COASTAL COMMENTS

By Donna Fiala

Question: How many new inches of water do we receive here on Earth each year?

Answer: NONE – yes, we ONLY have the water that has been on this Earth since time began. We are drinking the same water the dinosaurs drank millions of years ago. Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it!

Recently I offered tours of the Collier County Water System – 1. Water Treatment Plant and reverse osmosis, and 2. Wastewater Treatment Plant and irrigation quality water (recycled water). The water question was discussed on the first tour. I was delighted to welcome a couple from Marco Island on the second tour. The third tour I am offering is the tour of Marco Island Recycling Center/Collier County Landfill this coming Thursday, Feb. 10th from 9am to Noon. Next we have the tour of the new Emergency Operations Center on Lely Cultural Blvd. scheduled for March 1st from 1pm to 4pm, and lastly, the tour

of the Jail on March 2nd from 10am to Noon. All are invited. Just call my office and ask for Sue 252-8097 to hold a spot for you. You must be registered to attend, as most of these areas are secure.

*What a wonderful Prayer Breakfast we enjoyed at the Marco Marriott! The place was crowded, and that is good. The message was outstanding. The music sounded like a band of angels, and the Lely Drummer band was unbelievable! They got a standing ovation. I can’t say enough good things about this most wonderful event except thank you to all the organizers who put it together.

*Recently the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour came to the Marco Island Airport presenting vintage WW II B-17 & B-24 Bombers and a P-51 Mustang aircraft. It was presented as a “flying tribute” to the history of our nation and the veterans of that era. Proceeds keep the planes flying. Tour organizers say their

stay at the Marco Airport was the most successful ever! They estimate a crowd of over 1,000 people came to view and tour the airplanes during their 2-. day stay. Rides were provided in exchange for donations, and exceeded all expectations, flying a maximum load of 10 people on each of the bomber rides, and several rides in the P-51 Mustang at $2200.00 for . hour rides. I want to thank Bob Tweedie, airport manager, and Chris Curry, airport director, for helping me with this information. I was lucky enough to be able to stop by and see these magnificent airplanes myself, and I stood in awe as I thought of the brave men flying them and protecting us. It gave me goose pimples to think about it. Thank you Veterans…………. each and every one of you, who have been fighting to protect us over these many years and continue to do so to this day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.