Coastal Breeze News

More than 500 people are expected to walk and volunteer to create a world free of MS during this year’s UAIC MS Walk Presented by Pollo Campero in Naples. The 3.1 mile walk will take place on February 25th at Lowdermilk Park located at 1301 Gulfshore Boulevard. “The MS Walks brings the community together with passionate participants to raise awareness and funds for those living with MS,” said Karen Dresbach, President of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, South Florida Chapter. “Dollar by dollar, MS Walk is changing lives. Our goal is to raise more than $800,000 in hopes of finding ... Read More »

The second Annual Seven Sisters Art Reception was held at Trudy LaBell’s Fine Arts Gallery on Thursday, February 2. There were about 100 in attendance, all graduates of the Seven Sister Colleges: Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar, and Wellesley colleges. Attendees were greeted by Eve May, president of the Wellesley Club of Naples. Eve introduced Trudy LaBell, the owner of the gallery, and Isabelle du Toit, an artist whose works were on display and who gave a short talk on her paintings. The Fine Arts Gallery provided a lovely setting for the Seven Sisters alumnae to reconnect, renew old ... Read More »

The Marco Island Noontime Rotary Club’s Students of the Month were: Read More »

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida announces the launch of its new Good Fortune II, a 45-passenger pontoon boat which offers enhanced eco-cruise experiences through Rookery Bay. Three narrated cruises are offered daily and the boat is available for private charters.  A ceremonial launch and christening of the Good Fortune II was held on Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Good Fortune dock, located off of Shell Island Road in Naples. The boat, which replaced the original Good Fortune cruise boat, was made possible through a gift from the W. Brooks Fortune Foundation and proceeds from the “Float the Boat” live auction portion at the 2011 Magic Under the Mangroves™ fundraising event. A former ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom [email protected] The Marco Player’s Theater is letting Randall Kenneth Jones’ mind run wild in their next Lunch Box Series. “Attack Bunnies Live,” which will run only once, at noon on March 10th, will be an experiment in theater, to say the least. The Lunch Box Series at The Marco Players Theater began four years ago and has been a tremendous success. Featuring a performer or small performance group, the entertainment lasts about 45 minutes. Following the performance, guests are provided with a box lunch, courtesy of Mango’s Dockside Bistro, in the theater which accompanies a Question and ... Read More »

THE ART OF BUILDING FOR 35 YEARS  By Coastal Breeze News Staff  Panorama Custom Homes, Inc. celebrates 35 years of quality and excellence in custom design/building of single family homes on Marco Island. Credited as being the longest standing builder on the island, Panorama has enjoyed a history of exceptional success in home construction. What sets Panorama apart is their passion for inspired designs and detail. “Our reputation bears witness to our commitment to excellence in custom home building and remodeling.” Panorama president, Roy Lansdown, attributes his business’s success to a few key points. One is that he and his team ... Read More »

The community of Marco Island is mourning one of their bravest. Jerry Adams, a beloved member of the Marco Island Fire Department, passed away February 15th. Jerry served the MIFD for more than twenty years, joining the department in 1989. To become a firefighter at the age of 39 is not easy, but that’s exactly what he did. A master carpenter for much of his life, he chose a change in career to better serve the community he loved. Jerry was known throughout the community for his generosity, kind spirit and love of fundraising. He also served as a mentor ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom  [email protected]  The Marco Island Model Yacht Club is once again gearing up for its annual Regatta. The 9th Annual Marco Island Mid-Winter R/C Laser Championship Regatta is set to take place March 2nd to the 4th at Mackle Park. The event has grown in size and popularity over time and this year proves to be no different. The Marco Island Model Yacht Club was formed in 1993 by Commodore, George Domenech, and fellow friends, John Moulton and Tom Schwartzburg. Bonding over their fondness of model yachts, the men endeavored to begin sailing their 1/4 scale model sailboats ... Read More »

By Monte Lazarus  Want a healthier life? Don’t we all? Here’s an opportunity, thanks to the City of Marco Island and numerous medical professionals and businesses. On Saturday, February 18th from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM the city will be holding a Community Health Fair at Mackle Park. Debbie McCabe, on behalf of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department is spearheading this event. She says that the purpose is, “to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle” – hence the event’s motto: “Strengthen an Island Lifestyle”. The program includes free (yes, FREE!) health screenings for: blood pressure, skin cancer, hearing, vision ... Read More »

The paint hadn’t dried, but 120 art aficionados had been fed and watered and were in the mood for a live auction at the Marco Island Center for the Arts.  This was, after all, “Wet Paint Live”, an ingenious event in which 21 artists spend just one day painting in and around Marco Island and have their pieces auctioned off for charity.  The painters worked everywhere from the Isles of Capri to the top of the Jolley Bridge to the Esplanade to Goodland and points in between. On February 10, Chris Lombardo, celebrated auctioneer and partner in the law firm ... Read More »

By Jane A. Marlowe The custom of sending love letters and tokens of love is generally believed to have originated in Medieval England and France. Folklore recounts a belief that on February 14, half way through the second month of the year, birds begin to pair. Chaucer’s Parliament of Foules relates, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.” French and English literature of the 14th and 15th centuries refer to the custom of proposals and messages of love to one’s beloved on that special day. There were three St. Valentines ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom  [email protected]  Marco Island’s dolphin population is asking for our help. According to researchers on The Dolphin Explorer, a sight-seeing vessel out of Rose Marco River Marina, there is a local population of roughly 60 to 70 bottlenose dolphins. These dolphins roam within the Marco River, around Isles of Capri, Keewaydin Island and down into the 10,000 Islands near Cape Romano. Seymour, an eight-year old “local” bottlenose dolphin, was recently found to have a serious injury to his tail. With help from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA), a plan is in line to rescue Seymour. That ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff  Marco’s Sunrise Rotary Club will be hosting an old fashioned Party in the Park this weekend at the Veterans Community Park on Park Avenue. This event will provide a number of activities for islanders throughout the weekend. Starting on Saturday morning, islanders will be able to stroll through a village of arts and crafts vendors selling their wares in addition to educational displays by 15 of the island’s most active non-profits who will explain their programs. Island businesses such as Walkers Marine will have boats on display and will be prepared to discuss the services ... Read More »

The Marco Island Library on Heathwood Ave. is highlighting the colorful artwork of Linda Chambers. Be sure to visit the library this month to view Linda’s colorful pastel artwork including the flora and fauna found here in Southwest Florida. Nature and the beauty of God’s handiwork have always fascinated Linda. As a youngster, the mountain streams and woodlands of Pennsylvania were her playground. Linda is an educator as well as an artist. After earning a B.A. and Masters in Art Education from Indiana University of Pa., she taught art in the public school system. Always an eclectic artist who dabbled in ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff  Recently, Coastal Breeze News featured several businesses and individuals that helped make the 20th Anniversary wedding vow renewal extra special for Marine Master Chief Chris Aldis and his wife, Paula Aldis. Chris served in Afghanistan at the time of the ceremony and was on a two week leave for R & R. Two decades ago the couple had eloped between deployments due to money and time constraints but their dream was to have a beach wedding. It took many local businesses to make their dream wedding come true. In this issue, we are featuring three ... Read More »

Read My Tips Doug Browne Entries have already rolled in from the Player’s Club, Fiddler’s Creek, Eagle Creek, and Island Club and of course, Hideaway Beach for the 2nd Annual Open Doubles event at Hideaway Beach beginning Friday, March 2nd. Due to the success of last year’s event, past participants already sent in their entries last week; the first sixteen teams in each division are automatically placed in the draw and each one after number 16 will be placed in a waiting list!  Here are some of the key particulars:   New, new, new – 4.0 doubles for men and women.  In 2012, ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff The City of Marco Island is hosting a photo contest in honor of Earth Day 2012. The contest opens Wednesday, February 1st and runs through April 6th. The theme of the contest is Southwest Florida Native Flora and Fauna. The contest is open to any amateur photographer, 14 years or older, who resides in Collier County full or part-time. Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist for the City of Marco Island commented, “We live in such a beautiful and diverse area, why not celebrate it through photography? The Southwest Florida and Everglades’ environments with all of the ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom [email protected] What is it that holds Marco Island together? It took years of dredging and filling, building roads, constructing bridges and paying countless dollars in taxes to build such a beautiful island. Yet, all of this construction is not the glue that holds Marco together. As a barrier island, Marco, Goodland and the surrounding areas are truly held together by our mangroves; and they are dying. Driving along State Road 92 from Marco Island to the Goodland Bridge, it is clear that the mangroves on either side of the road are in trouble. The area, known as ... Read More »

By Jim Prange The tide is turning. Every January, the sales statistics from the previous year are reviewed to gauge how the real estate market is doing and to help prepare State of the Island Real Estate Report, and my Deal or No Deal Part IV. The latest statistics are incredibly uplifting! With the exception of a 7 month speed bump as a result of the BP oil concerns, our sales on Marco Island have increased every year since 2007. 2011 was the year of reality…we saw record low prices in some areas and, in the last six months, we ... Read More »

By Vincent Giannone  In its seventh annual run, Hideaway Beach hosted the much anticipated “Hideaway Chips Away at Cancer.” The event consisted of many different opportunities for members of the Hideaway Beach community to donate to the American Cancer Society. This year, the committee was hopeful for an even greater response from the community which raised over $120,000 in 2011. An amazing sum! Bill Dean, chairman of the “Hideaway Chips Away at Cancer” committee, was very happy with the turn out for the January 29th event, with 95 players for the Golf Tournament and 165 for the dinner and auction ... Read More »