EAGLE AWARD

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida bestowed its highest honor, the Eagle Award, to Sue Dalton. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting for members on January 17.

As a Naples resident, Sue Dalton has helped educate more than 150,000 visitors and 30,000 area students in 10 years at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

As the heart behind the creation of Magic Under the Mangroves, the successful fundraising event started 18 years ago and has raised $17 million for Conservancy programs.

She and her late husband William, who passed away in 2012, provided the leadership gift to help create the Dalton Discovery Center that opened in 2012, a centerpiece of the guest experience at the Conservancy’s Nature Center, which highlights Southwest Florida’s diverse ecosystems.

“Thousands of visitors, including many school groups, have learned about the region’s ecosystem and environment by touring the Discovery Center, and I’m pleased to support the comprehensive renovations and expansion that will further educate and engage Conservancy members and guests.”

In 2020, when the Conservancy announced that the Dalton Discovery Center would be renovated and expanded, Sue committed the lead gift towards the $5 million project, which reopened in late 2021.

“When we see challenges or needs, we are blessed to be able give back,” she said. “If we don’t protect what we have, we are going to lose it. We need more people to be involved. We must take action in order to make a difference.”