Environmental Leaders Luncheon

 PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Jane Grandbouche and Mary Anne Bowie
Phone: Jane – 941-809-3168
Email: Mary Anne – Bowiefaicp@gmail.com

Go Native: Save Water, Soil, and Wildlife!

Environmental Leaders Appreciation Luncheon to Honor Suncoast Changemakers

Sarasota, FL — The Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota Green Team, WSLR, and Generating Earth Connections invite you to the third annual Environmental Leaders Appreciation Luncheon, taking place on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34232.

This free, community-wide event celebrates the theme “Go Native: Save Water, Heal Soil, and Bring Wildlife!”, emphasizing the power of native plants to protect our ecosystems while honoring the changemakers working to make that vision a reality.

The program will feature two compelling speakers:

• Clayton Ferrara, Executive Director of Ideas for Us, is a globally respected ecologist and leader in grassroots environmental action. He brings experience from projects across six continents, turning local innovation into global change by focusing on sustainable solutions for food, water, waste, energy, and ecology.
• Dr. Gina Carlotti, a Sarasota-based physician and longtime environmental advocate, offers insight into how environmental degradation directly impacts human health. With decades of medical practice and activism, she speaks with clarity and compassion on the importance of environmental justice and sustainability.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary lunch and the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and recharge in the company of over 100 environmental leaders from across the Suncoast region.

“We want to say thank you to those who are restoring Florida’s beauty and resilience — often quietly and behind the scenes,” say event organizers. “This is a time to celebrate, reflect, and strengthen our community of environmental stewards.”

Everyone who cares about the environment is welcome! Bring a friend or colleague who shares your passion for sustainability.

 RSVP requested: Contact Jane at 941-809-3168 or Mary Anne at Bowiefaicp@gmail.com with the number of attendees.

Let’s come together to celebrate progress, share ideas, and protect the natural beauty of Florida — one native plant at a time.

List of invited organizations is below:

1. Anna Maria Island Community Center Inc dba https://www.centerami.org/support
2. Audubon (Manatee County) https://www.manateeaudubon.org
3. Audubon (Sarasota) https://www.sarasotaaudubon.org
4. Barancik Foundation https://barancikfoundation.org
5. Barrier Island Parks Society Inc. https://www.bips.org
6. Bishop Museum of Science and Nature Inc. https://www.BishopScience.org
7. Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife at Rotary Park Environmental Center https://ccfriendsofwildlife.org
8. Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Inc https://www.checflorida.org
9. Climate Adaptation Center (Sarasota) https://www.theclimateadaptationcenter.org
10. Coalition of City Neighborhoods CCNA (City of Sarasota)www.sarasotaccna.org
11. Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Program https://www.chnep.org
12. Community Foundation of Sarasota County https://www.cfsarasota.org
13. Conservation Foundation of Gulf Coast https://www.conservationfoundation.com

14. Cortez Village Historical Society Inc. https://www.cortezvillagehistoricalsociety.org/

15. Council of Neighborhood Associations CONA (Sarasota County) https://sarasotaccna.org
16. Crowley Museum and Nature Center Inc https://www.crowleyfl.org
17. Deep time Network www.dtnet.org
18. Design by Nature https://www.designbynature.biz
19. Elemental Impact https://elementalimpact.org
20. Englewood Community Coalition Inc https://www.ccenglewood.com
21. Environmental Caucus of Democratic Party (Manatee County) Facebook
22. Environmental Confederation of SouthWest Florida – ECOSWF https://www.ecoswf.org
23. Family Oriented Community United Strong, Inc (FOCUS) FOCUSTallevast2003@gmail.com
24. Florida Citizens Climate Lobby- Sarasota https://citizentsclimatelobby.org
25. Florida Environmental Film Festival, Inc. http://www.thefeff.org
26. Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage Inc https://www.cortez-fish.org
27. Florida Native Plants Nursery and Landscaping https://www.floridanativeplants.com
28. Florida Native Plant Society – Mangrove chapter https://www.fnps.org
29. Florida Native Plant Society – Serona Chapter https://serenoa.fnpschapters.org
30. Florida Right to Clean Water https://floridarighttocleanwater.org
31. Florida Veterans for Common Sense Fund, Inc https://floridaveteransforcommonsensefund.org
32. Friends of the Celery Fields https://celeryfields.org
33. Friends of the Legacy Trail Inc. https://www.friendsofthelegacytrail.org
34. Friends of the Myakka River, Inc https://friendsofmyakkariver.org
35. Friends of Oscar Scherer Park Inc https://friendsofoscarscherer.com
36. Gardeners Out East https://gardenersouteast.com
37. Generating Earth Connections https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9212361/
38. Go-pher Green Inc. dba (Bocilla Islands Conservancy) https://www.bocillaislandsconservancy.org
39. Green Drinks Local woosterfla@gmail.com
40. Gulf Coast Community Foundation https://www.gulfcoastcf.org
41. Gulf Coast Shellfish Institute http://www.gulfshellfishinstitute.org
42. Keep the Country Country https://www.mikehutchinson.net
43. Keep Charlotte Beautiful Inc https://www.KeepCharlotteBeautiful.org
44. Lemon Bay Conservancy, Inc https://www.lemonbayconservancy.org
45. Lemur Conservation Foundation Inc https://lemurreserve.org
46. Manasota 88 www.manasota88.org
47. Manatee County Dept of Natural Resources https://www.mymanatee.org/departments/natural_resources/environmental_protection
48. Manatee Rare Fruit Council https://www.mrfc.org
49. Manatee River Garden Club, Inc http://www.manateerivergardenclub.com
50. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens https://selby.org/
51. Minorities in Shark Sciences http://misselasmo.org
52. Mote Marine Laboratory https://www.mote.org
53. Nathan B. Stubblefield Foundation (DBA WMNF – 88.5FM) https://wmnf.org
54. Natural Awakenings https://www.nasrq.com
55. Operation Eco Vets https://operationecovets.org
56. Oyster River Ecology, Inc http://www.oysterriverecology.org
57. Pachamama Alliance of Southwest Florida pachamamaelder@gmail.com
58. Parrot Cove Exotic Bird and Environmental Education Preserve Inc https://parrotcovepreserve.org
59. Parrot Outreach Society Inc. https://www.parrotoutreachsociety.org
60. Peace, Education and Action Center https://www.sarasotapeacecenter.org
61. People for Protecting the Peace River https://protectpeaceriver.com
62. PGI Green Thumbs Inc https://PGIGreenThumbs.org
63. Progressive Caucus of Democratic Party Tom@watsonwalker.com
64. Ringling College of Arts and Design /Environmental Education https://www.ringling.edu
65. Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay Foundation Inc. https://www.rotaryclubofsarasotabay.org
66. Sarasota Bay Estuary Program https://sarasotabay.org
67. Sarasota Bay Watch Inc https://www.sarasotabaywatch.org
68. Sarasota City Sustainability Department https://www.sarasotafl.gov/sustainability
69. Sarasota County/IFAS Extension/Sustainability Department https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu>sarasota>sustainability
70. Sarasota Vegan Society https://thesarasotavegansociety.business.site
71. Sarasota World Affairs Council, Inc. https://www.sarasotawac.org
72. Save Our Seabirds https://www.saveourseabirds.org
73. Sarasota Environmental Leaders Jeanne Blackburn
74. Sarasota Environmental Leaders Vicki Chelf and John Lambie
75. Sarasota Environmental Leaders Elizabeth Moore
76. Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida, Inc. https://www.scienceandenvironment.org
77. Sierra Club – Sarasota-Manatee https://www.sierraclub.org>florida>manatee-sarasota
78. Sol Growers Inc. https://solgrowers.org
79. START (Solutions to Avoid Red Tide) https://start1.org
80. South Face (now at New College) https://www.southfacea.org/sarasota/
81. Southwest Florida RESET Center https://www.swflreset.org
82. Spanish Point https://selby.org/hsp/visit-historic-spanish-point/
83. Suncoast Urban Reforesters https://www.suncoastforests.org
84. Suncoast Water Keeper https://www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org
85. Sunshine Community Compost https://www.sunshinecommunitycompost.org
86. Sweet Bay Nursery www.sweetbaynursery.com
87. The Bay Park Conservancy https://www.thebaysarasota.org
88. The Connection Partners https://www.theconnectionpartners.com/
89. The Environmental Conservancy of North Port Inc. http://www.ecnorthport.com
90. The Florida Panther Project www.floridapantherprojectinc.org
91. The Multicultural Health Institute https://www.the-mhi.org
92. The Patterson Foundation https://www.thepattersonfoundation.org
93. Transition SRQ https://www.transitionsrq.org
94. Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota, Green Team https://www.UUCSarasota.com/green-team.html
95. Unity Church Youth Education Coordinator https://unityofsarasota.org/
96. US Green Building Council, Myakka River Branch https://usgbc.org>organizations-organizations-florida-chapter
97. Venice Area Beautification https://www.vabi.org
98. Wildlife, Inc. https://www.wildlifeinc.org
99. WSLR Show: Our Changing Environment https://wslr.org
100. Zach Zildjian Design Services Facebook

If you know of additional other environmental organizations that are operating in the area, please send

information to BowieFAICP@gmail.com and put Environmental Leaders in the Subject line, so they can be invited.

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