BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - TelAve -- Wonder Gardens has received a $30,000 donation from the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs to build a Seminole Chickee Hut to replace its barn.

The new Seminole Chickee Hut will serve as a vital space for private events and educational programs and will have the ability to accommodate up to 150 guests. The barn, which originally met this need, was deemed uninhabitable after Hurricane Ian and was demolished.

The open-air hut will be used for classes and summer camps, providing a covered, shaded area for activities, lunch and animal encounters during field trips. In addition to Wonder Gardens programming, the space will also be available for the community to rent for private events such as parties, weddings and other gatherings.

"We are proud to support Wonder Gardens and the City of Bonita Springs with this donation," said Julie Pedretti, president of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs. "The Wonder Gardens provides locals and visitors alike with hands-on, educational opportunities they simply cannot get elsewhere. We are honored to preserve the historic integrity of Wonder Gardens while celebrating the Seminole culture in the Bonita Springs area."

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Seminole Chickee Huts are traditional, open-air dwellings made from a wooden post frame, elevated wooden floor and a thick palmetto or palm thatch roof. The word "Chickee" is the word Seminoles use for "house," and the style is a significant connection to the Seminole Tribe's culture.

"We are truly grateful for the support from the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs, which will allow us to rebuild an essential part of the Wonder Gardens," said Neil Anderson, president and CEO of Wonder Gardens. "Since Hurricane Ian, we haven't had a dedicated space to hold our educational programs and community events. Many of our educational programs, especially our summer camps, take place during Florida's rainy season, making a covered space crucial. This new hut will not only restore these opportunities, but it will also offer an inviting space for the whole community to come together."

For more information, visit WonderGardens.org/.

About Wonder Gardens

The Wonder Gardens is a nonprofit zoological park and botanical garden established in 1936 in Bonita Springs that is dedicated to preserving and upgrading the best of the site's history; caring for rescued, rehabilitated and non-releasable animals; growing its botanical beauty and delivering engaging education programs and events. For information, visit WonderGardens.org or call 239-992-2591.