Coastal Breeze News

While meteorologists are still scanning the horizons for the hint of bad tropical weather and neighbors and friends who left for the summer are packing up their bags for the return to the island and its tropical breezes, a dedicated group of volunteers are making plans for the 24th annual Christmas Island Style series of events. Each year the events grow to encompass a number of endeavors by various groups and organizations. This year the new theatrical group on the island will be joining in under the CIS umbrella of events according to board member Kris Hodgton. The Island Players ... Read More »

On Friday, October 14, 2011, the Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island is hosting the District IX meeting of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs at Hideaway Beach Club.  An anticipated 120 gardeners, horticulturists, and environmentalists from the 30 garden clubs in this district, as well as newly elected state officers of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, will be attending.  The event is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  Jerry Gibson will be greeting attendees and an outstanding program, “Marco’s Natural Magic,” will be presented by noted speaker, Charlette Roman.  Prior to the meeting, the District IX Board ... Read More »

The Marco Island Center for the Arts will hold a silent and live auction for six celebrity bras, along with more than 20 artistic interpretations of bras by local artists, on Thursday, October 6 from 5:30-8PM. Admission is free. The celebrity bras are signed gifts from Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Gloria Feldt, Jesse Golden and Irina Voronina, Miss January 2001 for Playboy magazine. These bras and more will be auctioned off during a fun-filled evening with wine and hors d’oeuvres. A silent auction is also included in this event, along with paintings and photographs celebrating the female form. “The ... Read More »

David Southall, Curator of Education, Collier County Museums will present “Florida’s Role in the War Between the States” Tuesday, October, 4, 7 pm Rose History Auditorium 180 S. Heathwood Free!!! and open to the Public Light refreshments will be served! “The smallest tadpole in the filthy pool of secession” is how Florida was described in the northern press in February of 1861.  With the poorest economy, the smallest population, and vast unsettled territory, Florida still managed to provide more than 15,000 soldiers and significant financial support for the Southern cause.  Join us for a discussion of these difficult times and how ... Read More »

The Blessing of the Animals. All are invited to this free community event on October 2, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Father Kyle Bennett will bless all pets for health and happiness at the Blessing of the Pets festival at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Music will be performed by Ron Doiron and Shane Totten.  Free hot dogs for all! Also, join us at St. Mark’s Pet Memorial Garden, where your precious pet’s ashes can be interred and remembered forever. Call the office at 394-7242, ext. 93 if you have a pet to be interred. Participatants are: For the Love ... Read More »

By Jane Marlowe On Monday, September 19, the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island hosted a luncheon and lecture by the Israeli Consul General for Florida and Puerto Rico, the Honorable Chaim Shacham. Mr. Shacham, American born, has served Israel in several capacities, as an army commander, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel’s representative to the Plenary of the United Nations General Assembly for nine sessions and participated in the Israeli Delegation to the Madrid Peace Conference. He drafted the speech given by the late Prime Minister Rabin at the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles in 1993. ... Read More »

By Carol Glassman    At the new Chabad Center that serves the Naples and Marco island area, children (and their families too) had the rare experience of making a personal shofar, and they had a blast! A shofar is made from a ram’s horn, and is the world’s oldest wind instrument, that is sounded to usher in the Jewish New Year. Visiting Rabbi Aharon Rabin arrived with his traveling Shofar Factory that included his stuffed horned friends, baskets full of horns, tools, and a catalogue of comical stories that kept the children mesmerized and eager to begin making their own ... Read More »

Keller Williams Realty Marco Island achieved more than $135 million in closed sales volume in the first seven months of 2011, with profitability up almost 300% over the same period in 2010, according to figures released at its Mid Year Awards ceremony held in August. Keller Williams Marco Island is the No. 1 real estate office on Marco Island based on number of sales associates, transaction sides and transaction volume for the last 12 months. “I am excited to inform you that so far this year we have profit shared over $43,000.00 with our agents” said Evensen at the meeting. ... Read More »

September, Cholesterol Awareness Month, is a fantastic time to learn about advances in the science of heart health, according to Edwin Dean, MD, medical director of the Edwin J. Dean Medical Wellness Center. While we all live with cholesterol and all cholesterol is not bad, concentrations of the wrong kind will not produce symptoms until damage is apparent and heart attack, blood clots and stroke are well on their way. Blood tests are the only way to determine cholesterol make-up, and the earlier the better. “The relationship between heart disease and cholesterol, between health and longevity, has never been clearer,” ... Read More »

Everyone makes the team and everyone plays each game! Boys Levels: 7-8 years 9-10 years 11-12 years 13-14 years 14-16 years- must be in high school Girls Levels: 7-8 years 9-10 years 11-14 years 14-16 years – must be in high school Locations- Greater Marco Family YMCA and Naples YMCA Program Cost- Y members $50/ $75 Community participants Team registration: Through October 1, 2011 Program Dates: October 10, 2011 through December 17, 2011 Games held at Naples YMCA and Naples Christian Academy First Game: October 17, 2011 Games will be on Saturdays Practices at the Marco YMCA Volunteer Coaches/ Team ... Read More »

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children launches the local 2011 National Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign with the nonprofit organization’s annual “Educating with Emery Boards” initiative, Saturday, October 1, 2011, from 10 a.m. to noon. Emery boards featuring The Shelter’s 24-hour crisis line, 239-775-1101, and web address, www.naplesshelter.org, will be distributed at 10 locations throughout Collier County in an effort to provide confidential life-transforming information to victims of domestic violence and those who care about them: For Footed Friends pet store – Marquesa Plaza – corner of Pine Ridge & Livingston Roads, 13020 Livingston Road, Naples 34105 Publix Super ... Read More »

By Danielle Dodder  Beep! Beep! A new runner’s club is starting up on Marco, just in time for area running aficionados to join the race across the Jolley Bridge on its November 19th formal opening. Scott and Lisa Hicks are local residents and avid runners whose favored route tracks from ‘Old Marco’ along Bald Eagle to Collier, then towards South Beach. By forming a club, the couple hopes to create a social, encouraging environment where fellow runners can meet. “It’s also a great way to promote fitness on the island,” adds Scott Hicks. The club’s first meeting was held on ... Read More »

Singer, Songwriter, Composer, Musician and all around nice guy Myles Loud has been signed to be the opening night main act at the Fall Fun Fair on Marco Island. If your music tendencies run the gamut from Elton John to Tom Jones, Elvis to Roy Orbison, then the Myles Loud Show is one you will not want to miss! Myles has appeared for the YMCA at the Taste of Marco and is a regular at Porky’s on Marco Island. Myles never takes a break and has the audience in the palm of his hand from his opening number. In 1997, ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff  A couple of months ago Tarik Ayasun received a phone call from videographer, Dick Adam. The caller asked if he could film an interview with him. He explained Taray International, a local Marco Island company, was a finalist for an Excellence in Industry award by the Economic Development Council (EDC) of Collier County. “We didn’t hear anything more about it. We were at the awards luncheon and up popped the video of my interview.” The Export Excellence award was presented to Taray International, a company owned by Tarik, his wife Janice and managed by their ... Read More »

Tarik Ayasun If you pick up a map of the Middle East and see how tiny the State of Israel is; try looking at a map of the world and try and find Israel on it. This is a truly daunting task because Israel is indeed a very small yet very significant little democracy in the Middle East. In effect, it is the ONLY democracy, surrounded by countries run by dictators, kings, emirs and sultans. Israel is an ally of the United States and at the present time in grave danger of attack from her so called neighbors. Yet, the ... Read More »

By Danielle Dodder The final millage rate that the city will use for tax revenues was lowered by city council on Monday, from the 2.07 that appeared on tax assesments, to 1.9592. If it seems incremental to property owners reading this, that’s because it is. The real difference lies not in the amount of money saved on a tax bill, according to city data, but in the impact to city funding: the difference between the rate the city budget was prepared under, 1.99, and last year’s rate of 1.89 is a difference of $722,745, according to city finance director Patricia ... Read More »

What do you get when you mix 100 pounds of spaghetti with 40 gallons of sauce and 1200 meatballs? The San Marco K of C Columbus Day Italian Dinner Party. The founder of the Knights of Columbus Father Michael J. McGivney chose Christopher Columbus as the Order’s patron. The Catholic Explorer, revered as a man of vision, courage and missionary spirit, enjoyed a good Italian meal. Come join the Knights from the San Marco Roman Catholic Church Council at the Parish Hall as we celebrate Columbus Day this coming October 10, 2011 starting at 5PM till 7PM with a great ... Read More »

Donna Fiala  The redistricting decisions have been made and voted on for Collier County. Marco Island made their voice heard and their wishes were granted. District One (Donna Fiala’s District) remains whole and intact. Actually, I don’t think any commissioner wanted to change that fact because I didn’t even have to fight to get Marco – they knew where Marco Islanders stood and they knew where I stood, and that there would be a fight to keep Marco in District One if they were thinking anything else………..but they weren’t. It seems all the commissioners were pleased with the outcome in ... Read More »

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and the Greater Marco Family YMCA is reminding parents about the importance of incorporating regular physical activity and healthier eating habits into their children’s lives. Childhood obesity rates have soared over the last few decades. Nationally, one in three children is obese or overweight. More alarming, obesity puts children at risk for chronic diseases often seen in adults, such as high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. This health crisis sheds light on the need to provide children and their parents with the resources and the support they need, emphasizing ... Read More »

By Monte Lazarus  I hereby propose the establishment of a new National Holiday to be known as Gleefully Liberate Our Possessions Day (GLOP). This holiday would apply to all American citizens, documented aliens and undocumented aliens living in the United States. It will be a joyous day for all, and extremely important for our country. Here’s how it works…virtually all of us have accumulated lots of things down through the years. By “things” I mean everything from really, really cheap plastic objects we bought at bargain prices in some foreign place like, say, New York. We probably secretly nourish a ... Read More »