Sandy Oaks resident Laura Schneider recently moved to Ponte Vedra Beach from Coral Springs, and she usually celebrates her birthday on April 22 – Earth Day – with a community gathering filled with eco-friendly activities.
She may be new to the neighborhood, and quarantine may have dampened original plans, but that didn’t stop her from celebrating her 59th year around the sun – and Earth Day’s 50th year around the globe.
“Being able to do something on Earth Day’s 50th anniversary was important to me,” Schneider said. “Whether it’s cleaning up or being able to plant a tree.”
Schneider said she tried to contact other community members, but with quarantine still in effect, she opted for a smaller celebration with her family.
Shneider, her daughter Danielle Deblasio and granddaughters Lyla and Everleigh, visited Bird Island Park to visit Mother Nature, pick up trash and get some fresh air.
“The park is open and with everyone [wanting to be] outside, there were more people than normal, but not in big crowds,” Schneider said. “But more visitors means more water bottles, lunch and garbage. So we cleaned up that area and in front of where we live, off the Sandy Oaks subdivision.”
Curious park visitors stopped at a distance, she said, and chatted with her and her family about the environment. Some even offered a helping hand from afar.
“They saw what we were doing and they started picking up what they could find. We also talked to some neighbors who were working in the yards, too,” Schneider added. “My husband and I do it every year and we try to make it the best experience with what we have available. We’ve been here for a little over a year and want to show how much we appreciate living here. We walk up and down the beach and bring garbage bags with us. Today was really comforting and brought a sense of normalcy.”
Schneider is also a volunteer turtle watcher in Ponte Vedra Beach and a turtle nest sponsor alongside her husband, Don. They both hope next year will bring a bigger and better celebration for kids and families in the community.
“I’d love to get the city involved,” she said. “And show just how wonderful of an event it could be for family, old and young. My granddaughter Lyla is 5 and she always cleans when we go to the beach. It’s a good way to teach her about the environment. It’s a good way to instill it on young
kids and if we’re doing it together, it’s fun for the family. We show how important this event is and it makes people feel good.”
