Taoist Tai Chi Society to hold open house at Environmental Learning Center

Drift card study to take place in Vero Beach this weekend

Boaters, kayakers and waders in the Indian River Lagoon from Vero Beach north to Melbourne should be on the lookout for floating orange biodegradable cards this weekend. On Saturday [Nov. 2],  researchers from the ANGARI Foundation based in West Palm Beach and partners including Vero Beach's Environmental Learning Center, Fort Pierce-based Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA) and Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves will release 40 of the cards simultaneously at ten sites on the Indian River Lagoon, Lake Worth Lagoon and Intracoastal Waterway. The object is to gain new insights into the way marine debris moves in and around Florida's coastal waterways, according to the ANGARI website. Anyone who finds a card is asked to retrieve it and send ...

ELC appoints new executive director

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — After a six-month nationwide search, the Environmental Learning Center has found its person to help lead the organization, the not-for-profit announced this week. Officials appointed Vero native Barbara Schlitt Ford as the center's new permanent executive director, effective immediately. Ford has served as interim executive director since April 2019 and is only the third executive director in the organization's 31-year-old history. "We spent a great deal of time and effort making sure we selected the best person for this pivotal position. We were specifically looking for our next executive director to be a highly-respected and skilled leader that will take the ELC to the next level, and with this appointment, the board is confident we have ...

John’s Island woman’s estate leaves $500K gift for ELC

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A woman who once lived on John's Island willed $500,000 from her estate to the Environmental Learning Center to support its mission in promoting connections to the natural environment. Officials said Marie G. Gookin left the bequest gift to the ELC. The center received the first installment this month from Gookin, who included the organization in her estate plans back in 1994. "We were thrilled to receive this very generous gift from the estate of Mrs. Gookin," ELC Board Chair Don Barr said in a statement. "The gift is particularly significant as the ELC begins the implementation of our master plan and enhances programming in an effort to attract more visitors." Gookin, described as a dedicated ...