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National Foster Care Month

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and its community partners have joined together to recognize and celebrate foster families and those who support them during National Foster Care Month.

There are nearly 25,000 children currently in foster care in Florida. Each child needs love, security, and a strong foundation to build their life around. Foster parents change lives and offer hope to children who have been removed from their homes because they have experienced abuse or neglect and cannot safely remain with their parents.

In partnership with DCF, Florida’s community-based care (CBC) lead and provider agencies, work to recruit, license, and match children in need of foster homes. These organizations also provide numerous services based on the unique needs of children and parents in their communities, including health care, mental and behavioral health services, education, training, and other supplementary services.

For more information on becoming a foster parent, visit your local CBC or DCF’s Foster Care website.

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Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month

Collier County Domestic Animal Services (DAS) strives to find loving homes for all animals that enter its shelter. But, June is Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month so throughout this month the focus is on shelter cats. DAS encourages you to come check out its Certified Pre-owned Cats.

DAS is offering huge savings on all cat adoptions during June. All cat adoptions, all ages, are just $10.00 (regularly $60.00).  DAS has all makes and models of cats with standard four-paw drive, free microchip and a 100,000-purr warranty. Big or small DAS have them all.

Adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, microchip, age appropriate vaccinations, flea treatment, heartworm test for dogs, FELV/FIV test for cats, and 30 days of free pet insurance. That’s a value of more than $400.

For more information, call DAS at (239) 252-PETS (7387), or go to CollierPets.com.

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Therapeutic Riding Center Helps Children Grieve

Naples Therapeutic Riding Center (NTRC), a non-profit equestrian center that provides therapeutic horseback riding and equine-related programs for children and adults with special needs, social interaction difficulties, and physical challenges, is pleased to announce the launch of a new children’s bereavement equine-facilitated learning program.

NTRC’s bereavement program is designed to work in conjunction with individual support groups in the community. During the first six-session group, five children coping with the recent loss of a parent who were enrolled in Avow Hospice’s bereavement support group, participated in NTRC’s first ever bereavement focused, equine-facilitated learning program.

Through this tailor-made, equine-facilitated learning program, children deepen their awareness of their feelings and bodily tension while boosting their self-esteem and confidence. Often, grieving children experience feelings of guilt, loneliness, and fear.

Equine-facilitated learning programs are offered at no cost to children as a result of donations and grant funding.

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Anderson Promoted

The Naples Trust Company, a division of The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company is proud to announce the promotion of Robyn Anderson, Vice President, Client Services and Trust Operations. Anderson is responsible for assisting clients with private wealth trust services, managing account openings and cash transfers. She serves as a key point person for trust company clients in Naples and Sanibel, managing their day to day needs. West McCann, President of The Naples Trust Company said, “Robyn’s dedication to our clients and her attention to detail are qualities that add to our clients’ comfort and satisfaction, and warrants well-deserved recognition.”

Robyn has over 16 years in the financial services industry. Prior to joining The Naples Trust Company, she worked for five years at Fifth Third Private Bank and Trust in Naples in a similar role. She is also a graduate of the Florida Bankers Association’s Florida Graduate Trust and Wealth Management School, and is near completion of receiving the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation.

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Expanded Python Removal Efforts

Everglades National Park and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are partnering together to expand efforts to remove Burmese pythons from within the park. The partnership will expand the park’s Python Removal Authorized Agent Program by allowing paid FWC contractors to remove pythons in Everglades National Park. The expansion will triple the maximum allowed number of participants in the park from 40 to 120, allow FWC contractors to use firearms or other humane methods to euthanize pythons in the wild, and qualify additional trained NPS personnel to live capture and turn in pythons.

The Park and the FWC will hold a required Everglades National Park orientation for the contractors so they fully understand the park’s program and rules they must follow prior to beginning removals within the park.    

Burmese pythons pose a significant threat to the Everglades ecosystem. Along with State, Federal, Tribal, and local partners, Everglades National Park and the FWC have invested millions of dollars and countless hours in developing and testing ways to remove pythons from the Everglades.

Python removal contractors are paid for their efforts to survey for and, when possible, capture Burmese pythons in specific areas which will soon include Everglades National Park.

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When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

June, July and August are Peak Season for lightning in Florida.  On average, lightning accounts for more deaths per year than tornados. We have people working outdoors in this county every day. Remember, the safest place to be during lightning activity is a large enclosed building.  If you are away from a building, the second safest location is an enclosed vehicle (car, van, etc.) If you are caught outdoors with no shelter nearby, stay away from tall trees.  Crouch in the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as the tree is tall.

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Lightning safety tips for inside the home include:

  Avoid contact with corded phones.

  Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.

  Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, take a shower, wash dishes or do laundry.

  Stay away from windows and doors; stay off porches.

  Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls.