Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
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2023 Annual Meeting

2/12/2023

8 Comments

 
It is Almost Time -- Saturday, February 25.

As has been our tradition, Friends Annual Meeting will be on the last Saturday in February at Refuge headquarters. It is located off State Road 347 between Chiefland and Cedar Key. The official address is at 16450 NW 31 Pl, Chiefland, FL 32626.

Friends members do not pay a fee to attend the event, including the program, lunch, and afternoon nature walks. The fee for those who are not Friends members is $20 per person.

Pre-program activities will start at 9:30. They include:
  • Signing-in
  • Renewing your membership if you wish to do it that day rather than online
  • Chatting with other members
  • Shopping for Friends merchandise. There will be discounts on some merchandise at the event. Cash purchases are appreciated. They allow Friends to avoid the fees for processing credit card purchases.

It appears that the weather will be ideal for Friends,
and for no-see-ums!
Consider wearing long sleeves and long pants.
See you on Saturday at the Refuge.

New This Year
So much is happening with Friends and the Refuges that tables will be set up where members and visitors can talk to board members and other volunteers, discuss ideas for ways in which they'd like to participate, and learn more about:
  • Junior Ranger program
  • Welcome Desks to meet, greet, and inform more visitors face-to-face
  • Vista Project. We will have one copy of the full, 430-page Assessment Report that resulted from Friends first Vista grant available at the table.
  • The afternoon guided nature walk options to Vista or River Trail
  • What is happening and envisioned on the Refuges
The tables will close during the program and reopen after the Featured Presentation.
Picture three men chatting before Annual Meeting
Picture of folk signing in before Annual Meeting
Program activities will start at 10:15. They include:
  • Welcome by President Debbie Meeks
  • Refuge update by Refuge Manager Andrew Gude
  • Friends update by President-elect Dr. Ginessa Mahar
  • Election of the 2023 Board and Officers
  • Featured presentation by Dr. Ken Sulak, Finding Florida - Crossing the Lower Suwannee River in the 1800s: Early Ferries, Bridges, and Trestles.
Picture of Andrew Gude presenting the Refuge update at Annual Meeting
Picture of Debbie Meeks and Peg Hall preparing for presentations at Annual Meeting
After the Featured Presentation, while lunch is being set up and served, the information and discussion tables will be open again.
Lunch will be about noon. Ken McCain will cater.

Afternoon Exploration Options
  • Walk to Vista. See the property with its Suwannee River view and the
    Cook's House. Tour the Main House's interior. Board members will act as docents.
  • For those who prefer a nature walk, John Thalacker will lead a guided stroll on the River Trail.
Picture of tables of Friends  members having lunch
Picture of two Friends members on a nature walk at Annual Meeting
8 Comments

Refuge-Related Library Talks

2/11/2023

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Several presentations are coming soon about the Refuges. Check them out below. The next one is this Thursday.
Picture
Thurs, Feb 16 at 5 p.m. -- Friends' president Debbie Meeks and board member Denise Feiber What to Do and See on a Visit to the Lower Suwannee Refuge

Thurs. Mar 2 at 5 p.m. -- Daniel Barrand, Refuge Forester, USFWS/LSNWR The History of Cummer Mill  and John McPherson, Friends board member Restoring Vista

Thurs. Mar 9 at 5 p.m. -- Dr. Ginessa Mahar, Friends president, Ancient Aquaculture and Fishing Practices: New Insights from Shell Mound.

Sat, Mar 11 at 10:30 a.m. -- Dr. Ken Sassaman Amazon Travels: How the Ceremonial Gatherings of Modern Tribal People Inform Archaeological Perspectives on Shell Mound 

Thurs. March 30 at 5 p.m. -- Friends board member Barbara Woodmansee, Butterflies of North Florida
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UPDATE - Wish List - Junior Ranger Badges

2/10/2023

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Wishes do come true! Friends member John Douglass has sponsored the Junior Ranger badges. Hurray and many thanks from the kids, and all the other Friends.
Our Junior Ranger booklet is about to go to press. We also need to order badges to give the kids when they complete the exercises. The minimum order is 200 badges and costs $240.

Covering that cost is high on our Wish List for this month. If you would like to be a badge sponsor, email friends@friendsofrefuges. We expect to be ready to launch the program by the time of the Annual Meeting in February.

Here is the final draft of the booklet.
Picture of the Lower Suwannee NWR Junior Ranger badge
Lower Suwannee NWR Junior Ranger badge
Picture og the cover of the Junior Ranger Workbook
Junior Ranger Workbook
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Seahorse Key Open House Schedule for 2023

2/8/2023

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The view up the path to the Light Station from the water.
The view up the path to the Light Station from the water.
Picture Three visitors along the beach on the far side of Seahorse Key
Three visitors along the beach on the far side of Seahorse Key
The Refuge has scheduled five Open Houses at Seahorse Key for 2023.
  • Wednesday, March 15, 2023 (rain date March 16 or 17), 9 am-3 pm
  • Wednesday, March 29 (rain date March 30 or 31), 9 am-3 pm
  • Saturday, July 1, 9 am-3 pm
  • Friday, October 13 (rain date October 14), 9 am-3 pm
  • Friday, November 10 (rain date November 11), 9 am-3 pm
Visitors can walk up to to the Light Station and cross over to the beach on the far side of the island. It is a beautiful, adventuresome experience.

Open Houses are free once you arrive at the Refuge island. However, visitors must arrange their own transportation. Shuttles are provided for a fee by tour companies in Cedar Key, or visitors can arrive by private boat.
Important Information

Seahorse Key is an island almost 3 miles from Cedar Key. Access is only by boat. There are no amenities, such as food or water on the island. Rest room facilities are limited. 

Should there be a medical or other emergency requiring professional assistance or evacuation, response times could be lengthy.
Please plan with this in mind.
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Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532
Cedar Key, FL 32625
friends@friendsofrefuges.org

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.


  • Home
    • Current News
  • About
    • About Friends >
      • Who We Are
      • What We Do
      • Current News
      • Contact Us
    • About the Refuges >
      • Our Refuges
      • Places of Interest
      • Hunting Brochure
  • Join
    • Donate
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
    • Places of Interest
  • Wildlife
    • Science
  • Hunt & Fish
    • Hunting
    • FWS Hunting Brochure
    • Fishing
    • Hunter SignUp
  • Search
  • Store
    • Shirts
    • Hats
    • Books
    • Earrings
    • Gift Donation
    • On Sale