Shutts & Bowen teamed with the Wildlife Foundation of Florida in donating books from a prize-winning Florida historical adventure series to the December 1 Great Florida Book Hunt, sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, state parks, Miami-Dade County parks and the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
Students in grades 1 though 5 in Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe County schools were invited to federal and state preserved lands to celebrate literacy and the adventure of exploring Florida’s outdoors.
One of the top prizes in the treasure hunt was the latest installment in The Adventures of Charlie Pierce, a book series by fifth- generation Floridian and Shutts & Bowen Partner Harvey E. Oyer III that chronicles true life stories about a young explorer.
In celebration of literacy and the latest installment of the series, entitled The Last Calusa, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service, Miami-Dade County Parks, and the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge collaborated to host the event at various locations throughout South Florida.
“The Great Book hunt is a fantastic idea from the State of Florida because it takes kids and families outdoors,” said Oyer, a partner in Shutts & Bowen’s West Palm Beach office. “This book is not yet available in stores or on Amazon. The first place you can find this book is in a state park. There’s also a bigger picture at work. We have today what’s called nature deficit disorder. Today’s generation of children simply does not get outdoors enough. This was not just a literacy project, but an effort to get Florida’s children and their families into the great outdoors.”
“Exposing kids to reading about Florida’s history and wildlife resources is a gift that will last a lifetime,” said Shutts& Bowen Orlando Partner and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Kenneth Wright. “The Adventures of Charlie Pierce will ignite the imagination within our youth and help foster the next generation that cares about the outdoors and the traditions we’ve so proudly inherited.”