State Park Literacy Month

NORTHWEST FLORIDA – Northwest Florida State Parks Celebrate September as state park Literacy Month. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service is celebrating with special events at many state parks through Florida. In conjunction with International Literacy Day on Sept. 8 and National Library Card Signup Month, entrance to all of Florida’s state parks will be free the weekend of Sept. 11-13 for visitors who bring a library card, library book, or who donate a new or gently used family book.

Literacy Month 2009 activities in northwest Florida include:

• One-Dog Canoe Book Reading - Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park
  Friday, Sept. 4, 11 a.m. - noon

Join park rangers for a fun filled story time celebrating literacy month with a book reading of “One-Dog Canoe.” The event will be held at the canoe launch in the day use area. This event is free with paid park admission. For more information, call 850-833-9144.

• Baby Turtles Tale Book Reading - Henderson Beach State Park
  Saturday, Sept. 5, 11a.m. - noon

Kick off literacy month during a “Baby Turtle Tale” book reading with interpretive aids and a short program on sea turtles. The event will be held at the center pavilion in the new day use area. This event is free with paid park admission. For more information, call 850-837-7550.

• The Great Word Hunt and Read-a-thon - Eden Gardens State Park
  Tuesday, Sept. 8, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
  Wednesday, Sept. 9, 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

The park will host a fun-filled afternoon of reading events for Bay Elementary and South Walton Montessori Academy kindergarten and first graders, including The Great Word Hunt and volunteer facilitated reading time at various locations within the park. Park entrance fees will be waived for event participants. For more information, call 850-231-1167.

• Literacy Day - Big Lagoon State Park
  Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m. - noon

Big Lagoon State Park will host a ranger and volunteer outdoor reading program in celebration of Literacy Month. Participants will meet at pavilion #39 at East Beach for a fun-filled afternoon of reading. For more information, call 850-492-1595.

• Florida Junior Ranger - Grayton Beach State Park
  Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 - 11 a.m.

Park rangers will meet participants at the Beach Pavilion for an hour of fun ranger activities promoting reading in the Real FloridaSM. All participants will receive a Junior Ranger badge and certificate upon completion of the hour long program. For more information, call 850-231-4210.

• Reading on the River - Blackwater River State Park
  Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 - 11 a.m.

Pack a picnic lunch, bring the whole family and join a park ranger as they share a story about the animals that inhabit the park during this children’s reading event. The reading will take place at Pavilion #23 on the boardwalk complex. Participants can then join a ranger on a short hike around the Juniper Lake Trail. For more information, call 850-983-5363.

• Children’s Book Reading - Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
  Saturday, Sept. 12, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Join park rangers as they read Author Paul Lowery children's book, “Do You Know Where the Sea Turtles Go?” This family oriented event will include interpretive aids and a short program on sea turtles. Participants should park at the day-use area off Highway 30A and take a short hike to the campfire circle. For more information, call 850-267-0299.

• Reading in the Park - Florida Caverns State Park
  Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. - noon

Join park rangers, Smokey the Bear and Khalilah from the Jackson County Public Library for a word scavenger hunt and other fun literacy activities. This event is free event with regular park entrance. For more information, call 850-573-0390.

For more information about Florida’s state parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org or follow on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLStateParks. View Governor Crist’s Literacy Month proclamation at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2009/08/files/literacy_proclamation.pdf