Wakulla Springs and Ochlockonee River State Parks will Celebrate September as Literacy Month
Florida Governor Charlie Crist recently signed a proclamation designating September as Literacy Month. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida State Parks are celebrating the second annual Literacy Month with special events at many of the parks. In conjunction with International Literacy Day on September 8th and National Library Card Signup Month, entrance to all of Florida ’s state parks will be free the week of September 7-13 for visitors who bring a library card, library book, or who donate a new or gently used family book.
Wakulla Springs State Park will celebrate with "Reflections over the Spring" on
Saturday, September 13 at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
In cooperation with the Wakulla County Public Library, the park will
offer three narrated glass bottom boat trips over Wakulla Spring.
Literary selections for children will be narrated on the beach and the
library will have a book give-away in the Concession Area. The three
narrated glass bottom boat tours will be available at no charge but
donations to the Wakulla County Library will be gratefully accepted.
Tickets will be available at the Waterfront Visitors Center on a
first-come, first-served basis at 8:30 a.m. Space is limited to 30
people for each trip. Park entrance fee will be waived for
participants. For more information, call (850) 561-7286.
Ochlockonee River State Park will host "Reading with Park Staff" on
Saturday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m. Ochlockonee River State Park invites families to come out and read a
story with park staff about nature, animals and the environment. For
more information, call (850) 962-2771.
"Promoting literacy at Florida ’s state parks creates an appreciation for both reading and the environment that visitors can take back to the classroom and community,” said Florida State Park Director Mike Bullock. “September’s Literacy Month is the perfect time for all park visitors, including families and schools, to experience resource-based recreation while enhancing the mind through literacy events.”
Partners in the Literacy Month celebration include the Florida Department of State, Florida Department of Education, the Florida Lottery, Volunteer USA Foundation, Florida Literacy Coalition, Adult and Community Educators of Florida, Inc., local libraries, schools and reading programs statewide. More than 1.3 million visitors participated in the September 2007 Literacy Month celebration, with nearly 35,000 people participating in 60 events statewide. State parks collected 10,000 books for donation and DEP and the Florida Lottery distributed 15,000 bookmarks to libraries and book stores throughout the state.
Other literacy activities in northwest Florida include:
Reading with a Ranger Three Rivers State Park
Saturday, September 6 at 10:00 a.m.
A park ranger will read a children’s nature book to park guests. This event will be held at the Seminole Pavilion in the park. For more information, call (850) 482-9006.
Literacy Month Book Exchange Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park
September
The park will host a month-long book exchange in the campground interpretive pavilion. For more information, call (850) 927-2111.
Story Time in the Gardens Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
Sunday, September 7 at 2:00 p.m.
Volunteers will read from various children's books in the gardens, followed by lemonade and cookies at the Gardener's Cottage. Participants should dress appropriately for a short walk through the gardens. For more information, call (850) 487-4115.
Literacy Month Program Ponce de Leon Springs State Park
Sunday, September 7 through Saturday, September 13
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park , in partnership with the Holmes County Public Library, will install colorful displays promoting the wonders and beauty of the park and the reading opportunities at the library. Park staff will also be participating in an after school reading program. For more information, call (850) 638-6130.
Story Time with Paul Lowery Henderson Beach State Park
Saturday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 17 at 1:00 p.m.
Henderson Beach State Park will once again host story time with Mr. Paul Lowery, author of Do you know where Sea Turtles go?. A question and answer session will follow. Copies of Mr. Lowery's book are on sale in the park’s store. For more information, call (850) 259-6444.
Literacy Month Program Falling Waters State Park
Sunday, September 7 through Saturday, September 13
Falling Waters State Park , in partnership with the Holmes County Public Library, will install colorful displays promoting the wonders and beauty of the park and reading at the library. Park staff will also be participating in an after school reading program. For more information, call (850) 638-6130.
Celebrate Literacy Month Big Lagoon State Park
Monday, September 8 at 10:00 a.m.
Big Lagoon State Park will celebrate Literacy Month along with the Escambia County Southwest Branch Library. Library volunteers will provide a “READ to Dogs” program to help young children get over the anxiety of reading. This event will be held at pavilion #39 (next to the observation tower). For more information, call (850) 492-1595.
The Great Word Hunt and Read-athon Eden Gardens State Park
Tuesday, September 9 and 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Eden Gardens will sponsor a fun-filled afternoon of reading events, including The Great Word Hunt, students will search the gardens for letters and then utilize those letters to create words. The team creating the greatest number of words will win a small prize. The event will also feature reading time with different costumed characters reading to the children at various locations within the park. For more information, call (850) 231-1167.
Celebrate Literacy Month Big Lagoon State Park
Wednesday, September 10 at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Big Lagoon State Park will celebrate Literacy Month along with the Escambia County Southwest Branch Library. At 10:30 a.m. a special preschool program will be presented; at 3:30 p.m. a seeing-eye dog program will take place. These events will be held at pavilion #39 (next to the observation tower). For more information, call (850) 492-1595.
Children Reading Everywhere St. Andrews State Park
Wednesday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m.
This event is part of the Bay County Library Children Reading Everywhere Program in partnership with St. Andrews State Park . Participants can apply for their library card as well as enjoy an award-winning program. For more information, call (850) 233-5164.
Literacy in the Park Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park
Saturday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m.
Lake Jackson Mounds State Park will host a book reading event to promote reading and utilize the resources of public libraries. There will be a story about the wonders of nature and a guided adventure around the park immediately following the reading. For more information, call (850) 922-6007.
Pages in the Park Florida Caverns State Park
Saturday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m.
Florida Caverns State Park will host the Pages in the Park program at the park's visitor center. For more information, call (850) 482-1228.
Read with a Ranger Torreya State Park
Wednesday, September 13 at 8:00 a.m.
Torreya State Park will partner with W.R. Tolar Elementary School in Bristol to celebrate Literacy Month. Park rangers and volunteers will visit the classroom and read to 3rd grade students. For more information, call (850) 267-0299.
Reading on the River Blackwater River State Park
September 13 at 10:00 a.m.
Blackwater River State Park will host a children’s book reading about the animals that inhabit the park. A park ranger will read the stories in Pavilion #23 on the boardwalk complex. After the reading, participants can take a ranger-guided short hike around Juniper Lake Trail. For more information, call (850) 983-5363.
Community Literacy Fair Big Lagoon State Park
Saturday, September 13 at 10:30 a.m.
Big Lagoon State Park will celebrate Literacy Month along with the Escambia County Southwest Branch Library. Library staff and volunteers will be in the park to hold a Community Literacy Fair. This event will be held at pavilion #39 (next to the observation tower). For more information, call (850) 492-1595.
Florida Folklore, Poetry and Music Grayton Beach
Wednesday, September 24 at 10:00 a.m.
Grayton Beach State Park will present their Florida Folklore, Poetry and Music at the large beach pavilion. For more information, call (850) 231-4210.
To view the Governor’s Proclamation honoring September as Literacy Month, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/events/090308_literacy.pdf. For more information about Florida State Parks’ Literacy Month celebrations, visit www.floridastateparks.org.
This article originally published on September 4, 2008.
Outdoors 
Florida Governor Charlie Crist recently signed a proclamation designating September as Literacy Month. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida State Parks are celebrating the second annual Literacy Month with special events at many of the parks. In conjunction with International Literacy Day on September 8th and National Library Card Signup Month, entrance to all of Florida ’s state parks will be free the week of September 7-13 for visitors who bring a library card, library book, or who donate a new or gently used family book.
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