BALANCE OPEN SPACES
HAPPY TRAILS A new trail will give Naples residents and visitors a dedicated area to walk, run, and bike. Naples Pathway Coalition (NPC), the nonprofit working to create the Paradise Coast Trail, envisions a 70-plus mile track connecting Naples, Bonita Springs, Collier Seminole State Park, and other Collier County locations. “This is a significant need for the area,” says Michelle Avola-Brown, executive director of NPC. “If you look at trail maps of Florida, it’s like they forgot Southwest Florida.” AvolaBrown explains that besides promoting wellness, the trail should provide a safe and environmentally friendly transportation alternative
for residents, as well as increase tourism, jobs, and property values of nearby homes. The trail is currently undergoing a feasibility study and environmental reviews, which will likely take around 14 months to complete. While there may be future delays, Avola-Brown hopes construction can start on sections of the trail next summer, with segments opening to public use as they are completed. She estimates approximately five to 10 years to finish the entire trail, adding that continued community support, including from local homeowners’ associations, is vital to keep the project moving. “Trails are just open for everybody, any fitness level, any interest level,” says Avola-Brown. “There’s something anybody pretty much can do on a trail.” (naplespathways.org)
PET SAFETY
Dogs and Cane Toads When you take your dog for an evening walk, watch for cane toads, also known as bufo toads. These non-native amphibians secrete toxins that can sicken or kill animals that bite or lick them, such as dogs. “Curious pets are most often at risk,” explains Dr. Sterling Sigmond, a veterinarian at Naples Coastal Animal Hospital. She recommends being watchful of pets that love to explore their environments, like terriers and retrievers, during times that toads are particularly active: during the summer, after it rains, and from dusk to dawn. To reduce the risk, Sigmond suggests keeping your pets inside at night and making your yard less attractive to toads by keeping your grass short, covering swimming pools, filling holes around structures, and turning off outdoor lights that attract insects (a food source for toads). If your pet contacts a toad, they may paw at their mouths, drool, vomit, or have a seizure. Sigmond advises immediately flushing your pet’s mouth and face with water before seeking veterinary care. One cane toad’s toxins can be fatal to a 20- to 30-pound dog, she notes. (naplescoastalvet.com)
PHILANTHROPY
YOGA FOR GOOD As a new college graduate, Lauren Fox was working as a yoga teacher back home in Naples and remembers a friend being unable to afford the drop-in fee for a class. Her friend’s mother had recently passed away from cancer and Fox knew she needed the class, so she ended up paying, despite having little money at the time herself. “I just remember thinking, how can people afford yoga when it’s this expensive?” Fox recalls. The experience inspired Fox to found Donation Yoga Naples. The organization holds yoga classes on the beach with participants paying the amount they can afford, typically $10 to $20. “I’ve never turned anybody away,” says Fox. “All I ask is that those people who don’t donate money just clean the beach.” The organization, which focuses on “seeing peace signs over dollar signs,” also gives back to the community by donating 50 percent of all proceeds to local nonprofits, switching each month between human and animal-focused causes, such as United Way of Collier County and Friends of Rookery Bay. Fox hopes to expand the number of teachers and classes, helping more people enjoy yoga. (donationyoganaples.com)
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