‘Ding’ Darling Day at Lakes Park taking shape
To further its mission to reach and connect with underserved urban communities, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge will migrate its 33rd annual “Ding” Darling Day celebration on Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to Lakes Park in Fort Myers.
In partnership with the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge, Tarpon Bay Explorers, conservation partners and sponsors, the refuge is drawing up a schedule of free tours and activities.
The celebration will center at the main pavilion, where the Wildlife on Wheels mobile interactive experience will be open to touring, and partner exhibitors will host Conservation Carnival games and informational booths. Attendees can earn tickets by playing games to exchange for a free Southern SnoBalls treat, courtesy of the DDWS while supplies last, and other prizes. The refuge will host a dunk tank featuring a variety of “celebrity dunkees,” including Refuge Manager Kevin Godsea, Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland and Tice Elementary Vice Principal Katie Riemenschneider.
Scheduled tours for on-site sign up will include a bring-your-own-bike tour, guided birding walks in Spanish and English, a Mindfulness Walk, and Nature Journaling with the refuge’s 2021 Artist in Residence Rachel Pierce.
“We are having so much fun reinventing ‘Ding’ Darling Day to make that connection actually out in the community as part of the refuge system’s Urban Wildlife Refuge Initiative,” Westland, who chairs the event’s committee, said.
Recently added event sponsors include: Bank of the Islands and Mitchell’s SandCastles as Reddish Egret; and Florida Weekly, McCallion & McCallion Realty and Media Source as Snowy Egret.
The DDWS is seeking sponsors, which will be publicized throughout the Southwest Florida area. For more information, contact April Boehnen at april@dingdarlingsociety.org or 239-472-1100 ext. 4.