WEEk of fEbruary 14, 2024 FLIER INSIDE
Bargain deals Friends of the Pine Island Library February Book Sale this Saturday — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 47, NumbEr 41
Matlacha Hookers 12th Annual Island Luau Feb. 25 The Matlacha Hookers 12th Annual Island Luau will be held Sunday, Feb. 25, from 1-5 p.m., at the St. James City Civic Center in St James City. This event will sell out again, Hookers officials said, urging those who wish to attend to get their tickets now. Over the past 11 events, the Hookers raised almost $106,000, and last year it increased the donation amount to $20,000 split between the Beacon of Hope and the St. James City Civic Center. The proceeds will again be divided between the Beacon of Hope and the St. James City Civic Center. The Beacon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated
to helping the needs of the Greater Pine Island Community. The 20+ recipients of Beacon Bites meals cost about $30,000 a year. The Beacon also provides transportation to doctors appointments, helps those with financial needs, home repairs and much more. The St. James City Civic Association allows members to meet residents with shared interests. This facility accommodates various events, groups, clubs and activities. Due to Hurricane Ian, the building needs significant repairs. Tickets to the luau include music, island rum punch, wine and beer tastings, “Welcoming Leis” and island food
for guests. Musician Mark Dupuy will perform calypso island rock and fun dance music, and there will be hula dancers. Guests can also enjoy shopping for mystery wines, chic jewelry boutique items, Matlacha Hooker merchandise, a 50/50 raffle and thousands of dollars worth of silent auction items such as a $10,000 donation towards lifting a house on the island. Tickets are $45 in advance as none will be sold at the event. Purchase your tickets by ordering now online. Go See LUAU, page 10
Ballard discusses efforts Bixby's Therapeutic Touch moves to of CLT at GPICA meeting new island location
Island association elects new board members
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Native islander Robert Ballard of the Calusa Land Trust discussed how the CLT works to protect Pine Island at the Feb. 6 meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association meeting. He said, the organization, founded in 1976, began with four members, and was incorporated in 1989. The CLT mission statement is, “To protect the natural diversity and beauty of Pine Island. We acquire, preserve and manage environmentally sensitive historical and archeologically important sites. We foster the appreciation for and understanding of the environment and our past.” Currently, the CLT has 222 active members and 2,400 acres under protection on Pine Island. Lee County 2020 partners the CLT with financial support and stewardship assistance of their preserves on the island. The CLT also works with the Conservation Foundation of Southwest Florida in the collection of longleaf pine seeds for the purpose of replanting. It has joint ownership with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation of York Island, and is working with that same organization to purchase islands close to St. James City, Ballard said. The majority of money funding the CLT comes from memberships as well as donations made by members. Although a $25 membership fee guarantees membership of the organization, the CLT receives donations from $10 to $5,000, and has even received up to $30,000, Ballard said. “We also get grants from different places like LCEC and some of the other organizations…and we also get land donations — people who will donate their land to us,” Ballard said. Fundraisers are another source of financial help for the organization. Ballard said the CLT recently held its annual rummage sale, which generated approximately $2,000, with the Rubber Duck Race coming up in March, which is the organization’s biggest fundraiser each year, raising between $33,00 and $36,000 in a
FILE PHOTO
One of the CLT’s ongoing missions is to plant longleaf pine seedlings, like this one at the Wigert-Barron Preserve in Bokeelia. few short hours. “It’s a lot of work, it starts early on for us and we usually get about $27,000 after we pay all our expenses out of that,” Ballard said. Another source of revenue for the CLT comes from its clothing line, such as T-shirts and jackets. Last year, this line sold $5,165, and it cost $2,650 to purchase, generating around $3,000 in profits, he said. There is also income from investments, he reported, saying dividends from last year approximated $83,000. See BALLARD, page 16
Vonceil (Vonnie) Bixby of Therapeutic Touch, Medical Massage in Pine Island Center is a certified medical massage practitioner who had to move after Hurricane Ian destroyed her place of business in St. James City. “When I went to my office, there was a 4-foot waterline on the walls — everything got flooded,” Bixby said. While looking for a new place to set up, she said Patty Sweeney of Sweeney’s S.O.S allowed her to set up temporarily, for which Bixby considered herself very lucky, and also for her new location, which she said has become one of her favorite places. When it comes to massage therapy, or body work, she said Vonnie Bixby she’s chosen this profession in order to be able to help those who are in pain. “What turned me toward massage was that I had an injury and the doctors put me on pain meds, but never suggested massage. I struggled for about a year and then once I met a chiropractic and massage practitioner, they had me pain free in two weeks. There’s more to muscle work than meets the eye or what we know, so I wanted to educate others and help others not go through what I did and not have to suffer with pain if they don’t have to. If it’s muscle, it can be corrected,” Bixby said. One of her top priorities, she said, is correcting her clients' bodies back into balance until they are out of pain. While Bixby has made relieving the suffering of others a lifetime career choice, her own health has had to take center stage in her life, as she has been diagnosed with stage four cancer, which is terminal. “I’ve met a lot of people through my work, especially with having cancer and treatments afterward — radiation, surgery — I’m able to help them,” Bixby said. See BIXBY, page 14
Athletes of the Week.......15 Island Mahjongg...............9 Tides................................14 insidetoday Cat of the Week.................8 On the Water......................7 Worship Directory.............6 Classifieds & Obituaries