Dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of the water resources and natural communities of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed
You won’t be able to bid on just one of these adventuresome auction items..
Don’t miss the CREW Concert & Silent Eco Auction February 29 from 5 – 9 p.m. at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Support the CREW Land & Water Trust while dancing along with the musical styling of High Voltage Band!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mark your calendars for the 2019 CREW Stanley Hole Golf Tournament!
Your participation helps support the CREW Land & Water Trust’s mission: to preserve and protect the 60,000-acre Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed through trail expansion and maintenance!
You can become a sponsor now and support public trail access for all, no golf experience needed!
Executive Director, Brenda Brooks
When: Friday, October 25, 2019
Where: Old Corkscrew Golf Club, 17320 Corkscrew Road, Estero, FL 33928
Registration: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Shotgun Start: 1:00 p.m.
Format: Team Scramble
The field is limited to 22 teams (88 players). Please register early to secure your spot.
Join us for a night of great music, craft beer and delicious food under the stars!
Our annual concert will be held Leap Day, which is Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 5-9 p.m. at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs.
High Voltage Band will return, rocking the crowd with a selection of greatest hits from Motown to today.
Food vendors include Cherie’s Sweet Treats, providing the amazing cupcakes enjoyed by concert goers last year, along with gourmet sandwiches.
Our Silent Eco-Auction will feature unique new items as well as past favorites.
The concert each year is a success in large part to our sponsors. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please check out our Sponsor Packet:
Tickets are $15 in advance; $20 at the gate. You can purchase them today on our eventbrite page.
We know you’re excited for this season of programs and we can’t wait to share all the incredible hikes, bikes and talks with you. Register for something different every month or make visiting the CREW trails a part of your regular schedule with the weekly guided walks. Pop-up hikes and programs may be added when trail and weather conditions are right! Stay up-to-date on our website, CREWTrust.org.
Registration for our 2019-2020 programs will open on Tuesday, September 3rd to CREW Trust Members. Non-member registration will open one week later on Tuesday, September 10th. You must be a current CREW Trust member to register during our first week, so please make sure your membership is up to date or join today online at crewtrust.org/become-a-member/.
Our scholarly walks for ages 18 and older are always a hit and sell-out quickly! This year we have four programs scheduled and may add more as schedules allow.
December 6: Florida Panthers– with Ashlee O’Connor
January 18: Strange Plants in a Strange Land– Join Anne Reed, writer, storyteller and CREW Trust volunteer naturalist for a scholarly walk and talk on the history of our beautiful, pesky and sometimes deadly invasive species.
February 7: Herpetology- with Shane Johnson
March 6: Nature by Any Other Name– with Dr. billY Gunnels
October 12: Fall Wildflower Walk– Join Brenda Thomas for a stroll along the trails where you’ll see the bounty of Florida’s fall wildflowers! And, if you’re lucky, it might be pine lily time.
January 24: Birding with Brian Beckner of Native Bird Boxes. These sessions are for everyone from serious birders to beginners.
April 14: Spring Wildflower Walk- Springtime means a new rush of color on the trails! Participants will stroll through the CREW Marsh Trails with Roger Hammer, author of several wildflower books including The Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers.
April 18: GeoCache Day- Milla and Pete will be hosting a day of Geocaching at the Cypress Dome Trail for everyone to come and explore the outdoors!
Our free guided walks schedule has changed this year and walks will be offered on select dates.
Guided Walks
1st Tuesdays (Jan-Apr) at CREW Marsh Trails
3rd Tuesdays (Jan-Apr) at Cypress Dome Trails
Wednesdays (Nov-Apr) at Bird Rookery Swamp
Thursdays (Nov-Apr) at Flint Pen Strand Trails
Bike Tours
3rd Saturdays (Jan-Apr) at Bird Rookery Swamp
CREW Stanley Hole Golf Tournament: October 25 at Old Corkscrew Golf Club.
2020 CREW Concert Under The Stars & Silent Eco Auction: February 29, from 5-9 p.m. featuring the High Voltage Band at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Sponsorship options and tickets available on our website, CREWTrust.org.
January 21: Beer & Cheese @ Momentum Brewhouse
March 9: Full Moon Hike
Registration for members opens on September 3; for non-members on September 10. All programs require registration; visit eventbrite.com after registration opens. CREW Trust members will receive an email on September 3 when registration opens.