Greetings!

Mark your calendar for a week from Thursday for an artful evening in celebration of Guana Preserve. Ponte Vedra artist Eugene Quinn opens his Jacksonville Beach studio, and is generously donating 20% of proceeds for the evening to Save Guana Now. Some of you may remember him painting Plein Air at our Save Guana Gala. Among the works will be new oil paintings of Guana Preserve (which surrounds the 99 acres of conservation land we're fighting to save from development).

Eugene's passion for saving Guana from habitat destruction is only matched by his passion for preserving it in his paintings; the coast and the diverse habitat of Guana Preserve are central to his inspiration.

Why not stop by to enjoy the art of Guana while visiting with friends who share the goal of fighting destruction of conservation land known as the Outpost?

Date: Nov. 16 Time: 5-9 PM Location: 416 3rd St., Ste. 201, (2nd floor), Jacksonville Beach. It says "Coquina Studio Gallery" on the door you enter, and the signs for a former yoga studio mark the location - across from a Wendy's. Parking is around the building.

Meeting of interest: North Florida Land Trust is coming to our neck of the woodsTuesday morning (tomorrow!) to host a "Conversation About Conservation" from 9 to 11 a.m. at Trasco & Co. Eatery at 155 Tourside Dr. (Publix Shopping Center), Ponte Vedra. There are numerous properties in St. Johns County that NFLT has targeted as being in critical need of preservation. (The Outpost is one of them.) They're gathering a group that can serve as a task force in our county to assist in getting the word out about how important conservation is to the area. If you're concerned about preserving and protecting the natural beauty of St. Johns County, please attend. RSVP: (904) 859-8993. More info here .

In memory: We're sad to share with you news of the passing of a good friend to Save Guana Now -- Dr. Mellena Bridges, highly respected Mayo Clinic radiologist. Mell and her husband Gregory's quaint cottage on Guana Lake was the location of our very first fundraiser in October, 2016. The beauty of Guana brought them much joy, even during a difficult time. Mell will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.

We continue to await the announcement of hearing dates, and will keep you posted if there's an update. St. Johns County issued a statement to First Coast News Oct. 11 that officials are still waiting for Ponte Vedra Corp. to address 25 outstanding technical items in their application for development. 

In the mean time, we're continuing to raise awareness about the urgent need to stop that development. We hope to see you at Coquina Studio Gallery November 16th!

Nicole Crosby and Gary Coulliette

Co-founders, Save Guana Now