I am hosting a Shootout at Robinson Preserve Jan. 4 and 5 to help raise awareness about this beautiful preserve and about conservation in general. Manatee County has some beautiful parks and preserves, but not nearly enough, especially given the rapid pace of growth. Charlie Hunsicker, Director, Parks and Natural Resources for Manatee County has said that Manatee is behind others in terms of setting aside land for conservation. We can do better all along the west coast of Florida. These lands are vital habitats for birds and wildlife, but also necessary for our own mental health and general well being.
The Shootout is also an opportunity to promote a wonderful local nonprofit, “Give a Kid a Camera.” The nonprofit works with underprivileged children locally and internationally to teach them communication and photography skills. They work with children on introducing themselves to people — looking them in the eye, shaking their hands, telling them their names and talking to them about their projects — and on storytelling. Sometimes it can be intimidating to go up to a stranger and talk to them. Give a Kid a Camera helps them get past that fear and helps instill a sense of pride in their abilities.
Photography is an amazing tool for story telling and it helps to build bridges with people. For example, this past summer Tom O’Neill, the founder of Give a Kid a Camera, worked with teenagers who were refugees from other countries and now living in Kentucky. He worked with the young photographers on their skills and gave them the assignment of telling their stories through the theme, “My Kentucky Home.” The project helped get the teenagers out in their communities and to show people how Kentucky had become home for them.
This nonprofit also helps keep the art of photography alive. It helps the students focus on others, on their surroundings and on what makes this world special. Tom has kept up with students he taught a decade ago. While they are not professional photographers, they have told him the skills they learned helped them in the careers they chose.
The Shootout at Robinson Preserve is an opportunity for photographers to tell a story about wildlife and conservation while just having fun. I am pleased that the most outstanding photo from the weekend will hang in the Valentine House this spring, showcasing an element of the preserve and why it matters to the county, I am grateful for the opportunity to promote conservation and to raise money for a worthy cause. I hope you all can join me.
Photo Provided/Tom O;Neill
Robinson Preserve, Manatee County, Florida
Robinson Preserve, Manatee County, Florida