July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025
Because protecting what we love starts with showing up
One year into our ambitious 5-year strategic plan, we are eager for all members of the SCCF family to join our dedicated Board of Trustees and hardworking staff in discovering conservation in action. Only together can we preserve and protect these amazing coastal ecosystems for our neighbors as well as future generations.
Without the generosity of our members, SCCF’s sustainability would be in jeopardy. Instead, we are on a robust and carefully conceived upward trajectory. Thanks to you, we have hit many significant milestones as we move forward to a better tomorrow.
Our leadership has worked hard to advance our efforts — strategically and ambitiously. We hope you will agree that work is worthy of your philanthropic investment.
If you can once again renew — or perhaps even increase — your support, be assured it will be used wisely. You will help us ensure a stronger and more resilient future — for SCCF, Sanibel Sea School, Coastal Watch, our amazing island neighbors and business partners, and our broader Southwest Florida regional community.
If you have questions, including about gifts of securities or donations by ACH transfer, please contact SCCF Development Director Cheryl Giattini at 239-822-6121 or cgiattini@sccf.org.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this heartfelt request.
SCCF’s mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems.
Founded in 1967, SCCF has grown significantly from its initial focus on land acquisition. Focus areas include: Water Quality Research | Policy and Advocacy | Sea Turtle and Shorebird Monitoring Environmental Education | Native Landscaping | Wildlife & Habitat Management | Ecosystem Restoration
In January 2020, Sanibel Sea School and Coastal Watch joined forces with SCCF, greatly expanding our youth education and community conservation initiatives. At the heart of SCCF are residents, visitors, and businesses who believe we have a duty to protect our region for future generations.
Thanks as always for sustaining our shared commitment to conservation. Please consider using the enclosed envelope to do so again with a tax-deductible contribution to the Annual Fund Drive.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we reflect on another transformative year, we are filled with profound gratitude for our community’s unwavering commitment to protecting the natural treasures that make our barrier islands truly extraordinary. SCCF exists because a group of visionary individuals recognized that paradise is not permanent — it must be actively protected. Today, that responsibility belongs to all of us.
Despite the challenges posed by the 2024 storm season, we continue to forge ahead with implementing our 5-year strategic plan. As we restore our conservation lands, inland and coastal resources, and infrastructure impacted by past and recent storm events, we also do what we do best — science, education, and advocacy.
Our science team is leading the way in groundbreaking research on water quality, harmful algal blooms, and sea turtles, and other species, which is being used to inform management and policy decisions. Our talented educators are inspiring our community, young and old, to learn about what makes our region so special. Local and regional collaborations with our steadfast conservation partners are amplifying the impact of our work and educating local business leaders about the inextricable link between our natural resources, quality of life, and our local economy.
wonder and continue to attract residents, visitors, and businesses to Southwest Florida.
Despite the progress we have made, our wildlife and ecosystems are under constant threat from development pressure. The recent string of hurricanes has enabled unprecedented redevelopment, some of which is critical to rebuild our homes and businesses, and some that is opportunistic. We are at a crossroads — where one path will protect our historical development patterns, fish and wildlife, and maintain the quality of life that first attracted us to the area. The other path will lead to high-density development, traffic congestion, declining water quality, and the loss of habitat.
Together, we are not just conserving land, water, and wildlife; we are preserving a way of life, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring that the natural wonders of our barrier islands continue to inspire and sustain future generations.
The fruits of our labor are apparent in the wildlife returning to our restored lands, the increasing numbers of shorebirds and sea turtles nesting on our beaches, and the excitement on the faces of our youth who have just completed their first week of Sanibel Sea School camp, as well as our volunteers experiencing their first hatchling release.
On the policy front, we are seeing major investments at federal and state levels for Everglades Restoration. This year we hit an important milestone with the completion of the C-43 Reservoir — an essential project that will help restore freshwater flows to the Caloosahatchee estuary. State and federal investments are accelerating construction of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir, a project designed to reduce damaging discharges to the coastal estuaries and send more water south to the Everglades and Florida Bay where it is needed. Together, we are protecting and caring for the coastal ecosystems that provide us so much joy and
It is our job to ensure that our elected leaders choose wisely. We must ensure that they act on our behalf and continue to fund land conservation programs, like Conservation 20/20, and stand up to harmful, high-density development that will forever change the unique character of our barrier islands. This is not a duty that can be delegated to others; it is our shared responsibility to keep us on a path that will preserve a Southwest Florida that we would be proud to pass on to our children.
We owe a debt of gratitude to all of our amazing supporters, hard-working and dedicated staff and volunteers, and talented Board of Trustees who make our work possible. We could not do this without you!
We are so proud to have you as members of the SCCF Family and look forward to working with you as stewards and active participants in conserving this extraordinary place.
Sincerely,
James Evans
Nik Khakee Chief Executive Officer President Board of Trustees
James Evans Nik Khakee
Marine Lab Advances Water Quality Research & Monitoring Efforts
RECON Fully Restored
To inform the public about the real-time status and condition of water quality in the region, the River, Estuary & Coastal Observing Network’s (RECON) water quality monitoring network is now fully operational after Hurricane Ian. We currently have eight sites equipped with water quality monitoring sensors, three of which also feature weather sensors, and two have nutrient sensors.
Enhanced Stormwater Management
Through our long-standing partnership with the City of Sanibel, scientists contributed to the City’s stormwater management plan update, presenting to Council on lower water storage and evapotranspiration rates post Ian. We also expanded the number of water level sensor locations to six in total, with funding from the City to improve central marsh hydrology and reduce flooding for Sanibel residents.
Assessing Sanibel’s Marsh Habitat
We conducted a hydrological study of Sanibel’s wetlands in coordination with researchers from the University of Florida who are tagging and tracking the movements of the endangered Sanibel rice rat (Oryzomys palustris sanibeli). Groundwater and water levels are being measured in the marsh where Sanibel rice rats were found and at other strategic points across the wetlands of Sanibel.
Massive Oyster Reef & Mangrove Restoration
In the largest oyster restoration project in Charlotte Harbor, a 3-plus-acre reef at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee was restored using fossil shell from Charlotte County mines delivered by barge to the site. Within one week after completion, there were “baby” oyster spat settling on the shell. Working with SCCF’s Coastal Watch, we are planning mangrove restoration projects on our properties and continuing to plant seedlings and monitor their survival at Woodring Road.
Increased Collaboration & Field Opportunities
To achieve collaboration and cohesion among researchers and educators, we collaborated with Sanibel Sea School educators to provide instructors for field-based measurements for the “week in the field” summer course. We also provided boat trips to North Captiva for our wildlife teams to conduct shorebird and reptile monitoring. Through trips on our R/V Norma Campbell, policymakers and elected officials gained a better understanding of the challenges and the natural beauty of the barrier islands and our estuary. We also convened the 2024 Sanibel Biologists meeting with attendance from SCCF, City of Sanibel, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, and CROW.
BY THE NUMBERS
12 Marine Lab active grants and contracts
$375,000 Grant and contract income
6 Peer-reviewed scientific journal publications
78,840 Water quality observations from RECON
65 Seagrass sites surveyed
129 Boat days
834 Sampling sites visited
31 Monitoring wells installed
2,487 Oysters measured
3,567 Lines of statewide water quality data uploaded
Statewide Research Partnerships
We collaborated with the University of Florida and the University of South Florida to monitor harmful algal blooms (HABs) and provide data to modeling scientists to understand specific drivers and climatological factors that cause blooms. A new grant to detect HABs on Lake Okeechobee using drones will begin in 2026 with Emory Riddle
Aeronautic University and the University of South Florida. We also hosted the Roskamp Institute to conduct a red tide health screening on Sanibel and broadly communicated the status of red tide blooms in 2025. These actions provide new information to minimize impacts to wildlife and people through HAB research.
Innovative Research Continues
To innovate and further develop SCCF’s water quality expertise and influence, the Marine Lab continued an EPA grant to understand seagrass losses in Matlacha Pass and the increased abundance and overgrowth of macroalgae. We also continued collaboration on the co-restoration of hard clams and seagrass with the Water School at FGCU and the Gulf Shellfish Institute.
— Eric Milbrandt, Ph.D. Marine
Lab Director
Sea Turtles
Nighttime Tagging & Research Success
This year marks the 10th season of our sea turtle nighttime tagging project. A total of 1,293 nesting females have been identified through this program, enabling us to monitor nesting patterns in Southwest Florida.
The sea turtle team also deployed five satellite tags on nesting loggerheads this summer to study their diving and foraging behavior, movement patterns, and home ranges.
Additionally, we are expanding upon our previous study, which indicated that red tide toxins (brevetoxins) are transferred from nesting females to hatchlings — even in the absence of bloom conditions — and that nests with higher toxin concentrations have lower hatch rates. Our current project seeks to determine the impacts of brevetoxins on the health, fitness, and survival of hatchlings.
Sea Turtle Nest Count Up on Islands
Preliminary statewide numbers suggest that loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nest counts across Florida were lower in 2025 compared to 2024. However, we are excited that Sanibel and Captiva documented 46 and 6 more nests than last year, respectively, making this the fourth-highest year on record.
Hatchling Success Challenges
Our team has observed dramatic declines in hatchling counts since 2021, likely due to the
BY THE NUMBERS
intensification of storm and predator activity, as well as the impacts of heat, sand placement projects, and many other variables. 2024 was a 10-year low for hatchling counts, but in 2025, we documented 27,014 hatchlings, an increase from last year.
A 39.7% depredation rate was documented this season, up from 28.2% in 2024. Once again, the Sea Turtle Conservancy funded an intern with the sole responsibility of placing protective cages on nests laid in predation hotspots. The depredation rate on caged nests was 20.4% while 36.7% of screened nests were depredated.
CEPD Funds Nest Relocation Effort
An island-wide renourishment project on Captiva required our team to relocate nests within 12 hours of being laid to minimize damage to eggs. The Captiva Erosion Prevention District (CEPD) funded five additional staffers — a biologist and 4 interns — to tackle this project. Our team relocated a total of 73 nests. Thanks to careful training, the hatch rates for relocated nests were similar to nests left in situ.
868 Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests
1,340 Loggerhead false crawls
26,590 Loggerhead hatchlings
21 Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests
6 Green turtle false crawls
424 Green turtle hatchlings
320 Encounters
167 Unique turtles, with 100 new to Sanibel
86 Loggerhead hatchlings collected for research
5 Satellite-tagged turtles
9 Nests monitored for temperature
Shorebirds
A Very Successful Shorebird Nesting Season!
Shorebirds on Sanibel and the causeway islands were successful this year, with both snowy plovers (Anarhynchus nivosus) and least terns (Sternula antillarum) fledging young. On Sanibel, seven pairs of snowy plovers fledged seven chicks.
The first three nests failed due to predation by crows, overwash, and abandonment. Several of the chicks were banded with unique color combinations in order to track their movements beyond Sanibel. Changes to the habitat following Hurricane Milton led to more favorable conditions for nesting and foraging in 2025.
We are very grateful for all our dedicated sea turtle and shorebird volunteers!
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) were found in more places thanks to ongoing habitat restoration efforts across the island. Birds that previously nested in parking lots voluntarily moved into more natural areas following restoration by SCCF’s Habitat Management and marsh grass plantings by the Coastal Watch team.
More than 150 Least Tern Chicks Fledge
The least terns of the Sanibel causeway had a remarkable comeback. In 2023, the birds returned to the causeway after a 30-year absence. In 2025, the newly reconstructed causeway islands offered an appealing nesting site. Approximately 200 nests were laid, and an estimated 150 or more chicks fledged over the course of the season. SCCF worked with Lee County and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to ensure the nesting area was protected, while still allowing beachgoers to enjoy the newly reopened beach. A team of
BY THE NUMBERS
270 Shorebird/seabird nests monitored
20 Routes surveyed
150 Monthly surveys conducted
68 Species of birds encountered
41,791 Birds counted during surveys
more than 30 volunteers served as stewards on weekends and holidays to educate beachgoers about the birds.
Outside Sanibel, the shorebird team continued working with partners to monitor nesting sites on North Captiva, Captiva, Bunche Beach, Estero Bay Preserve State Park, and rookery islands throughout Pine Island Sound.
— Kelly Sloan, Coastal Wildlife Director
Another Great Year for Immersive Engagement!
SCCF’s Coastal Watch department continued to engage the community in hands-on projects that protect and restore Southwest Florida’s coastal habitats, from oyster reef building to mangrove planting and shoreline cleanups. By combining education, outreach, and volunteer action, Coastal Watch strengthens the islands’ resilience and fosters a lasting connection between people and the environment.
Mangrove Habitat Restoration Strengthens Shores
Coastal Watch’s mangrove restoration program plays a critical role in rebuilding vital coastlines and strengthening ecosystem resilience. Communitydriven and science-based, the program is a model for coastal restoration and a testament to
what we can accomplish when we work together for our islands’ future. Working collaboratively with the City of Sanibel and MANG, we helped restore areas that were severely impacted by recent hurricanes and shoreline erosion.
Thanks to all of our volunteers, partners, and supporters for your hard work and unwavering support!
— Kealy Pfau, Coastal Watch Director
Adopt-a-Mangrove in National
Spotlight
Adopt-a-Mangrove engages the community in restoring vital shoreline habitats by inviting individuals and local businesses to sponsor and help grow mangroves. The program’s innovative approach recently earned national attention when it was featured in The New York Times, “50 States, 50 Fixes” series, highlighting both the ecological importance of mangroves and the inspiring ways SCCF is involving residents and visitors in hands-on conservation. Thanks to these businesses, and others, for participating: Lighthouse Cafe, Bait Box, Bank of the Islands, Rachel Pierce Art Gallery, and Island Pizza!
Marsh Madness Revives Vital Habitat
This was the second year of the community-driven marsh habitat restoration project that aims to restore the natural beauty and health of our wetlands, which were severely impacted by Hurricane Ian. Volunteers worked alongside SCCF staff to plant several thousand salt-tolerant plants to help ensure the island’s marshes can thrive once again.
Awesome Turnout for Island-Wide Cleanups
Coastal Watch led several impactful, island-wide cleanup efforts this year, including vital hurricane recovery work to remove storm debris from beaches, mangrove shorelines, and roadways. Volunteers cleared thousands of pounds of marine debris, improving habitats for wildlife and preventing harmful materials from entering the marine ecosystem.
Voluntourism Invites
Visitors to Join In Coastal Watch launched its new Voluntourism program, creating opportunities for visitors to take part in local conservation efforts. With funding for marketing thanks to a Tourism Development Council grant, we welcome visitors to join hands-on projects such as shoreline cleanups, oyster reef restoration, and mangrove planting, all while learning about the unique coastal ecosystems of Southwest Florida. By blending environmental stewardship with immersive experiences, visitors deepen their connection to the islands they love to explore.
BY THE NUMBERS
3,750 Mangroves planted
1,500 - Clam Bayou
1,000 - Woodring Road
1,000 - York Island Preserve
250 - Gulf Harbour
120 Adopt-a-Mangrove foster parents
1,200 Mangroves adopted
4,500 Marsh Madness plants planted
155 Marsh Madness volunteers
405 VolunteersInternational Coastal Cleanup
215 Volunteers - Love Sanibel Back Cleanup
94 Volunteers - 50th Anniversary Roadside Cleanup
Expanding our Reach & Inspiring the Future
New After-School Program
In January 2025, Sanibel Sea School launched an exciting new after-school program in partnership with The Sanibel School. Designed for students in grades K–5, the program runs on Mondays and Wednesdays, offering hands-on marine science learning experiences. Sanibel Sea School educators pick students up directly from school, and families can conveniently choose from two pick-up locations on either end of the island. From January to May, students joined us after school at the beach to snorkel, surf, and explore. We also created unique experiences that collaborated across SCCF program areas for after-school students, including participating in dune restoration plantings with Coastal Watch and creating solar art alongside SCCF’s Brush of Excellence winners. The program will continue next school year and has quickly become a favorite for families looking to extend learning beyond the classroom.
Empowering Families
As of November 2024, Sanibel Sea School was approved as a provider through the Step Up for Students scholarship program, which enhances access to our marine science education for Florida families seeking choice options. Eligible students — including those with unique abilities and those seeking personalized education — can now use Family Empowerment Scholarships (FES-UA and PEP) toward programs like Homeschool at Sea and our day courses. During the past year,, 126 students were able to join Sanibel Sea School programs with these scholarships. It’s a significant step in making our offerings more accessible and connecting with new audiences across Southwest Florida.
Field Trips for Public Schools
This past year brought a surge in school group participation, with 23 different schools visiting our Flagship Campus — including several Title I schools. We served 2,225 students in grades K–5 through immersive field trip experiences. Activities included fish biology and behavior
BY THE NUMBERS
At Sanibel Sea School, cost is never a barrier to learning about and loving the ocean. In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, donor support made possible:
27 Scholarships for children to attend daily programs
95 Scholarships for children to participate in weekly summer or winter camps, which equates to $33,505 in financial support
Field trips for 2,255 public school students
Meaningful experiences for 990 landlocked children in the region
3 Free Community Day Camps for 173 deserving children
lessons, squid dissections, surfing to explore wave physics, and more. These days are packed with hands-on science and coastal adventures, providing students with memorable, realworld connections to their classroom learning.
$83,929 in financial support for tuition assistance across all program areas, excluding weeklong camps
4 Long-term partnerships with The Heights Foundation, Childcare of Southwest Florida, UptheGrove Elementary in Hendry County, and Pine Manor Community Improvement Association
1 New partnership with the Children’s Education Center of the Islands
We had the privilege of interacting with 9,213 students across all programs as we continued our mission to improve the ocean’s future, one person at a time!
A Return to Flagship!
For the first time since Hurricane Ian, our beloved summer camps returned to our Flagship Campus on Sanibel Island. Nearly three years after the storm, it was a meaningful milestone — not just for our staff, but for the community and families who missed the magic of our Flagship location. We are incredibly grateful to our Sanibel Sea School family, who have supported the work needed to bring our sandy bucket school back to life on the East End. We’re thrilled to be home, stronger than ever, and can’t wait for what’s ahead.
— Shannon Rivard, Youth Education Director
Native Landscapes & Garden Center
Record-Breaking Year for Natives
This year, the Native Landscapes & Garden Center prioritized educating residents and visitors on learning how to replant for resilience and wildlife benefits after recent hurricane impacts. That purpose resonated more deeply than ever, as islanders invested in a record number of native plants. Every time a storm passes our shores, we learn new and valuable insights about native plants, and this year was no exception. Salt tolerance and flood resistance became more important than ever.
More Lessons in Resilience Learned
Our proven performers once again demonstrated their exceptional hardiness. Jamaica caper, silver buttonwood, thatch palm, and silver saw palmetto weathered the storms beautifully, confirming their value as cornerstone species for coastal resilience. We also discovered that newly planted specimens tend to be more vulnerable to storm surge and flooding than their mature counterparts. While these discoveries can be challenging in the moment, the information we gain is valuable to inform future planting strategies.
Demonstration Gardens Showcase Natives
The demonstration gardens at the Bailey Homestead continue their recovery from Hurricane Ian and recent storm damage.
Though Hurricane Milton's surge affected some newly installed areas, other gardens previously restored after Ian showed significant improvement in resilience. We're also happy to report that the Puschel Preserve, featuring several unique demonstration gardens, opened to the public in March.
BY THE NUMBERS
31,564 Plants sold –setting a new record!
77 Housecalls
Top 5 Selling species:
• Green Buttonwood
• Silver Buttonwood
• Silver Saw Palmetto
• Coontie
• Jamaica Caper
Thanks to our Volunteers!
All of these planting projects and the Garden Center itself have been supported by an incredible amount of sweat and hard work from our volunteers. Their efforts enable us to advance our mission of promoting native landscaping throughout the community. Together, we look forward to planting native species and watching our restored landscapes flourish for generations to come.
Adult Education Programs Flourish
Adult education continued to gain momentum as post-storm life returned to normal on the islands. We're happy to report that Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn't disrupt any of our adult educational programs, and the education season proceeded right on schedule! This year, we graduated our second class of Florida Master Naturalist Coastal Systems course students, kept up our weekly Weeds 'n' Seeds walks, added more New Resident and Business Orientation classes, continued our partnership with Shell Point for lectures, and offered many other daytime and specialized programs, including more collaborative opportunities with our Sanibel Sea School.
THIS SEASON'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED:
Brush of Excellence Workshops
–
We hosted a series of workshops and discussions with this year's Environmental Art award recipients, Cecilia Montalvo and Charlie McCullers.
7th Annual Paul McCarthy Memorial Lecture – Joel Sartore, a National Geographic photographer and founder of the Photo Ark, inspired our audience with incredible conservation stories and stunning photography.
Climate Performance –
In cooperation with The ClimateMusic Project, this unique performance linked climate change to a musical score tied directly to changing climatic conditions like temperature. The moving performance sparked engaging discussion and inspired audience members to take action.
Everglades Update: Trivia
Edition – This interactive and fun spin on our annual exploration of current events in Everglades restoration made learning about this important work more engaging than ever.
— Jenny Evans, Adult Education Director
Environmental Policy Team Advocates for Solutions
Policy is the action arm of SCCF, where the great work being done by our science and education teams is translated into pragmatic solutions for the issues facing our coastal ecosystems. This past year, SCCF continued to lead in conservation efforts across Sanibel, Captiva, and beyond.
On the Islands
On Sanibel, we provided evaluation and guidance across myriad issues ranging from fill standards to the definition of open body of water. Through the Protect Captiva Coalition, we’ve also participated in the challenges being proffered to zoning changes at South Seas Island Resort. Throughout the process, we have advocated for rebuilding efforts that allow for resilient development without causing harm to the surrounding ecosystems.
Advocacy and education campaigns culminated in presentations before the hearing examiner by policy staff and other SCCF experts, who provided needed insight into the potential damage that building hundreds of new dwelling units on Captiva could have to sea turtles, shorebirds, terrestrial wildlife, and water quality. Our expert testimony will be useful in any subsequent challenges as the efforts to protect our local ecosystems continue.
In Florida & Beyond
SCCF has remained a leader in Everglades restoration, with Policy Director Matt DePaolis being reelected to the Everglades Coalition Board of Directors. Additionally, Policy Associate Allie Pecenka served as the West Coast Team Lead for Everglades Action Day, helping plan and execute a day of action that brought volunteers and advocates from across the state to meet with their elected officials to garner support for Everglades funding. That funding has been
successful in the construction and implementation of multiple Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects.
The C-43 Reservoir was the highlight of CERP projects to come online this year. In July, the ribbon was cut on this massive storage project, which will provide much-needed dry season flows to the Caloosahatchee Estuary. By providing storage for 55 billion gallons of fresh water within the watershed, the reservoir will allow us to maintain a healthy salinity gradient in the estuary even when we are cut off from Lake Okeechobee.
During the 2025 Legislative Session, we closely followed new bills affecting our environment and provided weekly updates. Through our advocacy and the environmental community at large, we saw the adoption of HB 209, which will prohibit destructive development in our state parks and close any loopholes in the effort to protect the natural jewels of our state. We also successfully spoke out against harmful bills that would have increased plastic pollution and loosened restrictions on development.
In Southwest Florida
In August 2024, SCCF joined Captains for Clean Water, the Everglades Foundation, and the SanCap Chamber of Commerce in launching Preserving Paradise, a program designed to immerse business leaders in water quality science and policy. Through December, staff from all organizations led a cohort of 23 local professionals through classroom sessions and field excursions that equipped participants with the knowledge and skills to be a positive driving force for Florida’s clean waterdriven economy.
BY THE NUMBERS
71,872 - Action Alerts opened
2,086 - Advocates who took action
12,940 - Connections made with leaders
Lastly, the policy team relaunched SCCF’s “Land. Water. Wildlife.” podcast in March, producing biweekly episodes on topics ranging from Everglades advocacy to the Florida black bear hunt to hurricanes in a changing climate.
Through our team’s expertise and leadership, our policy team continues to position SCCF to inspire our communities to be advocates for the resources that make Florida and our islands so special.
— Matt DePaolis, Environmental Policy Director
C-43 Reservoir
Big Year for Native Habitat
Restoration
SCCF was able to remove dead vegetation from all its properties along Sanibel-Captiva Road (up to 75 feet back) to provide the native vegetation room to grow and give this corridor a fresh look. We also completed the removal of dead vegetation and exotic plants from the newly acquired 2.2-acre Gretchen Valade Family Preserve on Middle Gulf Drive.
Additionally, we cleared our newly renamed Ruth & William Brooks Trail system behind SCCF Headquarters, with the goal of making these areas publicly accessible as soon as possible. After the boardwalks are installed, there will be three loops for hiking, including the East River Trail Loop, Impoundment Trail Loop, and the Sabal Palm/High Ridge Trail Loop. We also hired Marc Sharpenter as our new Land Conservation Manager, who comes to us with 19 years of experience from a similar position.
WILDLIFE CONTINUES TO ADAPT
Frog Calls Music to Biologists’ Ears
Frog call surveys during the summer of 2024 showed promise of recovery as we had a highly active rainy season that filled many temporary wetlands and diluted the salinity of more permanent freshwater bodies. Several species of frogs, such as southern toads (Anaxyrus terrestris) and narrowmouth toads (Gastrophryne carolinensis) were heard calling
in several places due to their preference for temporary waterbodies. Pig frogs (Lithobates grylio), which were widespread across the island and prefer more permanent waterbodies, were only heard in one area. The surge events from last September to October 2024, unfortunately, once again raised the salinity in most areas that were recovering.
Turtle Research & New Collaborations
Wildlife & Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz wrote the IUCN Species Assessment for the rare Florida mud turtle (Kinosternon steindachneri) since SCCF has the most recent life history data on this understudied cryptic species. Wildlife Biologist Mike Mills published his thesis work on the “Population Demography and Habitat Association of Florida Box Turtles (Terrapene bauri) on a Southwest Florida Barrier Island.”
This spring and summer, we deployed six satellite transmitters on female diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in a partnership with USGS to track their seasonal movements. We also documented two diamondback terrapin nests and recorded the first confirmed Florida mud turtle nest in the spring of this year.
We initiated bi-weekly salinity sampling of our ephemeral wetlands, following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, to better understand the habitat recovery process after storm surge events
and to analyze the movement patterns of our radio-tracked Florida and striped mud turtles, as well as the presence/absence of amphibians.
We documented a drastic decrease in active gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows in 2024, likely due to consecutive storm surge events. In June 2025, we received the Southwest Florida Association of Environmental Professionals (SWFAEP) fishing tournament grant, in collaboration with Coastal Watch, that will be used to clear woody encroachment in gopher tortoise habitat, as well as to replant "tortoisefriendly" plants such as love grass (Eragrostis).
Eastern Indigo Snake Project Updates
Surveys for these rare snakes occurred throughout the winter months. Even with the aftereffects of storm surges of Helene and Milton, we were still able to measure and mark one Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) on North Captiva and Pine Island. Also, a second indigo snake was photographed on Cayo Costa by Florida State Parks staff.
Ground-Breaking Research on Bats
Over 70 locations were acoustically surveyed across Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva, Pine Island, Cayo Costa, and Fort Myers. Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis), Northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius), Seminole bat (Lasiurus seminolis), big brown (Eptesicus fuscus), and evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) were catalogued for all the islands of Pine Island Sound for the first time, as well as the federally endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) on Pine Island.
Wildlife Biologist Mike Mills took the lead on bat research, becoming certified in vetting bat acoustic calls and participating in the state’s first Bat Bio Blitz, where bats are mist-netted and processed. He also presented our acoustic surveying results at the Florida Bat Working Group Annual Meeting and became a founding chair of the Florida Bat Packing Acoustic Monitoring Committee.
— Chris Lechowicz, Wildlife & Habitat Management Director
LEAVING A LEGACY
Legacy Society members — those who have made planned gifts and bequests to support the SCCF endowment funds — have provided the foundation on which SCCF stands. At the December 2024 Annual Membership Meeting, we recognized new Legacy Society inductees as well as members whose passing led to bequests to SCCF. Sadly noting their passing, we expressed our appreciation for their thoughtfulness to SCCF in their estate planning. Please note the names of our departed friends in our Memorial listings on page 26.
Sincere thanks were especially given to inductees Dr. James W. Scatterday and his late wife Sandra H. Scatterday. Through the outright gift of their Sanibel home, the Scatterdays ensured that our commitment to land preservation shall continue to be an SCCF cornerstone.
To pursue your own Legacy Society induction at the Dec. 9, 2025, Annual Membership Meeting, please contact Development Director Cheryl Giattini at 239-822-6121 or cgiattini@sccf.org to learn more.
FY 24-25 Volunteers
SCCF Family Members
We are so grateful to the 6,369 individuals who stood to be counted as members of SCCF during FY 2024-2025. It is our sincere hope that reading this annual report will inspire all our valued members to renew and retain their places for the coming year.
Ask a Neighbor Help Us Spread the Word
Have you met any new island neighbors lately? Or maybe old island friends who just don’t know SCCF as well as you do? Please encourage them to get a firsttime complimentary membership, subscribe to our E-news, or attend our many programs and events.
It is our honor to share these names of all the donors who supported SCCF during FY 2024-2025. Their generosity is making it possible to continue our restoration efforts after Hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton, to maintain a healthy cash flow while balancing our annual operating budget, to demonstrate we have donor matching funds for public-sector grant proposals, and to fund the truly exciting and important initiatives, and — of equal importance — to meet the daunting and consequential challenges facing our community.
We extend our enthusiastic thanks to all the individuals, families, and businesses who have made gifts of time, talent, and treasure to support SCCF’s mission!
Dr. James W. and Sandra H. Scatterday
Ruth and Bill Brooks
Mary Jo Boler - The Boler Family Foundation
Roberta and Philip Puschel
Gwendolyn McCullen Trust
Joan and Don Sherman
Jenni and Kyle FoundationSally Wilmeth and Terry Geurkink
Orndorff Family FoundationJo Anne and Joe Orndorff
Jill and Dan McCormack
Shipley Foundation, Inc.Richard and Feyza Shipley
Joan and Bill Grabe
Linnemann Family FoundationCathy Linneman
The Marcum Family Giving FundLeanne and Todd Marcum
Charles Bruning III - Bruning Foundation
Jennifer and David Nichols Foundation
Joyce and Don Rice
Anonymous
Kim Wilmeth Miller and Steph Miller
Wescustogo FoundationElizabeth and Robert Nanovic
Middendorf Family FoundationPat Middendorf
Jackie and Roy Sweeney Family Fund
Mary and Jim LaVelle
Leslie Fleischner
Susan and Cliff Beittel
Sam Boren King and Steve KingSEBA Fund
Liz and Jim Birmingham
Linda and Nick Linsmayer
Elissa Karp-Khakee and Nik Khakee
Bank of The Islands
Michelle Young
The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment - Pat and Keith Campbell
Sue Pick
Nathalie and Dick Pyle
Shelli and Brad StanbackFoundation for the Carolinas
Eddi and Leonard Wolk
Anne Nobles and David Johnson
Captiva Cruises, Inc.
The Douglas and Leah Beck Charitable Fund
Friends of SCCF
Friends of Sanibel Sea School
Deborah La Gorce - James and Vedna Welch Foundation
Jan Devitt
David Filkins - Filkins Family Foundation
Frank Mangano Foundation
Susan and Steve Fritze
Gross Charitable Fund
Laurie and Bill Harkey
Timothy Horne
Kerscher Family Foundation - Barb Kerscher
Judy and Ray McCormack - The McCormack Family Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
Annie and Henry Nachtsheim
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Rosenblum
Sargent Family Foundation
Kristin and Dudley Malone - Dudley D & Delores R Malone Family Foundation
Virginia Severinghaus
Kelly Smith-Powers and Samuel Powers
Kathy and Mike Marston - Rawson Family Charitable Foundation
Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille
Linda and Tom Uhler
Chuck Hammond
Barbara and Todd Bluedorn Lost Heart Foundation
Sheila Sadighi
Sanibel Captiva Trust Company
Brenda and Howard Sheridan
Samantha Sheridan and Brian Seasholes
The Leland and Dorothy Olson Foundation
The Sauerland FoundationRob Sauerland
Sue and Chuck Turner
Karen and Stuart Watson - Ann H. Symington Foundation
Wiesemann Charitable Fund - Kathy and Bob Wiesemann
Nancy and Bob Brooks
Pam and Tom Miller
Sanibel Fly Fishers
S. Congress Fine Jewelers
Sherry and Doug Gentry
Debbie and Mark WimmerWimmer Communities
Christine and Carl Neumann
Ira Grasgreen
Megan and Jamie Doss
Jilaine and Larry Stevens
Charles Phillip Holland Trust
Lucy and Paul Roth
Kris and Doug Ryckman - The Ryckman Family Charitable Fund
Linda and Jim Winn
Susan Lloyd and John Karrel
Nancy Dehmlow
Kay and John Morse
Dr. Bette Harig
Sue and John LawsonLawson Family Charitable Foundation
MHK Architecture
Barbara and Tom Dunham
Connie and Stan Grayson
Tim and Louise Huyck Charitable Fund
Betty and Bob Van Tassel
Craig Ahrndt
Nancy and John Ake
Merrie and Dennis Breitenfeldt
Cindy and Jim Briggs
Anonymous
Brenda and Marty Harrity
Yuka and Scott Hendershot
Merni and Tom Libonate
Suse and Molly ShaneWild Justice Fund
Judy and Bill Walter
Lena and Thomas Williams
Janie Howland
Nancy and Chip Roach
Rita and Clay Ewell
Janet and Willy PalmerThe Palmer Family Fund
Nadine and Ken Washuta
Allyn International Services, Inc.
Anonymous
Rebecca Wheatland
Madeline Etkin and Jeff Hayward
AbbVie, Inc.
Polly and Gary Bayrd
Pamela and Keith Browning
- Keith N. Browning Family Foundation
Judy and Bob Burgstahler
Becky and Chris Davison
Dana DiCarlo
Jennifer and Jack Gould
- The Cleveland Gould's Giving Fund
Emily Haines
Jeff Hedden - The Hedden Family Foundation
Usha and Akberali KhakeeSunrise Foundation
Judith MancheskiMancheski Foundation, Inc.
The Mariel Foundation
- Anne H. Magoun - In Memory of John H and Carolyn T Hoagland
Antonette and Bruce McDonald
Jeanette Mihaly
Lynn Bernard and Ronald Mycock
Kay Redmond
Nancy and Don Rolley
Alexia Rothman
Faye and Don Downing
Kathy and John Dubuque
Frances and Simon Tutt
Tory and Bill Burch
Mary Ellen and Eric PfeiferPfeifer Realty Group
Sandon Shepard
Natalie King and John Stiker
Laura and Tyler Gales
Arlene and Scott Mowry
Joleen and John Raho
Cathie and Jack Kozik
Nancy and Robert Adams
Chris Berman
Wendy and Walter Berninger
Island Style Gallery & Design
Carolyn and Ralph Clark
Maureen and Gary Saage
Barbara Shane
Jack and Ginny Sinn Family Fund
Bonnie and David Thompson
Ashley Timmer
Annie Wainwright
Carla and Thomas White
Susan Forster and Bill Riley
Karen Clarke
Jack Thomas
Laura DeBruce and Jeff Blackman - Sanibel Carts
Ami and John Neiner
Nancy and Steve Siegel
Elizabeth and John Simler
The John and Kathy
McCabe Family Fund
Cathy and Jim Cryder
Hiram Rogers and Jean Gauger
Shelley and Bill Greggs
Patricia and Edward McManus
Jane and John Henshaw
Stacey and Jim Pezzino
Renee Chastant and Steve Canton
Alice and Rick Godfrey
Donna Salsburey and Michael Tranovich
The Health WhispererCathy and Randy Lanier
PJ Blankenhorn and Tony Wagner
Jane Adams
Christine Attardo
Richard Bartleson
Jeanne Cornell
Lynn and Thomas Dandridge
Katherine and Andrew Hauser
Wendy and John Kindig
Sarah and Chip McClure
Gerry and Rod Verblaauw
Peter Warny
Anne Haslem and Ed Wheeler
Kris and Pete Squibb
Mayri and Dean Caple
Kate McDonald SergeantOn Island
Dana and Scott Crater
Barbara and Bill Millar
Southwest Florida Marine Aquarium Society
Laura and Tom Bolon
Heather and Alex Cianfrocco
Diane Esslinger
Janet Frane
Alan Gast
Karen Mersereau and Michael Helms
Anne Isbister
Debbie Jaeger
Anonymous
Jill and John Kirkpatrick
Andrea Koss
Robin Krivanek
Kim and Dan Labar
Linda Laird
Frank Main
Susan and Jim McCallionMcCallion & McCallion
Real Estate
Katie and Kenny Moody
Susan and Dan MurphySanibel Spirits
Albert Nagel
Mona and George Pain
Mary Anne and Bob Rennebohm
Laura and Rhys Rudolph
Sanibel Island Fishing Club
Shirley Schlossman
James Schubert
Laura and Shawn Shaffer
Dorothy Valhouli - Staritch Foundation, Inc.
The Discovering Hope Foundation
Roger Timm
Georgianna and Curtis Way
Ginny and Sal Dickinson
Judy and Steve Dobson
Charla Gabert and David Frane
Karen Ray-Gleeson and John Gleeson
The JoAnn and Bob Glick Family Fund
Allison Havill
Dorothy and Seth Hemming
The David M Huggin Charitable Fund
Kiwanis Club of Sanibel Captiva
The Koven Foundation
Margaret LaMothe
Lisa Ann and Bob Miller
Mindy and Rob Pierce
Leslie Ray and Marcia Ray Foundation
Robbie and Geoff Roepstorff
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank
Janie and Buzz Shepard
Dana Sherwood
Sally and Andrew Shott
Aimee and David Ulstad
Fran and Barry Wilson
Annie and Bill Vanderbilt
Jeanne Wolf
Captiva Island Store, Inc.
Molly and Ted Wiedeman
Microsoft Rewards
Vicki and Dick Bourdow
Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society
Laura Young Palmer
Erin Lucas
Mike Burton
Gail and Jim Greenwood
- Greenwood Consulting Group, Inc.
Denise and Charles Hendrix
Aimée La Gorce-Jeans
Parvis and Kay Sadighi
Mary and Scott Stainken
Pavese Law Firm
Sue and Peter Danford
Charles and Linda Adams
- Howell-Adams Family Foundation
Judith and Patrick Auletta
Victoria Bailey and David Noling
Gregory Balestrero and Frances Higgins Charitable Fund
Susan and Jeffrey Dean
Kathy and Bruce Greenberg
Kincey and Bruce Potter Environmental Fund
Linsay Meisner-Jensen
Evelyn Newell
Joan and Bruce Rogers
Helen and Chris Roland
Cindy Schneeman
Gail and Peter Walcott
The WesaDoe Fund
Norman Robertson
Sidney and Jim Booker
SanCap Pak-n-Ship
Mark McQuade and Ellen Mayeron - Mark McQuade
General Contractor
Superior Title Services
Daniel and Katrina Wilhelm
Zebis
Jennifer Brown
Patricia and Larry Ferguson
Donna and Lewis Gould
Barbara Hermann
Robert Montgomery-Rice
Brett Smith
Gwenda Hiett-Clements
Debra and Daniel Sutter
Sundial Beach Resort
Julie and Joe McFadden
Laura Dahlem
Dona Alvarez
Deb and Eric Ames
Carolyn and Frank Antonovitz
Lee and Joseph Aten
Karen Back and Donald Bachman
Becky and Mike Bagby
Gretchen Banks
Ann Banning
Daneza Socarras and Robert Beans
Pete Bender
Cheryl and Gary Biltgen
Michelle and Joseph Blanda
Sheryl and Michael Boes
Helen and Philip Bradbury
Donald Bradford
Stephen and Rebecca Briggs Family Charitable Fund
Judith Bright
Doug and Katharine Britton Charitable Fund
Rebecca Brown
Paul and Shannon Burke Charitable Fund
Sudie Burnham
Carol and Cameron Campbell
Thomas Campbell
Catering by Leslie Adams
Robin and Christopher Christian
Cielo
Eugene Clapp
Robin and Doug Cook
Sue and Clay Cook
Ann and H Lee Cooper
Camille Cooprider
Fresno Chaffee Zoo Corp
Amanda Cross
Nancy Curtin
Billye Curtis
Jan and Jim D'Arcy
Henry DeRonck
Debra and Edward Devine
Anne Dierker
Janet and Dan Dixon
Nancy and David Felker
Jeffrey Gerish
Beatriz Estrada-Pascual and Guillermo Pascual - G-Force Waterproofing & Restoration, LLC
Kathleen Green
Phyllis Gresham
John Grey Painting
Green Flash
Linda Griffith
Phil Gross
Lisa Hagerman - Daniel P Hagerman Foundation
Melissa and Jason Halliburton
Sally and Al Hanser - Hanser Family Foundation
Patricia Healey
The Mark Heiman Family Foundation
Brende Hofer and Dennis Steadman
Patty and Craig Holston
J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Mary and Dick Jalkut
Elizabeth Johnson
Jill and Tim Johnson
Mead and Richard JohnsonBailey's General Store
Marianne Kiliper
Robert Klaskin
Kathy Knoblauch and Terry Ische
Lorraine and Jim LaRoy
Barb Lasky
Susan and James Lenfeste
Little Wing Fund
Lunghamer Foundation
Charles Mackall Jr.
Linda and Gene Massey
Bill Mitchell
Cecilia Montalvo and Andrew Higley
Mariann and John Moster
Mari and Jim Moye
Carol and Tom Mullin
Gregory Niehoff
William B. O'Connor FundDenis O'Connor
Caroline and Fritz Oldenburg
Kristin and Thomas Osypka
Judy and Bob Otterbein
Elaine and Tony Parente
Mary Lynn and Doug Parsons
Stephanie and Harold Payson
Patricia and James Pieron
Pinocchio's
Suzanne and William Reece
Virginia and Mark Reiss
Kimberly and Mark Reller
Estate of Susan Luck
IBM Corporation
Wayne Sawdon
Sharon and Ed Hannon
Mary and John Hartman
Kaye and Gary Pokrant
Denise Deshaies
Paula Friedman & Jerry Bernay - Bernay
Fine Art
Wendy and Lee
Childers
Kennedy Construction
Allison and Chauncey
Goss
Anette and John Gritti
Nadine Nehis and Jeffrey Grossman
Hanger 41 Winery
Island Inn
Timothy McAlister
Stacey and Richard
Roberts
Sanibel Air and Electric, Inc.
Kevin Rethore
Nancy Link and Mike Roos
Jeremy Schloeder
Tom Schreier
Karen Searles
Barbara and Bradford
Shingleton
Jo Smith
Holly D. & R. Jason Smith
Charitable Gift Fund
Gay and Arch Smith
Nancy and Robert Sperte
Janet Strickland and Walt Hendry - Island Law Office of Janet M. Strickland
Strikeforce Roofing
The Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market
Jack and Kellie Ann Thomas
Sheila Turner
Tutti Pazzi
Roxanne Van Bokkelen
Pamela Weiner and James Wittenberg
Diana and Ron Wessel
Wendy West
Sallie Westheimer and Gregory Rhodes
Tina and Phil Weyman
Anne and David White
Sally and Pete Wiese
Jean and Ralph Woodring
Heidi and Ben Yokel
Patty and Bill Zimmerman
Catherine Cioffi and Thomas Tighe
Karen and David Weber
Dottie Deans
Sanibel-Captiva Nature Calendar
Floral Artistry StudiosJana Telecka
Cheryl and Marc Giattini
Helen and Steve Green
Tom Schwegler
Sylvia Gordon
Klaus Burzin
Kimberly and William Challoner
Impact Millions Global
Inc.
Vibeke Jensen
John MacLennan
Jennifer and John Masters
Maddy Maxeiner and Tom Mahoney
Jennifer and Dan Sager
Bank of America Matching Gifts Program
Taylor and Brad Meyer
Caryn Franke
Lori and Richard Hypes
Ariel Hoover and Robert Moore
Costco/Frontstream
Jeff Vawter
Lawrence Amon
Patricia Appino
Gerri Barraco and Gary Davis
Rebecca Cory and Tom Batcheller
David and Marie-Pierre
Bechthold
Caroline Beckman
Clair Beckmann and Ron Nixon
Debra Dill-Bergmann and Daniel Bergmann
Bill Black
Mary Ann and John Boorn
Hayley Booth
Pamela and Colin Bower
Katie and Stephen Branam
Suzanne Bush
Caterpillar Matching Gifts Program
Barbara and Renny
Challoner - Hammock Fund
Monie Chase
Robin and David Coleman
Jeannelle and Bob Corbin
Christine and Eric Denney
Lois Dow
Lisa Ross and Charles Eby
Barbara and Jim Egan
Kesia Finley
Rachel Flores
Diana and Matt Funchion
Jane Gieryic
Ann Gillespie
Sue Goldwoman
Linda Grapentin
Laurie and Steve Hafener
Steven Handler
James Harvey
Betsy and Dudley
Hawley
Paula and Mark Henry
Katherine and Dan Hinckley
Papergraphics Int. Inc.
Anonymous
Marybeth and Kyle Jackson
Deb and Ken Jaros
Mary and Louis Kahn
Elizabeth Kienholz
Elizabeth Krone
Walt Lewis
Sally Walker Lynch and Francis Lynch
Anne Magoun
Linda McVeigh
Patty and Don Molten
Brian Murphy
Mary and Jim Nelson
Rhonda and Gary Nottelmann
Donna and Laurence Oberhill
Anne and Brent Owen
Patricia Perell
Jane Peterson and Phil Star
Lance Peto
Gaye and Jim Pigott
Joe Pontiff
Jeremy Pool
Lisa Mauer and Ed
Probst
Deb Ramsey
Al Rech
Bud Reinhold
Lisa Riordan and David Mintz
Ryan Family Charitable
Gift Fund
Karen and Bill Sartoris
Elaine and Robert Schaeffer
William and Linda Schroeder
Leigh and Larry Scrabis
Anne and David Joffe -
She Sells Sea Shells
Gail and Charlie Sheetz
Becky and Harry
Stimpson
Carol Stoel
Janice and Christopher
Swain
Nancy and Richard Swanson
Butch Terpening
Louis and Marina
Mendes
Lynn and Gerhard
Thelen
Vince and Gail Thomalla
Patricia Tursi
Brenda Usher
Molly and Mark Valade
Vanguard
Louise Wagner
Andrea Wagoner and Roger Ruggeri
Kate and Vince Walker
Carolyn Warren
Lisa and Kirk Whalen
Alice and Blake Wood
Tina and John Wysocki
Michael Young
Diane and Fred Zimmer
Piper Sandler
Companies
Adam Gunther
Boat Lift Lock
Estate of Dorothy Jones
Gia and Louis DeMedici
Steven Groener
Huxters Market, Deli, and Liquors
Collette and Daniel Hagen
Joy and Douglas Mahrer
Matty Matthew
Mike and Mary Miller
Suzanne Sander
Catherine Scholz
Rebecca and Matt Schmitz
Christina Flannery
Nancy Floy and Larry Akey
J. McLaughlin
Richard and Madeline Baron
Wendy and Dean Cerdan
Pat Hyde
Juan Madariaga
Frances and John Allen
Amgen Foundation
Morris and Lynn Ballen
Ellen Blackstone
Catherine and John
Bridge
Barbara Cassavell
Robin Cohan
Linda Erhart
Tammy Flaharty
Carol and Kenneth Gertsen
Kaye and Kenneth Gnazzo
Nancy Hanger
Sharon and Brad Heath
Susan and Tom
Hemphill
Jane and Charlie Kiel
Eileen and Merle
Kjonaas
Rebecca and Rex Kuhn
Maurice Long
Maier-O'Connell Giving Fund
Kimberly Maring
Jeannie Nichols and Edward Martin
Ann McCarthy
Carl Meier
Carlos and Alessandra
Menendez
Ann and Sal Perra
Mary and Darrel
Peterson
Marian Pool
Elaine Raia
Carolyn Richardson
Cheryl and Jim Samples
Verena Scheu
Joann Skillett
Karen Smith
Elizabeth and Rick
Stoner
Stacy Vu
Kathy and Al Weyman
Craig Wheatley
Roy and Karen Wildeman
Kathryn Hollywood
Cindy and Doug Smith
Mary Jane and Bob
Vinson
Dawn and Ben Adams
Christina Albert
Gigi Alvarez
Linda and Tom Annesley
Amy and Ron Arthur
Barbara Basler
Ilene and Gary Bickel
Christie and Paul Borthwick
Jessica Brooks
Carol and Jefferey
Buetikofer
Cynthia and James Camp
Anne Cannon
Jason Chiklakis
Anonymous
Anna and Robert Cortiglia
Cheryl and Thomas Daltrui
Lisa and Roger Davis
Gregory Donahue
Jeannie and Ronald
Ellington
Eileen Farrell
Rick Fessel
Dotty and Alan Fritze
Gartner Matching Gift
Center
Denise and Stephen
Georgian
Goecke Family
Foundation
Julie Gram and Honore
Hughes Good Vibes
Fund
Martha and Chris Grant
Tolley and Charlie
Graves
Gulf Shores Property
Owners Association, Inc.
Alice and Peter Hausmann
Tad Herz
Pamela and David
Howard
Michael Kershaw
Lori Beth and Michael Kuczmanski
Amy and William Kuehl
Madeline and Phillip Lacovara
Helen and Bob Lambiase
Suzi and Chris Landes
Russ Law
Eileen and Peter Litwin
Julie and Dan Long
Gale and Jim Lynch
Jean and Al Martignette
Mollie Martinek
Laurie and David
Matthews
Patricia and David McKeon
Warrin Meyers
Barbara and Gates Moss
Stephanie and Jeff Muddell
Marilyn and Randall Niehoff
Scott Owen
Gail and James Rawcliffe
Pam and Jon Rosen
Tricia and Mark Samila
Lisa and John Schmidlin
Anonymous
Linda and Hank Spire
Bob Stern
Sandra Teger and David Waks
Suzanne ThompsonTurner
Jane and William Valenta
Priscilla and Douglas Viets
Barbara Wagner
Tamara and Mark Wentworth
Carol and Steve Whisenhunt
George Witte
Artley and Richard Wolfson
Winifred and Doug Wood
Linda and Ken Woolley
Blair Wyatt Berry and Dennis Berry
Anne Yager and Frank Beans
Charmaine Yeadon
Anonymous
Joan Batson
Eleanor Miller
Jennifer Littman
Diane Reichwein
Brooke Linn
Robert Schapire
Marilyn and Robert Adkins
Kenneth Appel
Jody and Mark
Applegate
Esta and David Berger
Barbara Boyce
Christopher Brookhouse
Becky and John Burnham
Glenda and Roland
Campbell
Merry Merryfield and James Columbo
Diana Cox-Farnsley
Jane Desforges and Michael White
Catherine Desprez
Mary Ann and Edwin
Dolph
Leroy Dyer
Chuck and Bonnie Erickson
Amber and James
Evans
Jenny Evans and Jeff Siwicke
Mary and Millard Everhart
Cecilee Faster
Janet Gehring
Frances Gote and Alan Rosenwasser
Nancy Green
Liz and Nate Grey
Patricia Arpin
Martha Mulloy and William Hoffner
Linda Hooper
Joan and Greg Hoskins
Lyn Howard
Susan, David and Jillian
Hubbard
Arianne and Will Hutcherson
Anonymous
Jeffrey Family Fund
Linda and Greg Jennings
Rita Johnson
Calli Johnson DuPont and Evan Dupont
Kyle Insurance Co. LLC
Judi and David Lewis
Nanci Liscinsky
Susan and Leslie Loomans
Kathy Mahan and Robert Raab
Cindy and William Mantzoukas
Diane and Michael Marston
Elizabeth and Paul McKenney
Deborah McKnight and James Alt
Sarah and Malcolm McRoberts
Holly and Eric Milbrandt
Norman Minsky
Leslie Mitkus
Elizabeth Modys
Frances and Leon
Morsillo
Lori Neuschel
Barbara Jo and Thomas Olson
Lisa and Phil Parker
Donia Perin
Martha and Richard Pine
Brenda Pommerenke and Larry George
Marty and Jack Rossmann
Stephanie Rugoff and Michael Locker
Jane and Marcel Saghir
Malia Samson
Andrea Martini and Roland Schiff-Martini
Susan and Tyler Schoenherr
Gretchen and Halsey
Spruance
Carol and Thomas Stafne
Mina and Lance Steen
Patricia Daly and Benjamin Stoner
Maggie and Tom Surgener
Clara and Terry Terrana
Rachel and Paul Tritaik
Jessica Watts
Susan and Mark Webster
Marion and Robert Wise
Mary and Ron Wolff
Gayle and Stan Young
Melissa Laidlaw
Norma and Charles Emerson
Marcella Generalovich
Alexia Kniska and Paul Smith
David Scheiber
Matthew Treuth
Janet and Marc Zylstra
Rebecca Davidson
Richard De Mink
April Moritz
Joanne Durst
Sharon and Bruce
Epstein
Barbara and Fred George
Joan Handler and C. William Harman
Erinn Hengst
Aric Kaiser
Margot and Gary Long
Mary Lou and Walter McCormick
Janet and John McLaughlin
William Murtha
Charlie, Laura and Audrey Nobles
Shelley Rorabeck
Carol and Bill
Rosenberg
Sara and Dwight Shelton
Jolinda and Jeffrey Smith - The Windham Foundation
Ardie and Bob Trost
Debbra Weimer
Jessica Weimer
Connie and Robert Wittig
Mary Eileen and Rich McDonnell
Linda and Jack Barker
Miriam and Matthew
Bradley
Mary Anne and Norm Frey
Kristin Grovenger
Kent Jager
Bonnie Watt
Gail Allinson
Jean Hall
Catherine Moore
Heather Muniz
Amy and Joe Zajic
Jeff Vawter
Michelle and Marshall
Funk
Linda Tedeschi
Michelle and Dion Rudnicki
Bob Dineen
Macie Wren
Michael Adams
Karen and Bill Aarons
Brenda Abbott
Lisa and David Albright
Anonymous
Mary Lee and Paul
Anthony
Christine Armbrecht
Charles Avery
Sue Baber
Marsha and Gary Bach
Kim Backus
William Badgley
Baird Trust Company
Scott Bakos
Ann and Charles Balch
Carol Barnett
Skyler Bauer
Liz Podolsky and Joe Bellman
Tom Bernet
Tom Bierma
Doreen and Mark Bolhuis
Thomas Bolon
Ann Booth
Alexandra Bordiuk
Laura Bothe
Odette Brabec
Deborah and Thomas Braciszewski
Ray Brennan
Silvia Brinker
Jo Ellen and Arthur
Brisbane
Kim Brown
Mary Lue and Kevin Buescher
Debra and John Bullock
Ken Burgener
Nancy Cain
Deborah Caldwell
Sandra Calkins
Gayle Campbell
Richard Carey
Roger Carlson
Mary Lou Carpenter
George Carrasco
Jean Chandler
Nancy Christ
Sandy and Phil Cianciola
Arielle Cohen
Deborah and Kevin
Connerty
Nica and Nino Coronato
Jeff Cross
Ronald Danielak
George Davis
Karen Demeola
Aarti and Matt DePaolis
Anne Derber
Janet and David Dix
Andrea Dodge
Cassandra and Patrick Doherty
Arlene and Michael Doran
Mary Jo and William Dortch
Karen Driscoll
Amy and Kyle Droescher
Judith and Ronald Durbin
Harriet Earnest
Jean and Fred Eaton
Linda and Joel Edinburg
Debbie Edson
Lauren Elg and Mark Hall
Angela and Brian Ellacott
Anonymous
Sarah Elsing
Deanna and Donald Engen
Sara and Joseph Evans
Anonymous
Christine and Robert Faulks
Kathy Fay
Karen Feder
Diane and Robert Feik
Virginia and Bill Fellows
Kathy and Jim Felsenthal
Linda Felt
Margot Fennhahn
Stephanie Ferradino
Deborah Fisher
Elizabeth and Alain Flexer
Laura Foster
Helen Fox
Tricia and Jim Fox
Christy and Kevin Frain
Holly Franks
Sandra Frizelle and Kory Badertscher
Jane and Peter Gaines
Marsha and Bill Gardner
Helen and Keith Garthwaite
Gara Gehring
Carol Gestwicki
Karen and David Getzy
Phyllis Gibson
Maureen and Andy Ginipro
John Glass
Mardi Glenn
Craig Goettsch
Robin and Liselotte
Vince
Holly Goldsmith
Pat and Dave Goulait
Noelle and Chris Graff
Jane and George Green
Velda Hammerbacher
Mari and Tim Hanley
Shelly Ebbert and
James A. Harbaugh
Mary Jo and Gene
Hardy
Suzanne Hartford
Robert Haugh
Vallee Haverley
Robert Heaphey
Allison Henry
Kim Herres
Don Herriott
Kathleen and John Hershbine
Susan Steinman and Stephen Heyman
Sharron and Scott
Higham
Stacey Hogan
Gail Holley
Amy and Mike Holloway
Barbara and Michael
Homoya
James Howard
Paul Howdershell
Alyson and James Howorth
Polly and Sam
Huntington
Teresa and Andrew
Jacob
Edwin Jeffery
Jane Jensen
Chris and Bill Johnson
Jan and Michael
Johnson
Janet and Paul Johnson
Molly Johnson
Bailie Johnson
Jennifer and David Jones
Margie and Tom Juedes
Virginia Kahn
Jessica and David Kahn
Ryan Kane
Carol Kane
Jack Kennedy
Kathy Kent
Susan and David Kienzle
Kelli King
Barbara and David Kingsbury
Julianne Kirkpatrick
Jonathan Kiser
Lynne Kistler
Katie and Davis Kitchel
Steven Klare
Barbara and Richard Konz
Nancy and Peter Koury
Louise Kowitch
Beth Krakowski
Debbie and Paul
Krautheim
Kathleen and Paul Krulish
Kubale Family Foundation - Anne
Kubale Walker
Regina Lalumiere
Christine Lamano
Inge and Paul Langer
Nancy and David Laning
Bridget Larson
Inger Larsson
Hannah Lauck and Jay
Wood
Annie Layman
Thomas Leahy
Mark Levitan
Anne Liese
Nicole Lincoln
Lisa Lindberg
Rose and Philip Lippard
Mary Ann Loh
Krissy and Jonathon
Lohmeyer
Howard Lorsch
Paulette and James Lotstein
Kelly and David Lowden
Paula Maas
Jan Manarite
Christopher Marinan
Deborah Marston and
John Harrington
Joan Martyn
Jacob Massar
Adele and Richard Mattern
Laura Mauro
Erica Maynard-Uliasz
Margaret and Alan McCall
Kevin McCarthy
Heaven McCaulley
Carolyn and Doug McClaine
Aileen McGhee
Jeff McGlone
Kim McGookey
Jennifer and Alan
McHaffie
Laurie Merel
Mickey and Phil Mergener
Gail Migliorini
Doreen and Chuck
Milbrandt
Andrea and Lloyd Miller
Gayle Gordon and Randy Miller
Kate Minelli
Teresa Mitchell
Stacie and James
Mlodgenski
Barbara Moore
Wamucii and Rick
Morgan
Cassandra Moritz
William Morris
Diane Morrissey
Genovese
Ruth and Mark Mortensen
Karen Mrozek
Anonymous
Edward Murray
Gwendolynn and John
Newman
Julie Newman
Dennis O'Brien
Elizabeth Bell and James Orr
Robert Outtrim
Susan Paul
Catherine and Tim
Pennington
Kealy Pfau
Liz Phillips and Family
Missy Poepping
Linda and Frank Potter
Irene Raber
Teresa Ragard
Marianne and Paul Ravenna
Faith Records
Don Rhoten
Karen Rice
Nancy and David Richardson
Beth and Tom Rickart
Bill Rigsby
Mark Ristow
Deb and Rob Rizzo
Elizabeth Rizzo-Gavin
Virginia Robinson
Nancy and John Rohde
Ronald and Linda Graf
Lisa and Jonathan
Rosenfeld
Kim and Joyce Ross
Margaret Ross Link
Deborah and Basil Rudawsky
Irving Rushworth
Regina Ryan
Robert Sacks
Van Sanders
Katharine DuPont
Sanger
Mark Schaff
Carol and Phil Scheiber
Jim Schell
Duane Schmitz
Elsa and Dan Schutzman
Anne Seibert
Toni and Brett Shannon
Catherine Shea
Phyllis and Ken Sheldon
Mary Tracy Sigman
Robb Sigmon
Amy Sigmon
Joyce and Joseph Sirkin
Patricia Slater
Debby and Daniel Small
Ellen Smiley
Janet and Milton Smith
Linda Smith
Carla and Mark Smith
Prudence and David
Spink
Marti and Dick Squitieri
Stanza Family
Charitable Fund
Lynne and Jerry Stern
JoAnn and Ralph
Stevens
Priscilla Stevens
Estelle and Mike Strader
Linda and Jim Strong
Kristin Summerwill
Al Tawrel
Janet and Michael
Taylor
Allen Taylor
Texas Instruments
Ellen and Joseph Thomas
Barbara and Tom Thompson
Betsy Tobin
Jason Toole
Alexander and Ellen
Trevor
Lori and Thomas Uglietta
Kristine Vahey
Andrea Van Buren
Janka Varmuza
Heidi Vorpahl
Voya Financial
Jill and John Wahlfeld
Ed Wallace
Jessica Walsh
Marcia Walsh
Corinne Washik
Sharon Waters
Claudia Wehmann
Penny and Steve Weinstein
Angi and Lyman Welch
Ann and Jack Wellauer
Stephen Wener
Jill and Cal Werner
Leslie and Thomas Weyhrich
Michele Whalen and Valerie Summer
James Wharton
Jean Whittaker
Jennifer and Kenneth Wiggins
Brent Williamson
Patricia Wilson
Ruby Jean and Warren Wiltshire
Sandra and Walter Winans
Marla and Ron Winters
Denise Wondolowski
Jane Zartman
Woodrow
Barb Wyskowski and Brian Bodkin
Molly Yanus
Claudia and Jim Youngquist
Shelley and Roger Grelle
Missy and Jim Guida
Patricia and Simeon
David
Monica Halas
Pat and Phil Hambleton
Laura Lambiase
Leslie and Sean
Lanagan
Greg Land
Barbara and Jim O'Hare
Bill Olinger
Hillary Oppmann
Audrey Sutherland
Stephen Swanson
Pamela and Sanford
Tannenbaum
MEMORIAL DONATIONS
Albert and Colleen Grapentin
Linda Grapentin
Ann and Lennart Lindberg
Lisa Lindberg
Anthony Mulinare
Anonymous
Barbara Ziegenfus Betts
Rita and Jeff Moffat
Bill Boswell
Carol and Bill Rosenberg
Dr. Bette Harig
Faith Records
Gwenda Hiett-Clements
Katherine and Steve Branam
Linda and Tom Uhler
Lynne and Jerry Stern
Patricia and James Poshek
Brenda Herrington Updyke
Christine Lamano
Bruce Malkin
Angela and Brian Ellacott
Carolyn and Doug McClaine
Jennifer and John Masters
Robert Outtrim
Carol and Thomas Rothman
Alexia Rothman
Carol Badgley-McEntee
William Badgley
Carol Fenniman
James Tabner
Karen Driscoll
Charlie Morrison
Victoria Sullivan
Christina Barkley
Julianne Kirkpatrick
Clark-Donahower Family
Linsay Meisner-Jensen
Cynthia Wettling
Adina Kozberg
Ed Kready
Daniel Lidisky
Kathy Hayman
Karen Pollock
David Searles
Karen Searles
Diane Clarke
Macie Wren
Dick Curtin
Nancy Curtin
Donna Gross
Phil Gross
Donna Suchier
Linda Biondi
Doug Deruisseau
Marianne Taylor
Edward S. (Gus) Young
Edward Murray
Elizabeth "Betty" Leed Cannon
Anne Cannon
Elizabeth (Betty Ann) Morton
Benjamin Cupelli
Elizabeth Eertmoed
Gary Eertmoed
Frank, Mary and Shawn Giles
Darlene Prendergast
Gus Young
Brian Murphy
Hank
Ann Booth
Henry Sugden
Thomas Leahy
Hilda Bould
Goecke Family Foundation
James and Gay Griffith
Linda Griffith
Janet Lewis
Walt Lewis
Joan Hough Bickel
Debra and Edwin Feigle
Erinn Hengst
Marcella Generalovich
Tad Herz
Amy Sigmon
Ann Perryman
Deborah Caldwell
Denise Deshaies
Eileen Farrell
Ilene and Gary Bickel
Janis and Robert Hughes
Laurie and David Matthews
Marilyn and Robert Adkins
Robb Sigmon
Ronald Danielak
Ruby Jean and Warren Wiltshire
Texas Instruments
John T. and Carolyn H. Hoagland
The WesaDoe Fund
Anne Magoun
John Barbieri
Jessica Watts
Joseph Holley
Gail Holley
Joyce Ann Tebo
Chris Ryan
Katherine Berman
Chris Berman
Kathleen Alvarez
Dona Alvarez
Kathleen Carroll
Maureen Spaniel
Katie Gruber
Debra and Daniel Sutter
Larry and Charlotte Kowitch
Louise Kowitch
Lillie
Louise Wagner
Liz Gordee
Pam and Phil Doyle
Lucy Roth
Cheryl and Marc Giattini
Gwenda Hiett-Clements
Linda and Tom Uhler
Richard and Barbara Konz
Wendy and Dean Cerdan
Deborah La Gorce
Roberta and Philip Puschel
Mark Neebe
Julie Newman
Kathleen Campbell
Martin and Enid Packard
Eddi and Leonard Wolk
Molly Downing
Diane Morrissey Genovese
Nicole Lincoln
Ann Gillespie
Carol Gestwicki
Carolyn Richardson
Edwin Jeffery
Gaye and Jim Pigott
Gwynne Gretter
Hillary Oppmann
Linda Felt
Louise and Tim Huyck
Merni and Tom Libonate
Phyllis Gibson
Regina Ryan
Sue and Peter Danford
Susan and David Kienzle
Suzanne Hartford
Nate Weimer
Debbra Weimer
Jessica Weimer
Nathaniel Fox
Brenda and Lee Phillips
Pamela Burke
Janet Masterson
Jessica and David Kahn
Joyce Feder
Russell Mays
Christie Kwait
Daniel Silverstein
Julie Silverstein
Karen Feder
Marilyn Dent
Susan Kutchi
Virginia Kahn
Wynne and William Crocetto
Pat and Harvey Wilmeth
Kim Wilmeth Miller and Steph Miller
Renate Asti
Anna Asti
Richard and Marge Bosko
Diana Cox-Farnsley
Robert "Bobby" Reid Neilson, Jr.
Louise Wagner
Jean McCord
Robert and Alma Stone
Amy Stone Law
Robert Gillespie
Alice and Rick Godfrey
Ron Gibson
Rita and Clay Ewell
Sailor, Leo and Honeybee
Dawn and Ben Adams
Stella McAlister
Timothy McAlister
Sue Stephens
Jim Fowler
Suzanne Dubuc
John MacLennan
Tylor (TyTy) Zamarelli
Vanessa Davis
Walter David Patterson
Heather and Ryan Pennington
Zoey Wendorf
Nancy and David Laning
Board
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Nik Khakee, President
Scott Hendershot, Vice President
John Morse, Treasurer
Megan Doss, Secretary
Anne Nobles, President (2024)
Doug Ryckman, Vice President (2024) / Trustee (2025)
John Raho, Treasurer (2024)
Robert Adams
Bob Brooks
Laura DeBruce (2024)
Scott Dinger, J.D.
Laura Gales
Calli Johnson duPont
Jill McCormack (2024)
Dave Nichols
Mary Ellen Pfeifer
Rachel Pierce
Lisa Riordan
Kate McDonald Sergeant, J.D.
STAFF
ADMINISTRATIVE
James Evans, CEO
Wendy Cerdan, CFO and Director of Operations
Cheryl Giattini, Development Director
Christina Gould, Operations Manager
Jeff Siwicke, Facilities & Events Director
Brianna Frank, Development Coordinator
Mary Lisek, Grants & Financial Coordinator
Trevor Frank, Physical Plant Coordinator
Devin McColgan, Landscape Technician
COASTAL WATCH
Kealy Pfau, Director
Skye McDonald-Newman, Coastal Watch Technician
COASTAL WILDLIFE
Kelly Sloan, Director/Sea Turtle Program Coordinator
Audrey Albrecht, Coastal Wildlife Manager/Shorebird Biologist
Jack Brzoza, Sea Turtle Biologist
Amanda Manrique, Sea Turtle Biologist
Savannah Weber, Sea Turtle Biologist
Samantha Hinsz, Shorebird Technician
Aaron White, Shorebird Technician (through Nov. 2024)
2025 TECHS & INTERNS
Conner Morehead, Sea Turtle Technician
Lizzy Hepworth, Sea Turtle Intern
Meghan Murphy, Sea Turtle Intern
Taylor McKenna, Sea Turtle Intern
Nick Werling, Sea Turtle Intern
Jeb Politte, Sea Turtle Intern
Liam Petri, Sea Turtle Intern
Will Kopecky, Sea Turtle Intern
Ashlyn O’Kert, Sea Turtle Intern
Chelsea Total, Shorebird Intern
2024 TECHS & INTERNS
Amanda Manrique, Sea Turtle Technician
Lauren Andrychowski, Sea Turtle Intern
Cori Bratt, Sea Turtle Intern
Sarah Gerega, Sea Turtle Intern
Anna Karapin-Springorum, Shorebird Intern
Riona Lahey, Shorebird Intern
Martinna Parham, Sea Turtle Intern
Eliannis Santiesteban, Sea Turtle Intern
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Barbara Linstrom, Communications Director
Denise Blough, Communications & Marketing Manager
Ali Reece, Communications & Marketing Coordinator
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Matt DePaolis, Director
Holly Schwartz, Policy Associate
Allie Pecenka, Policy Associate
Jill Blavet, Policy Intern
Ellie Appelgren, Policy Intern
MARINE LABORATORY
Eric Milbrandt, Ph.D., Director
Richard Bartleson, Ph.D., Research Scientist
A.J. Martignette, Lab Manager
Rachel Wynn, Research Assistant
Amy Oxton, Research Associate
Mark Thompson, Research Associate
Amelia "AJ" Carothers, Intern
Nile McBride, Intern
NATIVE LANDSCAPES & GARDEN CENTER
Jenny Evans, Adult Education Director
Becca Grotrian, Garden Center Manager
Emily Harrington, Horticulturist
Sue Ramos, Customer Relations
Sophie Carpenter, Garden Center Assistant
Muffet Hayes, Part-Time Garden Center Assistant
Evelyn de Chazal, Intern
Mairin O'Malley, Intern
Hadas Hacohen, Intern
Jebson Politte, Intern
SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL
Shannon Rivard, Youth Education Director
Craig Rumpf, Client Services Coordinator
Annie Clinton, Camp Coordinator
Austin Wise, Marine Science Educator & Lead Paddlesports Instructor
Isabelle Lutz, Marine Science Educator
Jordyn Sateren, Marine Science Educator
Cassie Difloure, Seasonal Marine Science Educator
Logan Troxell, Seasonal Marine Science Educator
Stevie Hyle, Camp Counselor
Kaley Junkin, Camp Counselor
Lillian Just, Camp Counselor
Sophia Morgan, Camp Counselor
Jake Raterman, Camp Counselor
Ethan Robbins, Camp Counselor
James Spencer, Camp Counselor
Zoe Vadas, Camp Counselor
Jodi Lasage, Camp Photographer
WILDLIFE & HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Chris Lechowicz, Director/ Herpetologist
Marc Sharpenter, Conservation Land Manager
Dustin Lucas, Field Technician (through Jan. 2025)
Brandin Lucas, Field Technician (through Oct. 2024)
Mike Mills, Wildlife Biologist
Nadine Cobb, Wildlife Technician
SCCF Signature Events
Wines in the Wild
For 15 years, Wines in the Wild, presented by Bank of the Islands, has been a sold-out success. Under the warm glowing lights, guests strolled the grounds of the Bailey Homestead Preserve on Jan. 10, enjoying wine and food pairings.
Cause for Conservation
The Cause for Conservation showcased the "SCCF Family Band" as we came together at the Bailey Homestead Preserve on March 8 to craft our first hit supporting the full scope of SCCF's work.
Pine Island Sounds
Guests boarded Captiva Cruises’ Lady Chadwick this past fall and winter for Pine Island Sounds. The sunset concert series supported water quality while featuring live music from bands including Songs From the Road Band, The Suitcase Junket, Caleb Caudle & The Sweet Critters, and Blair Crimmons And The Hookers. Passengers sailed into the sunset while enjoying an on-the-water celebration of eclectic music, island community, and SCCF’s critical research.
Paul McCarthy Memorial Lecture
Thanks to the Boler Family Foundation, our 2025 Paul McCarthy Memorial Lecture Series featured the amazing Joel Sartore, founder of the National Geographic Photo Ark.
Event Booking Fees Benefit Charity
Beer in the Bushes
The beloved end of season celebration, Beer in the Bushes was out of this world as guests from all over the galaxy came together on April 19 to enjoy craft beer, food trucks, and the cosmic sounds of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.
This year, our big-hearted Events Director, Jeff Siwicke, switched our ticketing platform to Humanitix to ensure that your booking fees would go to good causes, not greed. Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity. Thanks to your purchases, SCCF event ticket sales helped Humanitix donate $6.5 million in 2024 toward global goodwill!
Publication of this annual report was generously underwritten by:
“As the oldest locally owned and managed community bank in Lee County and on the islands, Bank of the Islands/Edison National Bank cares deeply about Southwest Florida and values all the many attributes that make our region such a special place. We have tried to demonstrate that care by supporting many nonprofit organizations doing good work for our Southwest Florida community.
Moving forward together from the challenges we have faced on Sanibel and Captiva, the positive qualities evident in our island community have never been stronger. When it comes to SCCF in particular, their commitment to science-based policies and programs, strong and inclusive leadership, and effective partnerships has put our community on a resilient path forward.
Through our families as well as our business interests, those of us who have chosen to support SCCF do so knowing we are making solid philanthropic investments to protect and conserve this piece of paradise we proudly call home. I thank everyone who has joined us as members of the SCCF family and encourage all our island neighbors and banking customers to contribute to SCCF’s mission-driven work.
Please find the time to read the pages between these covers. The stories you will find highlight the latest news in SCCF’s 58-year history of making a long-lasting difference for our islands and the entire Southwest Florida region. Our bank is honored to be SCCF’s partner in preservation.”
Geoffrey Roepstorff, CEO Bank of the Islands | Edison National Bank
P.O. Box 839 Sanibel, FL 33957
