Causeway rally, others aim to draw attention to clean water
A handful of rallies intended to raise awareness of the need for and the right to clean water are planned across Lee County this weekend, with one of the events close enough for islanders to participate in.
The Sanibel Clean Water Rally will take place on July 3 from 9 to 10 a.m. on Island B — the one closest to Sanibel — along the Causeway Islands. Organized by the Lee County Democrats and some island residents, it is one of four events scheduled for that same day to draw attention to the issue.
“Clean water, as we all know, is a human right and a human need,” Jan Manarite, volunteer with the Lee County Democrats, said. “That’s something the Lee County Democrats support and will fight for.”
The additional events will be held on the Matlacha Pass Bridge on Matlacha at 9 a.m., the Edison Bridge in Fort Myers at 9 a.m. and the Matanzas Pass Bridge off Fort Myers Beach at 3 p.m.
“All the rallies are going to be fighting for clean water, the right to clean water,” she said.
Manarite noted that while the Lee Democrats are organizing two of the events, the rallies are a team effort by concerned groups and citizens — and clean water is a bipartisan issue — so all are welcome.
“Southwest Florida and Lee County have had a history of problems with red tide and blue-green algae,” she said, adding that most recently another algae has popped up in Matlacha’s waters.
“That one is causing some people to have really significant symptoms,” Manarite said.
She explained that residents have reported symptoms to include confusion, brain fog and neurological problems. Manarite noted that one woman was diagnosed by her doctor with toxic algae poisoning.
“We need to stand up for our neighbors,” she said.
Rally organizers would like to see more preventive action at the county and state level.
“And we’d like to see science encouraged, supported and invested in,” she said.
The community is encouraged to come out and show support.
“Folks should bring their homemade signs asking, calling for ‘Clean Water,’ ‘Clean Water is a Human Right,’ ‘Honk for Clean Water,’ et cetera,” Mariana Pardo, point person for the Sanibel event, said.
Manarite added that the fight for clean water is a fight for the future generation.
“We can do better for our children. It’s our responsibility,” she said. “Right now we are failing, and we can definitely do better.”
For more about the Sanibel rally, email Mariana Pardo at mariana.pardo@icloud.com.
For more information on the other rallies set for Matlacha, Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach, visit https://leecountydems.org/2021/06/15/multiple-clean-water-protests-happening-saturday-july-3/.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email