August News from the Friends

August Greetings from The Friends of Sarasota County Parks, Inc.

PlanPlan to Network like Crazy on Sept. 1
In the next four weeks you’ll hear a lot about the 2015 Giving Challenge – it starts atNoon on Sept. 1, runs for 24 hours, and will be the single most important fundraising opportunity of the year — especially since the Patterson Foundation has committed to match all new donor contributions up to $250 – no limit on the number of new donors.
Power to Phillippi
 
Even in our very wet July, The Friends of Sarasota County Parks was at work, as Priscilla Brown wrote to say:

Friends of Sarasota County Parks put in a work day at the front ofPhillippi Estates park, facilitating the installation of an electrical line to have power available at the Phillippi Farmhouse Marketfor the music tent and the west side of the market.  Previously, electrical extension cords had to be run across the ground causing a potential tripping hazard.

The park thanks FOSCP, and Fred Whitehouse, Tim Brown of Brown’s Grove, and John Lewis for assisting.

Because of the pre-history of the location, all digging required an archaeologist in attendance and sifting of all soil removed to look for artifacts.*

The Farmhouse Market will re-open Wed Oct 7 from 9 am until 2 pm and remain open every Wednesday through Wed April 28, 2016.  Friends of Sarasota County Parks support local agriculture!


*Note: Interim County Archaeologist Steve Koski sampled the terrain – no artifacts found.
                      

Looking Ahead
 
The Milky Way

Lots going on in our parks this month, including a scrub lands walk along Caspersen Aug. 12, stargazing at Red Bug the 13th (catch a falling Perseid), and a walk with naturalist Brooke Elias to see what’s blooming, buzzing and hatching at Shamrock on the 27th.

And next month is also filling with events – there’s National Public Lands Day Sept. 26, and the week before, it’s the International Coastal Cleanup. You can register for that here today, it’s part of Keep Sarasota County Beautiful.
 

Got Paver?
Click on the bird to learn more!

Why not . . .

 

. . .  give volunteering in the parks a try? On the County’s Volunteer Page, you’ll find many existing opportunities to choose from – some that are “Done in a Day,” others that can be ongoing tasks.
heart of the community

 

 

Another beachgoer
An Italian visitor to Siesta Beach captured this video of a turtle burying her eggs then finding her way back to the sea. (Facebook Friends of the Friends probably have seen this video — have you liked us yet on Facebook?)
Heading for the Gulf
Another sort of Giving Challenge?
 Till next time for the Friends,
I’m Tom M.