Now You Know: Find out what’s in Estero Bay at October water meeting

The Estero Bay Basin is the topic of Calusa Waterkeeper’s State of Our Water quarterly meeting held on Saturday, Oct. 12. The meeting will be held from 9:30 a.m. until noon at Fort Myers Regional Library.

A popular area for paddlers and boaters, Estero Bay spans 359.6 square miles and is the state's first aquatic preserve and is located within Calusa Waterkeeper’s 1000 sq. mile jurisdiction.

Keynote speaker Bonita Water Steward Nicole Weigold will talk about “What’s in the Bay” including current water conditions, its impact on the ecosystem and public health and the “fascinating projects that are underway to protect and restore the area.”

Calusa Waterkeeper Captain Codty Pierce will open the meeting, providing a presentation on the current state of the water, followed by reports by each Zone Ranger Leader who will discuss the conditions around the watershed.

Guests will get to meet our local waterkeeper, the trained rangers who serve as the organization’s boots on the ground and fins in the water that protect our waterways.

The meeting is open to all paid annual members and rangers at no charge. Online registration is required as space is limited. To reserve your seat, visit calusawaterkeeper.org .For a donation of $50 or more, you can become an annual member of Calusa Waterkeeper. Visit calusawaterkeeper.org/membership , email info@calusawaterkeeper.org or call 239-899-1440.

Baker Senior Center to host workshop for caregivers

Baker Senior Center Naples will host a Caregiver Bootcamp on Monday, Sept. 30, for family members and friends caring for loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The workshop will be led by Martha Pounsberry, RN, and Rani Florack of Collier Home Care, a licensed, independent personal home care provider. Pounsberry and Florack will address “Home Health Care: What to Expect When You Need Home Health Services.”

Other featured speakers will include Angela Larson, Victim Services Supervisor for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, who will address “Wandering Prevention: Tools for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.” Also speaking will be Bruce Rosenblatt, CDP, Owner and Senior Housing Advisor for Senior Housing Solutions in Naples, who will discuss the related topic of “Finding the Right Community for Your Loved One.”

The event takes place from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Baker Senior Center Naples, 6200 Autumn Oaks Lane. The cost is $30 per person, which includes lunch. Registration is required and seats are limited.

For additional information or reservations, contact Kelley Findlay at 239-325-4444 or send an email to: kfindlay@bakerseniorcenternaples.org .

Baker Senior Center awarded Collier grant

Baker Senior Center Naples recently announced that it has been awarded a $242,500 grant from the Collier Community Foundation to expand essential services to more lower-income seniors in the community.

The funds will be used to hire a new case manager, who will support about 50 additional older adults each year, of which 70 to 80 percent will be low to moderate income seniors. The case manager also will field an additional 1,500 case management calls annually.

“We are thankful to the Collier Community Foundation for their continued support of older adults in our community,” said Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, President/CEO of Baker Senior Center Naples. “The addition of another Case Manager will enable seniors to experience an increase in social engagement and enhanced functional stability and independence.”

More: Now You Know: Downtown Alliance host Bonita candidates' forum

And: Now You Know: Paragon Theaters awarded; HOTWORX comes to Estero

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Now You Know: Find out what’s in Estero Bay at October water meeting