Message from the Executive Director | |
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Well, our friend Finn from Beachland Elementary pretty much summed up the ELC with his excellent original poem and artwork! Thanks for being an ELC ambassador, Finn!
Please remember that the ELC very much needs your support! From volunteering, to sponsorships, and critical monetary donations, we rely on community investment to continue our mission. With rejuvenating the campus infrastructure and tripling the number of people we serve in the last six years, we currently have a significant funding gap and could really use your help to close it.
Thanks to you if you are one of our current supporters and we ask that you please consider giving a little extra at this time during our year-end appeal. Please check out the many ways you can be a part of ELC Support Team.
In Service,
Barb
Barbara Schlitt Ford
ELC Executive Director
Barb@DiscoverELC.org
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Help us ensure that everyone has the chance to experience the healing power of nature, recognize the critical importance of a thriving environment, and take action toward building a sustainable future.
Your support makes a lasting impact. Please donate today.
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WinterGreen Night Lights
December 5 & 6
5:30-8:30 PM
Bring the family for a fun night of festive lights, s'mores by the campfire, holiday crafts, shopping, aquarium/touch tank, nighttime fun at the new rustic playscape plus nature art exhibits. Don't miss our popular Mangrove Magic Encounter, where we paddle guests by canoe through illuminated mangrove tunnels at night. A truly unique and unforgettable experience sure to set the mood for the season.
With only two public nights this year, gathering co-workers, neighbors, or family to create a group of 50 or more is strongly encouraged for a guaranteed canoe experience with optional add-ons.
For private group experiences on other nights in December or January, email Bookings@DiscoverELC.org or call 772-589-5050.
$5 admission 12 yrs and up
FREE under 12!
$15 per person ~ Mangrove Magic Canoe Experience
Please note: This year, we are not accepting pre-registrations for event admission or canoe rides. We are only booking in-person tickets on December 5th and 6th and canoe ride ticket purchase tables will not open until 5 PM.
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Lagoonapalooza
Saturday, January 25, 2025
10 AM - 6 PM
An exciting new twist to our Nature Fest (fka EcoFest then LagoonFest), now with live bands at our Event Pavilion and in a cooler month! Join us for this free event that features dozens of environmental partners with tons of hands-on activities, food, pontoon or kayak trips, visits to the aquarium and touch tank, dip netting in the pond, plus some of the areas best musical groups performing throughout the day.
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Do you have an original poem, slogan, or artwork that shares your love of the Indian River Lagoon and encourages people to be good stewards of it? We’d love to see it!
Please submit any entries to barb@discoverelc.org and you may be eligible for recognition, including prizes or the display of your creation on ELC bags or shirts. Open to all ages, children and adults.
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Mangroves, Moonlight, & Mykonos!
Saturday, March 1, 2025
6 PM -9 PM
Reserve your spot now for our annual fundraiser with a Mediterranean flair! Experience authentic cuisine, festive friends, open bar, and live entertainment in a beautiful setting that will transport your senses to Greece.
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Stress-Free Holiday Shopping | |
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Memberships and
eco-adventures make the perfect clutter-free gifts. You cannot put a price on memories!
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Our Nature Nook is open 7 days a week with unique local and sustainable items. | |
Whether you're buying some unique stuffed animals for kids, books, ornaments, shirts, hats or artisan earrings, we have something for everyone. | |
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Proceeds help support our eco-education programs,
and ELC Members get a 10% discount!
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WILD LAGOON BOAT & PADDLE TOURS | |
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Award-Winning Pontoon Boat Cruises Boarding Daily!
~ Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge
~ Sunset Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge
~ Sebastian Inlet
~ St. Sebastian River (seasonal)
~ Spoil Island Splash (seasonal)
~ Private chartered tours available!
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Guided Paddle Excursions
9-11 AM
December 13, 14, & 20
January 4, 10, 17, 18, 24, & 25
Explore thriving ecosystems and diverse wildlife along the Indian River Lagoon.
Private guided tours are available with advance notice or you can go solo and rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards any day the weather cooperates.
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Wild Lagoon Field Trips
Did you know? We offer private, customizable ecological field trips for all ages! Request a field trip today for your school, group, team, class, staff, family, co-workers, and friends. Explore the Indian River Lagoon with our fun, immersive activities that will leave a lasting impression.
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Wild Lagoon Holiday Break Camps
12/23, 12/27, 1/3
9 AM – 1 PM
Ages 6-16
Looking for something the kids can do this holiday break? Register for our popular hands-on, feet-wet programs that will keep them active, engaged, and outside!
$50 per person / $45 for members
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A New Map to Help You Explore All 64-Acres | |
Free Play at The Nature Playscape | |
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Come enjoy the
F.U.N Zone Everyday
(Families Unplugged in Nature)
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Join the Community to Meet-Up for Free Play Every Saturday
Beginning December 14
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
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Free to members or with paid admission. Bring a picnic lunch and any other items you'd like to use at the pavilion lawn like footballs or kites. | |
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES | |
"Artistic Views of Nature" Presented by the Sebastian River Art Club on exhibit at ELC
On Exhibit Now through 1/5/25
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Roger Hammer Native Wildflower Photography
On Exhibit January/February
Artist Meet and Greet in January (date tbd)
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Ethnobotany Walks
12/12 & 1/14 from 9-10:30 AM
Join our Native Plant Specialist, Marc Spiess, for a walking tour of the ELC showcasing the diverse use of native and introduced plants, from culinary delights to medicinal wonders.
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Little Wonders
(18 months-4 yrs old)
12/21 ~ Winter Wonders
1/18 ~ Wonderful Wildflowers
9-10 AM or 10:30 - 11:30 AM
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Y-ELC (Grades 6-12)
4-6 PM
12/5 & 12/6 Volunteer at WinterGreen Night Lights
1/8 ~ New Year Meeting/Celebration
1/15 ~ Private Egret Marsh Birding Tour
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Broadway Babies ~ A Very Merry Christmas!
0-4 yrs old
12/7 from 9-10 AM
Featuring a Mommy and Me style musical theatre hosted at the ELC. Holiday fun for all!
$15 per person
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ELC Volunteer Orientation
1/9 at 2 PM
Join our caring network of nature enthusiasts. So many fun opportunities (both indoor and outdoor) are available.
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Guided Nature Walks
12/11, and 1/11
9:00-10:30 AM
~ 12/11: North Sebastian Conservation Area
~ 1/11: Ansin Riverfront Conservation Area
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Beginners' Bird Walk
1/21 from 8-9:30 AM
Join us every 3rd Tuesday to go on a morning birding walk!
- Learn identification techniques
- Best time of day for birding
- Start your bird life list
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Mamma Mia Movie Night
1/30/2025
6-9 PM
Join us for a movie night featuring Mamma Mia! Nibble on snacks from the food stations/food trucks that will be on site, sip cocktails, and warm up by our campfire for a fun evening of Greek inspiration!
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Chair Yoga ~ Wednesdays 1:30-2:30 PM
Yoga ~ Fridays 1-2 PM
Walking Meditation ~ 4th Sunday 11am
Modern life brings noise from all directions. Under all this clamor, nature is speaking to us. Set aside time to be quiet and listen.
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Dates to Celebrate this Month:
12/20 Endangered Species Day - Celebrate Endangered Species Day by learning about local at-risk plants and animals and supporting conservation efforts to protect biodiversity.
12/21 Winter Solstice - Mark the arrival of winter at the solstice by connecting with nature through a guided walk, seasonal craft-making, or other solstice-themed activities.
Christmas Day and New Year's Day - ELC will be closed only two days over the holidays. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Bring everyone to the ELC the day after festivities for a nature hike and touch tank encounter. View the beautiful artwork on display, or book a Wild Lagoon Boat or Kayak Excursion. There's something for everyone!
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Sebastian River Art Club "Artistic Views of Nature" Exhibit | |
Bull's Eyes & Botany - Holiday Break Camp | |
Bloodies and Boat Rides at the Moorings | |
Osceola Magnet Field Trip | |
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Nova the Box Turtle Makes a Friend | |
"Grounded in Nature: A Day of Renewal" | |
Bagels & Bellinis Season Kick-Off Event | |
Lunch and Learn on Native Plants with Jane Higgins | |
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ELC's Marc Spiess
Urban Greenways Presentation at Windsor
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Private Boat Sunset Cruise with Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni of the Treasure Coast | |
The Nature Nook Is Ready for the Holidays | |
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Y-ELC Teen
Thanksgiving Activity
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Rosewood Magnet
Field Trip
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ELC Resident Racoons Go for a Morning Stroll | |
Orchid Island Art Club Begins the Mural on the Schidel Education & Event Pavilion | |
Chips Feeley Teaches a Class with Artists from John's Island | |
Yoga with Annie on Fridays | |
Dyer Subaru Presents a Check to Sponsor WinterGreen Night Lights | |
Indian River CARES Nonprofit Leaders | |
Indian River CARES Executive Director Gratitude Luncheon | |
A Happy Nature Nook Customer | |
Argyle the Terrapin and Nova the Box Turtle Race | |
A Plein Air Artist from John's Island | |
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Species Spotlight - Did you know?
Coontie (Zamia integrifolia) is a Florida native plant. This tough little shrub isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving in gardens and by roadsides. Here are a few fun facts:
- Coevolution Champion: It’s in a special relationship with the Atala butterfly. The butterfly’s caterpillars eat its leaves, which in turn, helps the plant in its life cycle!
- Pollinator’s Pal: Instead of bees, Coontie gets pollinated by weevils.
- Survivor: Withstands fire, shade, and even overzealous European settlers who once nearly wiped it out for its delicious arrowroot.
- Eco-Hero: By planting Coontie, you’re not just landscaping, you’re butterfly breeding!
Want to dive deeper into Florida’s native wonders? Join us at an upcoming Ethnobotany Walk.
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Join or renew online, stop in and see us, or mail a check. | Boat Eco-Tours - Paddle Excursions & Rentals - Aquariums - Touch Tank - Immersive Programs - Wellness Activities - Camps - Customizable Field Trips - Art Galleries - Interpretive Trails - Outdoor Nature Playscapes - Shaded Picnic Areas - Atala Meditation Garden - Eco-Boutique - Signature Events - Indoor & Outdoor Venue Rentals - and More! |
Admission is FREE for Members
$10 adults 12 and up
$5 children 2-11
Children under age 2 FREE
Open 7 Days a Week
Monday - Friday 8 AM-5 PM
Saturday and Sunday 8 AM-4 PM
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Did You Know?
We have scholarships available for programs and free admission every day for anyone on SNAP.
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Everyone at your Environmental Learning Center Wishes You a Magical Holiday Season! | |
Thank you to the Vero Flash for your partnership. | |
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Follow the Environmental Learning Center!
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Environmental Learning Center
255 Live Oak Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963
DiscoverELC.org 772-589-5050
| A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.” | | | | |
