy season. I carefully move the oak tree limbs aside to find the single-file path that wanders through tall grasses to find a post that marks the water depth and I think, ‘This is an awesome job’.

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Thank you sponsors!

Our 2019 annual fundraiser was another huge success this year because of you. A big shout out to our major sponsors: Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A., Hole Montes and EGCSAA. Also, thanks to all of our other sponsors, CREW Trustees and players who supported us on October 25th. 

This year we hosted 82 golfers out on the greens of Old Corkscrew Golf Club. A brief thunderstorm moved through just before our shotgun start, but as Brenda Brooks always says, “it’s all about the water” and everyone took the 10-minute delay to catch up with fellow golfers. With the support of our sponsors and players we were able to raise over $16,000. Your contributions are already being put to good use as our season of programs begins. Thanks to you, our CREW Trust volunteers will continue to maintain and  expand our network of trails for everyone to enjoy. Thanks again for staying involved with the CREW Trust.