Join us at 7pm on Tuesday, April 28 for PEOPLE FOR TREES!
This program will be held at the historic Green Street Church, 510 S. Indiana Ave., Englewood. Admission is free but donations are welcomed.
Our guest will be Alice White, chair of People for Trees, a non-profit native tree advocacy group she founded in 1997 to promote and encourage people to understand the importance of maintaining and protecting our native tree canopy.
The group sponsored an annual Tree Fair for 29 years, and a fundraiser bicycle ride, the Tour de North Port for 14 years that highlighted the beautiful natural pine and oak canopies throughout North Port.
People for Trees has planted hundreds of native trees in schools and parks in North Port and surrounding communities such as the Cypress Professional Building in Punta Gorda, plantings at Port Charlotte High School, Kingsway Elementary, and for the “Helping Hands” building in Englewood ,with their most industrious project being 300 street trees that were planted along N. Salford Blvd. in North Port during the summers of 2008-2009.
The group has sponsored Florida-friendly workshops, kayak excursions on the Myakka River and Deer Prairie Creek, hosting an environmental club for children called The Eco-Kids Club, and continues to do special programs for schools, from Pre-K to high school, and scouting groups.
Alice White has lived in North Port since 1990 and retired in 2018 after 36 years of teaching, 30 years in Charlotte County. She has served as a board member for the Manatee-Sarasota Sierra Club, the Lemon Bay Conservancy, and the Environmental Conversancy of North Port.
Alice served as a North Port City Commissioner from 2021-2024, during which time the city passed its first-ever truly comprehensive Tree Protection Ordinance which in turn launched the city’s first-ever Natural Resources Department.
Alice has one son, Jake, who was the inspiration for a children’s book she recently published, “The Adventures of Cowboy Jake” that not only celebrates a child’s imagination but the unspoiled natural beauty of Florida that can be in our own backyards.
Besides being known as the “tree lady”, Alice is also known to many as the “pie lady” as she bakes homemade pies under the name Pielicious Bake Shoppe from her home kitchen.
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Our own Esther Horton has been granted the Lillian Burns Individual Achievement Award!
The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation (SAHP) has announced that Esther Horton has been granted the Lillian Burns Individual Achievement Award. This award honors sustained personal leadership that advances historic preservation in Sarasota County. “We are proud to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary efforts of these award winners,” said Dave Baber, chairman of the SAHP board of directors. This recognition celebrates Esther’s decades of service, advocacy, and educational programming in the Englewood and Lemon Bay community, including her leadership in protecting significant historic resources and expanding public appreciation for local history. The award will be officially presented to Esther at the Heritage Awards Dinner on April 30, 2026. Esther has served as a charter member, past President and current Vice President of the nonprofit Lemon Bay Historical Society which owns and maintains Englewood’s first church building, now called the Green Street Church/Museum built in 1928.
Our Mission: “perpetuating the legacy of the past and honoring the pioneer settlers of the Lemon Bay area.”
The Green Street Church
A history timeline of the Green Street Church can be found here:
lemonbayhistory.com/history-of-the-green-street-church/
Englewood’s first church was originally on Green Street in Englewood. Built in 1928 by the Methodist congregation, this building, recognized by the Sarasota County Register of Historic Places, was moved and saved by the Lemon Bay Historical Society. Still known as “The Green Street Church” the iconic building is now located next to the historic Lemon Bay Cemetery at 510 S. Indiana Ave., Englewood.
The Historical Society is responsible for maintaining the Historic Green Street Church building and its property. These expenses include lawn mowing, water, electricity, landscaping maintenance, insurance, taxes and building upkeep.
Help us maintain this historic landmark and help us continue our Community Outreach with lectures & presentations at the church and our gift to the community: the annual Cracker Fair.
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you.
We couldn’t accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
CLICK THE BUTTON TO DONATE VIA CREDIT CARD
If you prefer, you can mail your tax-deductible donation to:
Lemon Bay Historical Society,
P. O. Box 1245,
Englewood, FL 34295
Thank you!
NEW PHOTO GALLERY: Our Events Through the Years
HISTORY OF THE GREEN STREET CHURCH (click here)
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NOTE: We are now booking weddings and meetings at the Green Street Church building.
For information call (305) 504-7220.
Leave a message and we will get back to you.
Click Here for More Information
You can also contact us by mail at the above address.
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Logo Designed and Carved by Robert Cashatt, 1993
(Painting by Carmichael, 1990)