Nice Message From At The Bay

To Our Friends and Supporters: At The Bay, we are strongly grounded in our ideals and principles of being open, accessible, and welcoming to everyone. In light of evolving COVID-19 health concerns, as we exercise caution and make safety a priority, The Bay and our public parks remain open for our communities to enjoy.  If you're comfortable going out for a break, here are a few things you can do to stay healthy and happy: Get some fresh air Take a walk or a jog Walk with your kids and/or your dog Read a book in the sunshine Visit a park! Whether you choose indoor or outdoor sunshine, we encourage everyone to stay safe, practice social distancing, take necessary precautions, and continue to follow CDC guidelines. Here's how some of our nation’s public parks are promoting health and wellness in our communities: The Role Our Parks Play: (Click the links below!) The need for parks in a time of sickness A Missouri public park keeping patrons healthy Seattleites turn to public parks for positivity Working With Our Community The Bay Park Conservancy continues to monitor the situation in Sarasota and will continue to make decisions to protect the health and safety of our volunteers, staff, team members, and visitors. Our Fountain Garden will remain open to the public, and we are currently exploring opportunities for the public to virtually visit the Fountain Garden and our bayfront - including daily sunsets. So stay tuned for that announcement. However, the Blue Pagoda will be closed to visitors through the end of March. And the BPC staff and team will continue to work together remotely. In the days ahead, The Bay Park Conservancy staff and team will adhere to guidance from local and state officials as well as the CDC on appropriate timing to reopen the Blue Pagoda. Our project coordinator, Lori Denny (lori.denny@bayparkconservancy.org | 941.203.5316) is available to answer any questions. Any other questions can always be directed to Ask The Bay. We thank you for your flexibility, partnership, and continuous support through this journey. From all of us at The Bay, please stay safe. An Opportunity to Give The Bay has always been centered around community - and in times like these it’s important to show our support and help bring our community together. One opportunity to do so, just around the corner, is through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s (CFSC’s) annual Giving Challenge. It’s the perfect way to give to local non-profit organizations in our area that are responding to those in need - and most importantly, The Giving Challenge is an online giving event! For 24 hours on April 28-29, we can all come together to support our community through the power of philanthropy. If you've been following and supporting The Bay initiative, this is also a way to give in a small, but significant way, and become an official Friend of The Bay. For more information about how to participate in The Giving Challenge, visit our partner page here. Participate in The Patterson Foundation Challenge! The Patterson Foundation has committed up to $5 million to The Bay Park Conservancy to catalyze support for the additional $15 million needed to fulfill the $20 million Phase 1 private fundraising goal. The investment includes an initial gift of $2 million, along with additional contributions of $1 million as each additional $5 million is raised in private support. You can make a gift, contribute to The Bay Park, and join us in reaching our goal to have the first phase of the park complete in 2-3 years! Visit the Make a Gift page on our website to learn about the many ways you can partner with us and continue the momentum!