Manatees are a treasured Florida sea creature you don’t see everyday. But have you noticed several manatees hanging around Sanibel and Captiva businesses lately? These are part of a project called “Manatee Madness 2.0.”
Two dozen decorated manatee statues are currently featured across the islands, and for good reason. They’re not only adorable art; they’re part of the solution to create more affordable housing on the islands.
Art For A Cause
A local non-profit, Community Housing and Resources (CHR), is auctioning off the manatees. The proceeds will go toward providing affordable housing for people who work on Sanibel and Captiva. Interested in a manatee? The online bidding begins soon and ends with a grand finale event on April first.
The need for affordable housing on the islands keeps increasing. According to CHP, affordable housing on Sanibel is at capacity. For the past five years, they’ve seen a waitlist for one-bedroom units.
Manatee Madness Auction
This year’s fundraiser is “Manatee Madness 2.0.” Twenty-four artists designed these colorful, one-of-a-kind sculptures. Five manatees are full-size mailboxes; the remainder are smaller sculptures.
All the manatees are on display until April first. That night, the Grand Finale Mardi Gras celebration will take place at Sanibel’s MudBugs Cajun Kitchen where these manatees will be auctioned off to aid CHP.
You can see the manatees at many local businesses, including Joey’s Custard, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, Priscilla’s of Sanibel and Molly Malone’s Seafood at the Santiva General Store.
Check out all the manatees, vote for your favorite and if you want to own one, place a bid for a good cause!
