YOU’RE INVITED! DON’T MISS THE SPECIAL RE-SCHEDULED UPDATE ON FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC Coastal Center, a JEWEL of the Treasure Coast

We’ll be looking for you Sept. 29 for a fascinating update on the ever-growing showplace that is the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center.

The presentation is rescheduled from August, when the Rivers Coalition meeting was cancelled due to a threatening storm.

As the Rivers Coalition continues its campaign to save and foster the St. Lucie estuary, let's take this fresh look at the river's growing showplace.

You'll see interesting information and photos about Florida Oceanographic at the Rivers Coalition's general meeting at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Stuart City Hall.

Florida Oceanographic has been a key partner with the Rivers Coalition and other groups in seeking the core goals of gaining a flowway south from Lake Okeechobee in order to curtail massive discharges to the coasts in wet years, and stop excessive pollution from inland.

And yet many folks have not yet enjoyed the expanded Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center. It's on Hutchinson Island across from the Stuart Beach, north of Stuart Causeway.

Executive Director Mark Perry (also a Rivers Coalition leader) and staff will provide the update. Those attending the Rivers Coalition meeting on the 29th will get a special free admission pass to visit the Coastal Center. Virtually everyone who visits leaves with the same question: "Why didn't we come here sooner?"

Little wonder that visitors find it extremely relaxing to watch the many and varied fish in the 750,000-gallon Gamefish Lagoon. All the marine life, from snook, redfish and rays to sea turtles comes from the natural ecosystem system.

For a cyberspace visit just put Florida Oceanographic in your friendly search engine, www.floridaocean.org.

And then we'll see you there, first at the Rivers Coalition at 11 a.m. Thursday, and then at Florida Oceanographic. Click here for more information.

River Kidz Update

The River Kidz Kickoff Event was a success!

The judges have chosen the top three winning River Kidz posters! Will Ponsolt's, "Don't Keep the River This Color" came in 1st place; Elizabeth Baratta & Sophie Siegel's "Oh No, U Didn't;We Started It So We Finish It!," came in 2nd; and Madie Davis' "Effecting the River, Effects Our Lives,"came in 3rd.

Thank you to all of the participants! All artwork will be made into a collage by artist Brenda Lee and participating River Kidz and displayed in municipality and county offices, beginning with the Town of Sewall's Point.

 1 WILL PONSOLT

2 ELIZABETH BARATTA & SOPHIE SIEGEL

3 MADDIE DAVIS

Please join us on Thursday, September 29th for an update on their successful event.

http://m.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/22/river-kidz-art-awards-make-you-think-16398/

What's Happening at the September Meeting?

Thursday September 29, 2011

11am to 12:30pm at:

City of Stuart Commission Chambers

121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, Fl 34994

Business Matters

• Chairman’s Comments - Leon Abood

• Committee Review - Leon Abood

• Special Update - Mark Perry

“FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC Coastal Center, a JEWEL OF the Treasure Coast”

• Legal Update - Karl Wickstrom

• WRAC “Water Resources Advisory Commission” - Mark Perry/George Jones

• Speakers Bureau - Todd Weissing

• ROGER “River of Grass Estuary/Everglades Restoration” - Ted Guy

Coalition Committee Reports

• Water Quality - Mark Perry

• Local Issues - Mark Perry/George Jones

• State / Federal Issues - Kevin Henderson / Paul Gray

• IRL / CERP -  Kevin Henderson / Paul Gray

• Martin County Updates -  Paul Millar

• ROG “River of Grass” Update - George Jones/John Marshall

Progress Reports

• South Florida Water Mgmt -  Boyd Gunsalus

Speakers Bureau Update!

STUART — With 96 people in attendance, at the Indian River Plantation Marriott, the Chamber of Commerce was introduced to the Rivers Coalition. Leon Abood, chairman of Rivers Coalition, and Mark Perry, executive director of Florida Oceanographic Society, together presented the Chamber with a history of the Rivers Coalition, an introduction to its members, information regarding the discharges from Lake Okeechobee and what we can do to make a difference.

For more information on the River’s Coalition Speakers Bureau contact Todd Weissing at 772-223-6743 or ctodd_weissing@ml.com.

From left, Mark Perry, John O'Brien, Chamber of Commerce board member, and Leon Abood.

Click here to email us.

Rivers Coalition is a supporter of Eco-Voice!

How to Become a Member?

Membership is free! If you are interested in helping save the environment of SW Florida, you may join Eco-voice by going to www.eco-voice.org and selecting subscribe.

Click Here to Join Eco-Voice on FaceBook.

Support the Indian River Keeper!

Ted's Articles of Interest

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/21/martin-booklet-lists-fish-less-likely-to-have/

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/blogs/green-south-florida/sfl-wildfires-lake-okeechobee-20110921,0,7791578.story

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorials/os-everglades-land-plan-0917-20110917,0,875882.story

http://www.wateryfoundation.com/?p=3994

http://audubonoffloridanews.org/?p=9311

T-Shirts Are Still Available Get Yours Now! HELP SAVE OUR RIVER!

"Save Our River" T-shirts featuring an attractive painting of the St. Lucie River wildlife available for purchase.

Read about the T-shirts here:

http://www.riverscoalition.org/t-shirts.php

Each T-Shirt purchase receives a chance to win the original painting by artist Mark Johnson. Painting will be raffled off at our October meeting.

Don't forget to get your name on the Donor Honor Roll!

Click here to see if your name is on the list.

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Thank you for all your support.

Editor: Jessica Briske

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