A mighty message
The Manatee Man has been making his rounds locally for years, but now his songs are being heard statewide.
By VALERIE TAYLOR
Published December 2, 2004
If manatees could talk, they'd probably have a lot to say, and some of it might not be too kind toward humans. That's why Suncoast Elementary physical education teacher Gary Pane is doing some of the talking - make that, singing - for them.
"I've been playing guitar since I was 10, and I've never really been able to write a song, but the manatee songs flowed out pretty well," said Pane, who has watched the battle of manatee vs. growth and boats for more than two decades.
Dubbed the Manatee Man by his students, he has headlined the Crystal River Manatee Festival for the past three years and played at Hernando County's Swamp Fest.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission uses his music in its manatee education program, as does the animal rescue organization Outreach for Animals, which is releasing a new DVD nationally.
Recently, the Save the Manatee Club has given him a rare authorization to display their logo on his CDs.
These are great accolades, but what the Manatee Man really wants is "to leave a legacy to children," Pane said.
"Changing these kids somehow before I get out of teaching is the thing I really want to do."
The music carries the message that "environmentalism isn't just a lesson in class. It's a lifestyle that you have to do on a regular basis," he said.
Since music changed his life, Pane wants to do the same for children. With the proceeds from the sale of his CDs, the Manatee Man T-shirts, visors and hats, he and his wife, Darlene, who sings the background vocals, buy musical instruments.
They run monthly contests in the schools and on their Web site, giving away guitars, harmonicas, tambourines and other prizes.
Pane's affinity for these large, gentle creatures started with a face-to-face encounter in 1982, when the Massachusetts transplant jumped into the Crystal River in Citrus County for a swim.
"My friend said to me, "Don't worry, Gary, but there's a manatee right next to you.' I said, what's a manatee? And he said, "That's about a 2,000-pound animal.' And I just got out of the water kind of fast that day," he recalled, chuckling.
From then on, Pane's destiny with manatees seemed to be set.
He transferred from Citrus County schools to the Hernando County district in 1987 and then became Suncoast's physical education teacher when the school opened in 1994. The school had no mascot yet, so the PTA held a contest, and the manatee was the overwhelming choice.
The principal got the Kiwanis Club to build a life-sized statue of the manatee, which now stands in the school's courtyard. And that's where Pane had his duty station every morning, monitoring students on their way to classes.
"As I stood next to the statue, thoughts would be racing through my mind about my experiences and my first sighting of a manatee," Pane said. "And before I knew it, it became a song."
Others followed, and he sang those songs to his students. When kindergarten teachers invited him to play for their kids during certain times of the year, he'd slip in his manatee songs.
"Pretty soon the students knew the three songs pretty well," said Pane. And that's when the Manatee Man was born.
Still more songs followed until his wife suggested he record them. Two CDs later, the Manatee Man is encouraged that his message may be having an impact. With 30 years of teaching behind him, he plans to retire from teaching in the next year or two and tour Florida schools, tying in with their environmental projects.
You can hear some of the Manatee Man's music at www.themanateeman.com