WEEk of octobEr 25, 2023 FLIER INSIDE
Saying thanks! Holloway Foundation helps PIE’s Eagle Book Club obtain texts — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 47, NumbEr 25
GPIA discusses partnerships at October meeting By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
At its monthly meeting Oct. 17 at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, the Greater Pine Island Alliance announced that some of the $1.1 billion Lee County has received since Hurricane Ian will be distributed through HUD grants that could be used to replace trailers with modular homes and possibly a buyout program for people wanting to sell their old home or trailer. Additionally, monies could be used to build a resiliency center, where first responders and immediate caregivers could be housed during or after a hurricane. GPIA co-founder Aaron Barreda reported that the
organization continues to work diligently with Lee County to identify programs geared toward helping lower income families, to replace mobile homes with HUD modular homes. According to GPIA Executive Director Erin Lollar-Lambert, the organization’s partnership with the Collaboratory (formerly known as the Community Foundation) as well as Habitat for Humanity is an enormous triumph for Pine Island. Barreda thanked Catholic Charities, for agreeing to donate $60,000 for skilled labor, $20,000 for materials and $20,000 for office rent; the Lions Club for donating another $16,000 in drywall and insulation for the island; and Habitat for Humanity as well as the Collaboratory for
a donation of over $20,000 to a GPIA project, wherein a Pine Island family has been able to resume living in its home in St. James City, where it has not been able to live prior to Hurricane Ian. “The Collaboratory and the Habitat for Humanity became involved with this passion project and came up with the funds to complete the project to return the young family home,” Lambert said. GPIA case manager Tracy Wentz can be reached through the GPIA website at gpialliance.org. If you reach out to her, you will be able to get in line for many of the See GPIA, page 16
Spots Ice Cream, Crepes & Sauces opening at The Center in late fall By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Celebrating Pine Islanders: Mike Shevlin By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Mike Shevlin has been a Realtor since 1981 and although he has influenced Pine Island a great deal, he said he’s primarily a human being. He came to the island after selling his health food store on Fort Myers Beach, when he saw an ad for a couple of acres in Pineland, with which, he said, he immediately fell in love. “I bought 2 1/2 acres with a little cottage and 40 mango trees, and a lot of weeds, so I was very happy with that,” Shevlin said with a chuckle. While living on this land, he said he married his wife, Joan, and they had three children. Shevlin had to rewire
the house, he said, noting that if he’d turned on a light and a radio simultaneously, one was sure to go off. Fortunately, he worked for ACRA Electric and decided he’d better get to know what he was doing. Since Shevlin had been playing baseball his whole life, even in college, he decided coaching Little League would be a natural progression. See MIKE SHEVLIN, page 16 The Shevlin family, above, from left, Rebecca, Mike, wife Joan, Julie and Tim. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY MIKE SHEVLIN
Aimee Gantt and Sarah Crawford are excited to be a part of the Pine Island community, where life is a little laid back and people saunter along on island time. Having fallen in love with Pine Island, each of them admits wanting to bring something unique and a little extraordinary to their new ice cream and crepe chop, Spots. “We want it to be the spot where everybody wants to come and connect and enjoy sweet things,” Crawford said. Gantt agrees, saying she would like Spots to be a place where folks feel welcome and memories are made. “Spots won’t be just a place to eat ice cream, but a place to come and have an experience,” Gantt said. In addition to deconstructed fried ice cream sundaes, made with any of the 24 ice cream flavors transported from Yoder’s Creamery in Sarasota, Spots will make from scratch and serve both sweet and savory crepes. Some of these savory crepes will include a crepe based on the Monte Cristo sandwich, with cheese and ham, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with raspberry sauce. Another crepe they will offer is a Southwestern See SPOTS, page 11
Athlete of the Week.........12 From the Firehouse........10 Letters to the Editor..........4 insidetoday Cat of the Week...............16 Island Mahjongg...............7 On the Water......................8 Classifieds & Obituaries