If it's winter, that means it's manatee festival time in Florida. In January, Crystal River and Orange City pulled out the stops for their most celebrated citizens, and Save the Manatee Club volunteers and staff were there.

Hey look, it's a manatee wandering around the streets of Crystal River! (Photo courtesy of Helen Spivey)

Neither Cold Nor Wind Daunts Crystal River Advocates
By Helen Spivey
Co-Chair,
SMC Board of Directors

Because of chilly temperatures at the Crystal River Manatee Festival this year, I now know what it is like to be a people popsicle!  The festival took place on January 14 and 15, and by the time it ended, all I wanted -- along with most people there -- was an " I Survived The Manatee Festival of 2006" T-shirt and to go home and curl up in a blanket with my two puppies and very large cat.

The thing that made it all tolerable and even fun was the manatee advocates who came by in droves. They told us how much they loved manatees and agreed when we asked them to take a coloring book for their children or their neighbor's children to get them interested in protecting our natural resources. They also took Adopt-A-Manatee brochures, promising to see they were used, and signed up for our action alert list. It was so heartwarming (although that was the only thing that was warm!).

At top: Despite the cold, people came out to celebrate manatees. Bottom: "human popsicles" and SMC volunteers Helen Spivey (left), Bill Harding, and Colleen O'Mara were on hand to answer questions about manatees. (Photos courtesy of Helen Spivey)

Then there were the wonderful volunteers who came out in 35 to 45 mph gusts of very cold wind on Saturday so they could talk manatee to all they met. The volunteers who braved the almost freezing cold Sunday and helped tie together the canopy the wind had almost demolished the day before were courageous…and well bundled. Our pictures show how many extra pounds of clothing we had to wear. Everyone was enthusiastic that we could get together to save manatees.

Despite the cold, the streets of Crystal River were jammed with friendly people. It was a wonderful turnout for a very cold and windy two days. And the best part was that while we braved the cold to show off our favorite aquatic mammals, we knew that manatees were snug in their warm water refuges.     

SMC volunteer Antonia Pineiro generously offered her face painting skills to create a work of art for each person who adopted a manatee at the festival. (Photo by Terry Nearing.)

Manatees Thrill Crowds at Blue Spring Festival

By Janice Nearing
SMC Director of Public Relations

Weather conditions were near perfect for manatee-viewing and for the thousands of people who came to see the gentle marine mammals at Blue Spring State Park during the popular annual Manatee Festival held on January 28 and 29 in Orange City, Florida. The festival, held down the road at Valentine Park, offered shuttle bus rides up to the state park throughout the weekend so that everyone had an opportunity to find a good spot along the boardwalk to observe the manatees resting or playing in the spring run. About 70 manatees were counted on Saturday morning, and approximately 40 made the roll call list on Sunday.

People line the boardwalk at Blue Spring State Park to see manatees. Volunteers at the nearby SMC booth were on hand to provide manatee education materials. (Photo by Terry Nearing)

Set up alongside the busy boardwalk, Save the Manatee Club’s education booth was bustling with activity from start to finish! Club volunteers answered manatee questions, talked about the issues affecting Florida’s harmless herbivores, and handed out coloring sheets to the excited youngsters. SMC Volunteer Antonia Pineiro generously offered her time and professional face-painting talents to the Club all day Sunday. Anyone adopting a manatee that day had their choice of a face design, and Antonia was busy creating everything from cute manatees to Spiderman.

People were constantly drawn to the four and a half foot plush manatee displayed at the Club’s booth, too. The donation draw for “Chance,” the giant manatee, was held on February 18th.  Congratulations to L. Lane of Winter Haven, Florida for being this year's happy winner.  Half the net proceeds collected were donated to Blue Spring for the manatees.

Dedicated volunteers Connie Bane (left) and Lynn Centrone (right) with "Chance," the giant plush manatee, drove all the way from Panama City, Florida, to lend a hand. (Photo by Terry Nearing.)

Volunteer for Manatees!

Read about other manatee festivals, see a calendar of upcoming events, and sign up online to volunteer for Save the Manatee Club at www.savethemanatee.org/vol.htm.