Page 5 - The Shores of Jupiter - January '23
P. 5
The Shores, Page 5
Jupiter Senior Softball Northern Notes from page 1
The Jupiter Senior Park where games were warm-blooded prey. These snakes mostly eat mammals
Softball Association’s 2023 played while renovations such as mice, rabbits, rats, and squirrels and occasionally
Winter League featuring 15 were made at Jupiter eat ground-dwelling birds.
teams in three divisions, Community Park. The When camouflage fails, and they feel threatened, the
opens following the New ranks of the winter league snake will begin to puff itself up to look larger and more
Year’s holiday. teams include a number intimidating. Eventually, it may rattle its tail to scare off
T he l e a gu e i s t h e of seasonal players from the threat. Rattlesnakes, like many animals, would prefer
cornerstone of the year- the northeast, and some to leave a dangerous situation silently. When given the
round softball program from Canada, who heed the opportunity, rattlesnakes will flee from human encounters.
and runs through the end invitation to “come play in If you see a rattlesnake in the wild, it is best to give it
of March. Persons 55 and paradise” and escape the space or let it slither away.
older are eligible to join and snow and cold. What should you do when you come upon a snake?
there is no upper age limit. Jean-Claude Menard, Just stand back and observe it. Snakes don’t purposefully
Most participants are in 80, of Laval, Canada, has position themselves to frighten people. They’d much
their 60s and 70s with some been playing the past five rather avoid encounters and will usually flee.
in their 80s. Pitcher Mike years. His dedication is There is no good reason to kill a snake except in the
Manasia, 90, is the oldest. evidenced by his driving Jean-Claude Menard unlikely situation of a venomous snake posing immediate
“Senior softball is the to games three mornings danger to people or pets. Snakes usually bite people only
best deal for anyone who a week with his wife Mariette, from Okeechobee. It is if assaulted; it’s their only means of self-defense. Even a
wants to play ball,” said about a one-hour drive Menard said and he has no plans to venomous snake in the woods or crossing the road poses
League Commissioner Paul quit the sport he loves. “I’m good for the next 10 years,” no threat and should be left alone. Also, large snakes travel
Storch. He cited benefits of Greg Farnworth said Menard, who prior to retirement was Operations in large areas, so one you see in your yard today may be far
being active and exercising, Chief of the Montreal Bus and Subway Company. Ben away tomorrow. When the temperature is cooler or cold
having a good time and enjoying the camaraderie of Walker, a retired policeman the snakes are very slow to move and mostly harmless.
fellow players. Games are every Monday, Wednesday from Edmonton, Canada, is also The frequent sighting of snakes near dwellings or
and Friday morning at Jupiter Community Park, 3377 back this year. outbuildings may indicate the presence of rodents.
Church Street. The senior softball program Removing brush, lumber, or other debris accumulations
Players of all skill levels are welcome. New players is sponsored by the nonprofit will discourage rodents and snakes. Homeowners should
this year include Greg Farnworth, 59, who joined after Jupiter Senior Softball also police rodent food sources like chronically spilled
retiring from a career in auto sales. He follows his Association in cooperation with bird seed under feeders or pet food scraps regularly.
father, George, 87, a longtime Jupiter player, who died the Town of Jupiter. Registration If you are bitten by a venomous snake, call 9-1-1
in December 2021. can be made online at www. immediately. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue maintains the
“It’s good playing with a great bunch of guys,” leaguelineup.com/jssa. For largest and only antivenom bank for public use in the United
Farnworth said shortly after he hit a grand slam home run more information contact Gary States and provides antivenom to hospitals in the tri-county
over the fence and into trees at Maplewood Community Newman at (917) 623-0791. area, but also deploys antivenom via emergent shipping
to out-of-area hospitals. If you have a snake, Africanized
honeybee or large or small animal emergency or nuisance,
Advertise in This Newspaper! 9-1-1 will dispatch the Venom Response Team.
Attempting to harass, handle, or kill snakes significantly
Check out our website! www.seabreezepublications.com increases your chances of being bitten. It is best to adopt
or call (561) 746-3244 a “leave it be” attitude for all snakes. This attitude can
also help to prevent the needless killing of harmless snake
species. If you are not 100 percent sure of the identity of
a snake, “leave it be.”
Information obtained from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission at: http://myfwc.com/
conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/snakes/.
NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays,
using up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia.
Low oxygen levels and ammonia combined with warm
temperatures can kill fish. Pet waste also contains nutrients
that encourage weed and algae growth. Overly fertile
water becomes cloudy and green – unattractive for boating
and fishing. Perhaps most importantly, pet waste carries
diseases which make water unsafe.
www.stormwaterandme.org. https://floridadep.gov/water/
stormwater
Editorial copy appearing herewith is not necessarily the viewpoint of
Seabreeze Publications of Central Florida. Most editorial copy is created by
the homeowners and is edited by their appointed editor.
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M. Sean Reid
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