Happenings Program Guide Fall 2016 | Page 8

FLORIDA! Don’t miss some of Florida’s most influential people who will be here in Boca Grande to speak on the political, environmental and economic status of the Sunshine State. This season’s Florida! program will help us gain a deeper understanding of the issues we face and how we can be an instrumental part in creating a brighter future for Florida. We are pleased to promote relevant programs from the Boca Grande Historical Society and the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department, which are also planning programs of interest on this topic. PROUDLY SPONSORED BY: STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT FLORIDA’S FUTURE Adam Putnam, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Monday, November 14, 2016 | 4:30pm | Auditorium | General Admission $20 | Reserved Seating $35 | Sponsorship $150 The state of Florida faces many challenges that, if disregarded, will adversely affect Florida’s future. Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam, works to overcome these challenges as a member of the Cabinet alongside the governor, attorney general and chief financial officer. The commissioner has fostered many positive outcomes in his work and continues to focus on Florida’s future, its potential and the priorities he sees for it. These priorities include the health and management of Florida’s water resources, growth in population and the economy, agriculture, health care and education. Commissioner Putnam will discuss available choices for these issues and how the conflicts can be resolved. He will also address strategic priorities that he sees for Florida, what actions are needed, and how he sees these being implemented. FLORIDA – THE FORGOTTEN COAST Tuesday, February 28, 2017 | 3:30pm | Auditorium | General Admission $30 | Reserved Seating $45 | Sponsorship $150 Be a part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor expedition team and join us for a special screening of the documentary, The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida. Following the film, stay for an engaging panel discussion on the need to protect the missing links in the corridor, preserve Florida’s waters, and sustain working lands and rural economies from the Everglades to Georgia and Alabama. 3:30pm Documentary THE FORGOTTEN COAST: RETURN TO WILD FLORIDA Following in the footsteps of a wandering Florida black bear, three friends leave civilization and become immersed in a vast and unexplored wildlife corridor stretching from the Everglades to the Florida-Alabama border. The rugged thousand-mile journey by foot, paddle and bike traverses Florida’s Forgotten Coast – a wilderness that has the potential to transform the way we see the natural world. 4:30pm Panel Discussion FEATURING: Carlton Ward Jr., conservation photographer and Florida Wildlife Corridor expedition team member, Debi Osborne, Director of Land Protection with the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Jim Cooper, President of the Lemon Bay Conservancy WORLD OF REPTILES Thursday, April 13th, 2017 | 10:00am | Auditorium | Free Admission Pythons, lizards and reptiles galore! Come to the Boca Grande Community Center auditorium and venture into the world of reptiles with John Storms, the “Reptile Man.” Learn how snakes survive without the use of legs, ears or eyelids. See giant pythons, crocodilians and other exotic reptiles found here in Florida, both native and from around the world. Find out where reptiles come from, what they like to eat and what to do if you encounter one in the wild. This Lee County Parks & Recreation Department program is sponsored by the Boca Grande Woman's Club. 8 2016/17 PROGRAM GUIDE