nature. Through all this, the campers have the opportunity to expand their compassion for others, their own self-confidence and their ability and desire to make an impact on the world around them. The camp staff presents a safe camp experience that contributes to each camper’s mental, physical and social growth. The Florida Elks Youth Camp, a project of the Florida State Elks Association, is located on 405 acres of rolling hills, forests, lakes and open space in Marion County. It is a unique camping experience for 7 weeks during the summer. Camp sessions last from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning and provide campers with housing, food and, of course, tons of fun! The Florida Elks are proud that the camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is re-certified every three years to insure compliance and a safe camping environment for children. Wish to take a virtual tour of the camp? Further information, videos and pictures can be found at www.feyc.org. The camp schedule is Session 1: June 11–17; Session 2: June 18-24; Session 3: June 25–July 1; Session 4: July 2–8; Session 5: July 9–15; and Session 6: July 16–22. If you have any questions, please call 425-346-7226 or email gpielks@outlook.com
Breeze Staff Report
news@breezenewspapers.com
Voting for the Cape Coral Breeze Athlete of the Month for April is now open. There were countless top performances from student-athletes in The Breeze coverage area to start the new year and now it’s up to readers to decide who will earn top honors for the month. Nominees for April include: ■ Kendall Wylie, senior, North Fort Myers Red Knights: The senior continued to impress in the circle for an 11-1 Red Knights softball team, earning two complete game wins where she didn’t yield an earned run over 14 innings, striking out 21 and allowing just two hits. ■ Luke Buzzelli, senior, Ida Baker Bulldogs: Buzzelli won the Region 2A-4 traditional weightlifting championship at 169 pounds thanks to a dominant performance in the bench press. The senior already had the class won with his first lift of 335 pounds, but he went on to up his bench press to 355, giving him a total score of 585 pounds. ■ Destyni Devine, freshman, North Fort Myers Red Knights: Devine captured three LCAC Championships; two as an individual in the 200M and long jump, and was part of the winning 4X100 relay team. She was also runner-up in the 100M. ■ Nicolas Bonaparte, freshman, Ida Baker Bulldogs: Bonaparte, Ida Baker’s No. 1 singles player, took home the District 3A-11 crown and qualified for the state tournament. He defeated his opponent 6-4, 6-0 in the championship match.
Bonaparte also won a district title in doubles with Todd Bennie, and the team went undefeated during the regular season. ■ Todd Bennie, senior, Ida Baker Bulldogs: As Ida Baker’s No. 2 player, Bennie captured a District 3A-11 title and qualified for the state tournament. He defeated his opponent 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match. Bennie also won a district crown in doubles with Nicolas Bonaparte, putting together an undefeated regular season as a doubles pairing. ■ Mackenzie De Lisle, freshman, Bishop Verot Vikings: The freshman led the way for the Vikings in the District 2A12 Championships, taking home three first place finishes in the 800-, 1,600-, and 3,200-meter runs, as Bishop Verot as a team finished in the top spot. ■ Aiden Knaak, senior, Bishop Verot Vikings: The senior hurler was on top of his game in a 7-0 win over Bonita Springs, where he tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out a season-high 16. Knaak carries an impressive 1.23 ERA over 57 innings this season. Athlete of the Month nominees are comprised of the Breeze’s staff-selected Athletes of the Week for that respective month. To vote, visit www.capecoral breeze.com and click the Athlete of the Month Vote Now icon along the righthand side (capecoraldailybreeze2.secondstreetapp.com/Athlete-of-the-MonthApril23/). Voting is open until Thursday, May 4, at noon.
Pine Island Eagle
Voting underway for Breeze Athlete of the Month for April
breezenewspapers.com
The Greater Pine Island Elks #2781 is sponsoring area children ages 9 through 13 who would like to attend the Florida Elks Youth Camp in scenic, Umatilla, Fla. All children are welcome! The island lodge has 11 scholarships for children to enjoy a week of housing in the modern, air-conditioned cabins; meals; swimming; canoeing; aquatic center; campfires; arts and crafts; a rope course; and lots of fun, exercise and fresh air. To register a child, simply utilize the online application at floridaelks.org/camp. A Greater Pine Island Elk will supply their name and member number as the child’s sponsor. The stated weekly cost per child is $220. Those who can afford this reasonable fee are urged to pay; those who cannot will be afforded the same opportunity. It is through the generosity of the Florida Elks Association, the Greater Pine Island #2781 and donations from members that tuition-free scholarships are made possible for campers. The Florida Elks Youth Camp is dedicated to enriching the lives of children from the state of Florida. The mission is to mold the current generation of youth into adults. The camp’s motto is to “inspire, connect and expand.” Kids are inspired through the quality of the facility, staff and programming. Without electronics, they help kids build connections between themselves and their peers, counselors and
Page 11 ■ Week of Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Greater Pine Island Elks #2781 offering scholarships for children to attend Youth Camp this summer