A Year End Message from FOLK President ,Jim Remis

January 1, 2026

“Friends of Lovers Key is only as strong as the people who stand behind it. Thank you for your dedication, your energy, and your unwavering commitment. Together, we make a lasting impact.”


As many of you know I like to start my writing with a quote.  So, I decided it was time to use a new tool to find the right one – artificial intelligence.  Not bad!


Its that time of year when we think about why we are thankful for the events of the just concluded year and in our case Lovers Key State Park. Of course, the biggest reason to be thankful was no hurricanes, no storm surge and no more damage.


So, let me wander through the reasons we should all be thankful for this year at Lovers Key State Park.


We are thankful for our donors, volunteers, park rangers, our advisory committee, our board members, and all of the people who make this incredible park happen.


We’re thankful that the visitors to the park have a greatly expanded and renourish beach to enjoy.


We are thankful that all the hurricane debris has been removed from the park and the first major project post hurricanes is complete - our new bridge to the beach. And what a bridge - the architects outdid themselves.


We are thankful that second major project, the ranger shop complex, has been completed which provides both new workspace and creature comforts for the rangers. 


We’re thankful that most of the infrastructure is back in place, including Internet, electricity and water.



Lastly, we are thankful for the resilience of our park Rangers. They faced incredible challenges and could have simply walked away. But it’s because of them that the park is thriving.


Shelling in Lovers Key State Park

2026 will bring more reasons to be thankful, including the continued redevelopment of the park.


At the December board meeting FOLK elected three new board members with expertise in construction, finance and volunteer work. This provides FOLK with additional  resources to continue to assist in the development and transformation of the park post hurricanes. It also gives us the resources to start planning board member transitions in the area of finance and development.


During 2026, we will be recruiting three additional board members. If you know someone or yourself who is interested in expanding your volunteer activities at FOLK, please reach out to me. We are an all-volunteer organization and hence we work hard, but our efforts are terribly rewarding.


In conclusion may I return to my AI generated quote and thank each of you for your dedication your energy and your commitment to Friends of Lovers Key and Lovers Key State Park. I hope you have incredible 2026 new year.


Jim.


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Lovers Key State Park is supported by Friends of Lovers Key

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Florida manatees, one of its most beloved and iconic marine mammals in Florida

Manatees on the Move: Understanding Florida’s Gentle Giants During Manatee Awareness Month

By Christy Hennessey, Board Secretary, Friends of Lovers Key • November 16, 2025
Every November, Florida turns its attention to one of its most beloved and iconic marine mammals: the manatee. As Manatee Awareness Month arrives, so does a seasonal shift that plays a critical role in the lives of these gentle giants.

The Incredible Importance of the Horseshoe Crab: Nature’s Ancient Guardian

By Christy Hennessey, Board Secretary, Friends of Lovers Key • October 28, 2025
If you’ve ever wandered along the shore near Lovers Key State Park and spotted a strange, helmet-shaped shell washed up on the sand, you’ve had a close encounter with one of the ocean’s oldest and most remarkable creatures — the horseshoe crab . Though its name might make you think it’s related to crabs or lobsters, this living fossil is actually more closely related to spiders and scorpions . And while it may look a bit like something from a science fiction movie, the horseshoe crab is one of nature’s greatest success stories — and one of the most important creatures in the sea. A Living Fossil That Has Stood the Test of Time The horseshoe crab has been on Earth for over 450 million years — long before the dinosaurs appeared and hundreds of millions of years before humans walked the planet. That makes it one of the oldest surviving species on Earth. Over all that time, its body design has barely changed. Clearly, evolution got it right the first time. The hard, curved shell protects it from predators, while its long, pointed tail — called a telson — helps it flip over if it gets stuck upside down. Despite their slightly intimidating appearance, horseshoe crabs are completely harmless. They don’t sting, bite, or pinch. Instead, they quietly roam the shallow ocean floor, feeding on clams, worms, and other small organisms. Here in Southwest Florida , they’re a familiar but often overlooked part of our coastal ecosystem. Every spring, these ancient creatures crawl ashore during high tides to spawn and lay eggs , continuing a cycle that has endured for nearly half a billion years.