Coastal Breeze News

By Natalie Strom [email protected] In honor of the Second Annual National Everglades Day, April 6th, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (RBNERR) was ready to throw a party. Just last year the date was chosen as it is the birthday of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, a champion of the Everglades, known best for her book, “The Everglades: River of Grass.” She was at the forefront of the fight towards redefining the Everglades as a treasured river rather than a useless swamp. Much has been learned about “The River of Grass” since Douglas wrote the book in 1947, but the devastation to ... Read More »

The Marco Island Shell Club hosted its 33rd Annual Shell Show from March 14th to the 16th. Awards were given in many categories, both scientific and artistic. Patrons could view the award-winning designs and purchase many others created by members of the Shell Club from November through March. Read More »

By Natalie Strom BMO Harris Bank hosted a full house of Canadians at its rooftop pavilion at the Esplanade on January 22. The Marco Island Canadian Club Welcome Social was catered by Mango’s Dockside Bistro and music was provided by Paradise DJ Steve Reynolds. BMO Bank of Canada recently purchased Harris Bank in the Esplanade. BMO is the only Canadian bank to have bought into American banks on the west coast of Florida. Canadians from all over the vast country mingled with old and new friends, shared laughs and lent proof to the generally accepted belief that Canadians are exceptionally ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff The Transportation Engineering Director for Collier County, Jay Ahmed, discussed plans of the 951/41 interchange with Kiwanis Club members early one morning. 951 was widened from four lanes to six lanes up to Davis Boulevard. According to Jay, “what we’re doing now is taking those six lanes further to the canal, just North of I-75. We’re taking Davis to six lanes, where Collier Boulevard begins and going west to Naples with six lanes. Construction is going all the way to Santa Barbara Boulevard. When the State (Department of Transportation) saw what the County was doing ... Read More »

Submitted The Annual Marco Island Yacht Club Winter Sailing Regatta will be held off of Marco Island on Saturday and Sunday, February 9th and 10th. Sailboats, along with their skippers and crew from many points around southwest Florida, will converge on Marco Island to compete for awards. Races will be held directly off the Marco Island beach. Racing will start at 10 A.M. both days and will conclude by 3:30 P.M. A series of courses will be established by the race committee depending on each day’s wind and sea conditions. Race courses will be identified by red/orange inflated buoys accompanied ... Read More »

By Julia Barnett For Keller Williams Realty, 2012 was a very good year indeed. In fact, Keller Williams has finished number one for closed volume within the Marco Island Area Association of Realtors for the second consecutive year in a row. Keller Williams has had a presence on Marco Island since 2005, made up of individually owned and operated offices and realty teams. With a new team leader in Kristine Hansen, and an increase in closed volume and closed units from last year’s numbers, the representatives of Keller Williams honored their mission statement with every transaction: “Careers Worth Having, Businesses ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom If only every day could start this way. Four days a week, naturalist volunteers at Collier-Seminole State Park lead a three-hour canoe trip through Blackwater River. Just a hop, skip and a jump from the Naples, Marco and Everglades communities, the trips are informative, inexpensive, and most of all, peaceful. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, four members of the Friends of Collier Seminole State Park can be found at the park’s launch area at 9:00 AM, prepping for their guided canoe trips. Jeanine and Mike Serrino of Tennessee and Ken and Diana Carter of Kentucky spend ... Read More »

Marco Presbyterian Church will hold their Twenty-seventh Annual Missions Conference Feb. 8 through 10. “We believe this is the highlight of our church year,” said the Rev. William Lyle, senior pastor. This year’s conference features: Dr. Jim Belcher, associate professor of practical theology, Knox Theological Seminary; and missionaries to Australia Dave and Jan Kiewiet and Steve and Beth Schoof. Belcher received his Ph.D. from Georgetown University, having done earlier study at Gordon College and Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the founding and former lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California where he served from 2000-2010 and led ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom Marco Island Academy High School continues to set milestones. In the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, the charter school set a goal to raise $500,000 towards building its new campus on San Marco Road. Thanks to numerous pledges and donations from the community and beyond, the school reached its goal on time and looks forward to moving into its new location and continuing to set milestones. The $500,000 raised has funded the necessary modulars, decking and roofing at MIA’s new location. The modular classrooms and offices began arriving on January 23rd and were quickly assembled once ... Read More »

By Jane A. Marlowe The Relay For Life committee met Tuesday evening, January 22, in the boardroom of Keller Williams Realty. Relay Chair, Raul Medina, of SunTrust Bank called the meeting to order and recognized Donna Cottrell of Keller Williams who is chair of Teams for Relay, which will be held on the Charter Middle School campus on April 13, 2013. To date there are 20 paid teams including several on-line teams. Donna recognized a number of committee members whose teams have achieved top fundraising goals in the last several weeks. Special recognition was given to Bonnie Geddis of Realty ... Read More »

Submitted Mackle Park found a steady stream of hungry guests on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, making the first ever Souper Bowl Marco fundraiser a resounding success. The event was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee with proceeds bound for college scholarships for local students. Bowls were painted and glazed by 800 children and fired by the Clay Guild at the Marco Island Center for the Arts. “Children were so excited, they wanted to be sure they had an opportunity to pick the bowl they designed, so we opened up to ‘presales’ Friday night before the event on Saturday,” ... Read More »

Submitted Marco Island is on the verge of exciting new health care options and Physicians Regional Healthcare System has a positively great Grand Opening planned to commemorate its arrival. The “Rockin’ Grand Opening,” will take place on Saturday, February 23rd, from 2 PM to 5 PM in the parking lot of The Shops of Marco, 1839 San Marco Road—corner of Barfield and San Marco Road on Marco Island. The excitement and activities of Physicians Regional-Marco Island’s “Rockin’ Grand Opening” are not limited to the ground. The abundant festivities include an aerial show performed by The Flying Elvi, the 10-member sky ... Read More »

On Saturday, February 16th, from noon until 3 PM, the Marco Island Propery Owners will gather at Sarazen Park. Located near the South Beach entrance at South Collier Blvd and Swallow Avenue, members and those interested in becoming members will have a chance to enjoy food and fellowship. There is no charge for this “Welcome Back and New Member Social” and all are welcome! Members are encouraged to bring others who may be interested in joining. The MICA Sarazen Parking Lot is limited to 72 spaces and is for MICA Members with parking passes. Car pooling or bicycling is suggested. ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom Frank Morgante of the Italian American Society of Marco Island decided it was time for islanders to celebrate the Italian tradition of Carnevale. Every winter, Carnevale festivals throughout Italy are marked by parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music and parties. At Carnevale, anything goes! On January 26th, the Italian American Society celebrated Frank’s vision of Carnevale at the San Marco Catholic Church. An Italian-born, tall, handsome man with a big heart, Frank looked forward to sharing what he had seen as a child with his friends and family here on Marco. Frank and his wife, Amie, dilligently planned ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff About 21 years ago my husband and three middle school children crossed the SS Jolley Bridge for the very first time to enjoy Christmas Island Style! Immediately the natural beauty, charm and intimacy of the Island captivated me! Within that week we made our first investment on the Island at the South Seas Club. I have to admit that it was a HUGE financial stretch for us with my husband being an Engineer, I being a School Counselor and our 3 bright children college-bound! However, it proved to be one of the best things we ... Read More »

By Jane A. Marlowe On Sunday, January 20, Marco Island music lovers heard a joyful noise at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. As part of St. Mark’s 2012-2013 Concert Series, the Naples Harp Ensemble presented a lyrical musical afternoon. Our own Carolyn Katchmar of Marco Island is a member of the ensemble. The program commenced with Bamboula by Louis Moreau Gottschalk. The vivid music was enhanced by the superb talent of the full ensemble with the Kellyn Celtic Dancers interpreting the animated melody dramatically veiled in black. The Stewart Family Violins comprising mother, son and daughter played Tango by McLean with ... Read More »

By Danielle Dodder Members of Hideaway Beach have a long history of backing the efforts of the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, but this year, they raised the stakes, literally, with a Vegas-style fundraiser on January 27th. “In the past, we’ve done traditional golf outings with a silent/live auction and a dinner, but we wanted to do something different this year,” says event co-chair Debbie Shade. The committee researched casino-night fundraisers and found they had an excellent track record of raising money. The Hideaway Beach clubhouse was transformed into a casino game floor with card tables, horse racing ... Read More »

Submitted The Marco Island Center for the Arts welcomes nationally known artist, photographer, teacher and author Marlene Marshall to their 2013 season educational lineup. Marshall will be teaching two workshops: Making Bits and Pieces Mosaics on February 16th and 17th from 10:30-3:30 pm and Shell Chic on February 18th, again from 10:30-3:30 pm. Shard art, pique assiette (French for “one who eats from others’ plates”) or mosaic making is an ancient technique that dates back to Roman times and is still an essential ingredient of art and architectural design today, a good example of which is Antoni Gaudi’s Parc Guell ... Read More »

Suggested Economic Reforms By Roy Eaton I can not, in good conscience, suggest modifications to Social Security without first addressing the reform recommendations announced by one of the most prestigious group of influential business men in America, The Business Roundtable. The roundtable, which consists of CEOs of the largest corporations in the United States, and represents roughly 33% of the total value of all U.S. stocks, recommended last week that the current age for Social Security and Medicare be extended to 70 for Americans currently under age 55. It is ironic and disgraceful that several of the CEOs of companies ... Read More »

By Monte Lazarus Many years ago I had the privilege of sharing an office with the Cheapest Man in the World. I confess that I did not know all the men in the world, but it matters not; it was impossible for anyone, of either gender, to be cheaper than him. Let’s call him “J” to protect his identity, and because I don’t want the federal government swooping down on me for revealing the name of an employee from the 1960’s. J was very smart even though he was a graduate of the Harvard Law School. He apparently majored in ... Read More »