Refuge welcomes new resident volunteers
By REFUGE / DDWS - | Apr 28, 2021
REFUGE/DDWS
Tumpy Lewis and Connie Guinn will help with the refuge s WoW program.
The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge offers a Resident Volunteer program to help with its staff shortfalls. Volunteers receive space and hook-ups for their RVs in exchange for their hours spent helping with maintenance, education and visitor services. In April, the refuge welcomed Connie Guinn and Tumpy Lewis to the Education Team.
Guinn hails from Missouri and taught school at the elementary and middle levels for 28 years, with stints also teaching early childhood and adult education. Lewis grew up on the rivers, swamps and ocean in South Carolina. He started truck-driving in 1977 and retired in May. The two met at a parent-teacher conference when Guinn had Lewis’ son in her class. After buying their camper about two years ago, they started looking into work camping gigs and found the refuge’s Wildlife o
Godsea appointed to lead Southwest Florida refuge complex
By REFUGE / DDWS - | Jan 21, 2021
PHOTO PROVIDED
Kevin Godsea is taking over management of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge as project leader of a newly formed Southwest Florida refuge complex.
Having filled the role of acting refuge manager at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge since 2019, Kevin Godsea is stepping up to the position of permanent project leader at the new Southwest Florida National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It includes Florida Panther, Ten Thousand Islands, Pine Island, Matlacha Pass, Island Bay and Caloosahatchee NWRs. Godsea has been serving as refuge manager for Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands for 10 years.
‘Ding’ artist-in-residence program ready to kick off
By REFUGE / DDWS - | Dec 23, 2020
PHOTO PROVIDED
The art of Rachel Pierce reflects her love of sea and nature.
Beginning Jan. 5, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s 2021 artist in residence Rachel Pierce will kick off a series of free biweekly, plein-air art demonstrations and monthly Friday Art Journal Walks. The refuge and the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge support the season of nature-art events, which will also include visits to underserved youth organizations and a grand finale exhibition.
Through April, Pierce will do her popup demonstrations along Wildlife Drive on the first and third Tuesdays and Thursdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to stop and chat with the artist in a safe and distanced manner while watching her create her brand of whimsical impressionistic art inspired by sea- and bird-life.
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