Under a clear moonlit sky, supporters of the Environmental Learning Center kicked off its 35th anniversary during a Mangroves & Moonlight fundraiser on the 64-acre campus of the nonprofit.
Glasses of wine in hand, guests strolled among the mangroves while enjoying the East Harbor band or took a turn around the Moondance Platform, a dancefloor on the boardwalk.
Others nibbled on small plates while seated in an eco-friendly banquette area, made of recycled pallets that had been set up in the grassy center field, or visited the Discovery Station to learn more about the creatures that live in the lagoon.
“Proceeds from tonight’s event will support our mission, which is to educate, inspire and empower all people to be active stewards of the environment and their own well-being,” said Barbara Schlitt Ford, ELC executive director.
Guests were invited to support the ELC by sponsoring one of its 10 “mission critical” needs: a motor for the pontoon boat, scholarships, camp and program supplies, the care and feeding of the marine life in the Discovery Station aquariums, college and high school internships, a golf cart, the Florida Master Naturalist Program, the Youth Environmental Leaders Corps, technology and, the area of greatest need, unrestricted funding.
“For the past few years, we have made a tremendous effort to strengthen the ELC’s impact on quality of life here in Indian River County,” said Ford, underscoring their goal of helping people connect with the natural world to foster environmental stewardship.
“We have revitalized our 64-acre lagoon island campus with roofs, boardwalks, new campus features and programs, and an amazing new education pavilion and grassy event oval,” she added.
“We all spend an incredible amount of time connected to the virtual world through our cellphones, social media and game accounts,” said John Daniels, ELC board chair, who emphasized the motto of the ELC was to Unplug-Discover-Connect.
“When we come here and unplug and start re-discovering the natural world, we get reminded that each of us is a part of nature, not apart from nature, and therefore we are all connected to all living things,” said Daniels, explaining that a more balanced relationship is healthier for people and the environment.
“At the ELC, we take pride in being educators, in instilling these deeper connections to nature. I love this organization because I feel that it inspires people who visit us to get better connected to the natural world and consequently take better care of it. This is good for the lagoon, it’s good for our own well-being, and selfishly it’s good for our property values,” said Daniels.
“Our theme tonight is Mangroves & Moonlight for a very important reason,” said Don Barr, ELC board vice chairman. “The ELC is nestled in a mangrove forest. Mangrove trees are vital to our lagoon ecosystem for many reasons.”
Barr read an excerpt from an article written by a student in the ELC’s Junior Interpreter program about the importance of mangroves. It described them as one of the most important trees in Florida, as they provide a home to more than 1,300 species of animals and they protect the land from erosion.
“We should love mangroves because they help us and the environment,” added Barr.
On April 1, the ELC will host its annual LagoonFest. For more information, visit discoverelc.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
