May 2026 Newsletter
Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation
May Newsletter
The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation's Mission is to enhance & enrich the beauty and experience of Lakes Park
A Message From The President
I know so many of you are stressed out with all that is happening today. It feels like the world is spinning out of control. Food prices, gas prices, housing costs, war and crazy politics just to name a few. In the midst of all this please know that the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation Board is working hard to give you great choices for how to spend your time with very little to no impact on your budget.
Lakes Park is accessible to everyone for a small parking fee. If you come often buy a parking pass for $60 per year and enjoy the park and many other parks as often as you want.
There are trails to walk among nature and get you out of the fray. Playgrounds for the kids (water playgrounds opening soon), gardens for your soul, exercise stations, programs like Story Time, Bird Walks and garden beds for rent. And let’s not forget a train ride for the whole family along with a museum to educate you about trains and their connection to Lakes park. There are bikes and boats for rent and ice cream and hot dogs for sale. If you want an automatic stress reliever just come out early and watch the sunrise as the birds fly out of the park. If you can’t do that come for sunset and bring a picnic and sit as you watch the spectacle. All the bunnies come out in the evening and watching them is an instant stress reliever!
Put your phones down! Take control and don’t let the insanity of our times get to you.
Check out the rest of this Newsletter to see all that is going on and the incredible pictures of our wildlife in the park!
There is also a new EZ Rider to help people around the park and take tours to see the facilities. Pass the word around about the Park and get your friends to sign up for our newsletter so they don’t miss anything!
We are saddened to share that our friend Bill Gray passed away two weeks ago after a courageous battle with cancer. Bill was recently recognized in last month’s newsletter for his dedicated service to the board. He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Bill.
And on a happier note our long time Supervisor of Lakes Park, Joe DeBacker, is finally retiring after 38 years of service to Lee County Parks and Recreation! Joe was honored on Thursday April 16th with an overwhelming turnout of fellow workers and Volunteers. (See pictures below) It is a testament to Joe's work and life. Joe never said no and got it all done with a calm nature and a smile. He also had an eye for how to make the park look spectacular and a mentor to all who worked with him. Never self serving and never without his trusty garbage picking tool.
We love you Joe and wish you well in your retirement and hope you will come back and join us as a volunteer! The great news is that Joe has been mentoring Faustino Morales and he is taking over the position.
We welcome Faustino Morales and already love him for his positive attitude and love of Lakes Park. We look forward to many years of success working together.
Please see the news below and don’t hesitate to write or call us with your suggestions and comments. Please share this newsletter with your friends & family.
Our mailing address is: PO Box 61076, Ft Myers, FL, 33906
Barbara Manzo
President LPEF
barbara.manzo@lakespark.org
If you would like to donate, click here- https://t.ly/Y9L5mhttps://t.ly/Y9L5m
What's Happening in the Park?
Updates, Reminders, and Special Alerts
Great News! Our splash pads will be up and running soon. Keep an eye on our social media pages or website for more exciting details!
Picture this!
📸 Lakes Park Photo Feature of the Month! 🌿
Do you have a stunning snapshot from Lakes Regional Park? Now’s your chance to shine!
Share your favorite Lakes Park photo on our Facebook page or tag us @LakesParkEnrichmentFoundation for an opportunity to be featured in our Monthly Newsletter.
Show off those sunsets, nature trails, wildlife moments, and family memories — we can’t wait to see the park through your lens! 🌅✨
( Visit Fort Myers ) ~@VisitFortMyers
linktr.ee/lakespark
7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33908
Mornings at Lakes Park
The Big Catch at Lakes Park! 🎣
Think you’ve spotted—or caught—the biggest fish in the park? Snap a photo and share it on Facebook, then tag us! Get outside, explore, and enjoy a
"fin-tastic Day" at Lakes Park.
Come to our final Farmer's Market Plant Sale of the Season!
We'll have a wonderful selection of amazing plants for all the plant lovers out there!
Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Enjoy fresh produce, local favorites, and a vibrant community atmosphere.
A Huge thank you to everyone who stopped by and supported Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation by buying our plants and crafts! We’re excited to let you know we'll be back on October 7th, 2026, with new crafts & beautiful plants!. Can’t wait to see you there!
On April 7th, 2026, Joe DeBacker, Faustino Morales, Juliana Silva, and Kathy Busick toured Naples Botanical Gardens. They explored the Horticultural Area with Erin White, membership manager, and Kritin Hood, Executive Director of Horticulture. They left with a truck full of trees and plants donated to Lakes Park, now looking for the perfect spots in the park to plant them! @naplesbotanical
A big thank you to the Fort Myers Lions Club for coming out to plant trees in honor of Earth Day! Your hard work will make a lasting difference for the future.
The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation planted this Royal Poinciana tree (2024) as part of our 40th anniversary of Lakes Park. It has done very well in this sunny spot by shelter B-2 and is blooming
right now.
The Royal Poinciana Tree, AKA Delonix regia, is a striking ornamental tree native to Madagascar. It is renowned for its brilliant crimson flowers and can grow up to 40 feet tall, with a wide-spreading canopy that provides dappled shade in the summer.
🚂Railroad Museum News 🚂
The Railroad Museum of South Florida, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) located in beautiful Lakes Regional Park in Fort Myers.
The Railroad Museum of South Florida offers a FREE, 3,200-square-foot museum located right in Lakes Park. Open seven days a week (with weekend-only hours in late summer), the museum features an impressive “S” scale model train layout, an overhead “G” scale train, a live steam locomotive, and unique artifacts—including an authentic brass bell from a historic steam engine!
Be sure to visit the museum and then hop aboard for a train ride! 🚂
🚆 Train Operating Hours 🚆
Monday through Friday, 10 am-2 pm, and
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays, 10 am-4 pm
Would you like to volunteer?
www.rrmsf.org/volunteer
Bird & Nature Walk 🐦🌿
Join us on the first Saturday of every month for a relaxing and exciting Bird & Nature Walk through beautiful Lakes Park!
🕗 When: 8:00 AM (arrive a few minutes early—walk begins promptly!)
📍 Where: Meet at Shelter A7 near the Train Station
Enter from Gladiolus, turn right, and follow the road to the end through the parking lot.
Bring your sense of adventure along with water, binoculars, and sunscreen. Don’t forget comfortable shoes and dress for the weather!
Discover local wildlife, enjoy peaceful scenery, and connect with fellow nature lovers.
The tour is free with paid parking.🦅
Good birding!
Marie Di Rosa | (239) 789-5755
Mornings at Lakes Park are truly beautiful. Moments like these highlight just how incredible the wildlife here can be.
(Photo credit: Susan Evans; The Daily Artisan )
Garden News!
This past April, the Children's Garden at Lakes Park was filled with something magical. Families at our bi-monthly Story Time program are accustomed to singing, clapping, dancing and laughter — but this month, Gulf Coast Symphony education director Joy Kurtz brought something special: a violinist, viola player, and assistant conductor who also plays clarinet!
Together, this talented trio of musicians entertained, educated, and engaged even the tiniest members of our audience. They explored how music lives in the world around us — in birdsong, ocean waves, rustling trees — and showed how instruments can echo the sounds of everyday life.
One powerful moment came at the end, when a mother tearfully shared that her shy, reserved son had walked straight up to one of the musicians on his own — drawn in by the pure magic of live music.
This is exactly why we bring the arts into our public parks. Music doesn't just entertain — it opens doors, builds bridges, and reaches children in ways nothing else can.
-- Gay Thomas
📚Welcome to StoryTime!📚
Another magical Story Time at Lakes Park! 📚✨
Don’t miss the fun — join us on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month from 10:30–11:30 AM (October through May).
Enjoy engaging stories, lively music, creative crafts, and plenty of smiles — all in a beautiful park setting. Best of all, admission is free!
It’s the perfect mid-morning outing for little ones and caregivers alike — come make memories with us!
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined Story Time this season! Our last Story Time is on May 21st, but don't worry, we'll return on Thursday, October 1st, 2026. Your presence made this year special, and we can't wait to see you again!
April Garden News
Greeting Gardeners,
We have 14 gardeners who have volunteered their beds to grow sweet potatoes. What a wonderful response! Gardener Dave can take no more beds. 14 beds will keep him very busy over the summer. You need a plan for your bed over the summer. Giving Dave your bed is no longer an option. Happy gardening and enjoy your summer.
Thanks to everyone who donated produce and goods for our last Community Cooperative donation. Even though the season is over, Betsy continues to work with the food pantry. If you do have extra food at home and would still like to donate, you can email her, and she may be able to take it. Her email is wildflowergreen22@gmail.com. We collected 125 pounds of greens and goods. This brings our seasonal total to 1444 pounds donated. It is a new record!!! Way to go. Betsy would like to thank Nancy and Robyne for helping harvest beds 28, 37, 68, 64, 1, 29, 3, the CCMI beds, and the Children's Garden for donating.
Our wonderful volunteers got together and built 9 concrete garden beds. This work began in October, when these helpers cleaned and assembled forms, mixed and poured cement, and transported complete pieces to the garden from the back area. Then our decorator got to work, painting each form. Almost every week, this went on, completing 6-9 pieces. Each bed needed 18 pieces. Last Wednesday, we finished the 9th bed. Unfortunately, our painter had to stop painting a week earlier, so some of the beds are not all painted. Don't worry! These pieces will be painted over the summer by our volunteers. Our bed builders will be taking the summer off and starting again in October. We hope these new concrete beds will last for many years to come. Many thanks to Sal, Dan, Dave, Steve, Tom, Nancy, and Marilyn!
The Steering Committee meets once a month and is always looking for new volunteers. It’s an easy way to get involved and meet great people!
If you’re interested in helping—or have any suggestions or concerns—please talk with or email Betsy at wildflowergreen22@gmail.com.
💐 Fragrance Garden & Succulent Garden 💐
The Fragrance Garden is alive with a captivating blend of floral and earthy scents, enveloping visitors in a truly sensory experience.
The succulent garden is at its peak—plump rosettes glowing with sun, and delicate blooms rising in quiet bursts of color.
After patient care, it’s a moment every gardener waits for, when the garden feels alive and thriving.
Be sure to take a walk through one or all of our gardens!
🧱🧱 Leave your legacy at Lakes Park! 🧱🧱
Create something lasting by dedicating a personalized brick—an enduring tribute to someone special that will be seen and remembered for years to come.
Your contribution helps bring beautiful paved pathways to life throughout the park.
Choose a meaningful spot for your brick: the Train Station, the Children’s Garden, or the Rose Garden.
✔️Complete the form here: https://t.ly/Y03dO
“THE MISSION of Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation is to enhance the beauty and experience of Lakes Park.”— Barbara Manzo, President.
The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation is a nonprofit organization tasked with enhancing the beauty and experience of Lakes Park. The Foundation continues to make efforts that grow its membership, volunteerism, and donations.
Currently, the Foundation is working to raise funds that support the following enhancements to Lakes Park:
- COMMUNITY GARDEN – replacement of aging raised beds where people learn to grow their own food and donate the extra to a local soup kitchen.
- CHILDREN’S GARDEN – planned additions include murals and other educational opportunities.
- LAKES PARK SUMMER CAMP – funding of programs and equipment to enhance the Summer Camp experience.
Copyright © 2026 Lakes Park, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
PO Box 61076 Ft. Myers, FL, 33906
239.533.7578
