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. Suncoast Environmental Leaders List – Organizations and Websites

   1. 1.      15th Street Farm     https://www.15thstfarm.com

      2.      Anna Maria Island Community Center Inc https://www.centerami.org/support

      3.      Audubon (Manatee County) https://www.manateeaudubon.org

      4.      Audubon (Sarasota) https://www.sarasotaaudubon.org

      5.      Barancik Foundation   https://barancikfoundation.org

      6.      Barrier Island Parks Society Inc. https://www.bips.org

      7.      Bishop Museum of Science and Nature Inc. https://www.BishopScience.org

      8.      Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife at Rotary Park Environmental Center https://ccfriendsofwildlife.org

      9.      Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Inc* https://www.checflorida.org

      10.  Climate Adaptation Center (Sarasota) https://www.theclimateadaptationcenter.org

      11.  Coalition of City Neighborhoods CCNA (City of Sarasota) www.sarasotaccna.org

      12.  Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Program https://www.chnep.org

      13.  Collaboratory (Fort Myers) https://collaboratory.org

      14.  Community Foundation of Sarasota County https://www.cfsarasota.org

      15.  Big Waters Land Trust (was Conservation Foundation of Gulf Coast) https://www.conservationfoundation.com

      16.  Control Growth Now https://www.controlgrowthnow.org/

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

      18.  Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations CCNA (Sarasota County) https://sarasotaccna.org

      19.  Crowley Museum and Nature Center Inc https://www.crowleyfl.org

      20.  Deep time Network              www.dtnet.org

      21.  Earth Impact              https://earth-impact.org

      22.  Environmental Consulting www.wetlandextentlandward.com

      23.  Emerge Sarasota              Facebook page

      24.  Englewood Community Coalition Inc https://www.ccenglewood.com

      25.  Environmental Caucus of Democratic Party (Manatee County)              Facebook page

      26.  Environmental Confederation of SouthWest Florida – ECOSWF https://www.ecoswf.org

      27.  Environmental Conservancy of North Port        https://ecnorthport.com

      28.  Family Oriented Community United Strong, Inc (FOCUS) https://www.focusontallevast.com/

      29.  Florida Citizens Climate Lobby- Sarasota https://citizensclimatelobby.org, https://citizensclimatelobby.org/chapters/FL_Sarasota-Bradenton/

      30.  The Florida Conservation Group ww.floridaconserve.org

      31.  Florida Environmental Film Festival, Inc. http://www.thefeff.org

      32.  Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage Inc https://fishcortez.org/

      33.  Florida Native Plant Society – Mangrove chapter https://www.fnps.org

      34.  Florida Native Plant Society – Serona Chapter https://serenoa.fnpschapters.org

      35.  Florida Native Plants Nursery and Landscaping https://www.floridanativeplants.com

      36.  Florida Right to Clean Water https://floridarighttocleanwater.org

      37.  Florida Veterans for Common Sense Fund, Inc https://floridaveteransforcommonsensefund.org

      38.  Friends of the Celery Fields https://celeryfields.org

      39.  Friends of the Legacy Trail Inc. https://www.friendsofthelegacytrail.org

      40.  Friends of the Myakka River, Inc https://friendsofmyakkariver.org

      41.  Friends of Oscar Scherer Park Inc https://friendsofoscarscherer.com

      42.  Gardeners Out East https://www.linkedin.com/groups//

      43.  Generating Earth Connections

      44.  Go-pher Green Inc. dba (Bocilla Islands Conservancy) https://www.bocillaislandsconservancy.org

      45.  Groking Wholeness https://grokingwholeness.info

      46.  Green Drinks Local https://www.greendrinks.org/Sarasota

      47.  Gulf Coast Community Foundation https://www.gulfcoastcf.org

      48.  Gulf Coast Shellfish Institute http://www.gulfshellfish.org

      49.  Haitian Culture in Focus https://artisanhaitian.us

      50.  Ideas for Us    https://ideasforus.org

      51.  Keep Charlotte Beautiful Inc https://www.KeepCharlotteBeautiful.org

      52.  Keep the Country Country https://www.mikehutchinson.net

      53.  League of Women Voters Natural Resources Team https://lwvfl.org/issues/natural-resources/

      54.  Lemon Bay Conservancy, Inc https://www.lemonbayconservancy.org

      55.  Lemur Conservation Foundation Inc https://lemurreserve.org

      56.  Manasota88 www.manasota88.org

      57.  Manatee County Dept of Natural Resources https://www.mymanatee.org/departments/natural_resources/environmental_protection

      58.  Manatee Rare Fruit Council https://www.mrfc.org

      59.  Manatee River Garden Club, Inc http://www.manateerivergardenclub.com

      60.  Marie Selby Botanical Gardens          https://selby.org/

      61.  Minorities in Shark Sciences http://misselasmo.org

      62.  Mote Marine Laboratory https://www.mote.org

      63.  Nathan B. Stubblefield Foundation (WMNF – FM) https://www.wmnf.org/

      64.  Natural Awakenings https://www.nasrq.com

      65.  Operation Eco Vets https://operationecovets.org

      66.  Oyster River Ecology, Inc http://www.oysterriverecology.org

      67.  Pachamama Alliance of Southwest Florida pachamamaelder@gmail.com

      68.  Parrot Cove Exotic Bird and Environmental Education Preserve Inc https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064862251074

      69.  Parrot Outreach Society Inc. https://parrotoutreachsociety.org/

      70.  Mosaic Movements (was Peace, Education and Action Center) https://www.mosaicmovements.org/

      71.  People for Protecting the Peace River https://protectpeaceriver.org

      72.  People for Trees  https://www.peoplefortrees.com

      73.  PGI Green Thumbs Inc https://PGIGreenThumbs.org

      74.  Progressive Caucus of Democratic Party https://www.sarasotacharlotteprogressives.com/

      75.  Resilience Incubator physically located at Suncoast Blood Bank Facility : Community Harvest SRQ, Elizabeth Moore/Suncoast Stargazers, Florida Veterans for Common Sense Fund, Inc, Minorities in Shark Sciences, Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay Watch, Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, Southface, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Sunshine Community Compost and The Recycling Partnership, incubator info at Community Foundation of Sarasota County website https://www.cfsarasota.org

      76.  Ringling College of Arts and Design /Environmental Education https://www.ringling.edu/academics/enhance-your-education/minors-certificates/environmental-studies/

      77.  Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay Foundation Inc. https://www.rotaryclubofsarasotabay.org

      78.  Salty Feathers Farm https://www.localharvest.org/salty-feathers-farm-M84301

      79.  Sarasota Bay Estuary Program https://sarasotabay.org

      80.  Sarasota Bay Watch Inc https://www.sarasotabaywatch.org

      81.  Sarasota City Sustainability Department https://www.sarasotafl.gov/sustainability

      82.  Sarasota County Butterfly Club   https://sarasotabutterfly.com

      83.  Sarasota County/IFAS Extension/Sustainability Department https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu>sarasota>sustainability

      84.  Sarasota Vegan Society https://www.sarasotavegansociety.org/

      85.  Save Our Seabirds https://www.saveourseabirds.org

      86.  Sarasota World Affairs Council, Inc. https://www.sarasotawac.org.

      87.  Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida, Inc. https://www.scienceandenvironment.org

      88.  Science and Technology Society of Florida Suncoast https://www.scienceandtechnologysociety.org/

      89.  Sierra Club – Sarasota-Manatee https://www.sierraclub.org>florida>manatee-sarasota

      90.  Sol Growers Inc. https://solgrowers.org

      91.  South Face (now at New College)* https://www.southface.org/sarasota/

      92.  Southwest Florida RESET Center https://www.swflreset.org

      93.  Spanish Point https://selby.org/hsp/visit-historic-spanish-point/

      94.  START (Solutions to Avoid Red Tide)             https://startorg

      95.  Stocking Savvy https://www.stockingsavvy.com/

      96.  Suncoast Urban Reforesters https://www.suncoastforests.org

      97.  Suncoast Water Keeper https://www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org

      98.  Sunshine Community Compost https://www.sunshinecommunitycompost.org

      99.   Spirituality and Sustainability Global Network https://www.spirituality-sustainability.net

      100.                     Sweet Bay Nursery www.sweetbaynursery.com

      101.                     The Bay Park Conservancy https://www.thebaysarasota.org

      102.                     The Connection Partners https://www.theconnectionpartners.com/

      103.                     The Environmental Conservancy of North Port Inc. http://www.ecnorthport.com

      104.                     The Florida Panther Project www.floridapantherprojectinc.org

      105.                     The Multicultural Health Institute         https://www.the-mhi.org

      106.                     The Patterson Foundation https://www.thepattersonfoundation.org

      107.                     This Spaceship Earth www.thisspaceshipearth.org

      108.                     Transition SRQ https://www.transitionsrq.org

      109.                     UU Justice Florida  https://uujusticefl.org

      110.                     Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota, Green Team https://www.UUSrq.org/green-team.html

      111.                     Unity Church Youth Education Coordinator*

      112.                     US Green Building Council, Myakka River Branch https://usgbc.org>organizations-organizations-florida-chapter

      113.                     Venice Area Beautification https://www.vabi.org

      114.                     Wildlife, Inc. https://www.wildlifeinc.org

      115.                     WSLR Show: Our Changing Environment https://wslr.org/environment/luncheon

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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