Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs

S OUT H WE S T

S P OT LIGHT

Vol.3, No.4

APRIL 2012

SECTION B

CMON and Hear the Childrens Voices

By D.K. Christi
dk@swspotlight.com

Minding Malicious Monofilament

By Heather Thomson
heather@swspotlight.com

North Collier Regional Park Livingston Road is now the yellow brick road to a fantasy for children and adults alike. It leads to the recently opened CMON (the Golisano Childrens Museum of Naples) located just over the border from Lee into Collier County and a bit south of Immokalee Road at the North Collier Regional Park. A recent members-only Saturday at CMON was full of giggles, laughter and busy children living out the stories from their imagination, the dreams theyve held since their parents whispered about a place just for children to play and learn. Here we have gathered comments from a few of the many voices echoing across the 13 themed areas contained in the two-story museum. Curious Kids Exhibit a place for preteen visitors to hang out, create, talk and discover. Olivia Akers, 11, and her sister Alexa, 8, waited for a very long time and were so happy it opened as they explored activities in the WGCU Curious Kids room for the older youth up to age 14. My mom is happy, too added Olivia who was busy with cloth and scissors in the sewing section. I want to be a fashion designer. The plain color is here (on the mannequin), and I am adding sparkle and stripes on the top. This is my favorite place so far. The Produce Market a realistic, childsized market where shoppers load carts with
Meghan Easterly | meghan@swspotlight.com Jackson MacLean catches a fish in the exhibit At the Beach at the Golisano Childrens Museum of Naples.

Bonita Springs Monofilament lines, more commonly known as fishing lines, have plagued the waters of Bonita Springs and Southwest Florida for years. When a fishing line becomes tangled, the simplest option is to cut it. But what happens when a line sits in the water? It doesnt just disintegrate. It becomes entangled in the mangroves, creating a danger to birds and fish. It can drown birds,

prevent fish from utilizing their gills properly and even become so ensnared on a birds beak that they starve to death. Since the Imperial River Conservancy was formed in 1991, their mission has been to keep the waters in and around Bonita Springs not only beautiful and environmentally safe for birds and other wildlife, but also enjoyable for boaters and recreational users. Back in 2009, Richard Ferreira, former boat captain and city councilman, wanted
Continued on page B20

fresh produce, eggs, milk and boxed goods and cashiers check them out at a real conveyor belt. Produce comes from The Farm where gardeners pick produce and load it onto a truck. I like shopping the best, picking the fruit, putting it in the shopping cart, added Alexa Akers. Theres a real scanner, too. The Produce Market was a busy place with
Continued on page B10

Heather Thomson | heather@swspotlight.com Monofilament lines are collected at recycling points throughout Bonita Springs in order to keep the lines from killing birds and fish in the water.

Page B24

Southwest Spotlight

April 2012