august 2012 - southwest spotlight

S O U T H W E S T

AUGUST 2012Vol.3, No.8 FREE

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Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita SpringsPRSRT STD

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RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERECRWSS

Stop, in the Name of the Law 13

It’s Time to Clean Up 20

Restaurants 31 to 36

SPLASH! Thanks to strong community support, our Bonita Springs YMCA has made a big splash since its Memorial Day reopening.

Dejnita Dedja, Bonita Springs Elementary

Summer is the perfect time for renovations!

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We usually recommend that lightly used furnishings andkitchen/bath cabinets be donated to our local partner:

We arrange for free pick-up. YOU receive the tax receipt.

CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS FURNITURE LIGHTING FLOOR COVERINGS ACCESSORIES

LARRYLARRYLEE COUNTY TAX COLLECTORLEE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR

FOR

PROVEN LEADERSHIPAs your current tax collector

Based on his qualifications and experience Governor Rick Scott has appointed Larry Hart toserve as your Lee County Tax Collector. His 10 plus years of cost saving leadership has cre-ated both transparency and service time reductions for the citizens of Lee County. Responsi-ble for the administration and daily operations of the six service locations, Larry Hart hasbeen a statewide champion of strategic programming and workflow efficiencies.

PROVEN LEADERSHIPAs the Chief of Police for the City of Fort Myers

For 6 years, Larry Hart served the citizens of Fort Myers with distinction as the Chief of Po-lice having progressed through a 22 year career as a professional law enforcement officer.

PROVEN LEADERSHIPAs the Chairman of the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees

Larry Hart was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Governors Bush, Crist and Scott. Hewas appointed for the leadership qualities that he possesses. Larry Hart has been a drivingforce to help FGCU grow into a successful University and an asset to our community.

PROVEN LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

* Member of the Florida Tax Collectors Public Information Coalition and Legislative Committee

* Board of Directors: Southwest Florida Addiction Services* Board of Directors: Hope (Hospice) Health Care Services* Member of the Children Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida* Member of the FBI National Academy and International Police Chiefs

Association

EDUCATION

* Associates Degree Edison College* Bachelors Degree, Barry University* Graduate, 161st National FBI Academy* Veteran, United States Air Force

www.votelarryhart.com • 239.337.4237Political Advertisement Paid for and Approved by Larry Hart, Republican for Lee County Tax Collector

FORT MYERSPOLICE CHIEF

LARRY HART

Early Voting Starts – August 4thPrimary Election Day – August 14th

Dear Voter,The proper collection and administrativefunction behind accounting for your hardearned tax dollars is essential to sustainingthe quality of life we have in Lee County. Asyour current Lee County Tax Collector, Ipledge to serve you as your next elected TaxCollector with the same determination andcommitment as I have shown in my entirecareer of public service.

Larry Hart

Tax Collector Larry Hartwill ensure� Cost savings initiatives will continue� Community outreach will be a priority� Transparency and responsiveness to

our citizens will be a cornerstone of service

� Respect toward our citizen customers and fiscal responsibilityfor your tax dollars

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Spotlight News

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 5

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S O U T H W E S T™

Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs

PublisherPeter A. O'Flinn

[email protected]

EditorMeghan EasterlyAdvertising SalesTeri LamaineKathy O'FlinnOffice ManagerKatie O'FlinnContributing WritersBill BarnesCharles J. CavaliereD. K. ChristiMartha CriderMax Harris Dorota HarrisJosh MusselmanBen Nelson Jr.Patrice ShieldsPeter R. O'FlinnHeather ThomsonGeorge WhiteContributing PhotographersDavid MichaelVicki White

August 2012Southwest Spotlight

8 Eye of London Capturesthe Heart of the WorldDominic Harris creates art for 2012Olympics

9 Morgan vs. Cochranin School Board RaceDistrict 3 candidates discuss spend-ing

11 Mayor of SurveyBSHS fundraiser earns record amount

11 Working “Away”Downtown sculpture glistens like new

12 Local “Horse Whisperer” – Amanda CasseseNational Champion Cassese still win-ning even after injurious fall

13 Stop in the Nameof the LawCity’s outside lawyer clarifies mora-torium

16 Something Shiny and New– Food for the MindCafé of Life offers books to children as food for the mind

17 Women BuildZonta and Habitat bring local womentogether to build a house

18 Grants for EducationCommunity Foundation gives grantsto YMCA and New Horizons

19 Back to School ChecklistLee County students can find back toschool information online

31 InsomniaSolutions to a common problem

Commentary20 Peter A. O’Flinn

It’s Time for the City to Clean Up itsRoom

20 Mayor’s CornerMayor Ben Nelson Jr. reflects on thewill of the people

Business14 Bonita Business Beat

Brenda Bergin of All the Right Moveshelps customers downsize

15 SpotlightReal Estate WatchHigh-end real estate continues to dowell in units and price points

Arts &Entertainment

22 EventsWhat’s happening this month inBonita?

25 Artist Spotlight:Sculpting LifeThe otherworldly art of Tom O’Hara

Columns26 The Other Ben

Mayor Nelson recalls fond memoriesof the Scout

27 Why I Love BonitaSara Haven

27 Tee Box TipsHigh price equipment doesn’t guarantee high quality

28 Bonita Nature PlaceGoober and the bats

29 Bonita’s Best FriendsCurious and calming dachshundnamed Satcha

30 Mind and SoulRelax and enjoy the storm

30 Meg-a-MomTechnology keeps long distance families close

Restaurants35 Restaurant Guide

News & Features

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 6

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August 2012

Spotlight News

Eye of London Captures the Heart of the WorldBy Meghan [email protected]

London – As the world gath-ers to watch the 2012 SummerOlympics in London, therewill be one couple in BonitaSprings who will have theireyes on The London Eye.This iconic Ferris wheel onthe Thames will be turnedinto an interactively controlledlighting installation by artistDominic Harris. Harris is theDirector of Cinimod Studioin London and also the sonof Max and Dorota Harriswho live in Bonita Springs.Harris works in the medi-

um of light and interactivedesign. His designs can befound throughout the worldin both private collectionsand in very public spaces,such as the Peru NationalFootball Stadium in Lima,Peru. There an interactivelighting system has been cre-ated that establishes a visualconnection between the fans,their passions and the game.The lighting actually mirrorsthe mood of the crowd.This interactivity between

the viewer and the artworkis the soul of Harris’s work.For the Olympics he willinstall a “Mood Conductor”on the London Eye. This willenable the participants to usegestures to control the lightingon the wheel. “The Mood Conductor is

an interactive installation

enabling a single user at atime to express their moodon an unforgettable archi-tectural and visual scale,” Har-ris said. “It is the first time alarge public landmark withinLondon has been controlleddirectly by members of thepublic.”The “performer” will be

able to use his arms andhands to interact with thesystem, and he will also beable to use a more subtlemovement to affect the light-ing: his heartbeat.“The symbolism of the

heart as an epicenter of feltemotion is not merely anartifact of mythology andearly philosophical thinking,”Harris said. “Whilst there isno evidence of hearts actuallyskipping beats at the sight ofa loved one, we can be certainthat the beating of our heartsis inextricably linked to theway we feel.”

Depending on the moodof the user, the London Eyemay appear to sparkle orrecoil as the patterns of color,speed, brightness and scalemimic emotion.Harris and his Cinimod

Studio are synonymous withcutting edge interactivedesign. The popularity of hiswork world-wide keeps theartist busy not only creatingideas and developing the tech-nology to follow through withthe ideas, but also travelingthroughout the world toinstall his artwork.“I am most excited by my

trip to Miami where I will beinstalling two very large inter-active artworks in a homelocated on Key Biscayne,”Harris said. The collector has acquired,

among other artworks, Flutter.Fluttermimics the motion ofbutterfly flight. As the viewermoves along the 14-foot art-

work, the butterflies respondto the viewer’s movement.Harris and his team will workto seamlessly integrate the art-works into the home.“Traveling to Florida is

always a pleasure as it is nor-mally to see my parents,” Har-ris said. “But, to be there inthe official capacity of ‘artist’is fantastic too – whether Iam there for the Art Baselshow or for an artwork instal-lation.”Those wishing to see

examples of Harris’s uniquework can find a list of hisinstallations on his web siteswww.dominicharris.com orwww.cinimodstudio.com. While everyone will see

his Mood Conductor on TheLondon Eye during theOlympics, his artwork is bestexperienced in person, as themovements and feelings ofthe viewer are inherently partof the art.

The London Eye will become a work of art during the 2012 Summer Olympics as artist Dominic Harris conducts the mood of the people with interactive lighting.

Artist Dominic Harris, Director of Cinimod Studio in London works in the medium of light and interactivedesign.

Flutter, a 14-foot artwork by Dominic Harris mimics the motion of butterfly flight asthe butterflies respond to the viewer’s movement.

Contributed Photos | Special to The Spotlight

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Spotlight News

By Peter R. O’[email protected]

Bonita Springs – The Leepublic school budget exceeds$1 billion, and school prop-erty taxes are about ten timescity property taxes in Bonita.Nevertheless, school boardelections, with 17 percentturnouts recently, don’t seemto attract the interest cityraces do. The elections arescheduled for the dead ofsummer, when many snow-bird voters reside up north. This year, Les Cochran

and Cathleen Morgan arevying for the District 3 schoolboard seat, which includesthe southern part of LeeCounty. Incumbent JaneKuckel of Estero decided notto run again, and endorsedMorgan. Cochran, a San Carlos

Park resident, had a try atelective office four years agowhen he challenged incum-bent Lee County Commis-sioner Ray Judah.Morgan is a Bonita Bay

resident. It’s her first attemptat elected office here. In separate interviews,

Cochran and Morgan setforth their qualifications andtheir views.

Commitment to EducationEach candidate has

demonstrated a commitmentto education. Morgan served two terms

as an elected school boardmember in a New York Citysuburb. There, she says, “Irealized how a great super-intendent backed by a moti-vated board could changethe thinking and change theculture.” After a career as aWall Street executive, sheearned a master’s degree ineducational administration.She currently serves as chairof the Finance AdvisoryCommittee to the Lee SchoolBoard.Cochran’s professional

career in education includedfive years teaching in innercity Detroit. “My 38 yearsof experience give me anadvantage,” he said. He servedas President of YoungstownState University and Provostof Southeast Missouri StateUniversity. “Change is whatit is all about and I have hadexperience affecting it,” hesaid.

School BusingA signature theme of

Cochran’s campaign is hiscriticism of Lee schoolspending for school bustransportation. Morgan

views Cochran’s emphasisas a “sounds good” politicalgambit. “That’s the way theelection was won two yearsago, busing and neighbor-hood schools,” she said. Busing costs more than

$50 million a year. InCochran’s view that expenseis exacerbated by a schoolchoice system under whichparents can apply to theschool they think best fortheir child, not just the onenearest to home. He wouldlike to change that.“Over 70 percent of the

people who pick choice doit for convenience, becauseof where they work or thekid gets back at 5:00 afterthey get off work,” saidCochran. “I am all for choiceas long as it is driven by aca-demics.” “Let’s bring this thing

back to reality,” Morgan said,when asked about Cochran’sbusing proposal. She seesthe busing issue as morecomplicated than Cochran’sanalysis would imply. Busingcosts will reduce if the LeeSchools continue to developquality magnate programswithin each school zone,Morgan said. She also favorsthe revision of school choicerules to give each child thebest chance of attendingschool closest to home.“The amount we spend

on busing is consistent withthe state average in otherdistricts that have schoolchoice,” she said. “That’s nota justification, that’s just thecontext.”

The “Jump Shift”The district needs “a jump

shift” in expectations, saidMorgan, and a strategic planto affect it. “Every child mustgraduate with 21st centuryproblem solving and inter-disciplinary skills,” she said.“I am all about targeted

spending,” said Morgan.“Find out what works andapply it to programs thathave demonstrated effective-

ness.” As an example, shedescribed the transformationof Tropic Isles ElementarySchool in North Fort Myersthrough the Glasser methodof managing outcome andexpectations. Cochran too sees the ben-

efit of emulating other suc-cessful programs. He pointsto the inner city Milwaukeeschool system, where 90 per-cent of the students read ator above grade level. Both candidates say that

more accountability is need-ed in the system, and thatimproved student perform-ance should be a top pri-ority.Social promotion is a

big part of the problem,said Cochran. “Does anyoneknow of a child who hasbeen held back? It’s a rareoccasion.” “We are not doinga good job of assessing andremediating kids on theiracademic path,” said Mor-gan.

Longer School DayThe candidates disagree

on Cochran’s proposal toextend the school day. Moneyspent on busing, and “bloat-ed administration,” he said,could be better used to addan hour, costing $23 millionby his estimate. He also favorsadding a “student enrich-ment hour” from 3 to 4 p.m.,using volunteers.“Adding hours does noth-

ing when you have ineffectiveschool cultures,” said Morganwhen asked about Cochran’splan. “We don’t need ‘onesize fits all’ spending pro-grams.” For example, shesaid, a school like Sanibelelementary, the highest ratedin the state, could betterspend available money onother things if given thechoice.Election Day is August

14, and the race is non-par-tisan. Although the Districtlines are locally defined, allvoters in Lee County are eli-gible to vote.

Morgan vs. Cochran inSchool Board Race

Morgan Cochran

Anne Macias | Special to The Spotlight

RecentSightingsin BonitaSpringsA striking and gregariousduck of the Neotropics,the Black-bellied WhistlingDuck reaches the UnitedStates only in the verysouthern parts. Its longneck, long legs, black bellyand white wing patchmake it a distinctive look-ing waterfowl. Its call is ahigh-pitched, soft wheezywhistle of four to sixnotes.

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 9

August 2012

Spotlight News

TOWN TALK

The Best, and the FastestJoe Murgalo, General Manager of the Coconut Point Hyatt, says the Hyatt hasthe best beds in town. Now it also has the fastest. Last month, the Hyatt (right)beat the Bonita Springs Historical Society (left) and five other teams in an OldFashioned Bed Race on the Fourth of July in Downtown Bonita Springs.

Nine Ninety NineOpens on Beach Road

The Nine Ninety Nine Store celebrated their opening and ribbon cutting ceremony with the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce recently. The

store offers a selection of clothing, jewelry, beach shoes, hats, cosmetics,greeting cards and more for $9.99 or less.

Contributed | [email protected]

Staff Photo | [email protected]

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 10

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Spotlight News

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Demolition DerbyPlans are in the works for

the City to tear down andremove four private housesthat have been deemedunsafe. The buildings arelocated on Calypso Way,Shriver Street, Wagon Trailand Sherwood Lane, accord-ing to city documents. A look at Lee County

property records shows thedeclining fortunes of theseproperties. One building,which today is an open shell,was purchased in 2006 for$175,000. Another was bought at

tax sale for $5,100 in 2010,after having sold for $72,000four years earlier. CodeEnforcement Manager ChrisCampbell recently trackeddown the owner in NewZealand. The owner hasnever seen the property orappointed anyone to lookafter it, Campbell was told.The property may come offthe demolition list if theowner develops satisfactoryplans.“We don’t take it lightly

that we are knocking downa structure,” said City Man-ager Carl Schwing. “It’s asafety issue. This is a lastresort because we can’t get aprivate owner to take respon-sibility.” An independenthearing examiner hasreviewed and approved thedemolitions. Schwing dis-tinguished these buildingsfrom others in town that arenot completed, but secureand sound.The City is seeking bids

from contractors to demolishthe structures. Costs, whichare the owners’ responsibility,are estimated at about$10,000 per property.

A BSHS Record, Aidedby Quiet GivingThe Mayor of Survey

“election” is the mock polit-ical contest where the can-didate who collects the mostcharitable donations for theBonita Springs HistoricalSociety wins. This year BillSimons and Joe Cofield col-lected a record amount,$12,846.15 to be exact,according to treasurer Veron-ica Cleary. The money will be well

used on the historic McSwainHouse, the Old 41 buildingBSHS was given 18 monthsago. Their goal is a first classand cost efficient restoration.In August the building willbe stabilized on a new foun-dation. It will be lifted torestore its appearance to itsoriginal cracker style, accord-ing to BSHS president RondaLyles Lawhon. Simons collected more

than $11,000, a record

amount. Cofield’s grand totalexceeded $1,500, includingall 8,330 dimes. The largestcheck Cleary deposited was$5,300 from the Havenickfamily’s Bonita dog track,$100 for each of its years inBonita. “We have had a greathistory in Bonita but we arenot looking for recognitionfor our gift,” said IzzyHavenick when reached byphone. “We really believe intrying to give quietly.” Hequickly changed the subjectto two Bonita perennials, St.Matthew’s House and Floridapolitics.Other substantial contri-

butions were made, includinggifts by the Lion’s Club,Shangri-La Hotel and ToddMichaels.

Working “Away”On a July Wednesday two

city maintenance men, JasonJaccarino and Murray Mor-ris worked feverishly on“Away,” the sculpture thatstands in Riverside Park.Recently, the 12-foot alu-minum piece began to sporta tan. That unwanted patinaresulted from a chemicalreaction between the metaland residue in water broad-cast from an errant sprinklerhead. After three hours work,

“Away” was glistening again.The antidote was an appli-cation of “Sno Bowl,” acleaner sometimes used onship hulls. Neal Rodgers,the sculptor, mailed a how-to video to the City showingthe cleaning process thatincluded a spritz of WD-40as a finishing touch. “It’s a beautiful piece,

and it looks 100 percentbetter,” said Nigel Fullick,chair of the volunteer BonitaSprings Art in Public PlacesBoard. The name “Away” fits

“the upward stretching ofthe piece,” said Rodgerswhen interviewed by theSpotlight early last year. “It’smeant to convey a sense offamily, community and har-mony.” The City recently pur-

chased “Away” for $10,000with remaining funds in thepublic art budget, and pri-vate contributions. “I am soproud of the fact that ourcommunity, despite hardtimes, not only puts a valueon art in the city but thatwe find responsible waysfor obtaining it,” said Fullick. Three years ago, with

money for arts tight, Fullickconvinced Rodgers to lendthe sculpture to the city atno charge for 18 months,then followed that up witha low cost lease deal. Similarpieces have sold to private

collectors for over $30,000.“The arts have been inte-

grated into our community,just the way we wanted themto,” said Fullick. “I can’t tellyou what a kick I get out ofcouples and kids taking pic-tures of themselves with thesculptures in Riverside Park.” Both Fullick and the

City’s Arleen Hunter singledout the contributions ofSusan Bridges and the Cen-ter for the Arts for creativeideas and working with theCity.For several years, faculty,

sculptors and other volun-teers from the arts centerhave applied wax protectionto the City’s bronze sculp-tures. Protocols will bedeveloped for “Away,” nowthat the City owns it. “There needs to be an

understanding and a write-up that goes with each artwork that is in a public col-lection. If work is done, itneeds to be documented,”said Bridges.“Let’s focus on getting

some nice things for thecity, and some fun stuff forthe community to enjoy,”said Bridges. “We want tobe of help.”

Working on the RailroadIt’s a tight squeeze for

Middle School children asthey walk over the railroadtracks on the north side ofTerry Street just west of Old41. The metal guardrail isclose to the roadway, so thecity plans to construct a side-walk and canal crossing onthe other side of theguardrail. The project willcost $40,000, to be fundedby federal community devel-opment block grant funds. Since the city will be con-

structing the walkway on therailroad right of way, it willbe making a payment of$15,000 to Seminole GulfRailway, LP. This is in addi-tion to a $50,000 paymentthe City makes each year toallow traffic to traverse sixrailroad crossings, accordingto City officials. “Railroadshave a particular set of rightsand immunities that aregranted to them”, said JohnGucciardo, Assistant CityManager.

Dirty Doggin’?… Nextyear’s YMCA IndependenceDay bed race should be quitea competitive rematch. Thereare whispered allegationsaround town of some “dirtydoggin’” in this year’s race.Some are asking about “theaccident,” where a small frystepped in front of one ofthe favored beds as it hurtleddown Old 41, causing it toswerve and lose time.

Up and Down the Trail

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August 2012

Spotlight News

By D.K. [email protected]

Bonita Springs – A drivedown the dusty end of EastTerry in Bonita Springs yieldsa piece of Florida not sharedby everyone, yet very muchpart of the landscape, Prov-idence Equestrian Center.Horses and Florida have along history. Most often, thewhite fences and rollinggreens of Ocala come tomind, not the Bonita Springsneighborhood riding centerthat produces national horseshow winners.Amanda Cassese is such

a winner. Just as the inter-view began, a young riderelegantly slid from her mam-moth horse to surprise Cass-ese with a bear hug. “We have not seen each

other in a while,” Casseseexplained as the riderreturned skillfully to herhorse. “I just returned fromin-patient treatment for post-concussion syndrome.”Casual and modest with

a smile that lights up a darkday describes Cassese. Herbest friend is Mariah, thepony she first received as achild and that has the tem-perament for the childrenwith autism that 19-year oldCassese currently trains.Together Mariah and Cassesewon the Marshall & SterlingLeague National High PointPony Jumper Championshipin 2009. When asked about future

dreams, Cassese smiled, “Iwant a house with a centercourtyard for Mariah.” According to her friend,

Amy Opteyndt, 19, “Amandais the strongest person I know,not only physically but men-tally. She never gives up onanything; always finding a

way around any obstacle.Thanks to Amanda, I am nolonger afraid of horses.” Cassese is already over-

coming obstacles to reachher dreams. A student atFlorida Gulf Coast University,Cassese proved her friendright. She lost her junior andsenior year of high schoolfrom what she calls “an ordi-nary fall” in November 2009while riding a horse thatstopped at a fence. That ordi-nary fall led to neck andspine injuries and concussionsymptoms that have plaguedher since, including boutsof unexpected paralysis thatdid not stop her. She gradu-ated with her senior classand continued at FloridaGulf Coast University whereshe currently is majoring inpsychology. She still suffersfrom post-concussion syn-drome; she’s had no paralysisfor a year.She turned pro at the age

of 18, after scoring 11th inthe nation, the first personin Southwest Florida to goto Intercollegiate EquestrianAssociation Nationals at theage of 17. “At that event, Iselected a horse from a hatand went on in to jump,”Cassese said. After years winning

national horse shows, mostrecently winning her divisionat the Marshall & SterlingLeague Nationals in 2011 inSaugerties, New York, she ismoving into the training andentrepreneurial aspects ofhorsemanship. She coacheda young 4H rider, MorganMueller, who went on toplace second at the 4HRegional Finals in Mississippiin July 2011. Cassese cur-rently owns eight horsescounting her beloved Mariah.While Providence Equestrian

is a family business, Casseseis building her own incomestream buying and sellinghorses, training horses aswell as giving riding instruc-tions. “When I am on my horse,

we move as one. We tran-scend anything that camebefore or will follow and arein that moment when myhorse and I each know whatto expect. With the slightestmovement, my horse knowsthe command. You have toknow the language of horses.They have one brain toengage in repetition; their

ability to learn is within threeseconds. I seem to have aninnate ability to communi-cate commands even withunknown horses. That’s whyI’m called the ‘horse whis-perer.’” Cassese credits her eques-

trian activity and horses asher “therapy” even thoughconcussions from a youth“living on the edge” continueto haunt her life. She has nofear, ever.Cassese is a coach for the

center's Interscholastic Eques-trian Association (IEA) teamof middle and high school

students. She is also a coachfor the FGCU equestrianteam of about 30 membersthat practices at the Provi-dence Equestrian Center.“Sometimes we have

shows and special benefitsto raise money for our organ-ization, including bake sales,”Cassese said. “During thesummer, though, most of themembers leave the local area.”

That beautiful smile is notjust for friends. Cassese alsomodels occasionally withassignments that most oftenrelate to her equestrian activ-ities. This is a busy youngwoman, building for herfuture as a college studentand working at part-timejobs that include: horse train-er, riding instructor andmodel.

Local “Horse Whisperer” – Amanda Cassese

Contributed Photos| Special to The SpotlightAmanda stands with her pony Mariah.

Amanda Cassese is shown here at the InternationalEquestrian Association finals with her blue ribbon.

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Spotlight News

By Peter R. O’[email protected]

Bonita Springs – Finally,City staff got the word. After three months of

processing a developmentapplication for a proposedBernwood homeless shelteron Old 41, including twofull months since CityCouncil’s moratorium onshelter approvals becameeffective, City staff was toldto stop.“The (moratorium)

states that it prohibits theissuance of developmentapprovals,” Beverly Grady,Bonita’s newly hired specialoutside lawyer, told CityCouncil in a July meeting.“Therefore…that is thedirection given to staff,” shesaid.For good measure Mayor

Ben Nelson, at Grady’s sug-gestion, asked City Councilmembers if they had intend-ed to exempt the Bernwoodapplication, originally anapplication for a St.Matthew’s House shelter,from the moratorium. Notsurprisingly, their answerwas ‘no.’When it was filed, the

Bernwood application wassaid by some to be exemptbecause it was submittedthe day before City Councilenacted the moratorium.Not so, said Grady. Her

research of what shedescribed as the leading legalcase led her to conclude thatthe Bernwood applicationis not exempt. Most impor-tant was the fact that theapplication was filed afterthe moratorium was alreadybeing considered, she said.

“Is St. Matt’s applicationreally exempt?” was a ques-tion asked on these pageswhen the accepted wisdomaround town was that it had“beat the clock.” Grady’sstraightforward analysis pro-vides a welcome and clearanswer to that question. So, case closed? Maybe

not yet.The City should keep

Grady on speed dial. Theproponents of the shelterapplication have anotherargument. They were toldthe law did not apply tothem, they say.“I communicated with

the City as soon as I heardabout the moratorium,” NeilMontgomery, attorney forthe Bernwood developer,said at the City Councilmeeting. “We were advisedthat we could proceed and

that if we submitted priorto the effective date of themoratorium, we would notbe subject to it.”That’s an argument with

a superficial appeal, but it’snot the way it normallyworks with government ineveryday life. Just ask anyonewho has waited in line for adriver’s license, only to beinformed that he neededthree more documents thanhe was told when he calledthe office.Let’s say a building offi-

cer tells a developer thatthe maximum buildingheight is 200 feet, but thelaw actually allows only 50feet. Does he get to rely onwhat he was told, and buildto four times the allowableheight?Allowing the actual law

to be reshaped by the state-

ments and opinions of indi-vidual government emploeeswould be an unfair andchaotic public policy.Montgomery said she

would be submitting a letterto the City explaining howthe applicant spent consid-erable amounts of moneyin reliance on the City’sstatements.“There are a lot of impor-

tant facts that need to beevaluated,” she said. In herremarks before City Council,and in a letter by the devel-oper’s planner to the City’sCommunity Developmentdepartment, references weremade to statements by Boni-ta Springs City Attorney tothe effect that the morato-rium would not, under cer-tain circumstances, apply tocertain applications.When asked about these

issues after the City Councilmeeting, outside lawyerGrady demurred and saidshe would wait and see whatMs. Montgomery claimedin writing. At the City Council meet-

ing there was a lot of talkabout fairness and appar-ently, in the future, CityCouncil may be asked toconsider what is “fair.”Here is a suggestion. If

the developer, in relianceon City employee state-ments, continued to incurcosts on his application dur-ing the moratorium period,the City should considerpicking up the tab for thosecosts. But it hardly seems fair

to use those statements as aticket to ride roughshodover the provisions of thelaw.

City Hall Commentary

Stop, in the Name of the Law

visit the all new www.swspotlight.com

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 13

August 2012

Business & Real Estate

Downsizing? Meet a SpecialistBy D.K [email protected]

Bonita Springs – Moving toa new home is one of thosemajor life events that rankshigh on the stress scale. Bren-da Bergin has experiencedit firsthand. “The move from Boston

11 years ago was a downsiz-ing experience for me,” saidBergin owner of All the RightMoves. “The difficulties ofletting go of treasured pos-sessions is only tempered bythe fact that I can visit mysister’s home and feel thecomfort of former belong-ings that I gave to her in theprocess.”“My career path began

as an engineering managerin the early days of the com-puter industry – I had oneof the first Mac’s in 1984.” After she moved to South-

west Florida, she becameinvolved in real estate andstill is; but in the last twoyears, she found a new niche– assisting primarily seniorswith downsizing and lettinggo of items no longer neededfor their future residences.Last year she provided door-to-door downsizing assis-tance to approximately adozen clients.

“In real estate, I stagedhomes for sale and experi-enced the trauma ownersfelt facing the daunting taskof packing up and movingwhen it also included elimi-nating possessions they hadowned for years,” Bergin said.“I found a niche market forcustomized services.”

Bergin meets with thepotential client and planstheir downsize experiencefrom sorting every possessioninto categories, labeling, tak-ing inventory, deciding wherethose items selected for elim-ination will go (charities,Goodwill, Salvation Army,consignment shops, EBay,

friends, relatives) packing,labeling boxes for the moveto the new place, and arrang-ing for moving and super-vising setup in the newlocation. Most clients con-tract for the complete door-to-door service. “They can see whether I

am helpful by buying four-

hour blocks of time,” Berginsaid.She has found that her

patience and communica-tions skills are as importantas her technical skill. “I take the time necessary

for a client to become com-fortable with the move andthe process,” Bergin said. “Bythe time it’s complete, wehave become friends.” She gets to know them

intimately from the discus-sions and counseling thatoccur sorting through theirlife’s possessions.

Licensed, bonded andcertified by the NationalAssociation of Senior MoveManagers, she stresses thisis a career for a person ofhigh ethical standards andempathy for seniors and their

life stories and understandingsentimental attachment topossessions. Most of her busi-ness is from referrals: realtors,retirement communities,assisted living facilities, funer-al homes (surviving family),attorneys, estate managersand word of mouth. Shenetworks with communityservice and business organ-izations.Bergin explains that it

helps to let go when theitems will be valued in theirnext use. “I had one client whose

spouse had a major invest-ment in woodworking equip-ment that was verymeaningful,” Bergin said.“Gifting it to the Youth Ranchmade it possible to let go.” Another client, a local

artist, was able to part withpaintings by donating themto the Art League. Bergin offers the following

tips for those beginning adownsizing project: 1) resistthe urge to rent a storageunit; 2) sort items into sell,donate, give away and keep;3) consider putting valuablesin a safe deposit box andkeep medicines well-locatedand available and 4) invite afriend to comfort and assistwith the tough decisions.

Kathy O'Flinn | [email protected] Bergin owner of All the Right Moves helps those moving to downsize andthen manages the move for them.

“I take the time necessary for a clientto become comfortablewith the move and

the process. By the time it’s

complete, we have become friends.”

—Brenda Bergin

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 14

www.swspotlight.com

Business & Real Estate

By Bill BarnesChief Executive Officer-Bonita Springs EsteroAssociation of Realtors

Bonita Springs – The startof the summer season in theBonita Springs-Estero marketcontinues to be a road oferratic sales and listings. Theovershadowing of the Presi-dential and local electionsand the daily roll out of news,laws and programs havecaused some buyers and sell-ers to delay or accelerate theirplans. The number of new single

family home listings contin-ues to grow in this market.Despite reports from realtorsin the field that good newlistings are hard to find, somesellers are deciding to placetheir property on the market.In June, 173 new single familyhomes entered the market,an increase of 26 over the147 in April. However, themonth to month increase forthe last three months is notnear the 260 new listings inJanuary or the 205 in March.These do not for the mostpart include any shadowinventory of bank ownedproperties that may be seen

in other parts of Lee County. In the condominium mar-

ket, the number of new prop-erties entering the market ison a four-month declinefrom 235 in March to 167 inJune. One reason appears tobe that some sellers are hold-ing out to re-enter the marketin the fall in hopes of a betterprice. Another reason maybe that the potential inventoryis low because 778 have soldin 2012 and there are not alot of new units or big com-plexes in the Bonita SpringsEstero market. Condomini-um sales have declined in

the past three months. Theremay be an increase in July

and in August despite it notbeing “season.” The increasewill come if buyers from thenorth were able to sell theirnorthern homes this pastspring, which is their bestselling season. The high end of the mar-

ket continues to do very wellin units, and in price points.June saw 13 homes sell andclose over $1,000,000. Thisis the second month of 13sales in this price range. Therehave been 57 homes and 14condominiums sold at overa one million closed price in2012. In June, Bonita Bay,Bonita Beach and ShadowWood at the Brooks lead thehigh-end market in sales.

Jody Burr, of the MLS Serv-ice/Data Department ofBEAR, contributed to thereporting in this article.

Monthly TransactionsNumber of real estate transactions in the Bonita Springs Estero market

2010 April 312January 160 May 236February 175 June 216March 219 July 183April 263 August 189May 174 September 183June 179 October 133July 144 November 153August 132 December 188September 121 2012October 80 January 195November 125 February 170December 177 March 2562011 April 294January 165 May 272February 215 June 257March 271

Spotlight Real Estate Watch

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Highlights From June’s top 10 sales

27836 Hickory Blvd. $2,975,000Bonita Beach29110 Marcello Way $2,050,000Mediterra9451 Lakebend Preserve Ct. $1,485,000Shadow Wood at the Brooks3684 Woodlake Drive $1,225,000Bonita Bay

The high end of the market continues todo very well in units,and in price points.

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August 2012

Giving Back

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Bonita Springs – Arlene Rutstein andNancy White demonstrate the generosityof Bonita Springs residents once again.They saw a need and didn’t wait forsomeone else but stepped in to fill it,proving that two people can make apositive difference in the lives of manyyoung children, “the future leaders ofthis country,” according to Rutstein.Both Rutstein and White started servingCafé of Life participants after theyheard a presentation at United Way in2008. They have been engaged in Caféof Life meals since then. They observed the many young chil-

dren and wanted to do somethingspecial for them. If they needed meals,chances were slim there was anythingextra to buy new books. Rutstein andWhite decided to provide each childwith something new, a shiny new bookto enjoy reading — food for the mind.Rutstein started with the magic bookbag. She was joined by Nancy Whiteand Dianne Gigligetti. Gigligetti is bi-lingual and acts as liaison among theparents, kids and magic book bags.At first, the goal was one book for

each child. Several days a month, justbefore lunch ends, the books are setout on tables for the children to lookthrough and pick one. Depending onthe number of books and children,

each child might receive as many astwo or three books. By the third year,the children know what to expect andare ready for their walk around thetables to find their books under thewatchful eyes of their grateful parents.Occasionally, donations from librariesprovide books that are in fine condition,just not quite as shiny. The primarygoal is for each child to take home atleast one brand new book to open thefirst time.“Nancy furnishes most of the books,”

clarified Rutstein. “Many books areScholastic Publications that she sendsfrom her northern residence. I fill inthe gaps so we have books that appealto many ages and interests.”

Something Shiny and New – Food for the Minding July were engaged insummer camps and not inneed of their books so nodistribution was scheduled.Rutstein spent much of

her career with the title “Edi-tor” based on occupationsthat took advantage of herjournalism background. Shehas a strong appreciation forthe written word and the joychildren experience with theirshiny new books. Familiesin need of food support andchildren’s books may findboth at Café of Life. Newbook donations for youthpre-school through middleschool ages and financialdonations to purchase booksare welcomed.“I brought these kids

some books…more kidsgathered. I opened my bag,spread the books so theycould see and quietly theytook their turns and pickedtheir favorites, in both Englishand Spanish…It feels goodto make a kid happy…whena kid reads these books, thatsmall person is closing theculture gap.”

They occasionally receivedonations from individualsand organizations, but theyhaven’t made a point of seek-ing help.

“It’s mostly been our ownsmall attempt to providesomething important to thenext generation, an appre-ciation for books and read-ing. These children arewonderful, eager to read theirnew books and thrilled whenthey have a second or thirdto take home to a sibling orfriend,” said Rutstein. Her friends have pictures

of family on their phones;Rutstein’s cell phone is alsofull of pictures of the childrenat the book events. Book distribution dates

are announced at the Caféof Life with cards Rutsteinprepares in Spanish. The nextdistribution is during thefirst few weeks of August,August 1 and 2 and August6 and 7. Many children dur-

Dianne Gigligetti talks to children as theyselect books at the Café of Life.

A child holds up the newbook that he chose at aCafé of Life book distribu-tion day.

Contributed Photos | Special to The SpotlightGigligetti is bilingual and acts as a liai-son among the parents.

Want to [email protected]

“I brought these kids somebooks…more kids gath-ered. I opened my bag,spread the books so theycould see and quietly theytook their turns andpicked their favorites.”

—Arlene Rutstein

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 16

www.swspotlight.com

Giving Back

Recently 55 womenvolunteers helped ren-ovate a home in BonitaSprings to enable amother and her chil-dren to realize thedream of home own-ership. The Zonta Clubof Bonita Springshelped coordinate thevolunteers and raise thefunds for The Habitatfor Humanity’s WomenBuild and renovated ahome for Brandy Flores.The work took placefrom July 7 to 13 witha home dedication onJuly 14 following manymonths of fundraisingtotaling $50,000. Floresalso contributed time,money and had to qual-ify for a mortgage. “Ourmission is to enhancethe status of women,”said Patty Gift, Presidentof Zonta Club of BonitaSprings. “What betterway to make a woman’slife better than to helpher in her own effortsto provide safe, decent,affordable housing forher and her family?”

Opportunitiesto give back

Zonta Renovates Home forBonita Springs Mother

Community Cooperative Ministries IncorporatedCCMI is made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and

hunger in Lee County. Their reach stretches to Bonita Springs for several programsincluding their backpack program. This program has provided approximately 1,400 LeeCounty children with approximately 28,000 backpacks full of emergency food. BonitaSprings Elementary is one of four schools that participates in the program. Theywelcome volunteers in many areas including sponsoring a food drive, homeless services,administrative help, Community Montessori Preschool, Meals on Wheels, the EverydayCafé (soup kitchen) and the Choice Marketplace. Many of these services are located inFort Myers, but events such as food drives can be sponsored from any location. Informationon CCMI can be found on their web site at www.ccmileecounty.com.

New HorizonsNew Horizons works with children in Bonita Springs and East Naples who are at-risk.

They have both a super kids club and a super teens club to help students succeed in schooland in life. As children prepare to head back to school, New Horizons purchases schoolsupplies, shoes and other items and gears up for a busy year of tutoring and afterschoolprograms. They seek volunteers, donations and sponsors for students. When sponsoring astudent, students have access to after school tutoring, individualized learning, back toschool supplies and shoes and many more activities. Information on New Horizons can befound at www.mysuperkidsclub.orgContributed Photo | Special to the Spotlight

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 17

August 2012

Giving Back

TOWN TALKGrant Focuses on YMCA

ScholarshipsAs part of a focus on children’s education and

youth development, the Southwest Florida Commu-nity Foundation recently donated $8,000 to theBonita Springs YMCA. The money will help the

YMCA to provide scholarships for children in thesummer camp and after school programs. Pictured

are Christine Ross, Anne Douglas, Nancy Ross,Kenneth Modzelewski, Jacke McCurdy, Don Thom-

son, Debi Braendle and Sarah Owen with kidsfrom Bonita Springs.

Grant Will Bring NewTechnologyto New HorizonsNew Horizons recently received a$10,000 grant from Southwest FloridaCommunity Foundation. The grant willhelp the organization purchase iPads andrelated equipment for the Super TeenClub. The iPads will enable the teens tocomplete assignments and projects forschool, to find study material such as on-line textbooks and journals, to access theInternet and to use free educational ap-plications. Pictured in the photo are EllenNichols, Debi Braendle, Anne Douglasand Sarah Owen and students from NewHorizons.



SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 18


TOWN TALK

Lee Back to SchoolInformation Available OnlineA Back to School section containing information for children attending Lee CountySchools is available on the district’s website www.leeschools.net. The Back to Schoolsection contains links to information such as lunch menus, supply lists, bell times,registration information and more. Families looking for additional information thatis not on the website can call their child’s school. The first day of the 2012/13school year is Wednesday, August 8th, 2012.

2012 Candidate Forum at the BonitaGrande Fire Station

A candidate forum will be hosted by the BonitaSprings Chamber of Commerce on August 7 from5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The forum will feature candi-dates running for Lee County Clerk of the CircuitCourt – 20th Judicial Circuit, Lee County SchoolBoard – District 3, Bonita Springs Fire Controland Rescue District - Seat 2 and Bonita SpringsFire Control and Rescue District – Seat 4. The

forum consists of a Q & A panel format as well as open questions from the public.The 2012 Candidate Forum is open to the public and will allow them to become fur-ther acquainted with the positions of these candidates prior to voting. Candidate po-sition papers will be posted on ww.bonitaspringsgovernmentaffairs. com. The forumwill be held at the Bonita Grande Fire Station, 27701 Bonita Grande Drive BonitaSprings. Information is available by calling the Chamber at 239-992-2943.


Dress Collection for Love That DressThe Laser Lounge Spa hosted a dress collection party this summer. Pictured here areNanette Staropoli, Owners April and Jonathan Sigg and Ashley Biddinger. Dressescollected and funds raised supported Love That Dress! benefiting PACE Center forGirls. It’s not too late to donate dresses which will be resold for nominal prices at themain events occurring simultaneously on August 29, 2012 from 6 to 9 p.m. Localdrop off locations to donate a dress before August 16: Laser Lounge Spa and BB&Toffices. See Events listing for more information.

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 19

August 2012

Commentary

By Peter A. O’FlinnPublisher

Bonita is beautiful. Justlook at Riverside Park, forexample.But let’s be frank. The

landscaping of our publicroadways, what little thereis, leaves much to be desired. Bonita Beach Road east

of the interstate looks liketwo super-sized bowlinglanes, complete with mega-gutters. Imperial Parkway isalmost barren, until you getto the Collier County line.Beach Road, our “gate-

way” to Bonita, is filled withscruffy swales. Privacy wallsthat the City erects aroundtown, including on EastTerry, Imperial Parkway and

now along Beach Road havebeen left bare, giving ourtown a latter day Jericholook, as a city council mem-ber once put it.Let’s face it. We all love

Bonita, but this is an embar-rassment, and like yourmessy room when you werea kid, it has gone on so longthat we don’t even see it.Some say there is no

money. That’s incorrect.There is plenty.It is simply a matter of

priorities. The proposed citybudget is filled with millionsfor road construction, includ-ing an ongoing $6 millionproject to connect a road to

Imperial Parkway. Now thereis talk about four laning Old41 south of Beach Road justso it better meets up withBeach Road, which is beingwidened to six lanes. Do we need a vision for

road construction? Sure. Buthow about a vision for whatwe want to look like?In the same budget, road

median landscaping projects,that are long failed promisesfrom previous road building,are relegated to a wish listof “additional items.” Limitedimprovements are approvedat the most basic level. Mayor Nelson long has

been a singular leader in

community clean up efforts.Thanks to him and others,our dedicated tree committeehas worked hard to improvethe City’s appearance. Butwe can’t lay this problem atthe feet of a volunteer groupwith a budget less than thecost of a traffic study.

What needs to be done?The City needs to define aclear mission, and a plan toget there quickly. That is easyto do. You can actually seeit. Just get in your car anddrive south. In 2003, Collier County

adopted a Landscape MasterPlan for its roadways. Itsgoals include traffic calming,screening of adjacent prop-erties, improved property

values and a pleasant com-munity ambiance.Collier’s plan has been

wildly successful, and so hasthe City of Naples. There isno reason why Bonita can’tbe too, in a cost efficient way. Unless our goal is to look

like Ft. Myers, its time tostop planning landscapeimprovements at the sug-gested Lee County basic lev-els; and its time to stopwaiting for Lee County orour gated communities tolead the way.Before the City builds

another road, it should finishthe work on the roads italready has, with properlandscaping. It’s time for the City to

clean up its room.

Peter A. O’Flinn is the Pub-lisher of the Southwest Spot-light News Magazine. He canbe contacted at [email protected].

CommentaryIt’s Time for the Cityto Clean Up its Room

It’s an interesting andinspiring expression, isn’t it?There seems to be a pre-sumption built into it thatcollectively we all agree andthat floating out there some-where is an obvious and wellillustrated communal opin-ion. But it’s rarely that simple.More often than not, onsome very specific subjects“the people” just don’t agree,and a clear compromise or

consensus eludes us. So, thelarger challenge may wellbe… “How do we distillthousands of disparate voicesinto one vision or course ofaction?” I mean, let’s faceit… it can be hard enoughto get four Councilmembersto agree on something, muchless the other 45,000 peoplein our City. Not that we don’t hear

from quite a few people. Wedo. But in general, we mostlyhear from the same persistentindividuals or from very pas-sionate people who are con-cerned about a specific issue.This should be of particularinterest to the remaining40,000 or so of you, who livein Bonita Springs; becausefor better or for worse, thesevoices are quite often theonly ones that Council hearsfrom and as the saying goes…

“Decisions are made by peo-ple that show up.” Furthercomplicating the gatheringof a more representative com-munity consensus, all of ushave a relatively small groupof people that we actuallysee and hear from on a reg-ular basis. If you take a coupleof minutes and count foryourself you’ll probably comeup with no more than adozen or so people that youknow well and converse withfrequently. And I’m bettingthat the people in your groupshared most of the sameinterests and opinions as youdid to begin with. (If not,you probably wouldn’t behanging out with them inthe first place.) This is whyduring a debate you’ll oftenhear someone say “EverybodyI talk to agrees with me aboutthis!” I have no doubt thatstatement is true… but doesthat really qualify it as “theWill of the People”?All the studies, letters,

emails, meetings, workshops,public comment, blogs, pollsand conversations at the cluband in the grocery store are

a good source of raw infor-mation; but it is time, theattentive ear, and a littlehealthy skepticism that pro-vide a steady platform forexamining and weighing allof these voices collectively.And beyond anyone’s singularopinion or particular issuesthat have come before ourCity, over the last 12 yearsthere have been consistentthemes that have solidified.A communal personality orpicture of who we are asBonitians can create a foun-dation for the decisions thatwe will make together in thefuture. So if our communitycould literally speak as one,perhaps… just perhaps… itwould sound something likethis… We want our City to be

represented by strong, commonsense leaders that will hearour voices and show compas-sion and respect to all. Welove our beaches and our othernatural resources and we wantother people to love them too…but not to death. We are gen-erous and kind, but we arenot enablers. We understand

the need to invest in ourselvesand our community, but wedemand accountability andefficiency. We want people tohave fun, as long as they aren’ttoo noisy, for too long. Weenjoy each other’s company,but we treasure our privacy.We love to go out to eat, butwe want to be fit and active.We love being a small town,but we desperately want asuccessful downtown. We rec-ognize the need for economicdevelopment, but we don’twant our City to be over devel-oped. We love to volunteer,but we don’t like being toldwhat we have to do. We likeour neighbors, but we likethem quiet, clean and lawabiding. We love to drive, but

we hate traffic. We want gov-ernment to be light, but notso light that it can’t do some heavy lifting for uswhen we need it to. We love to play… to play golf,to play cards, to play tennis,to play soccer, to fish, to boat, to shell, to swim, tobike, to walk, to run and to go shopping; but we’re not afraid to work hard forwhat we believe in. We areproud to be patriotic indi-viduals, and together we willprotect our community, ourchildren, our homes and thisCity we love, with faith andcourage.

Ben Nelson Jr. is the Mayorof Bonita Springs.

Mayor’s Corner

The Will of the People

Some say there is no money.

That’s incorrect.

Letters to the Editor PolicyThe Southwest Spotlight publishes letters to the editor

as space allows. Please write thoughtfully on local topicsand be respectful of others. Letters containing personalattacks and abusive language will not be considered forpublication. Include a phone number to verify writer’sidentity. Letters are published at the Spotlight’s discretion.All letters are subject to editing for space, grammar andfactual accuracy.

Ben Nelson Jr.

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:20 PM Page 20


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August 2012

Arts & Entertainment

Mature Women’sFashion ShowWed., Aug. 15, Noon to 2 p.m.The Bonita Springs Recre-ation Center will hold a fash-ion show for mature womenwith a light lunch provided.Where: Bonita Springs Recre-ation Center, 26740 Pine Ave.Information: 239-992-2556.Cost: FREE.


Show Me Your “Abs”Fri., Aug. 3, 6 to 8 p.m. Opening�Reception, on display through August 30This exhibition featuresabstract art in all its forms.This journey into abstractart will give viewers a tasteof painting, sculpture, draw-ing, assemblage, video, danceand music. While most artbegins with color, form, line,shape and composition, theabstract artist’s journey takesthem to a very different con-clusion. Opening Reception,August 3, will also featurelive abstract artworks inmusic and dance, as well asopportunities for visitors tocreate their own abstractimagery at a unique ‘CreationStation’. Where: The Centerfor the Arts of Bonita Springs26100 Old 41 Road. Infor-mation: www.artcenterboni-ta.org or call 239-495-8989.Cost: FREE.

Improv ShowcaseTuesday, Aug. 7, 7 to 9 p.m.The audience is part of theshow as students from theCenter for the Arts AdultImprov II class show off theirnew skills. The performanceincludes games and scenesbased on audience sugges-tions. Where: Promenade atBonita Bay. Information:www.artcenterbonita.org or239-495-8989. Cost: FREE.

Films for Film LoversMon., Aug. 13 & 27, 7 p.m.On Aug. 13, The Five Senses,an award-winning Canadian

film, stars Mary-Louise Park-er and Gabrielle Rose as itexplores the senses and whatit means to be human. OnAug. 27, a French film, TheGrocer’s Son, is the captivatingportrayal of a young manwho left his village 10 yearsearlier to pursue his dreamsin the city. When his grocerfather becomes ill, he returnsto his village to fill his father’srole. Where: Promenade atBonita Bay. Informationwww.artcenterbonita.org. or239-495-8989. Cost: $8 perperson.

Art WalkThur., Aug. 30, 5 to 7 p.m.�Visit the artists’ studios,view their art, demonstra-tions and enjoy a live musicalconcert, light refreshmentsand visit the other merchantsof the Promenade. Where:Promenade at Bonita Bay.Cost: FREE.

Fundraisers

Love That Dress!Wed., Aug. 29, 6 p.m.This fundraiser for PACECenter for Girls became aninstant hit several years ago.Throughout the year gentlyused or new dresses aredonated by their owners. OnAug. 29, the dresses are resoldfor nominal prices and allof the proceeds go to PACE.This year the Lee and Collierevents will be held simulta-neously at two different loca-tions. Separate tickets arerequired. Where: Lee County,Embassy Suites Fort Myers-Estero, 10450 CorkscrewCommons Drive, Estero, FL33928. Collier County, Wal-dorf Astoria Naples, 475 Sea-gate Drive, Naples, FL 34103.Information: www.lovethat-dress.org. Cost: $25

Meetings

Southwest FloridaFederated RepublicanWomen�Wed., Aug. 1, 11:30 a.m.If you are a registered Repub-lican, interested in makinga difference and meetingother dedicated Republicanwomen, join us for ourmonthly lunch meetings, thefirst Wednesday of everymonth, starting with a social hour, luncheonat noon and a program ofdisting uished speakers. Reser-vations required. For infor -

mation and reservations callAnne Brown 239-254-9979.Where: Arbor Trace ClubHouse, Vanderbilt Drive,Naples. Cost: $18 lunch.

Big Hickory IslandPreserve Plan MeetingTues., Aug. 7, 6 p.m.A public meeting regardingthe land stewardship planof Big Hickory Island Pre-serve is being held at theBonita Springs PublicLibrary. The meeting focuseson the draft of the land stew-ardship plan of the approx-imately 186 acre parcelmanaged by Lee CountyParks and Recreation that isdirectly adjacent to the Gulfof Mexico with plannedfuture amenities. The draftis available for viewing atthe Bonita Springs PublicLibrary or online atwww.conservation2020.org.Where: 26876 Pine Ave.Bonita Springs, FL 34135.

Democratic Club ofBonita Springs &South Lee County�Tues., Aug. 21, 7 p.m.Meets 3rd Tuesday ofeach month. Where: Centerfor the Arts of Bonita Springs,26100 Old 41 Road.For more information con-tact Larry Byrnes at 239-634-6469.

Toastmasters International�Wed., Aug. 8 & 22, 7 p.m.�The Bonita Springschapter of ToastmastersInternational meets the sec-ond and fourth Wednesdaysof each month. Toastmastersteaches their members goodcommunication by helpingwith public speaking andleadership.�Where: BonitaSprings Fire House 27701Bonita Grande Drive. Forinformation call Scott Vailat 239-777-3642.

Come watch the action live and in person�Wed., Aug. 1, 5:30 p.m.Wed., Aug. 15, 9 a.m.�Bonita Springs City

Council. Where: City CouncilChambers, 9101 BonitaBeach Road.

All dates, times and pricesare subject to change.

EVENTS

Small Town Charm.Big Bright Future.

Small wn Charm.TBig Bright Future.

Small Big Bright Future.

wn Charm.oTToBig Bright Future.

wn Charm.

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August 2012


Show Me Your ‘Abs’ ExhibitionOpening Reception & Campus Open House

Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs

Friday August 3, 2012; 6:00pm

J o i n u s “ L i v e ” a t t h e P r o m e n a d e i n B o n i t a B a y. Tickets: call 239-495-8989 or visit www.artcenterbonita.org

Terry Cole & the Honky Tonk Hitmen

Thursday, August 9, 7:00pm

$15 members / $20 non-members

Live! at the Promenade

The Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs Presents

“Sunny” by Eileen Walden Johnson

On display through August 30, 2012


Down Home Country Classics...Put on your cowboy hats and boots for this night of country music with Terry Cole & the Honky Tonk Hitmen. Just try

includes, beer, wine, dancing , door prizes & more. Beer and wine available.

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By Meghan [email protected]

Bonita Springs – The workof Tom O’Hara is some-times otherworldly, with ascience fiction feeling.Other times it is a primor-dial creature that could havecrawled from the primitiveEarth. It is always uniqueand intriguing, a blend ofpainting and sculpture thatseems to take on life andwalk from the gallery walls.

O’Hara moved to BonitaSprings this year, and hasmade an impression on thelocal art scene. His art iswell received throughoutFlorida and otherparts of the UnitedStates, perhapsbecause it is so dif-ferent and makessuch a statement.This uniqueness

comes from the lifeof the artist, whichitself has been aunique opportunityto study artistic stylesand cultures.“I can remember

it as if it were yester-day,” O’Hara says. “Ibegan art starting inkindergarten when Iimpressed my teacher

with my drawings.”The young artist was

encouraged by his parentsand teachers throughouthis early life. They suppliedhim with materials and fedhis curiosity. He attendedthe Worcester Art Museumclasses for gifted children,and continued to expandhis artistic endeavorsthrough high school as heprepared for college. “High school was the

same. They offered goodcourses in art and the teach-ers were first rate,” O’Harasaid. “Fortunately I wasraised in the Boston area,a place where numerousmuseums and culturalactivities were available toyoung people.”As O’Hara studied art

at Clark University he hadthe opportunity to becomean exchange student inMexico. There he attendedthe well-known InstitutoAllende where he immersedhimself in art.“The dramatic Mexican

style and social art was verydifferent from what I wasused to and the vivid colorswere a revelation whichdeeply affected my work,”O’Hara said.Upon graduation from

Clark, O’Hara was awardeda Fulbright Fellowship foroverseas study in Brazil.“The Brazilians’ freedom

of style and tropical colorsallowed me to see art in anew light, and profoundlyaffected my early work,”O’Hara said. “As a society,Brazilians are very creativeand imbued with a richartistic sense that I enjoyedbeing a part of.”When O’Hara returned

to the United States, theAbstract Expressionismmovement was windingdown and he says the artworld became a “free-for-all.”He began experimenting

with 3D mixed media art,then sculpture, later dis-covering 3D AssemblageArt.“This is a bridge between

painting and sculpture,”O’Hara said. “That seemsto be my comfort zone andI continue to work in threecategories of this art form.”The categories are: 1. Organic, using complete-ly organic materials foundin nature. 2. Bionic: a combinationof organic and man-madematerials. 3. Counter-culture “Steam-

punk” art which createsstrange inventions andimaginary contraptionsfrom discarded electro-mechanical materials inorder to form sculpturalart forms.The combination of

materials and styles in thisartwork is captivating. Itmakes one imagine crea-tures from the deepestdepths of the oceans andthe outer reaches of theUniverse. It is truly a uniqueexperience to stand beforethe work of O’Hara.Currently, O’Hara’s work

can be found in the summerexhibitions at the Centerfor the Arts of BonitaSprings. Examples are alsoavailable on the artist’sweb site at www.artistohara.com.

Other Worldly Art of Tom O’Hara

Contributed Photos| Special to The SpotlightTide Traveler wall sculpture by Tom O’Hara.

Gatekeeper wall sculpture by Tom O’Hara.

Resonance combined mediums assemblage painting by Tom O’Hara.

Tom O’Hara

Artist Spotlight

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August 2012

Community

Bonita Springs – Yesterdayat lunch an employee of minetold me that all four of hischildren, all under the age of10, each had their own iPad.Yep... that’s what I said too!“That’s NUTS!” He put hishands on his hips and lookedat me like I was 100 years oldand said “You know… it’snot just something to playwith. It teaches them stufftoo. How to solve problems,how to fix things...” But hisvoice faded into the back-ground as I thought back toa time when my father gaveme a gift that probably eliciteda similar reaction. The Scout.I was 10 years old when

my dad gave me the small,green, 4-wheel-drive jeep typepick up truck made by Inter-

national Harvester. It wasgood enough to drive in thewoods but not legal to driveon the highway. Since I wasin elementary school, thisdescribed me as well, so wewere a perfect fit.For the next few years I

would drive the Scout aroundand around and around aself-made off road racetrackin the woods next to my par-ents hardware store on Old41 (where Stan’s Subs andthe Literacy Council are now),until the Scout would breakdown, catch on fire or getstuck. When it broke down,I would fix it myself, replacingbroken axels, springs, theclutch or whatever else waswrong… learning by doing.When I got it stuck or flippedit over on its side, I wouldwork by myself with a shovel,scrap boards and a car jackfor as long as it took to get itmoving again. Although atthe time I thought I was justhaving fun, I was actuallylearning valuable lessons inproblem solving, the laws ofphysics and mechanical engi-neering, as well as buildingself reliance and confidence. It also fed the inventive

side of me, like when I

attached a snorkel to theScout, which allowed me todrive it under water whenmy buddies and I traveled inthe swamps east of Bonita.The Scout would bubblealong quietly while our grin-ning disembodied heads glid-ed along the surface of thedark brown swamp water.But, being a preteen boy, Iwas also inspired to engagein some rather questionablecreative behavior (don’t trythis at home!) like towingone of my buddies little broth-ers behind the Scout on apiece of plywood. In all fairness, I have to

give a great deal of credit forthis idea to my friend Billy.(You’re welcome Billy!) Hecame up with the idea andalso supplied his little brotherDanny as a test pilot for whathe believed would be a newsport. Amazingly, while hisbig brother sat in the back ofthe Scout as spotter, littleDanny managed to stay onhis wooden sled, tied ontothe back of the Scout with a30-foot-long rope, for over aminute before it plowedthrough a palmetto patch at20 miles an hour and becameairborne. When Billy saw his

screaming little brother flyingthrough the air clutching thepiece of plywood, he realizedthat he had just invented thesport of parasailing, and inhis excitement yelled WHOA!Now, I thought that WHOAmeant stop, so I slammed onthe brakes, which caused littleDanny to make a perfect crashlanding into the back of Scouton top of his brother. (Let’ssee you do that with an iPad!)I thought this was hilarious...

until the plywood camesmashing through the Scout’sback window. And althoughwe had broken the windowand possibly a couple of laws,I have to point out that wedid not break Danny... at leastphysically. To his credit, Billy’slittle brother never squealedon us. So to show our grati-tude we let him ride insidethe Scout… most of the time.I’m not sure that my father

intended the Scout to be a

teaching aid, but as I typethis story on my iPad... I doremember his nodding hishead and smiling as hewatched me crawl out fromunder the hood, turn the igni-tion key and bring the Scoutback to life, one more time.Thanks Dad.

Read more antics from the lifeof Mayor Ben Nelson Jr. atwww.swspotlight.com or www.theotherbennelson.blogspot.com

The OtherBEN

BEN NELSON JR.

The Scout

Neil Nelson | Special to The Spotlight

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Community

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Bonita Springs – My nameis Sara Haven. I’ve been in

Bonita Springs for 21 years.This is my home. I am a“Bonitian.” Even though I was born

in Massachusetts, I wouldnever want to move awayfrom here. It is a true par-adise! What is there notto love about this place?Growing up here I spent

most of my time at BonitaBeach or at Shangri-lahotel and Spa. Both of myparents worked there. Iloved walking the groundsbeneath the giant trees pre-tending I lived in a differ-ent world. I went to school here

and decided to stay hereto live and work. I meetthe most interesting peopleat my job at LaMoucheSalon and Spa. I couldn’task for better clients andco-workers. It’s nice to livein a place where you reallyknow the people in yourcommunity and they knowyou.I had the best childhood

and I’m excited to livehere with my husbandand raise our daughter Ava here. I’m happy toknow that she will be sur-rounded by the samemagic that I was.

Why I Love Living in Bonita SpringsSara Haven

Bonita Springs – Would youpurchase a $500 suit (ordress) off the rack withouthaving it tailored or altered?For the price you’re paying,it should be perfect. This isthe same expectation I havefor golf equipment. It isunfortunate however thatthe price we pay for theequipment, does not guar-antee a high quality or con-sistent product. Similar tothe range of sizes that fitfrom different clothing lines,there are no standards in thegolf industry when it comesto the club’s shaft flex. A reg-ular flex shaft from one man-ufacturer could be as soft asthe ladies flex in another, orthe complete opposite canoccur, and it could end upbeing a stiff flex. The goal behind a prop-

erly fit golf shaft is to helpload and unload as muchenergy as possible, and trans-fer it to the golf ball at impact.Besides the flex, there areother important factors toconsider when choosing adriver shaft model. Shaft

weight, flex or bend point,the spin rate generated, andthe torque are all equallyimportant. Where the shaftbends will help determinethe ball flight or trajectoryand can influence the golfball’s launch angle by at least2 to 3 degrees. It can producea high ball flight by flexingat the lower end of the shaftnear the club head, or it canhelp produce a lower ballflight by flexing towards thetop of the shaft. Golf shaftsare available from 34 gramsup to 115 grams in graphitefor woods and irons. Steelshafts also provide manyweight choices from 65grams up to 160 grams.Heavier shafts will generallyfit golfers with an aggressiveswing tempo by slowing theclub down slightly, but justenough to move impact clos-er to the sweet spot. Lightershafts are effective in increas-ing club head speed, but toolight of a shaft, and the out-come is lost control of theclub head and shot.Due to marketing, most

golfers believe that the slowerthe club head speed, the soft-er the golf shaft flex shouldbe to fit them. This is nottrue because golfers can havea slow club head speed butan aggressive tempo or shortabrupt back swing. Sincethe shaft takes this abuse it

will need to be a stiffer flexto hold all of its energy untilimpact. Vice versa is true,when a golfer has fast clubhead speed but a slow grad-ual acceleration and tempo,i.e. Ernie Els. The shaft flexwill need to be softer toensure it doesn’t unload priorto striking the golf ball. Golf shafts are a lever that

load and unload in the samemanner of a fishing rod.There are devices other thana launch monitor that willmeasure this pressure andforce applied to the shaft sothat acceleration is consistentthroughout the entire backswing. It is crucial to be fitfor both. An improper shaftwill create inconsistent clubhead speed, thus distanceissues and haphazard golfshots. Drivers and fairwaywoods will become unreli-able because the shaft launch-es the ball to differentdistances and in differentdirections. So the next timeyour tee shot goes astray,look to alter the shaft foryour solution.

Josh Musselman is a PGAprofessional, 2008 HortonSmith Award recipient,2006-2012 “World’s Top 100Club Fitter” recipient and canbe reached via email [email protected].

TEE BOXTIPS

JOSH MUSSELMAN

High Price Doesn’tGuarantee

High Quality

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August 2012

Community

Bonita Springs – Butterflies,Bees and Bats…oh my!For over 3 years, I had to

wonder what the box ontop of the pole was all aboutand recently I finally foundout. I learned that the wood-

en box donated by BonitaNature Place neighbor Cul-lum Hasty was a home forbats and the pole it sits highupon was also donated byFlorida Power and Light.But, it wasn’t until oneevening when a group ofpeople gathered around thatpole that I found out more.I listened as Cullum

explained the bat house and

that these tiny creatures thatcome out in the night livein the box; it’s their home.Wow, I am usually snuggleddown in my burrow for thenight and had no idea thatthere was so much life going

on at night.He told the

group whowere waitingfor the bats toemerge thatthey are calledFree Tailed batsand they areabout 4 incheslong and weigh

half an ounce. They aremammals and love to eatmosquitoes. They sleep allday and then leave the boxto hunt all night. Cullumstated that he had countedover three hundred batsleaving the bat house eachnight at dusk in search of food and returning tothe bat house early in themorning.

I made myself comfort-able at the opening of myburrow within the GopherTortoise preserve area and Iwaited and watched too.Sure enough, a couple of

minutes after he said theywould, they started leavingthe box. They actually starteddropping from the slightopening in the bottom ofthe box and then becameairborne. We could hearthem squeaking, it was likethey were so happy to beout and flying and gatheringup insects to eat.Cullum also explained

how the Florida bat popu-lations are declining due tothe overuse of pesticides,insecticides and from a lossof suitable nesting habitat.Boy, that all sounded too

familiar like what is hap-pening to so many Floridanatives, including theMonarch butterfly, panthers,honeybees and Gopher Tor-toises, like me. Everyone there was excit-

ed to see the bats and learnmore about these little guys.I have to say that I was

most surprised at how fastthey were flying overhead,but then again, well, almosteverything moves fast com-pared to me.

Goober is a gopher tortoise liv-ing at the Bonita NaturePlace.

Goober and the Bats!

Dog of the month

Buddy graduated with his owner, Stephanie Mejia, from the University of SouthFlorida. Buddy is back in Bonita Springs and is August’s dog of the month, and is thewinner of a $25 gift certificate to Pet Paradise in Bonita Springs. Email your favoritephotos of your best friend to [email protected] and your dog could be the nextdog of the month.

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Community


Bonita Springs – Satcha andPam Umscheid started their11 year relationship with afish. Umsheid’s previouslong-haired dachshund wasa rescued dog and a belovedfamily pet that had beengone for nearly two years.Their busy lifestyle did notleave room for a new dog.“Let’s go to Fort Myers

and trade my fish,” suggestedher spouse, Tom, one Floridamorning. “You can play withthe puppies.” The trip to the pet shop

was for the aquarium. Littledid they know that the pup-pies that day would includea charming dachshund, blackwith long hair.Umscheid made three

more trips to the pet shopin Fort Myers to visit thepuppy before she could resistno longer. She bought thepuppy and took her home.Soon Satcha was playingpuppy tricks on the familyin their Bonita Springs home.

The first look at the blackpuppy with big feet stoleUmscheid’s heart. It was truethat the entire family hadcareers and a new puppywas challenging comparedto an older dog. They pre-ferred dogs from shelters.Their son Luke started witha list of reasons why theydid not need another dogand ended naming the newpuppy. “Satcha was supposed to

be a mini. Big feet were aclue to the present 21 poundsinstead of six to eight,”explained Umscheid.The dachshund, meaning

“badger dog” in German,was bred in Germany threecenturies ago as a huntingdog with a keen sense ofsmell. It is one breed withthree varieties (longhaired,smooth and wirehaired) andtwo sizes (standard andminiature). Described by theAKC as a lovable and playfulcompanion, it is a popularpet, no longer thought of asa fighter of vicious badgers.The puppy trained quick-

ly and slept most of the daywhen the family was nothome. Umscheid returnedhome at lunch. An active lifehas never required a kennel;friends or family watch

Satcha if she just can’t travelalong. She would miss herneighborhood where she’severyone’s friend and has aspecial ability to calm eventhe hyper dogs. She simply

sits still until they calm down.As a puppy, she tried theusual puppy tricks: trailingtoilet paper around thehouse; wearing embarrassingarticles of clothing into themidst of company; and actu-ally fighting for clothingwhile a family member wasdressing. Those days evolvedinto watching the neighbor-hood from the window andenjoying her visits on theleash.Her special friend is the

neighbor’s small parrot,Sport, perhaps more a curios-ity than a friend. When theneighbor travels, Umsheidand Satcha watch the parrot.Once, when Sport was onthe porch, an open cage doorprovided unexpected free-dom; Umscheid found boththe parrot and Satcha walkingin circles around the tablelegs, stopping to stare at eachother, not quite sure how toreact to sharing the samespace.Satcha learned quickly

that Sport is an eatingmachine. Satcha hoversaround the cage to pick upwhat Sport might throw outor drop. Each time Satchaeats on schedule, Sport dinesas well. Satcha is quite toler-

ant of the feathered visitorjust as she is tolerant of otherdogs. “Satcha is content watch-

ing clouds and birds andneighbors from the frontwindow,” said Umscheid.“She is a very calming influ-ence by her own easy goingdisposition; however, she canbe quite stubborn. When it’stime for a walk, she mightdecide to just sit instead. Ihave actually carried hernearly half a block to let herknow sitting was not anoption!”Satcha has one speed,

slow (unless she sees a squir-rel). As a result, she forcesher busy family to slowdown and appreciate a walkand what they see aroundthem. “Taking care of her yields

unconditional love andappreciation that’s hard tofind everywhere. She makesus laugh. We are morehuman because Satcha is inour lives,” Pam said with asmile.

If you have a dog that you thinkis particularly wonderful, contactus at info@swspotlight. com andhe or she could be the next dogfeatured in this column.

Bonita’sBest Friends

D.K. CHRISTI

Contributed | Special to The SpotlightSatcha is a long-haired dachshund that stole PamUmscheid’s heart.

Curious and Calming – Satcha

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:21 PM Page 29

Bonita Springs – I wasrecently taking a walk onthe beach as part of myevening routine. I consis-tently tell my patients thatexercise is an integral partof our physical and mentalwell-being so I’m sure to“practice what I preach!”However, as is typical ofSouthwest Florida weather,a small storm was brewingon the horizon. I saw thedark clouds, with dashes oflighting thrown in for effect,and hurriedly ended my walkand rushed back to myhome. For a brief moment,I thought, “Phew! It’s toomuggy today for a walk any-how!” and I smiled when Ireached the air-conditionedcomfort of my living room.As expected, I took off

my shoes, poured a glass oficed tea, got comfortable andpicked up the news. Withthat I was barraged with avariety of stories, some good,some entertaining but manywere stress filled: economic

woes, housing crisis, militarystrife and suddenly I realized,I needed to be more mindfulof the importance of dailyroutines. The benefit of takingtime for yourself, away fromthe “daily grind” to be mindfuland appreciative of the simplethings in life (and, yes, thatincludes a brewing storm) isessential to our mental andphysical well-being.Whether it is a walk on

the beach, a cup of tea onyour patio while listening tothe crickets chirp in the yard,or meditating for 10 minutes,the need for your brain torelax is essential. As notedin Psychology Today, “TheBenefits of Meditation,” neu-roscientists have found thatpeople who routinely usemeditation as a way of relax-ation shift their brain activityto different areas of the cortex— brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortexmove to the calmer leftfrontal cortex. This mentalshift decreases the negativeeffects of stress, mild depres-sion and anxiety.I’m glad to report that I

did put down the news andtook my own advice. Onwent my shoes as I headedback to the beach. What Ifound was amazing! A coolerbreeze wafted across thewaves, crabs scurried aboutfinding evening shelter, seashells in abundance and 10

minutes of listening to therumble of the sea found meat peace with the day. Gratefully, when I awoke

the next day, I found a smileon my face and a jump inmy step, eager to meet newpatients and share importantrelaxation techniques witheveryone who was availableto learn!

Helpful tips:• Daily meditation, 5-10minutes of quiet time, willhelp you to relax and bringyour thoughts, feelings andenergy into focus. Be sureto schedule it into yourday.• Routine exercise is impor-tant to keep your bodyand mind healthy. Scheduleit into your calendar andstick-to-it! • Do exercises which youenjoy – 5 days a week –keeping in mind thatmorning exercise is bestfor your body. Occasionallyreward yourself with abreak from your routine.• When you wake up in themorning be grateful forthe gift of a new day. Cher-ish the gift of life!

Dr. Stan J. Strycharz is alicensed, clinical psychologistpracticing in Bonita Springs.He can be contacted atwww.drstan.net.

Bonita Springs – When Imet the man who wouldbecome my husband, he hadthe cutest little 3-year-oldniece, Ellie. Her parents cameto visit us in Florida (theylived in Tennessee where myhusband is from). We tookEllie sailing, went to thebeach and she and I lovedeach other instantly. Iremember giving her thebook Click, Clack, Moo:Cows that Type by DoreenCronin because it was oneof my favorites at the time.We later moved to Ten-

nessee for a short periodwhen Ellie was four. We spenttime hiking in the SmokyMountains, boating on thelake, playing with ink stampsand markers. That fall, herparents found out they werehaving twins. We were onthe cusp of moving back toFlorida.The twins were born that

spring and Ellie turned 5.Later that year we had ourfirst child and then Ellie’sparents had another babythe next summer. Basically,life got busy for us, and forEllie.We go to Tennessee once

or twice a year and see Ellieand her three little sistersfor a day or so. It never feelslike enough time to reallyknow them. But, life is busy,and that’s all we have.This summer though, we

got a surprise. While we werestaying with my husband’s

parents near Nashville, Ellie’sparents decided to bring allfour girls to spend half theweek with us and our daugh-ter. So, now we had 10-year-old Ellie and four little girlsunder the age of 5. Ourdaughter, an only child,couldn’t have been happier.She clung to Ellie, just asEllie had clung to me whenshe was 4. She giggled, andwhispered with all of hercousins. My mother-in-law,Mama Dean, and I had anassembly line of meals, hair braiding, bath time, teethbrushing and bed time. Wewere exhausted and I wonderhow my brother-in-lawand his wife keep up!Every morning

my husband and Iwent golfing, and Elliecame along to drivethe cart (and escapethe four little girls).Don’t get me wrong,they are all sweet and we

love them to pieces, but theyargue over everything, whatcolor of cup they get, whohad more milk in their glass,who got to play with eachtoy and on and on. It wasnice to get Ellie alone for awhile so we could talk. Morn-ing golf with Ellie became arespite for the three of us.During these outings to

the course, Ellie and I beganto talk about books. It turnsout she was reading TheHunger Games by SuzanneCollins which I still had notread. I couldn’t believe shehad never read one of myall time favorites, the HarryPotter series by J.K. Rowling.I realized, sitting there withher, that Ellie is at one ofmy favorite reading ages.

The books for 5th grade tohigh school readers areamazing. I started tickingoff a list to her, some shehad read, and some she hadnever heard of. Then sheticked off a list for me, manyI had never read either. Wedecided that we need to e-mail booklists back andforth. Luckily, Ellie received an

iPod touch for her 10thbirthday so we can stay con-nected through text ande-mail and during our twobusy lives, we can pause and

say “hello, how areyou and what

are you reading today?”My daughter loves to

FaceTime with all of ourfamily. It’s as if, because oftechnology, we are neverreally far away. For me, thisis such a gift for my daugh-ter. My family has alwaysgiven me the strength andcourage to do everythingthat I do. I watch my daugh-ter developing the same rela-tionships, and sigh withrelief. I know that she willhave that firm sense of fam-ily, of love and security andI am happy.

Meg-a-mom is the secret iden-tity of Meghan Easterly, awriter, photographer, editorand all around supermomliving in Bonita Springs.

August 2012

Community

MEGAMOM

MEGHAN EASTERLY

Beautiful Bonita –Star-Spangled Bonita. Your opportunity to

relive the great 4th of Julyparty. From the 5K race tothe old-fashioned bed race,from the cupcake war tothe hot dog contest, fromthe live music to BonitaFire Parade, check it out.You are probably in it.

Untold Stories – Bonita SpringsA trip to the past. How

Bonita Springs becameBonita Springs. Producedby WGCU.

Government Works –Rain Barrels Work-shopCatch up on a quick and

easy way to save moneyand save water at the sametime. Rain barrels are agreat idea already adoptedby hundreds of folks inBonita. Are you one ofthem?

City MeetingsDon’t miss a beat. The

City broadcasts its electedofficials’ meetings live onchannel 98. Every week you

can re-visit the most recentCity Council Meetings, CityCouncil Zoning Meetings,Local Planning AgencyMeetings and the ZoningBoard Meetings. Also, you can see the

latest Fire Commissioners’meeting Monday at 8pm.This program is producedby the Bonita Springs FireControl & Rescue District.If you have any ideas for

programming you wouldlike to see on BTV98, [email protected] . Write BTV98suggestions in the subject.

BTV98’s schedule is subjectto change. For more completeinformation on all currentprogramming, visit www.bonitatv.org.

Keeping iniPod Touch

MIND SOUL

STAN J. STRYCHARZ, Psy.D.

Relax and Enjoythe Storm

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Community


Bonita Springs – “A goodnight of sleep is essential to good health,” accordingto Mitchell Petusevsky,MD, FCCP of BonitaSprings. “Correction of habitsthat contribute to insomniais a much better form oftreatment than long-termuse of sleeping medications.”

Petusevsky is one of thisarea’s few physicians board-certified in sleep disorders.His recommendations fitwith those of the Mayo Clinicand nationally recognizedsleep disorder expert, ClaudiaM. Toth, Psy.D., CBSM,Behavioral Sleep MedicineSpecialist, Harvard MedicalSchool. A summary of theircommon sense approach fol-lows.Adults with sleep depri-

vation may be subject tomood changes, immune sys-tem weaknesses, difficulties

with weight control and ageneral lethargy and lack ofvitality. Quality of life isdiminished and the agingprocess feels worse due tothe lack of energy. Adultsneed from seven to ninehours of quality sleep,depending on the individual.Awaking rested provides asense of well-being that con-firms a good night’s sleep.Insomnia is a regular topic

of conversation around thebridge table, on the golfcourse and in the workplace.Grocery shopping at 2 a.m.at the 24 hour Wal-Mart orpicking up pharmacy itemsat the 24 hour CVS and Wal-greens pharmacies is a solu-tion for some who give upon sleep and attempt to makeuse of the time beyond read-ing, computer use or house-hold activity. Others catchup on their exercise at a 24-hour fitness location. Actu-ally, instead of remaining inbed stressed from wakeful-

ness, occasionally using thattime for an activity may con-tribute to a good night’s sleepthe next night. Making it ahabit is the risk.Dr. Petusevsky’s patient

survey elicits possible sourcesfor sleep deprivation andprovides a reference for solu-tions:

n What time do you go tosleep and wake up? Doyou maintain the samesleep and wake scheduleon the weekends or tendto sleep longer?

n How much caffeine doyou drink?

n Do you smoke?

n How much alcohol doyou drink?

n Is your room dark, quietand comfortable?

n Do you read, watch tele-vision, or engage in activ-ities other than sleep inthe bedroom?

n Do you nap during theday?

n How long does it take foryou to fall asleep mostnights?

n Do you have pets thatsleep in the bedroom?

n Do you have young chil-dren who keep you awakeat night?

n Does your bed partnersnore or interfere with

your sleep?n When do you eat dinner?n Do you exercise? Whattime of the day?

Corrective solutionsinclude the sleeping envi-ronment, lifestyle and med-ical issues.Keep the sleeping envi-

ronment free of distractions,dark and preferably cool.Eliminate electronics. Evena clock creates stress as thewakeful person sees anotherhour has passed withoutsleep. Green and red dotsblinking, cell phones vibrat-ing and televisions flashing– even the anticipation oftheir use changes the brainchemistry to expectationinstead of relaxation. Petssleep best in their own quar-ters. Anecdotal evidence sug-gests that countingbackwards, thinking abouta gratitude list, and distract-ing a busy mind with a singleproblem like consecutivelysubtracting three from 100sometimes help that firstdrift into sleep.Lifestyle changes include

breaking old habits and start-ing new ones. Eliminateexcessive salt, sugar, caffeine,alcohol and nicotine. They

interfere with the naturalbody rhythms. Eat nutritiousmeals and drink waterinstead. Keep heavy mealsearly in the day and onlylight food choices in theevening. Skip the 11 p.m.news for its stress inducingmessages; watch at 6 p.m.Avoid emails and stressinducing texts, computerissues or television thatevokes negative emotionsjust before bed. Relax with asoothing bath, a massage,pleasant reading and con-versation, soothing musicand smiles. Exercise earlierin the day; nothing like arun before bed to keep run-ning all night. Maintain aconsistent waking and sleepschedule, even on weekendsand vacations. Train the brainto turn off and the body torelax. Train family andfriends to respect the sched-ule.The third area, medical

issues, requires consultationwith a physician. Medicationsand illness may interfere withsleep patterns. Occasionally,sleep disorders require sleepanalysis that leads to a med-ical intervention. Sleep dep-rivation is serious; try newhabits and sleep well.

Can’t Sleep? – Try This

Adults with sleep deprivation may be subject to mood changes, immune systemweaknesses, difficulties with weight controland a general lethargy and lack of vitality.

3300 Bonita Beach Road, Ste.122Bonita Springs, FL 34134

(Bonita Beach Rd & 41-next to Publix)

Super StoreSuper Store239-947-1955

� e Cadillac of Vacuums that Deserves a Test Drive

#1 Rated by Consumer GuideCome in for a test drive and get a

$25 gas card for any Simplicity purchased over $199.99

$25 Gas

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:21 PM Page 31

August 2012

Community


Estero – The Koreshan StatePark experience is two-fold,an historical walk throughthe remnants of a thrivingutopian 19th century reli-gious commune and a mod-ern day retreat with camping,canoeing, picnicking andhiking on over 650 acresalong both sides of the EsteroRiver where Corkscrew Roadmeets U.S. 41.The modest entry fees

provide the visitor with end-less hours in a natural envi-ronment, in the midst ofdevelopments all around.Giant stands of ancient bam-boo play their music alongthe trails with over 1,700foot frontage on the EsteroRiver offering a cool breezeon a hot summer day. Canoesprovide escape from the heatunder the moss draped treecanopies over the river. Trail-ing a line in the water mightyield an edible fish or twofor the licensed fisherman.The modern world disap-pears.Ghost Walks and Histor-

ical Luncheons are two verypopular events unique to thehistory of Koreshan StatePark, officially deeded to theState of Florida in 1961.From 1894 to 1961, KoreshanState Historic Site was hometo a small sect of religiouspeople whose ideas andbeliefs ranged from sheergenius to nearly ludicrousfrom a modern perspective.

It all began with Cyrus Teedof New York.Teed had some experience

with Shakers, a religious sectthat had their own modestways of life that includedcelibacy and raising otherpeople’s children. One nightTeed had an “illumination”in a dream, visited by afemale embodiment of aspiritual experience, tellinghim to form a new religioussect (some called it a cult)and laying out the principles.He and a few of his followersleft New York and mergedwith another similar sect inChicago. They had about 75members with beliefs thatincluded communal living,separation of the sexes,celibacy for the highest spir-itually evolved members, theequality of women and astrange view of the cosmos. According to Michael

Heare, Park Services Spe-cialist and expert on Kore-shan history, “Teed believedno God would allow peopleto live on the outside of theearth, hurling into space. Hebelieved our Universe wascontained inside a giant hol-low sphere, the Earth’s landand seas were on the insidesurface of this sphere; theSun, Moon, Planets and Starswere all in the center of thissphere in a giant ball of gas;in other words, the Universewas finite.” Teed named himself

“Koresh,” a Hebrew word forshepherd; his followersbecame Koreshans.

About 75 members fol-lowed him to the presentsite of the Koreshan StatePark that the foundersnamed, “New Jerusalem.”Their society grew to about250 members before it startedto decline. They were anindependent commune,nearly self-sufficient and veryindustrious. Today, volun-teers in vintage dress carryon the occupations of theoriginal Koreshans for tour-ing history buffs during win-ter Ghost Walks. Elevenremaining buildings are listedon the National Register ofHistoric Places. Koreshans were known

locally for their bakery andhad their own generator toprovide alternating current.Plans were underway forunderground utilities. Kore-shan governance gave equalvoice to women; it was a“cult” without prejudice,ahead of its time. Principlesincluded an appreciation forbooks, education, music, sci-ence and art and forbadealcohol, opium and tobacco.The model of the cosmosinside a giant globe is ondisplay at the park. Their decline may be

credited to celibacy, the strictand disciplined lifestyle, thedeath of Teed and the chang-ing society around them. Inreality, Teed was probably agenius, carried away by hisbelief in his own immortality.The history of this unusualcommunity enriches a visitto Koreshan.

Two for One – Koreshan Historic Site

If you go…Koreshan State ParkWhere: U.S. Highway 41 and Corkscrew Road When: Park is open sunrise to sunset. Settlement is open 8a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: Entrance fee to Park $4 for 1 person, $5 for 2 or morepeople. Guided tours of historic settlement $2- Sat. & Sun. 10a.m. April thru Dec.For more information: www.floridastateparks.org/koreshan

Koreshan State Historic Site Photos | Special to The SpotlightThe Koreshan Unity Store and Post office was one of the original buildings in EsteroFlorida.

This historic photo shows the bamboo landing from the river

Koreshans settled along the banks of the Estero River in what is now Koreshan StatePark.

Koreshans stand in front of the Tea House.

In this historic photo the Koreshans are dressed up for the Lunar Festival. They believed that the universe was contained within a giant, hollow sphere.

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Restaurants

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August 2012

Restaurants

By George [email protected]

Key West – Most peoplethink of Key West as a ham-mock-swinging, piña cola-da-drinking destination andThe Keys as the 120-mileset-your-jaw-and-grimaceroad to Key West.I took the drive from

Bonita Springs again lastmonth. This time, more thanever before, I learned thatboth visions are wrong,wrong, wrong. Key West,with the arrival of the cruiseships, has become a southernversion of Las Vegas. TheKeys themselves, though, arestill what they’ve always been.Each individual Key is anutter delight if you only knowwhat you’re looking for.Do you think “the Keys”

and “Key West” are synony-mous? If so, you are merelyrushing from this world tothat world, never pausingalong the way to view thescenery that most will rushon by. The destination maybe Key West, but the journeyis truly the Keys. Here is asample of what you’ve beenmissing:The Keys don’t really

begin until you reach Islam-orada. Key Largo and Tav-ernier are the first two Keys,but honestly, the scenery issimply mundane. Thatdoesn’t mean those two Keysdon’t have some good spots.But the Overseas Highwaydown through this area islandlocked. You need to keepdriving. Suddenly you willbe able to see the blue-greenwater that makes The Keysfamous. Now the real funbegins.On the outskirts of Islam-

orada, at Mile Marker (MM)84, is a delightful bar calledRumrunners. Rumrunnersis a speakeasy raised approx-imately 20 feet high. It’s seton concrete pillars with athatched roof and locatedin the back near corner ofHoliday Isle. Bartender Normserves up the suds with anaffable, if somewhat eccentric,sense of humor. When you

grow weary of laughing, youcan retreat further upstairsto one of the six sky-podsthat overlook the Gulf ofMexico. It’s an excellent wayto start the decompressionprocess that you undoubtedlywill feel as you go deeperand deeper into the Keys. Continue traveling into

Marathon, another 35 miles.As you come to MM 49 youwill find 35th Street. Twoblocks to the right, on FloridaBay, is Keys Fisheries. It’s aquirky place where orderingis done at a window, andthe bar is again high atoppillars overlooking a marina.Fishermen peddle their waresat the adjoining market,meaning you can’t get any-thing fresher than that day’scatch.

The Seven-Mile Bridge isactually 6.79 miles in length,but by now you’re in nomood to quibble over a footor two. Five movies havebeen filmed on the bridge,including the thriller TrueLies that starred ArnoldSchwarzenegger and JamieLee Curtis. Did they evermake it to an out-of-the-way tavern called No-NameBar & Grill? Not likely, buthad they been able to findthis place, undoubtedly theywould have loved it.No Name is at MM 30 in

Big Pine Key, but you haveto leave U.S. Route 1 to travelthe mile-and-a-half to tryto find it. Forget searchingfor it yourself – stop in atthe visitor’s center and getdirections. Suffice it to say

that it’s on No Name Key,the walls are covered in dollarbills five or six bills thick,and the official slogan is, “ANice Place If You Can FindIt.” Have a pizza and a No

Name Ale. Local secret: sitat the bar where you canchat leisurely with bartendersLinda and Kristi. As the worldoutside whizzes by at 100miles per hour, you’re ban-tering at the speed of a horseand buggy. And, as an addedbonus, you may see a keydeer on your way to the pub.Geiger Key Marina and

Smokehouse is 20 milesdown the road, ocean side,behind Big Coppitt Key.“On the Backside of Para-dise,” Geiger Key proudlyproclaims. Turn on Boca

Chica Road near MM 9.5and follow it to near theend, watching for a sign tothe location. Geiger Key is reminiscent

of a time 60 years ago whenthe beer was ice cold, thefood was nothing butscrumptious, and the ladieswho are employed there justknow how to make it allcome together. This littlejoint is built waterside, also,and is a wonderful place towhile away an hour or twoas the world passes by.The last place before you

cross the bridge going intoKey West is the HurricaneHole. It’s also built on thewater beside a marina, andthe fish dishes are other-worldly. This place has a splitpersonality. Eat upstairs onthe inside and you’re in Hur-ricane Joe’s. Remain down-stairs, and it’s the HurricaneHole. Regardless, you’re goingto be eating and drinkingsome of the best fare theKeys has to offer.Drive across the bridge

into Key West and suddenlythe prices double and thecrowds are absolutely insuf-ferable. But the Keys are,quite simply, the Keys. Slowdown, explore a little, andfind out for yourself.

The Keys and Key Westare not Synonymous

Bob Krist | Florida Keys News BureauAs the sun sets, a Florida Keys bonefish guide, right,guides an angler in the waters off Islamorada inthe Florida Keys. More than 200 International GameFish Association saltwater world records have been setin the Florida Keys.

Andy Newman | Florida Keys News BureauAbout two miles west of Marathon, nestled beneathwhat is now called the Old Seven Mile Bridge, lies Pi-geon Key. The five-acre island once served as a basecamp for workers during construction of the originalSeven Mile Bridge.

MolinosMolinos’’# 1 I T A L I A N R I S T O R A N T E

OPEN DAILY FOR DINNER ONLY, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PMOPEN DAILY FOR DINNER ONLY, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PMOPEN DAILY FOR DINNER ONLY, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PMReservations Required - 992-7025

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IN THE PROMENADEIN THE PROMENADERESERVE A PRIVATE WINE CELLAR DINING ROOM

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:21 PM Page 34

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Restaurants

RESTAURANT GUIDEB O N I T A S P R I N G S

Buffalo ChipsAl, Chip and JC Greenwood’s Old 41 original for 30

years strong. It’s “where locals go.” 1st place winner,Florida State chicken wing and chili cook-offs. Fullmenu including burgers, fish and steak and spuds.Boars Head premium deli sandwiches. Featuring Bonita’sHall of Fame. “If it looks good, we’ll find a place for iton the walls or ceiling,” says Al. Lunch and dinner daily.26620 Old 41 Rd. 239-947-1000. www.buffalochip-srestaurant.com.

The Fish HouseA Bonita bayside bistro. Come by car or boat. Fresh

seafood in a relaxing environment, dining inside or out,with a pet-friendly outside patio. Specialties includeblackened tuna bites, hot blue crab and shrimp dip,oyster baskets, grouper tacos and lobster tacos. Alternativechoices, including heart healthy items. A key-lime piethat “melts-in-your-mouth.” Open daily 11 a.m. to 10p.m. 4685 Bonita Beach Rd. 239-495-5770. www.the-fishhouserestaurants.com.

Fitzgerald’sA taste of the old country right on Bonita Beach

Road, from the Kilkenny crab dip and Mulligan’s Irishstew to Granny McCarthy’s bailey cheesecake. Home ofthe belly-buster burger. salads, sandwiches and full mealmenu. Traditional flat breads. 20 beers on tap. Opendaily 11:30 a.m. to close. Open Sunday for breakfast at7:30 a.m. 9070 Bonita Beach Rd. 239-949-2111.www.fitzgeraldspub.com.

Hot Caboose Island GrilleFeaturing foods from the Caribbean and American

South. For lunch, try the Island Paradise – grilled jerkchicken with homemade southwest dressing, avocadoand red onions wrapped in a garlic-crusted naan. Enjoyindoors or outside patio. Open Mon-Fri 10am to midnight;Sat & Sun 7am to midnight. 27755 Old 41 Road at thecorner of Dean Street. 239-676-7997.

Hungry Hound DawgsOutdoor picnic tables invite Bonitians to enjoy locally

made frankfurters and sausages with only the freshestingredients. Owner Rick Price, a 30 year Air Force veteran,dreamt for years of owning a hot dog vending company.He developed his passion for German sausages whilestationed in Europe and now offers a full menu of dawgsand sausages. Pick one of his specialties or create yourown! Open Mon-Fri 10:15am-5pm, Sat until 2pm, closedSun. Corner of Old 41 & Abernathy Street. 239-877-6501.www.hungryhounddawgs.com.

Lake House Bar and GrillAn open air café with one of Bonita’s finest water

views. A hot spot for lunch and dinner, popular amongboth locals and tourists. Featuring the Bonita Burger,veggie rollup, tuna salad and sandwiches and moresandwiches. Plus tacos, fish and chicken dinners. Opendaily 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., happy hour 11:30 a.m.to 6:30 p.m. Located next to the Trianon Hotel. 3401 BayCommons Dr. 239-948-4400. www.lakehousebarandgrill.net.

Molino’s RistoranteClassic Italian in a beautiful indoor room and an al

fresco patio setting, featuring pasta, meat and fishdinners. Family owned since 2003. Try the Vitello allaSaltimboca or one of the many other specialties of thehouse. Full bar and wine cellar. Summer hours, servingdinner only. Smoking section available. Open daily 5p.m. to 9 pm. 26841 South Bay Dr. at the Bonita BayPromenade. 239-992-7025. www.molinosristorante.com.Old 41 Restaurant

A sure bet since the day it opened in Bernwood.Specialties include eggs, omelets, pancakes, waffles,homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, Angus burgers,chili, Taylor pork roll, sausage gravy, creamed chippedbeef, home cooked roast beef and turkey and “real”Philly cheese steaks. Open daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cornerof Old 41 and Bernwood Parkway. 239-948-4123.www.old41.com.Pino’s Pizzeria

Joe and Linda Russo, are the owners and operatorsof Pino’s where, “It’s all about the taste.” They offer thekind of Brooklyn family owned and operated businessyou don’t often find these days. Their big portions, lowprices - and friendly attitude will have you coming backfor more... and more… and still more! Open Mon. thruFri. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sat. & Sun 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.Pelican Landing Publix Plaza, 24600 S. Tamiami Trail.239-676-5332. www.pinospizzeria.net.Ristorante Enrico

Owner Enrico Costagliola was born in his mother’srestaurant in Torregaveta, Italy, south of Naples. “I stillcook like my mother, with only the freshest ingredients.”Fresh pasta, seafood and Italian specialties. Antipastosalad, penne, lasagna, lobster ravioli, linguini with whiteclam sauce, zuppa di pesce, veal, chicken and shrimp. 18pizza and calzone creations. Lunch and dinner specials.Open daily Mon-Sat 10am to 10 pm; Sun 11am to 10pm;26831 S. Tamiami Trail near Publix across from BonitaBay. 239-949-2204.Royal Scoop

Life’s short…eat dessert first! The oldest homemadeice cream store in Bonita. 35 ice cream flavors, 12 low-fat and sugar-free choices. Their scoopologists make thethickest shakes, biggest sundaes and best cones. Deliciouslunches featuring Boar’s Head meats and cheeses andfantastic family recipes for chicken, egg and tuna salad.Kids menu. Open Mon. thru Sat. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.,Sunday open at Noon. 15- 8th Street, eight blocks southof Bonita Beach Rd. off Vanderbilt Dr. 239-992-2000.www.royalscoop.com.The Stage

Come for the food, and stay for the dancing. Fullmenu, including Maryland crab cakes, sweet and sourtenders, egg rolls, vegetable salad, grilled salmon salad,prime rib, filet mignon, salmon, roasted chicken, signaturemeatloaf, full bar with 10 beers on tap. Live music, withtributes from Led Zeppelin to Jimmy Buffett, from Elvisto Rod Stewart. Open 4 p.m. to close Wednesday thruSaturday.9144 Bonita Beach Rd. in Sunshine Plaza,behind Fitzgerald’s Pub. 239-405-8566. www.thestage-bonita.com.

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August 2012

Restaurants

Ristorante Enrico

Four years in the same location

26831 Tamiami Trail S.off West Terry Street

(239) 949-2204(239) 949-2204(239) 949-2204Mon-Sat 10-10, Sun 11-10

SS_August 2012 7/30/12 9:21 PM Page 36

IT’S EVERYWHERE!Capital Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8100 Health Center Boulevard Finemark Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10010 Coconut RoadFlorida Gulf Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23250 Via VillagioBonita Community Health Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3501 Health Center BoulevardJoint Replacement Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3501 Healthpark BoulevardDowning-Frye Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27180 Bay Landing DriveGulf Coast Coin & Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25987 S Tamiami TrailRapallo Community Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8551 Via Rapallo DriveHampton Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27900 Crown Lake BoulevardHoliday Inn Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27891 Crown Lake BoulevardHomewood Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8901 Highland Woods BoulevardHabitat for Humanity ReStore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27821 S. Tamiami TrailBonita Springs Chamber & Visitors Center . . . . . . . .25071 Chamber of Commerce DriveAgostinos Fine Furnishings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24971 S Tamiami TrailColdwell Banker Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8200 Health Center Boulevard, Ste. 101Extra Space Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8420 Murano Del Lago DriveExit Platinum Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26381 S Tamiami TrailJohn R. Wood Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26269 S Tamiami TrailKeller Williams Elite Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24851 S Tamiami TrailThe Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26831 Tamiami TrailLiving Well Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10020 Coconut RoadKitchens by Ambiance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8871 Brighton Lane Royal Shell Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26811 S Tamiami TrailHurricane Grill & Wings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8017 Plaza Del Lago Drive, Ste. 107IHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27240 Bay Landing DriveLansdowne Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24851 S Tamiami TrailPerkins Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27941 Crown Lake BoulevardBank United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3300 Bonita Beach Road, Ste. 115Amore Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24600 S Tamiami TrailFrame It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24600 S Tamiami Trail, Ste. 216Bonita Estero Dental Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24940 S Tamiami Trail, Ste. 202Bonita Bubbles Car Wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24296 S Tamiami TrailTuffy Auto Service Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27790 S Tamiami TrailBay Presbyterian Chruch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26911 South Bay DrTrianon Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3401 Bay Commons DriveThe Promenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26841 South Bay DrivePrudential Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24880 S Tamiami TrailPino’s Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24600 S Tamiami TrailCNL Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9160 Bonita Beach Road SEAnimal Wellness Center of Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10347 Bonita Beach Road SESWFL Veterinary Specialists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28400 Old US 41 Road

Walgreens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11494 Bonita Beach RoadCity Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9101 Bonita Beach Road SELee County Sheriff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE Dolly’s Produce Patch & Eatery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9930 Bonita Beach Road SEJohnny Malloy’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10347 Bonita Beach Rd SESkillets Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9174 Bonita Beach Road SEFlorida Community Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3360 Bonita Beach RoadBay Water Boat Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5124 Bonita Beach RoadWalgreens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28100 S Tamiami TrlNu U Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4450 Bonita Beach RoadAcodi Realty Welcome Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3570 Bonita Beach RoadDoc’s Beach House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27908 Hickory BoulevardThe Fish House Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4685 Bonita Beach RoadRoyal Scoop Homemade Ice Cream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 8th StreetSneaky Pete’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3465 Bonita Beach RoadNGX Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3725 Bonita Beach Road, Unit 5Citrus Park Community Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25501 Trost Boulevard Southern Pines Community Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26300 Southern Pines DriveBonita Grande Fire Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27701 Bonita Grande DriveEstero Executive Center, 2nd Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10600 Chevrolet WayFGCU Business School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10501 FGCU BoulevardLee County Sheriff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10520 Reynolds StreetB.E.A.R./Lee County Tax Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25300 Bernwood DriveLions Club Thrift Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10346 Pennsylvania AvenueLions Club Clubhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10346 Pennsylvania AvenueCenter for the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26100 Old US 41 RoadLiteracy Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26820 Old US 41 Road Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26876 Pine AvenueOld 41 Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25091 Bernwood DriveLiles Hotel - Historical Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27300 Old US 41 RoadRecreation Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26740 Pine AvenueFirst Community Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28235 S. Tamiami Tr.Buffalo Chips Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26620 Old US 41 Road Trackside Donuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2800 Old US 41 RoadStan’s Super Subs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26880 Old US 41 RoadThe Survey Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10530 Wilson Street Your Garden Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27746 Felts AvenueCorner Produce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26752 Old US 41 RoadBonita Springs Assistance Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25300 Bernwood DrivePewter Mug Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12300 Tamiami Trail N.

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