Calusa Waterkeeper 25th Anniversary Commemorative Report

Dear Friends, In 2016, I caught a television interview with John Cassani addressing water quality problems in the Caloosahatchee River and the science behind how our local waters had deteriorated over time. This was of particular interest to me as I had been deeply invested in water quality issues in the Pacific Northwest for over three decades before making Florida my home. I was struck by John’s candor and gravitas. I joined the Calusa Waterkeeper Board of Directors in 2017. The following year, I became Vice-President and President in 2019. What a whirlwind it has been. In three short years, we grew our Ranger corps from five to nearly ninety, we hired a first-rate Executive Director in KC Schulberg, filed two legal petitions in defense of water quality, held numerous overflowing Town Halls accompanied by prestigious expert panels, presented to more than 100 civic associations, ramped up our water quality testing, established our own testing laboratory, created a continuing education class for local physicians, and produced a ground- breaking 40-minute documentary “TROUBLED WATERS – Public Health Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms.” Though 2020 has gotten off to a challenging start because of COVID- 19, our mission is stronger than ever. At times like this, and as we celebrate our momentous 25 th anniversary, we need to all pull together - and we have. Which brings me to how thankful I am for everyone who is part of the Calusa Waterkeeper team – from the founding members of CRCA who focused attention on the River and laid the foundation for today’s work, to the Waterkeeper Alliance for welcoming us into their fold, to our dedicated staff, loyal Board members, and the countless volunteers who help carry out our mission - including the amazing Rangers - to the financial support of businesses and sponsors from our community, to the remarkable foundations that have provided essential grants, and to our very generous individual donors. Lastly, I am grateful to you, our Members. Thank you for being with us every step of the way as we defend your right to drinkable, fishable, swimmable water today and into the future. Ruth Watkins / President