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Tag: family fun

Lauren Lewe and daughter

AMI photo brings inspiration at the worst of times

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – At the age of 39, a Jacksonville, Fla. mother of two didn’t expect to ring in the new year at the Mayo Clinic undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm, but Lauren Lewe says a picture of her two young daughters on an Anna Maria Island beach helped her get through the ordeal.

Lewe began having worsening symptoms that continued to be misdiagnosed by doctors months before tests showed she had a 17mm unruptured brain aneurysm. She was admitted to the Mayo Clinic on Dec. 30, 2020 with surgery scheduled for the next day.

“When I was admitted to the hospital, my husband Jon went home to get some things for our stay,” she said. “Our oldest daughter, Finley, sent him back with a picture of her and her little sister Emery from our trip to Anna Maria Island in 2020. With pure innocence, she told him it would make me happy. That was an understatement. After seeing the picture, I remember thinking I just wanted to be able to go back there. Please, God, let me live, my family needs me.” 

Lewe daughters
The picture of her daughters that Lauren Lewe kept in her bed during her stay at Mayo Clinic. – Submitted

Lewe said the picture never left her bed the entire time, from the neuro floor to ICU and back to neuro. 

“The picture brought me so much comfort and helped me get through some of the most terrifying moments of my life,” Lewe said. “The doctor that saved my life, Dr. David Miller at Mayo Clinic, asked about it, our vacations to Anna Maria Island and our girls. He told me I would be going back there this summer. He was calm and confident and I believed him. Well, he was right. We spent a week in paradise at the end of July. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for this life.”

Lewe said she began coming to the Island as a child and was excited to share the experiences with her children. The family made their first trip together in July 2018 and has been coming ever since, with no plans to stop the tradition. Lewe says a lot of the family’s favorite Island adventures involve food. Ice cream at Dips, morning golf cart rides to Ginny’s & Jane E’s for cinnamon rolls and The Donut Experiment are family favorites.

“AMI allows you to slow down, relax, enjoy quiet living and it brings out pure happiness in our entire family. It is truly a special and magical Island where memories are made. This visit may be the most special and one I’ll cherish forever because I wasn’t sure I would be here to experience it,” Lewe said.

Lewe continues to have a clean bill of health, and looks forward to many years of return visits to the place she calls “paradise.”

NEST at Robinson Preserve

Nature activities for the family

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Entertainment, Family fun.

NEST nature days begin

The new Mosaic Center for Nature, Exploration, Science and Technology will open its doors for an afternoon of exploration on Friday, April 6, Tuesday, April 10, and Friday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1-4 p.m. at Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton.

NEST
The NEST is surrounded by 150 acres of the Robinson Preserve expansion that will never be developed. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Walk the grounds of the historic Reasoner Tract and observe botanical giants collected from around the world. Explore the canopy boardwalk among the banyans, climb to the top of the crow’s nest, take in panoramic views, and exit from the building on a slide. Learn about upcoming programs and new additions to Robinson Preserve.

This program is suitable for all ages, and no reservations are required. For more information, call 941-742-5923, ext. 6039.

Glide through the preserve

– Cindy Lane | Sun

Explore the salt marshes of Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, with the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department’s nature guide from WayneAdventures on Friday, April 6, from 9 a.m. to noon.

This is an easy paddle that can be enjoyed by beginning kayakers, and it is suitable for adults who can meet the county’s minimum eligibility requirements. Participants must have their own canoe or kayak and safety gear. All participants must wear a life jacket.

Call 941-742-5757, ext. 7, to reserve.

Underground celebration

Celebrate one of Florida’s most important residents, the gopher tortoise, at Perico Preserve, 11700 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, with a guided tour of Manatee County’s newly established gopher tortoise habitat from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 7.

Learn about the gopher tortoise reintroduction program and other efforts to protect this interesting species. Visit some active burrows and discover ways to help gopher tortoises in your area.

gopher tortoise
– Cindy Lane | Sun

This program is suitable for all adults. Reservations are required. Call 941-742-5923, ext. 6036, or email elena.burke@mymanatee.org.

Tortoise talk at the NEST

The public is invited to stop by the new Mosaic Center for Nature, Exploration, Science and Technology at Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, on Tuesday, April 10, from 2-4 p.m. for an afternoon of exploration in celebration of annual Gopher Tortoise Day.

Learn about Florida’s keystone species, meet the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department’s new education gopher tortoise and explore the new classroom space at the NEST.

This program is suitable for all ages. No reservations are required. For more information, email amy.may@mymanatee.org or call 941-742-5923, ext. 6044.

Sierra Club meetingSierra Club Manatee-Sarasota logoThe Sierra Club of Manatee/Sarasota will hold a Manatee Club meeting on Monday, April 9 at 1:30 p.m. at the Bradenton Central Library, 1301 Barcarrota Blvd., for an update and a discussion of issues. Email Marsha Wikle at nw121150@gmail.com for more information.

Related coverage

Perico Preserve gallery

Robinson Preserve gallery