The Mound House on Ft. Myers Beach is hosting it’s second annual Beach and Bay Clean-Up on Earth Day, which is Friday, April 22. The beach clean-up will be led by the Mound House’s Educator starting at 8 am :Beach Access 22. The path will be to Newton Beach Park and back to Beach Access 22, concluding at 9:30 a.m. A 15-minute break will be held at Newton Beach Park. Refreshments will be provided. Parking will be available at the Mound House overflow parking lot at 216 Connecticut Street. Cleaning supplies will be provided. The bay clean-up will start at Mound House at 2 p.m. and conclude by 3:30 p.m. Kayaks will be used to clean Matanzas Pass and the neighboring Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Volunteers are encouraged to ring and use their own kayaks. (Mound House will have a limited number of kayaks.) Small teams in kayaks will be cleaning different sections of the area before returning to the Mound House for water and pastries. Vehicle parking will be at the Mound House overflow lot at 216 Connecticut Street. Mound House volunteers and staff will assist in parking and managing the events. Collected trash will be brought back to the Mound House. Anyone interested in participating is asked to RSVP by calling Mound House at (239) 765-0865. Best Friend and staving off loneliness. However, simply owning a dog is no magical cure. Rather, the actions of taking care of one can improve one’s health and overall quality of life. For instance, daily walks benefit humans as much as their pets, and petting their fur can help reduce stress. Often, the more work owners put into the health of their pups, the healthier they become alongside them. For instance, interacting with a dog can provide more opportunities to be mindful, which has been proven to reduce stress and enhance one’s health. And on the flip side, research on shelter animals found that dogs who interacted with people soon after their arrival had lower stress levels. Like humans, canines are healthier with regular interaction and exercise. It’s not always easy to take care of a “fur baby”. In fact, it’s a very long and intensive commitment. But with the proper time and effort put in, it can become one of the most loving and beneficial relationships in a person’s life According to Clive Wynne, a psychologist, and founder of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, canines are remarkable for how they can form affectionate relationships with other species, namely humans. Plus, they seem to thrive in environments of love in a way that is unique to them. And when a dog gives their love, their owners are responsible for taking care of them in return. “Dogs gave up their free-ranging, roaming, hunting lives in order to hitch their wagon to ours, and I think that implies duties toward them,” he said. “You know your dog needs feeding. Most recognize that dogs need exercise. The thing that upsets me is that people don’t give enough thought to the fact that a large part of what makes it so wonderful to live with a dog is your dog’s social nature. You come home and there’s at least somebody who’s happy to see you.” Therefore, he encourages people to give canines the love and attention they deserve. Sarah Biren The Sun Bay Paper Page 11 April 15, 2022 - April 21, 2022 Cont. from pg 1 Volunteer for Earth Day Cleanup
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