Category: Fundraisers

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CREW Trust Thanks Our Concert Sponsors

Your contributions have already helped to get the ball rolling on our newest programs developing at the Flint Pen Strand Trails. Environmental education for all ages is always a priority for the CREW Trust and I think you’ll agree that together we’ve made a huge impact in our community, one that continues to grow each year with your help.

Thank you for supporting  environmental education! We’re happy to have seen so many friendly faces at our CREW Concert this year. We really cherish our annual “friend-raiser” because it’s such a great place to get to talk with you, our sponsors. We sincerely hope you all had a fabulous time and hope to see you on our trails soon!

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CREW Concert: Know Before You Go

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Just a Few Days Until the CREW Concert!

Got your tickets? Shined your dancing shoes? Made a date with your significant other or family for this special occasion? Great! We look forward to seeing everyone at Riverside Park! 

Before you go, here’s a review of event details to help you plan a terrific night out.

1. Concert details

Location: Riverside Park, 10450 Reynolds Street, Bonita Springs

Date and time: Saturday February 29, 2020, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Schedule of concert events:

5:00 p.m.  Gates open

5:30 p.m. Silent Eco-Auction opens

5:30 p.m. Welcome by CREW Trust Team

5:40 p.m. High Voltage Band hits the stage

8:15 p.m. Silent Eco-Auction closes

8:30-9:15 p.m. Pick up and pay for Silent Auction items

9:00 p.m. Concert ends

2. Tickets

Buy them at CREWtrust.org in advance and save $5 over the price at the door. Adults pay $15 online or $20 at the door. Children under 12 enter free.  

Insider tip: Until noon on the day of the concert, tickets are $15 online-only.

3. Food and drink

Sandwiches, salads, barbecue and cupcakes will be available from Haney’s Cafe and Cherie’s Sweet Treats & The Lunch Box. The Rotary Club of Bonita Springs will again sell wine and beer and feature a specialty craft beer from Momentum Brewhouse. For more information about our vendors read through the Food Blog here. 

4. General suggestions

Please bring: Chairs or blankets to sit on; the kids (remember, no charge for kids under 12); and cash and/or credit cards to buy food and drink.

Please don’t bring: outside food and drink; or animals. 

5. Silent Eco-Auction

Preview the many unique and exciting items and experiences available at our Silent Eco-Auction here. Or you can walk through the Auction space during the concert and see what inspires you. 

To bid on an item or an adventure, write your name, phone number and the amount of your bid on the bid sheets. If you absolutely, positively want to own a particular piece of artwork or take home tickets to a unique outdoor adventure, enter the “Buy It Now” price. Bidding is closed at 8:15 p.m. Winners will be announced on a large sign near the Silent Auction area. Items must be paid for and picked up between 8:30 and 9:15 p.m.

6. Parking

Parking at the concert is free. Volunteers in bright blue t-shirts will direct you to available parking spaces. A limited number of handicap parking spaces will be available.    

7. VIP Cafe

Sponsors of the concert are given admission to the VIP Cafe as one way of thanking them for their generous support. The VIP Cafe is sold out, so it will not be possible to purchase seats on the night of the concert. If you’re interested in sponsoring the 2021 concert, please contact Brenda (brenda@CREWtrust.org).     

8. Proceeds

The annual “CREW Concert & Silent Eco-Auction” is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the CREW Land & Water Trust, which provides environmental education for all ages. The CREW Project is a 60,000-acre watershed spanning Lee and Collier counties which provides clean water for area residents and visitors, habitat for wildlife and recreational opportunities. The money we earn with our annual concert helps us to provide environmental education to all ages. 

Thank you and let’s rock!

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Great Food and Drink for a Great Cause!

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The 13th annual CREW Concert & Silent Eco-Auction is fast approaching – on February 29, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – and you may be wondering what your food and drink options will be on that special night at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Take a look at what’s on offer: 

Cherie’s Sweet Treats

You don’t have to ask “What’s for dessert?” once you see these gourmet cupcakes at Cherie’s Sweet Treats tent. But you’ll have a difficult decision to make once you see the range of flavors. Some examples: Death by Chocolate; Key Lime; Key Lime with Coconut; Coconut with Raspberry; and Wedding Cake (vanilla). You’re sure to find one – or two or three – that you like. Cupcakes sell for $4 each.  

Cherie sells her delectable goods at these farmers markets:

Thursdays, Coconut Point from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Fridays, Boca Grande from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Saturdays, The Promenade from 8:00 a.m to noon

Sundays, Sanibel from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Cherie accepts credit cards for her sweets. Contact Cherie at cherie.vet@icloud.com or at 616-292-0339 to discuss custom orders. Find Cherie on Facebook.

The Lunch Box (owned and operated by Cherie)

Cherie may be best known for her gourmet cupcakes (see above) but her savory dishes and sandwiches are equally mouth-watering. A sample of the food she will offer at our concert: black bean quinoa bowl with orange vinaigrette dressing; farmers salad (with the option of adding a protein source); and a pulled pork sandwich. Sides and drinks will also be available. Cherie will sell meals for $15 (price includes drinks; price will be slightly lower if no protein is added).

The Lunch Box takes credit cards. Contact Cherie at cherie.vet@icloud.com or at 616-292-0339 to discuss her catering services.

Haney’s Cafe

Haney’s Cafe in Estero is a long-time local favorite specializing in homestyle cooking. For 15 years Haney’s has been offering breakfast and lunch from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Recently they’ve added barbecue to their menu, opening in the evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The News-Press Readers Poll has named Haney’s “Bonita Springs Best” for six years in a row and Haney’s barbecue as a “Best Barbecue” in 2019.  

We are lucky that Haney’s is bringing the best of its menu to our concert in their food truck. You will be able to buy hamburgers, enticing sandwiches, chicken wings, chicken tenders, sides and – best of all – barbecue, including brisket and pulled pork. Check out the full menu at haneyscafefl.com.      

If you like the taste of Haney’s food at the Concert, visit their Estero location at 18011 S. Tamiami Trail #9, Ft. Myers. Telephone: 239-437-1120. Caution: Haney’s is a very popular breakfast venue, so you might want to arrive early for your custom made omelet. 

Beer and Wine from Rotary Club of Bonita Springs

Once again the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs will be the bartenders at our concert, offering a selection of beer and wine. One great option on hand will be a craft beer brewed in honor of  CREW made by our friends at Momentum Brewhouse. Momentum’s “CREW Brew” is always popular, so belly up to the bar early if you want to taste this locally made beer.

Momentum Brewhouse, a popular Bonita Springs watering hole, has moved since the 2019 Concert. It is now located at 28120 Hunters Ridge Boulevard, Units 1 – 3, east of I-75 and just off Bonita Beach Road. The new premises are larger and have permitted the addition of more craft beers, wine and coffee to their menu. Check out momentumbrewhouse.com to learn more or call 239-949-9945 to discuss special events.

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High Voltage Band at the CREW Concert

Get ready to DANCE!

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Celebrate the biggest night of the year for the CREW Trust – the CREW Concert & Silent Eco-Auction – at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs from 5 to 9 pm on February 29, 2020. 

Sure, the concert is a fundraiser for our environmental non-profit organization – but it’s so much more. It’s a chance for everyone to have a great night out while helping to protect our watershed.    

Have you had a chance to dance lately? Really let your hair down?  Providing the music and the energy for the evening is the HIGH VOLTAGE BAND, an in-demand local group with a wide repertoire. There’s music for all of us, from Motown to jazz to funk to current hits. Lots of irresistible guitar, keyboard, and saxophone music highlighted by compelling vocals.

Take a look at this video of the band in action:

If that’s not enough for you, check out the HIGH VOLTAGE BAND’s YouTube channel. See why this group gets rave reviews – and why we have chosen it as our featured concert performer for several years. 

Join us for the concert. We dare you not to dance!  

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CREW Concert Tickets

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Who benefits from my donation?

Student groups visiting the CREW trails often express wonder and gratitude for the exposure to water, birds, habitats, trees and plants that we provide. Sadly some of them admit that they’ve never gone on an outdoor hike and some express a little fear. We design activities that they enjoy – teaching them how to use binoculars and spot birds; allowing them to dip net fish and invertebrates which they study through magnifiers before returning them unharmed to their habitats; walking under the canopy of a cypress dome; and investigating the soils of CREW and what it tells us about our environment. Sometimes they get their feet wet but they don’t complain. And by the end of their hike they lose their fear of the outdoors!              

To support and enrich these programs, the CREW Trust has invested in necessary equipment such as binoculars, bird identification books, and dip nets. We handle these items with care and are able to use them for years with different groups. But every year we need to replace some items.

Your purchase of tickets for the 2020 Concert Under the Stars will support these field trip experiences. More importantly, you’re helping us to educate all of our guests on the importance of our watershed and why we need to preserve it for the benefit of all. 

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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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