
A couple of winners.
The Christmas Island Style Casino Night stepped it up a notch as local resident Steve Garske donated the use of his “ultimate man cave” to host the event. Attendees were able to enjoy one of the finest collections of vintage and exotic muscle cars in Southwest Florida, as well as some of the most sought after sports collectables found anywhere.
Local car aficionado Sal Soldano summed it up best when he entered the building and simply said, “Wow,” as he looked down the rows of cars on each side of the spacious interior, which was the envy of all of the attendees.

Neil Snyder shows off a winning hand.
The CIS Committee hosts about a dozen events each year within the community at no cost to those that attend any of the functions. In the past, some of the events they hosted included bringing in snow for kids to play in, ice skating for young and old alike, and Santa’s arrival by helicopter to visit with the children of the island and surrounding areas. They sponsor the annual tree lighting, a holiday pet parade and the Holiday Salute to Veterans, along with the boat and street parades and other activities.

Signed gloves from former heavyweight champs.
Wanda Day Burson, who heads the entertainment committee for the group, was beaming from ear to ear on Friday night when she explained the excitement of the committee when speaking about the tree. “This is a really big step for us as we move forward with this tree which will soar approximately 40 feet up into the air. It is really going to be beautiful,” said Burson. She also does double duty overseeing the decorating of the tree, along with several other members of the committee.

Attendees work the craps tables. Photos by Steve Stefanides

Just some of the magnificent car collection.
For a full listing of all Christmas Island Style events (and applications to enter either the boat or street parades) visit their website at www.christmasislandstyle.com.

Gene Burson and Jerry Swiacki handle the refreshment duties.
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