"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
In This Issue
TBE & Boston Marathon Victims
Tarpon Tournament Results
Wildlife Drive 
Still Open!
Wildlife Drive will now remain open through May 19, 2013, and interpretive tram tours will be offered through that date. It will close May 20 at the earliest. Click here for information on the Drive's resurfacing and improvement project, and facilities and programs that will remain available throughout the summer.
Help Marathon Victims 
   You can help victims of the Boston Marathon bombing simply by patronizing Tarpon Bay Explorers (TBE) on Saturday, May 11. TBE will donate all proceeds from tours, rentals, and gift shop purchases that day. Click here for TBE's website. 
 TBE co-owners Wendy Schnapp and Winston Spurgeon have devoted a day to helping with medical costs. 
 
Quick Links

Tarpon Tourney 2013 sponsors  

 

THANK YOU!  

Thanks to all sponsors, donors, volunteers, and anglers for another marvelous event! From angler Sean McGarry, Team Fintastic Charters: "Could not have been any better... Thank you for all of your hard work and effort you put into this great event...it does not go unappreciated."
  
Title Sponsor:   
Presenting Sponsors: bean
 
 dys
 
 
Platinum Sponsors:
  fl weekly ,suncoast
    lamar
  
  
  
coupon
  
 May 9, 2013
banner
peek2 Preservation Campaign Update      
 Peek at the Unique helps campaign get even closer!                               
Thanks to the Sanibel Zonta Club  for choosing the historical Woodring Homestead to be featured on its 2013 Peek at the Unique.  As a result of having nearly 800 attendees visit the homestead and see for themselves the 
peek
Photos were displayed between trees on the Woodring property giving Peek attendees a real sense of the history of the land and the family.
 importance of saving this land, an anonymous donor pledged $200,000 to challenge the community to help the Society raise the remaining goal. As a result of this amazing challenge, the campaign is just within reach of achieving its goal!  "It takes everyone working together to make things like this happen, and we were touched and honored that Zonta of Sanibel and Captiva chose the Woodring Homestead to be one of its featured properties this year" said DDWS board president, John McCabe.  "We look forward to having the Zonta Club as a part of our celebration."
If you would like to make a gift to support the "Ding" Darling Preservation Campaign, call the "Ding" Darling office at 239.292.0566, email us or click here.   
Tarpon Tournament Results
Winning Team Teaser pulls up its first catch of the day.
 
  Four tarpon and four DNA scrubs won Team Teaser from Tampa-St. Petersburg the first-place title and $10,575 at the second annual "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament on Saturday, May 4.
 Despite weather forecasts for stormy conditions, the tournament dawned on a partly cloudy day with only occasional rain sprinkles. A brisk breeze, however, READ MORE
 First close-up nature photo workshop
Cotton Stainers 
by Don Parsons
To its already expanded 2013 summer programs calendar, the Refuge has added a monthly macro nature photography workshop with Tarpon Bay Explorer's Don Parsons. The first of four three-hour workshops takes place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the Refuge. Don will share his years of experience as a professional photographer, enabling participants to get close-up pictures of flowers and insects. The workshop will cover READ MORE

For a full calendar of summer programs, please click here. Refuge summer programs are made possible by support from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. 
Love Mom, Love Nature
Buy a gift from the Refuge Nature Store
 From women's cut "Keep Life Wild" T-shirts and jewelry made from recycled materials to household decorative items and birding field guides, the Refuge Nature Store has something for every Mom.
Come shop today for Mother's Day, May 12. Remember, all proceeds from Nature Store purchases benefit Refuge wildlife- so you'll be making more than just Mom happy this
Mother's Day.   
  
  
  
  
  

Wildlife Sightings

Week ending May 7, 2013

red eg, al Hoffacker

Reddish Egret.

Photo By: Al Hoffacker

 
Current 
 
 
These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge.  Please check our website at www.dingdarlingsociety.org to learn more!   
  
Sincerely,
Birgit Vertesch, Executive Director
 
"Ding" On the Wing composed by Chelle Walton
Assisted by intern Jess Shelton