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‘An Evening Under The Sea’ at Yacht Club Friday

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There will be interactive games, touch tanks, a live puppet show, temporary tattoos, face painting and more at the “An Evening Under The Sea” program at Cape Coral Yacht Club Friday, April 1.
It is the sixth year for North Fort Myers resident and teacher Susie Hassett to present the program, sponsored by Lee County Parks & Recreation.
“My passion is marine biology,” she said. “I was asked (by the Yacht Club) to come up with a Marine biology show for the public years ago. After realizing that there was no outreach event for marine organizations, ‘An Evening Under the Sea’ was invented.”
She said it is an opportunity for the whole community to come together, with many groups and many students involved.
“This carnival atmosphere allows marine environmental organizations such as Turtle Time and the Lee County Artificial Reef Committee to educate the public about our wonderful marine resources in an effort to promote conservation,” she said. “It’s true that you only conserve what you love, love what you know, and know what you’ve been taught.”
The event is an opportunity to teach families about our ocean and its creatures, so that they will realize what a treasure we have, she said.
“Once they know that the health of our river and ocean depends on our decisions, then they are ready to take action. I want my children and their children to enjoy the same wonders under the sea that I have enjoyed. Everything in nature is connected, and we are part of that connection. Whatever you do in your yard affects the reef where I dive. Please be careful.”
“An Evening Under the Sea” is supported by a grant from the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, and sponsored by the Volunteer Scientific Research Team of Lee County and hosted by the City of Cape Coral Yacht Club.
It is a true community event because many groups from the community support it and make it all possible each year, according to Hassett. The Lee County Natural Resources Division, the FWC Officers and Fort Myers Police Marine Unit, the Cape Coral Sea Scouts and Power Squadron, the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Nature on Wheels, Turtle Time, Florida Sea Grant, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the Shell Factory, Calusa Blueways and other groups participate.
The Steel Drum band from North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts under the direction of Christina Moffat will entertain with calypso music. Students from various schools operate game booths.
Students practice and perform an original puppet show called Mermaid Dreams. Puppet Show students are: Erika and Kara Koepfer (St. Francis), Emily McIltrot (St. Francis), Hannah and Bekah Brown (Cape Coral; Providence Christian School), Chelsea and Oliver Payne (Cape Coral, North Fort Myers High), Jon Mamott (Cape Coral, North Fort Myers High), Shelly Hassett (Cape Coral, North Fort Myers High), Holly Hassett (NFMAA), Heidi Hassett (Littleton Elementary), Dominic Bologna (Cape Coral) and Christian Egiziaco.
Students from Robinson Littleton Elementary’s Science Club will present watershed information and help with the puppets as well.
The program is Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., and the cost is $5 per person, with children under 2 free.
The children’s program will be held at Cape Coral Yacht Club, 5819 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral.