Date and Time
Friday Mar 14, 2025
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM EDT
March 14, 2025, 7pm
March 15, 2025, 10am to 7pm
Location
Heritage Center Friday, March 14, 2025 Fireside with Theodore Roosevelt, Heritage Center, Vero Beach. Photo by Sandy Peterson School visits with President Roosevelt “Fireside Chat” With Theodore Roosevelt. The featured event will be an evening fireside chat with President Roosevelt at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero Beach. The evening will include after-dinner drinks and desserts including Indian pudding - one of Teddy’s favorites. President Roosevelt will regale us with stories of his childhood and how he became known as the “conservation president.” He will also talk about how he came to designate Pelican Island as our nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge. There will be ample opportunity for mingling and backslapping with President Roosevelt. There will also be a continuous slideshow of historic photos of the Refuge, Paul Kroegel, the first Refuge warden, wildlife and more recent images from the Refuge. The event will be 7 to 9pm, and reservations are required at $50/person. Click here for online reservations. Saturday, March 15, 2025 Teddy Roosevelt with Sandy Peterson and US Fish and Wildlife staff President Theodore Roosevelt meet-and-greet Live music entertainment - list of performers coming soon. Displays and hands-on exhibits from other local groups, including: Rodney Kroegel Conservation Area, 11296 Indian River Drive, Sebastian Rodney Kroegel was the son of Paul Kroegel, Pelican Island’s first game warden. The Area is adjacent to the Paul Kroegel homestead in Sebastian and is now conserved by Indian River County. The Area has yet to be opened to the public, awaiting installation of interpretive signage and restoration of Rodney’s photography workshop. Please visit the Indian River County Conservation Lands Program website for location information and watch for details as to when it will allow for visitation. Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Drive, Vero Beach, 5:00pm to 7:30pm Sunset wine and cheese cruise to Pelican Island with Teddy Roosevelt, aboard the ELC’s pontoon tour boat. Please come with your appetite and be ready to nosh, while we enjoy a scenic cruise with President Roosevelt to catch the birds returning for their evening roost at Pelican Island, and learn a bit about the history of Pelican Island from the President himself. We will provide various wines and water, along with some delectable treats for the trip. Reservations are required at $75/person and can be made by clicking on the Reserve Your Seat button below. Please note, the reservation service will solicit that you cover the transaction fee and leave a “tip,” both of which are optional and at your discretion. A refund will be provided in the event the trip cancels at the discretion of the ELC’s captain, due to weather. Please arrive promptly at the ELC’s entry pavilion to check in and use the facilities - there are no restrooms on board.
2140 14th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960
Schedule of Events
Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Dr., Vero Beach, 10am to 3pm
Indian River County Centennial Celebration
Indian River County Historical Society
Indian River County Mosquito Control
Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program
UF/IFAS Extension-Indian River County
Fees/Admission
Festivities are free, except for special events Friday and Saturday evenings.
Contact Information
Tim Glover
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Description
The Pelican Island Conservation Society will be celebrating the 122nd anniversary of Pelican Island as our nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge, designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. Premier Roosevelt re-enactor Joe Wiegand will join us yet again, to bring history to life and regale us with stories of how Roosevelt became known as the “conservation president,” and his historic declaration. The celebration will be held March 14-15, 2025 and includes several events with President Roosevelt throughout the weekend. Please note a major change to the event – all activities scheduled to be held at the Refuge, have been moved to the Thomas Schidel Pavilion at the Environmental Learning Center. PICS has decided to make this change due to the possibility of a federal government shutdown on March 14th which may limit access to Refuge facilities. Please visit the PICS website at www.FirstRefuge.org for more details, online reservations for events requiring an RSVP, and the latest details on celebration activities. The Pelican Island Conservation Society is a nonprofit organization and the “friends” group for the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Environmental Learning Center is an environmental education facility located at 255 Live Oak Dr. Vero Beach, FL 32963. For more information about the ELC, visit their website at www.discoverelc.org.
