Category: Donate

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Become a sponsor of our 2019 CREW Concert Under the Stars!

Brenda Brooks, executive director of CREW Land & Water Trust, with Kim Ruiz, CREW Trust Board of Trustees member and presenting sponsor of the 2018 CREW Concert.

Our concert is our biggest fundraiser each year and this year we hope is no exception. Proceeds help fund the CREW Trust’s environmental education programs but this year we’re changing things up a bit and all proceeds will go towards the Dr. David R. Cooper Education Fund.

Most of our sponsors have been supporting this event for years and we couldn’t have such a successful event without their support.

Sponsors enjoy special perks, including tickets to the VIP Cafe at the concert. This special area, exclusively for VIP ticket holders and their guests, offers table seating close to the stage at Riverside Park and a fully catered meal from Niko’s Kitchen.

For most of our sponsors, though, sponsoring this event is about so much more than great food and the atmosphere of the VIP Cafe.

“I originally sponsored the CREW concert to give back to the place where I first learned Southwest Florida wildflowers,” explained Kim Ruiz, CREW Trust member, Trustee, volunteer and member of the concert committee. In 2018, Kim’s company, EcoPlanz Inc, was the presenting sponsor for the CREW Concert. “I continue sponsoring to support the expanding educational programs so people of all ages can be immersed in the wonders of water, land, and wildlife.”

Brian Farrar, Vice-Chairman of the CREW Trust Board of Trustees, President of BCF Management Group, CREW Trust member and concert committee member, has also been a sponsor for many years. “Being a CREW Concert sponsor has afforded my wife and I the opportunity to give back to our Southwest Florida community in what we believe is one of the most important ways: educating our future leaders on the importance of water resources and environmental preservation. If we don’t explain this need and delicate balance, our wonderful way of life will be gone before we know it.”

If you are looking for a way to support the concert and help us build the Dr. David R. Cooper Education Fund, please consider becoming a concert sponsor and enjoy the event as a VIP! Download a 2019 CREW Concert Sponsor Flyer or email brenda@crewtrust.org for more information on becoming a sponsor.

 

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Membership

Whether it’s a quiet sunrise walk along the trails, the first glimpse of a Swallow-tailed kite, or a field trip experience with your child’s school, we all become connected to the CREW Project.

The support of our members is vital to the CREW Trust’s environmental education programs, which help teach visitors of all ages about the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and why it is important to preserve CREW and the plants and wildlife within its borders.

YOU can help those programs continue to grow!

Consider becoming a member of the CREW Land & Water Trust today. You can register online or find a membership form in the kiosks at one of our trailheads.

Members receive quarterly newsletters, reduced admission to specialty programs and are invited to attend members-only events. Questions about becoming a member? Feel free to email allison@crewtrust.org or call our office at 239-657-2253.

CREW Marsh Trails
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Check out or refreshed Iron Rangers!

We have created our own CREW Trust language over the years, and our volunteers, guests and members often stop us to ask for explanations.

Most of the time it’s when we are referring to a trail system. “Great! See you at 7 at CDT.”

CDT is Cypress Dome Trails. CMT is the Marsh Trails and BRS is Bird Rookery Swamp.

(Now use one of those abbreviations the next time you’re in a CREW-related conversation and you’ll feel like an insider)

And then there is the Iron Ranger.

It’s not a band. And it’s not a sports team.

An Iron Ranger is simply a donation box, and we have one at each trail system.

Because we do not have a visitor’s center and we do not charge admission, we rely on our kiosks and maps to offer information and our trusty Iron Rangers to collect donations.

I’ll be the first to admit I very guiltily slink past the ranger when I visit CDT and CMT. I never have cash with me so instead, I donate online. I see it as a punch card; I’ve visited four times so I’ll donate $30 to cover that and my next six visits.

Why donate? We use those donations to fund the education programs we offer for all ages.

So, next time you’re at CDT or CMT, check out our newly re-painted Iron Rangers, complete with fresh, new birds to greet you and collect donations!

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Merry Christmas and Happy CREW Year

Happy Holidays from all of us at CREW!

 

Christmas is just days away and, once the wrapping paper settles and the cookies disappear, it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. We’ve got a few ideas for last minute holiday gifts and ways to make 2017 the best year yet.

Give the gift of guided walks

Our guided walks are free, but the knowledge of our volunteer leaders is highly valuable. Sign yourself up and head to Bird Rookery Swamp for two hours of George’s or Bobby’s stories or go out with Dr. David Cooper for a tour of CREW Marsh Trails. Better yet, sign up a friend. Guided walks are a great way to build confidence in new CREW visitors, and that confidence level increases the chances that they will return to explore more of the trails.

Share nature with kids and grandkids

The electronic hatching egg everyone is clamoring for will only engage kids for so long, and by New Year’s Day, it will be forgotten in a pile of toys. Memories last much longer, so give the gift of time and take your kids or grandkids out to your favorite trail.

The going may be slower as they stop to see every tiny flower or search for animal tracks, but it’s the memories that count, not the miles. And if they ask a question and you don’t know the answer, give them homework and tell them to google it, then get back to you with the answer.

If you are looking for a way to wrap up that idea, make a coupon for one guided hike with Nana or Uncle Todd (insert your name) and give it with a field guide or binoculars or kid-sized hiking stick. (Hint hint, we sell those at the CREW office).

They’ll talk for years about seeing one-eyed Ida and completely forget about whatever game they got for their NintendoDS.

This holiday season, hit the trails with friends and family and help us spread our mission of protecting and preserving our watershed.

Honor a loved one

While Christmas and New Year’s is a time of celebration, it can also be a time of reflection for those that have lost loved ones and friends this year.

Consider making a donation to CREW as a way to memorialize a grandparent who first introduced you to birding or always remember a sun-filled day when you spent the morning identifying butterflies with your visiting best friend.

New Year, new you

The top New Year’s resolution each year is fitness. Gym memberships surge and by mid-February, everyone is back to their old habits.

At CREW, we’ve got a great way for you to get active and stay active all year long: volunteer as a Trail Steward.

After a short training session, you’ll have a snazzy blue volunteer shirt and be ready to hit the trails, acting as an ambassador for CREW and answering questions as you stroll your favorite trail system. There are no set hours; we just ask that you wear your volunteer shirt when you go hiking, then log your volunteer hours when you get home.

You’ll not only stay committed to your resolution, but you’ll be sharing your love and passion with others while helping CREW continue our mission of protecting and preserving our watershed. It’s a gift that keeps on giving!

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#Givingtuesday Success Story- Thanks to you!

#givingtuesday report

This was the CREW Trust’s second year participating in #GivingTuesday, December 1st, 2015.

invest in CREW

We are proud to say it was very successful. Thanks to you – our generous CREW supporters – we received $455 on #GivingTuesday. The CREW Trust was not the only one who had a successful #Givingtuesday, according to Steve MacLaughlin “The attention around #GivingTuesday 2015 reached record levels and online giving grew 52% compared to 2014.” – See more at:http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/givingtuesday-online-donations-grow-52/#sthash.mZYjQPfw.dpuf

If you were unable to donate on December 1st , don’t worry. CREW’s end-of-year giving campaign goes till December 31st. Keep the momentum going, and help us reach our goal of $2,000 by the end of the year!  Donate by going to https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/donate/. If you would like your #givingtuesday donation to help with land acquisition or something other than the Education Fund, please specify in the comment box before you submit your donation.

#givingtuesday report

#GivingTuesday, is an international day dedicated to giving back to the community through donations of time, money, talent, food, etc. The CREW Trust chose to create a month-long #GivingTuesday campaign aimed at increasing its Education Fund. The fund’s objectives are to:

  • provide resources to local schools for CREW field trips
  • provide scholarships to local high-school and college students studying environmental science or other related fields
  • provide scholarships for CREW Trust interns, and further support CREW environmental education staff and programs

The Education Fund is our way to create a legacy here in Southwest Florida and to strengthen and support the CREW Trust’s mission.

Thank you for all your support! Remember, you don’t have to give big…just give. 

-Jessi Drummond

 

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3 days till #givingtuesday 2015 !

shopping checklist #giving tuesday

Give to CREW December 1st, 2015

#givingtuesday an international day of giving is only three days away. This year it is kicking off our end-of-year giving where all proceeds go to our Education Fund. 

The fund’s objectives are to:

  •  provide resources to local schools for CREW field trips
  •  provide scholarships to local high-school and college students studying environmental science or other related fields
  •  provide scholarships for CREW Trust interns, and further support CREW environmental education staff and programs

The Education Fund is our way to create a legacy here in Southwest Florida and to strengthen and support the CREW Trust’s mission. If you would like your #givingtuesday donation to help with land acquisition, or go to help another cause please specify in the comment box before you submit your donation.

Donate to CREW’s Education Fund by going to https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/donate/shopping checklist #giving tuesday

Donors of $250 or more will receive a private hike from CREW’s Environmental Education Specialist for a group up to 20 people.

Donors of $75 or more receive 2 general admission tickets to the CREW Concert and Silent Eco-Auction February  13th, 2016.

In 2015 what will you impact be? You don’t have to give big, or small…you just have to give.

To see why others are giving visit: https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/2015/11/20/givingtuesday-why-i-give-to-crew-2/

Thank you for all your support!

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NEW Ways to Give to CREW this Holiday Season

Looking for a way to give back to your local community this holiday season?

The CREW Trust is preparing for the annual end-of-year giving by providing new ways to participate. Below are 2 ways you can get involved online this year to help make a difference in your community:

  1. amazon smile

Give to CREW every time you shop on Amazon. Through this program Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your purchases to a charitable organization of your choice. So if you are online shopping this season make sure to go to http://smile.amazon.com/ before you buy and add CREWtrust (Corkscrew Regionalamazon smile  Ecosystem Watershed Trust Inc.)  as your Amazon Smile. After that just make sure your url has smile before amazon and you are good to go.

 

 

2.   Forget Black Friday and Cyber Monday put your money towards an international day of giving to non-profits. The CREW Trust is start off their end-of-year giving with #GivingTuesday December 1st, 2015. All proceeds go to our education fund. Participate by visiting our website: https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/donate/

#giving tuesday

Your gift is an investment in the future of southwest Florida – helping us to provide more high quality environmental education experiences for people of all ages – cradle to grave!

Help us make a difference. Give big. Give small. But give today.

Thank You

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Book Release by Bernard F. Master

Bernie Master

IN PURSUIT OF THE WORLD’S RAREST BIRDS

Author Bernard F. Master chronicles his adventures as a medical professional, businessman and legendary birder in No Finish Line.

Yellow-throated Warbler, BRS

Bernard Master is a avid hiker of the CREW Trails, a phenomenal birder, and a great educator. We have been lucky to have him as a leader in our Strolling Science Seminar series. He lead Birding with the Master at Bird Rookery Swamp in March 2015 and will be returning in our 2015-2016 series. Below details Dr. Master’s new book.

No Finish Line, Discovering the World’s Secrets One Bird at a Time, is one man’s epic journey through life as a successful doctor, businessman, lifelong birder and internationally recognized conservationist. Readers will be mesmerized with his travel adventures spanning six continents and 105 countries. He shares his most exciting adventures searching for the rarest birds in the world. He is the first American to see a representative from each of the 229 bird families in the world, as well as Vireo masteri, a bird in Colombia named after him.

Whether he is meeting Queen Noor of Jordan to discuss birds and world conservation or attending a special dinner in his honor with Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands to receive a commendation in recognition of his world conservation efforts, there is always an interesting story to tell. His forays take him to exotic locations including Venezuela where he rediscovered a bird that had been absent for fifty years. Additional adventures include a thwarted kidnapping in Brazil. His quest to see a representative from all the bird families takes him to Rwanda, the Arabian Peninsula, Cameroon and China, providing readers with photos of extraordinary birds and accounts of his 7,800 species to date.

In between birding trips, Dr. Master was busy building two thriving companies, Health Power, Inc. and its sister company, the MEDCenters. His thirty-five year medical career begins with a tour in Vietnam as a battalion surgeon in a combat unit and a year as post surgeon for the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence School. Obstacles and successes are the narratives he shares outlining the intricacies of founding a healthcare company and ultimately taking it public on the NASDAQ.

“My own life has been one amazing adventure after another with no finish line in sight.” Author Bernard F. Master currently resides in Worthington, Ohio.

No Finish Line, Discovering the World’s Secrets One Bird at a Time is available on amazon.com.

Bernie Master
Bernie Master
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2015 Southwest Florida Travel Rally

Join us at the 2015 Southwest Florida
Travel Rally in celebration of National
Travel & Tourism Week!

SWFL rally

All tourism businesses, hospitality employees, and local residents are invited to attend. Tourism partners, bring your staff to represent your company! Employees, bring your families, too, as there will be lots to do for children and adults. CREW Land & Water Trust donated a free private hike with their Environmental Education Specialist Jessi Drummond for a lucky prize winner. 

 
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
RSVP that you are attending: LeeVCB@leegov.com.
We will email you an admission and parking ticket.
You must have an admission ticket to be eligible for
prize drawings.
For more information, call Visitor Services
at 239.590.4855 or visit Leevcb.com
Join us at the 2015 Southwest Florida

ENJOY THE HILARIOUS TOURISM RACES
Kids Luggage Lug, Bellman’s Race, Waiters Race for
the Gold, and Make that Bed! Hotels, Attractions, and
Restaurants—have fun with your hospitality friends!
Contact: sbehr@leegov.com

 
OUTDOOR TRADE FAIR
Tourism businesses, sports groups, special exhibits
and more!
Contact: ccocco@leegov.com

 
KID’S KRAZINESS KORNER
Face painting, magic, cuddly critters, Railroad
Museum of South Florida miniature train rides,
and more.

 

For more information please click on the flyers below:

Travel Rally Flyer

Travel Rally flyer in Spanish

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CREW Campfire & S’mores

Become a CREW member  TODAY and RSVP for our Members Only  Campfire & S’mores

This Friday February 20th, 2015 from 6-8

Enjoy a night out and meet other great CREW members. Come share your favorite outdoors memories by a warm fire, and savor some delicious S’mores. All members of the family are welcomed .

To become a CREW member click the link: https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/become-a-member/

2013 members campfire

There are many benefits in becoming a CREW member including: reduced member fees for programs, 2 “members only” socials each year, quarterly newsletters to keep you up to date on all of our CREW news, and knowing you make a difference for a small non-profit who continues to preserve and protect the Corkscrew Watershed.
Help CREW continue their mission, become a member today:

 Become a member today: https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/become-a-member/