The Club At Gateway Golf Course Renovation Is Underway
By Matt Malloy, General Manager
When Lifestyle Management Group of Florida purchased the club, the membership was presented with a Five-Year Vision Plan. This Vision Plan was unanimously accepted by the membership, with a 96 percent approval rating.
The Summer 2024 Golf Course Renovation project is the remaining element of that Five-Year Plan.
Last year, the club retained the services of Jan Bel Jan, who worked with Tom Fazio on the original design of our golf course and was the designer dedicated to overseeing the construction of the original course. We believe her vision and passion for retaining the Tom Fazio Signature were critical to our project’s success.
Please note that our intention is not to redesign the golf course but to make some much-needed improvements with some modest modifications.
We also asked Bel Jan to design a par-3 course within the 18 holes. This will be known as “The 54,” with shots anywhere from 60 to 120 yards and a total yardage of 1,700 yards. The 54 will be great for golf events, youth golfers, beginners, seniors, and anyone who wishes to play the game.
Some highlights of our golf course project are as follows: Renovation of all of our greens to USGA specifications. This includes:
• Expanding the greens to the original size and shape
• Strip existing turf
• Demo greens
Gateway Women’s Club
By Janice Eaton, Laurel Borgia, Marianne Kollasch and Donna Marchetti
Gateway Women’s Club
Welcomed Melanie Musick
From Pace Center For Girls
Members of Gateway Women’s Club sat in silence as Melanie Musick, community engagement coordinator, shared fascinating success stories of Pace Center for Girls. Pace is a supportive community for girls to build healthy relationships, plan for the future and overcome trauma. Pace’s guiding principles include: *Honor the female spirit *Focus on strengths *Act with integrity and positive intent *Embrace growth *Exhibit courage *Seek excellence *Create partnership *Invest in the future. Pace first opened its doors in Jacksonville in 1989 and came to Lee County in 2007. Musick explained, “Pace is a day program (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) designed for at-risk girls. Pace offers the girls opportunities for a better future through education, counseling, training, and advocacy.” She went on to say, girls 11 to 18 years old (grades 6 to 12) voluntarily apply to attend. They are not court ordered. To qualify, girls must interview and meet three risk factors including abuse,
truancy, academic-failure, or family instability. While attending Pace, students earn credits in conjunction with Lee County schools. The girls must meet set goals showing growth and change.
• Remove existing greens mix
• Remove the existing gravel blanket
• Remove existing drainage and piping
• Shape floors of greens to original size and design
• Install perforated drainage and outfalls
• Install a 4-inch granite gravel blanket
• Install greens mix, which is 90 percent sand and 10 percent organic dirt
• Shape and tie in greens mix to collars to the original design
• Sprig greens with Certified Tif Eagle grass
We will be renovating all of our existing cart paths. This process will include removing the existing cart paths, root
The day program’s proven records show students have a 93 percent increase in their academic performance. No student becomes involved in the criminal justice system, and 93 percent are enrolled in school, higher education or employed one year after leaving Pace. A transition program assists with college tours, financial aid and career readiness. Pace’s Reach Program goes into communities weekly providing individual and family therapy.
“The way girls learn and develop is unique. Pace gets them back on track and empowers them to take control of their own lives. Once a Pace Girl, always a Pace Girl,” Musick added. Anyone may refer a girl believed to need help. Pace serves a maximum of 62 girls and has a waitlist to enroll. Pace is located at 3800 Evans Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33901.
Stephanie Mena
Book Club
Thank you, book club members, for your generous donations for the April raffle basket. The next GWC Book Club will meet on Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. The book selection to be discussed is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. “A kicky debut, this book tackles feminism, resilience, and rationalism in a fun and refreshing way” (BuzzFeed). Laurel Borgia will lead the discussion of this New York Times bestseller. Penny Messerknecht will be the hostess and Kathy Mullane the co-hostess. Please R.S.V.P. to Penny if you plan to attend. Her contact information is in the Gateway Women’s Club Directory.
Barb Hamlin
Charlotte Stewart, GWC President; Melanie Musick, Community Engagement Coordinator, Pace Center for Girls; and Deb Stephano, GWC Program Coordinator
The Club At Gateway
Gateway Girlfriends Supports
Ronald McDonald House
The Gateway Girlfriends is a club within the Club at Gateway.
The ladies in this group have been actively involved in various charitable activities and one of their initiatives is to provide meals for the Ronald McDonald House.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida is a nonprofit organization providing a “home away from home” for families with seriously ill children receiving medical treatment at Golisano Children’s Hospital. They offer a comfortable and supportive environment where families can stay together during these challenging times.
Volunteers will be responsible for planning and cooking a nutritious meal and cleaning up afterward.
The Gateway Girlfriends have been volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House Charities for quite some time now and their efforts have significantly impacted the families they serve. However, we always need additional volunteers to help prepare meals for the families staying at the house.
The meal preparation takes place on the last Friday of each month, providing an opportunity for volunteers to come together and make a difference in the lives of these families.
By volunteering with the Gateway Girlfriends, you will not only be helping to provide a warm meal for these families but also offer them comfort and support during their difficult journey. It’s a beautiful opportunity to give back to the community and positively impact the lives of those in need.
If you’re interested in volunteering or want more information about the Gateway Girlfriends and their involvement with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, you can contact Beverly Fewster at cal4070@aol.com. She will happily provide all the necessary details and answer any questions.
Aqua Fit Aerobics Class At The Club At Gateway
Aqua Fit is just one of the many classes offered to our members. It is $9/class for drop-ins; no preregistration required, just show up. Classes are held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday. If you are not a member yet, now is the perfect time to join our summer preview membership.
Golf Tip From Gyles Robin
By Gyles Robin, Director of Golf
Add distance to your drives!
Your grip must be in your fingers, not the palm. Your stance should be wide with your feet shoulder-width apart. The plane of your swing must be around your body, with the club coming from the inside for impact. An around-thebody swing is helped by a right-to-left (for right-handed players) weight shift, which in turn creates the release from the inside. The club coming from the inside to impact creates maximum speed and distance. Increasing your club head speed starts with the fundamentals – a good grip and a good posture. Once you are set up for success, it is easier for your body motion to move freely behind the ball in the backswing and into the ball on the way through. To make this easier, keep your head behind the ball to promote your swinging up on the ball.
A great drill is to swing a golf club 3 feet off the ground (sort of a baseball-type swing, but using your golf grip and posture). This will help you feel the right swing plane and release through impact.
Another great idea is to swing towards the bottom left side of the ball for right-handed players and the bottom right side of the ball for left-handed players.
Feel free to reach out to any of the golf pros here at the club for lessons to help you hit it further!
Gateway Community Summer Massage Special – May To August
Get $10 off your first massage with Jennifer or Rebecca at The Club at Gateway.
Regular price is $100/60 minutes and $135/90 minutes. Massages are by appointment only. Call (239) 770-5590 to book your massage.
Paul DeAngelis And Tom DeAngelis
Shootout Recap
We started our shootout with 10 Flight Winners and a Wildcard Team. We eliminated three teams on No. 1, three teams on No. 2, and three teams on No. 8. This left us with Tony Ingersoll and Dan Thompson to battle it out against Paul DeAngelis and Tom DeAngelis on the final hole. Thompson hit his drive up the middle and Ingersoll hit a nice layup to the right side of the fairway. Tom DeAngelis bombed his tee shot, and Paul DeAngelis nearly hit the green with his second shot. Tom holed a 3-footer for par to secure the win.
Rick’s Tips
Get Together And Stay Together
By Rick Hanover, USPTA Tennis Director
Have you heard of the saying “together we stand, divided we fall?” The same applies to doubles teammates. By joining your partner offensively at the net, or defensively back near the baseline, it makes it more difficult for your opponents to find the holes to exploit. By dominating the net together or dropping back on defense to prolong the point will not let your opponents isolate one person until they succumb. Hope this helps and we’ll see you on the courts!
“I
Just Don’t Believe That…”
Dear friend,
When I meet people in town, they usually say, “Oh, yeah, I know you, you’re that doctor with the beard on TV.” Well, perhaps I should tell you a little more about myself, the picture from television and why I use it in my ads.
Let’s start with me, the guy with the beard. Ten years ago I was living here in Florida. At that time my mother was down visiting from New Jersey for the season when she showed up in my clinic with a frozen shoulder. She was desperate and in pain having lost practically all use of her dominant arm. She could hardly fix her hair, reach for a coffee cup or even fasten her brassiere. Basic hygiene had become extremely difficult for her. She was afraid, because the two orthopedic surgeons that she had consulted told her, “Your only option is to have your shoulder replaced.” I remember saying to my mother, “I just don’t believe that.”
Now at that time I was a chiropractor who worked primarily on the spine. Frankly… I didn’t know how I was going to help her. I just knew there was a nonsurgical solution out there and I was going to find it.
And boy did I find it! I found the answer to my mother’s shoulder problem and much, much more. And where did I find it? Of all places, I found it at the birthplace of Elvis Presley, Tupelo, Mississippi. Immediately I hopped on a plane and flew into Memphis, rented a car and drove out to a chiropractic neurologist who was willing to teach me how to fix my mother’s frozen shoulder. I spent three days in his clinic shadowing him, learning a new technique I had never even heard about before. Eager to help my mother, I developed this new skill set quickly. When I returned to Florida I wanted to be able to immediately fix my mother’s shoulder.
And that’s exactly what happened. After I performed the first Non-Surgical Operation on her shoulder, her pain went away significantly and she recovered to nearly full range of motion. She was so happy that she avoided surgery and got her life back.
It’s strange how life is, because that same doctor who showed me how to fix my mother’s shoulder opened up his treasure chest of knowledge and showed me how to help people with chronic knee, neck, low back pain and those suffering with neuropathy in their hands and feet, all without the use of Drugs, Surgery or Injections.
I spent the next several months flying back and forth to Mississippi learning all that I could.
Many years later we now have over one thousand successful patient testimonials. Many of them were told by their doctors that their only option was to have their knee or shoulder replaced or to take toxic drugs for the rest of their lives to mask their neuropathy symptoms.
Al was one of those patients who was told he had ‘bone on bone’ degeneration. His knee stopped unlocking properly, similar to what I’m describing in the photo, and he was facing knee replacement surgery. He was suffering from chronic degenerative knee pain, couldn’t walk properly and was easily holding onto 60 pounds of excess body weight. His doctors would have eagerly scheduled him for a knee replacement surgery had he decided to go in that direction.
Immediately after the Non-Surgical Operation I performed on Al’s knee, he was squatting and walking up and down the stairs normally without pain.
Al is now in his early 70s touring Alaska in his RV. He has dropped over 60 pounds and is biking 15 - 20 miles per day and loving life. He regularly sends me great pictures from his adventures.
Joyce was told by her oncologist, “There’s nothing that can be done.” She would have to live with the chemo-induced neuropathy in her hands and feet. Hot and cold were indistinguishable and the numbness and tingling made it impossible for her to walk any distance.
Joyce was a cancer survivor only to have come out on the other side with another debilitating condition. She and her husband showed up in my clinic and told me what their medical doctor had said. I told her the same thing I told my mother, “I just don’t believe that.”
After a thorough neurological examination and report of findings she trusted me enough to follow my protocols. Within two weeks her numbness and tingling in her feet subsided and the feeling was coming back.. After 12 weeks she was feeling the sand between her toes as she walked along the beach again. At her one year checkup Joyce’s sensory loss had improved over 80% overall to within the normal range… She is all smiles these days!
You should know that I don’t heal anyone of anything. What I do is perform a specific non-surgical operation that resets the communication between the brain and knee or shoulder, instantly decreasing pain and inflammation, increasing strength and flexibility and helping with tissue healing. For our neuropathy patients we have a 4 step, proven approach that heals your nerves and reverses your symptoms. We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that! –We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that!
Today in the United States medical doctors are prescribing more drugs than ever before. These drugs are designed to cover up symptoms as your condition gets worse underneath the surface. The toxicity from the daily use of these chemicals ultimately leads to nasty side-effects and more drugs to treat the new symptoms. The current “healthcare” system was built to maintain your condition, not fix it. It’s a brilliant business model for the pharmaceutical industry and the hospitals, but a horrible strategy to follow if one is looking to age gracefully.
That’s where my practice comes in. I have found a way so that more people are able to afford the treatment they need, even those on a fixed income with or without health insurance coverage. One Non-Surgical Operation in my clinic could cost what you’d pay for just the deductible of a joint replacement surgery.
You Benefit from a Unique Offer…When you bring in this article, you will receive a FREE CONSULTATION with me to determine whether you are a good candidate for our Non-Surgical Knee or Shoulder Operation. If you’re being seen for Neuropathy we will take a thermal image of your feet at no charge to you. This will give me enough information to know whether I can help you. Once we determine you’re a good candidate and you feel comfortable in my clinic the complete examination is only $197. That’s it, for the entire neurological examination & report of findings. This examination & report could cost you over $500 elsewhere. But, please
call right away because this offer expires on May 31, 2024, and I don’t want you to miss out. By the way, further care is very affordable and you’ll be happy to know that the non-surgical, drug free therapies and procedures performed in my clinic can cost as little as $300 per month. You see, I’m not trying to seduce you to come see me with this low start up fee, then to only make it up with high fees after that. Further care is very important to consider when making your choice of doctor because higher costs can add up very quickly.
“You shouldn’t be forced to choose drugs and surgery just because that’s the only treatment medicare and your insurance company will cover.”
You should know a little about my qualifications. That’s important so that there’s no misunderstanding about the quality of care. I’m the bestselling author of Breaking The Cycle - how to take control of your life when traditional medicine has failed. An amazon #1 new release in three categories. I’m a graduate of Life University School of Chiropractic practicing since 1998. I am a licensed chiropractic physician certified in functional neurology. I’ve been entrusted to take care of avid morning walkers, pro-athletes and business tycoons you may have heard of.
My office is called Active Health Brain & Body and it is located at 6710 Winkler Road, Suite #1. It’s the gray Key West-style building at the corner of Cypress Lake Drive and Winkler Road behind the Bank of America. The phone number is 239-482-8686. Please call my wonderful assistants Megan or Silvia today to make an appointment.
I wish you the Very Best in Health and Life!
Dr. Rob Davis, DC
P.S. When accompanied by the first, I am also offering the second family member this same examination for only $97.
P.P.S. Your time is as valuable to you as mine is to me. That’s why I have a “no wait” policy. It is highly unusual to wait more than a few minutes in my office.
Al on my
telling his story of how he avoided a total knee replacement surgery.
My mother and I featured in a local publication for nonsurgical shoulder solutions.
Joyce is all smiles at her one year checkup. No more neuropathy!
Whispers Of God
March Madness
By Dr. Mark P. Gonzales, Executive Director, Royal Palm Association of Churches, SBC
I know you are reading this in May, but as I write this for deadline, the March Madness of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournaments are wrapping up this weekend. Wow. There are so many amazing storylines of dynasty and Cinderella teams, surprising and superstar heroes, statesmen-like and flamboyant coaches, not to mention stunning upsets and buzzer-beaters in the 64 team brackets in both tournaments. Great TV! March Madness, indeed! But I must admit that to me – and apparently a few million other people – the women’s side has been especially intriguing to watch this year with the Caitlin Clark effect fueling skyrocketing viewership in the last few years. This year she steadily chased and became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball history –
pruning where oak tree roots are a problem, installing a root barrier where needed to help prevent damage in the future and re-asphalting the paths with 1.5 inches of asphalt. The concrete curbs will be repaired as needed.
We will be installing a state-of-the-art two-wire irrigation control system with new heads, control boxes, and swing joints. This will completely eliminate our outdated hydraulic system and all the large green control boxes throughout the golf course. We have already installed a new pump station as part of the project!
We will be installing new grass on the entire golf course, including tee boxes, fairways, roughs, driving range, and practice holes with Bimini grass.
We plan on removing select bunkers that are not in play on the golf course and are difficult to maintain. We also plan to renovate all the greens by removing the existing sand, reshaping all the edges, installing bunker liners and reinstalling with new G-angle sand, which will help prevent them from being destroyed by heavy rains. We are also going to soften a handful of mounds throughout the golf course where it is impossible to grow turf on such steep angles.
The golf course closed on April 1, and the practice facility closed at the end of April, with a goal of opening by Dec. 1. We hope this helps answer most of your questions and we look forward to making these great improvements to this amazing club.
We thank our members and community for their continued support and help in making The Club at Gateway such a special place!
among men and women – and spawned tons of new fans to the sport! Once drawn in and tuned in to women’s basketball, now we get to hear more backstories of more young women making their mark in the sport once dominated by men. So, the madness gets even more intriguing!
And kudos to the brilliant promotional minds that came up with the “March Madness” tagline that heightens expectations and excitement of what used to be a cobweb of games crisscrossing the country with seemingly uninteresting schools, teams, players and coaches. March Madness turned cobweb chaos into a marketable menagerie of wonderful stories of hard work, crushing injuries, huge setbacks, painful rehab, beating the odds, inspirational coaches, gifted trainers, and student athletes that dazzle us a few hours at a time.
So, let’s be clear, the “madness” is not about uncontrolled anger or sanity (well, there’s maybe a wee bit of both), rather, it is about the unbelievable backstories that fuel the unrelenting competition, unpredictable outcomes, and unbridled joy and heartbreak in experiencing and witnessing so many wins and losses in a crazy short period of time. Yes!
But of course, this madness model is not restricted to basketball. The upcoming summer Olympic games, professional baseball, hockey, golf, tennis and even pickleball will have their share of madness on display. As will the arts from the Taylor Swift phenomenon down to your grandson’s first high school play (mine amazingly played Gaston in Beauty and the Beast – videos available upon request) with their glorious madness. And even closer to home, your family madness of the highs and lows of financial struggles, health issues, relational rifts, emotional weariness, an uncertain future and so much more.
Catch The Action
May On The Water
By Capt. Bill Russell
May is a month that ranks high for anglers fishing the coastal waters of Southwest Florida. It could be our best time of the year for chasing big fish.
Tarpon season is at its peak, if you want to hook into a big tarpon, this is the time to do it. Large schools gather off the beaches, as well as in Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, San Carlos Bay and other inshore waters. Tarpon, aka, the Silver King, are also targeted around the Sanibel Causeway, Big Carlos Bridge and gulf passes up and down the coast, with Boca Grande Pass getting the most attention. It’s common to see upwards of 100 boats on any given day tarpon fishing Boca Grande Pass. If you are going to fish there do your homework first.
Sharks large and small invade our waters from the shallow inshore flats to offshore. Many of the larger females including bull, lemon and blacktip, move into inshore waters to give birth to their pups. Sharks are an underrated game fish, when caught on moderate tackle they are an absolute blast, especially highflying blacktip and spinners. Be careful when handling them, or better yet leave them in the water at boat side. If you cannot easily remove the hook, cut the leader as close to the hook as possible. Watch those teeth!
May is time for big snook to head for the gulf passes and nearby areas for their upcoming summer spawning session. Although snook season is closed, they offer a challenge, and a lot of fun for the catch and release angler. If you hook into one, please handle it with extra care for a safe release. Never hang a large fish from its lips or mouth; this has proven to do irreversible damage to the heavier fish, often leading to its death, plus it’s illegal. It’s best to not remove a big fish from the water at all, not just snook, but any big fish to be released. If you remove one for a picture, hold it horizontal with both hands while supporting the belly. Make it quick, snap the picture and return the fish to the water.
Hooking into redfish and some big ones is possible throughout the month. Calm mornings or evenings give sight anglers on the skinny flats some great opportunities at stalking tailing fish. Shallow draft skiffs, kayaks, canoes, or getting in the water and wade fishing gives the angler a better chance to sneak up on fish in the calm shallow waters. As days get hotter fish under the shade of the mangroves, docks, or overhangs on the midday high tides. The last couple of hours of the incoming are often most productive. Redfish may run in size from little guys less than a foot, up to brutes pushing well over 30 inches. Redfish eat a wide range of baits including live, cut and artificial. Mangrove snapper might be my favorite fish on the table. They aren’t the biggest fish around, but they fight incredibly hard for their size and offer excellent table fare. As we move closer to summer, expect numbers of snapper to increase throughout the inshore waters, gulf passes and nearshore reefs.
Spanish mackerel are harassing bait schools inshore, around the passes and nearshore artificial reefs. Mackerel, with blazing speed, are a blast to fight and often run in
My point? Well, the older I get, the more I am seeing that to me, as I listen to the whispers of God, I am still learning and coming to peace with the degree to which “March Madness” is a pretty good microcosm of the “Much Madness” in this world. Really.
Every country, city and family deals with their own backstories of very hard things that can lead to very big blessings. And like the basketball tournament, totally unpredictable in how it will unfold. That’s why we need a Savior. And each other. A great coach. Supportive teammates. Big challenges. Crushing disappointments. Huge wins. Fill in the brackets for your future if you like, but don’t bank or bet on them. Anything can happen. And while that might feel scary at times, remember that it’s the madness that makes life so thrilling to experience and witness! So, hang in there! Play hard! And for heaven’s sake, embrace the challenges – or you may really go mad.
Playing to beat the buzzer with you, Pastor Mark
Articles, videos and podcasts: markpg.org. Write and share at mark@quillpress.org. Hear me every Saturday, 8 a.m. on 91.5 FM.
large schools. They are good on the table but should be eaten fresh not frozen. While a stationary bait like a live shrimp under a bobber works for mackerel, they really like quick moving shiny baits. A fast retrieve with a small silver spoon is hard to beat.
With the month bringing days with little to no wind, fishing offshore in gulf waters is a good choice. Long runs to deeper water give you the best chance for the larger bottom dwellers such as red grouper, snapper, porgy and others. If you’re looking for a shorter trip and the potential for action, hit the nearshore reefs in depths from 20 to 50 feet. Coordinates are available for all public reefs, and most hold a variety of fish large and small. This is a month to be prepared for anything; you never know what you might come across. I like to always keep a heavier rod rigged and ready, just in case. If you are fishing for tarpon or sharks you already have the heavy arsenal out, but if you are just having fun on the flats with trout you never know when that once in a lifetime cobia or school of tarpon might show up. Preparation and awareness are the key. Have a rod that will handle the job rigged and ready and pay attention to your surroundings. If not, that trophy fish might just swim right by without you even knowing it. The weather should be good and fishing even better. Get out there and take advantage of it!
Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www. myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations and seasons with pictures to help identify fish.
For charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service and “Catch the Action” with Capt. Bill Russell, call or text (239) 410-8576, website: www.fishpineisland.com, email: gcl2fish@live.com.
Capt. Bill Russell is a native and lifelong resident of Pine Island who has spent his entire life fishing the waters surrounding Pine Island and Southwest Florida. For the past 28 years, Bill has been a professional fishing guide who takes pride in customizing each trip to ensure everyone on board has a great time and will return again. Come join us and “Catch the Action.”
Local Church Raises $100,000 … Again
Gateway Trinity Lutheran Church, GTLC, held its 13th annual charity golf tournament on Saturday, March 16 at The Club at Gateway. The event was a tremendous success raising $100,000 with a 13-year total of $649,500. This is the second year in a row that GTLC raised $100,000. 100 percent of the proceeds will be split equally to two deserving local charities: Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and Community Cooperative, aka The Soup Kitchen and Meals on Wheels. Russ Reynolds, GTLC tournament director, shared, “The community response has once again been overwhelming this year as it has for the last 12 years. Our two local charities provide so much help and support to those that are less fortunate. Special thanks to The Club at Gateway for hosting this community event.” Reynolds continues, “I am not aware of any golf tournament that has more hole sponsors than golfers, 139 sponsors vs. 124 golfers. Our golf tournament is less about golf and more about hope, compassion and
generosity for those who need help in our community. It is truly a labor of love.” Pastor Sean Bunger said, “GTLC strives to be a part of this community by not only being a place to gather on Sunday morning, but to also be a church that is community driven.”
Reynolds added, “For all those that participated in golf, attended dinner, became a hole sponsor … thank you for providing help for today and hope for tomorrow.”
Gateway Trinity Lutheran Church is a multigenerational community that offers ministries for all ages through our youth programs, Bible study and various small groups. We invite you to join us on Sunday morning. You can learn more about our ministry by visiting our website at www.gtlc.org.
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida is a standalone, state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2017 – is on a mission to deliver vital and lifesaving care for children and their families throughout the region. Our highly trained
staff believes that every child is special. Children deserve innovative care in an environment that soothes anxiety and fear. All of us – doctors, nurses, advocates, social workers, and volunteers – share this vision and care for you like family. For more information, please visit our website at www.leehealth.org.
Community Cooperative’s mission is to eliminate hunger and homelessness in Lee County while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education and social service programs. For more information, please visit our website at www.communitycooperative.com.
Continental Women’s Club
The Continental Women’s Club will hold its monthly luncheon meeting on Thursday, June 13 at 11:30 a.m. at The Hideaway Country Club.
Our June meeting is the second Thursday due to a scheduling conflict, and will feature a presentation by Tom Chase, a local retired attorney, comedian and storyteller. You are invited to attend and meet this wellknown storyteller who will share some fun stories with us as well as explain the art of storytelling. Please call Liz Paul at (239) 691-7561 for additional information, meal selection, and to make a reservation.
Continental Women’s Club is a social, cultural and philanthropic organization established in 1975, and membership is open to women living in Lee County. We have many special events and interest groups within our club that you can participate in for social and educational purposes throughout the month and year. In addition, we contribute to many local charities and award two scholarships each year to senior high school girls who plan on furthering their education.
Meetings are usually held on the first Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at The Hideaway Country Club, 5670 Trailwinds Drive, Fort Myers 33907. The cost to attend the luncheon is $25. Reservation deadline for June 13 is Tuesday, June 4.
Ilse Pfander, Nancy Klausing, Diane Dugan, Susan Foley
Addison Tuttle, Josie Rey, Melanie Tuttle, Bill Shuck, Paul Bode
Ken Sander, Carol Sander, Steve Mathers, Deanna Mathers
DENNY GRIMES & TEAM
Gateway Women’s Club from page 1
Sit And Stitch
The next Sit and Stitch meeting will be hosted by Glenda Ziegler on May 13 at 1 p.m. Please contact Glenda if you plan to attend. Her contact information can be found in the GWC Directory. The group includes many GWC members working on different projects such as scarves for collegeattending students who were in foster care and projects for Hospice. Any GWC member is welcome to join. Contact Eleanor Stuart for more information. Her information can also be found in the GWC Directory.
Eleanor Stuart
Bridge
Bridge 101 will meet Tuesday, May 7 and May 21 at Hampton Park Amenity Center at 10 a.m. Please contact Susie Kravetz by phone or email, (information in the directory) to let her know if you are attending. We welcome anyone who wants to learn bridge or enjoys playing bridge.
Laurel Borgia
Gateway Gals On The Go
Charitable Giving Committee
A group from the Gateway Women’s Club recently attended a comedy show at the Snappers Comedy Club in Fort Myers featuring comedian RC Smith. All proceeds from ticket sales will directly benefit the GWC charities.
Dining Out
Twenty-one ladies recently took the TrueTours “Stories of the Stones –Every Tombstone Has A Tale” tour. The tour guide Bri, The Grave Maid, provided us with very informative historical and gravestone symbology and architecture information. The tour took place at the Old Fort Myers Cemetery off of Michigan Avenue … the third oldest cemetery in Fort Myers. The cemetery has the remains of many early Fort Myers settlers (Goodno, Heitman, Gonzalez, Langford, Hendry, etc.), veterans of many wars, as well as more recent burials. It also is the burial ground of a notorious outlaw (Edgar “Bloody” Watson – book called: Killing Mister Watson by Peter Matthiessen). The gravestones and stories of eight strong and savvy Fort Myers women was the focus of the tour. Along the way, we learned how to clean a dirty headstone, the symbology of grave design and the architecture of the antique cemetery. The light breeze, friendship of the GWC ladies and walking tour made for a very good morning. We thank TrueTours for another excellent tour. Thanks to Elsie Rivard and Mary Ann George for organizing the event. Elsie Rivard
Special Event
Twenty-nine ladies and guests recently went to the Arcadia Rodeo. The rodeo was approximately a two-hour event. The group saw bull riding, bronco horse riding and calving. It was very entertaining and everyone had a great time.
Kathy Flaherty
Did you know that Italian cuisine is the most popular in the world? Members of Gateway Women’s Club did not miss an opportunity to join the world in savoring authentic Italian cuisine. In a recent dining out adventure, Gateway Women’s Club members and their guests made a short trip to San Matteo Italian Restaurant in University Village Shops near Florida Gulf Coast University and Hertz Arena. Recently opening for business in 2024, San Matteo Italian Restaurant has quickly become an overnight sensation. The restaurant has an extensive menu of Italian appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas and a variety of entrees. The Gateway Women’s Club members and guests enjoyed the restaurant’s award-winning Neapolitan-style pizza, chicken and veal marsala, and authentic Italian pasta, just to name a few of the delicious items transporting the group to Italy without the jet lag. The restaurant staff and management served Gateway Women’s Club large group of 32 members and guests with ease and expertise. The Gateway Women’s Club recognized that San Matteo’s attentive service, sleek and modern ambiance, delicious food, and fine selection of wines, are the keys to its success. As always with the GWC Dining Out, it was a wonderful night to remember with delicious food, great service and dining with friends. Mama Mia! Susan Roberts
Gateway Women’s Club cowgirls attending the rodeo
Judy Hammond
Eleanor and Randy Stuart, Charlotte Stewart and Al Olds
Faith and Jack Degnan, Mary Ann and Robert McDonald, Pat McLaughlin
Michele Smith, Bobbi and Mike Kinkade
GWC members listen to tour guide Bri at the Old Fort Myers Cemetery.
Tombstone of outlaw Edgar “Bloody” Watson
Stories Of The Stones
The GWC ladies welcome you to the Old Fort Myers Cemetery.
This person was a veteran of the Civil War ... a Union soldier who enlisted at age 13! He was a drummer.
Carol Brown and Renette Oklewicz
Don and Donna Marchetti
Gracie and Ron Hrinda, Bob and Donna Thayer and Susan Roberts
Mark and Susan Roberts, Ken and Dorothy Freda, Maryann and Russell Schmidt, Louis Smith and Debra Roggow
Pam Dwyer and Mary de Silva
Stephen and JoAnn Montalbano
Sharon Smith and Paula Kostycz
From The Desk Of Sheriff Carmine Marceno
Gas Station Safety
Unless you are operating an alternatively-powered vehicle, a visit to the gas station is likely on your weekly to-do list.
As technology has made the process of filling and paying easier than in decades past, many fuel-station consumers have become so accustomed to the routine that they pay little attention to conditions around them. We are distracted by cell phone calls, fuel pump broadcasts, text messages, etc.
Some utilize filling stations to purchase snacks/food or to use the restroom.
Regardless of the reason for one’s visit, it remains imperative that individuals recognize that criminals have become proficient at taking advantage of our complacency.
“Situational awareness,” a practice that our agency stresses in all of our community presentations, is the ability to perceive, understand and effectively respond to any and all circumstances occurring in our immediate location.
Whenever possible, refuel during daylight hours. When refueling at night, avoid poorly-lit stations or stations with little visibility to the roadway.
When you exit your vehicle, ensure that you remove your key(s) or key fob from your car or truck. Lock your doors, especially if going inside to purchase food or use the restroom.
Avoid leaving purses, wallets, cell phones or items of value inside an unlocked vehicle … even if only while pumping gas. Roll up all windows prior to exiting an unoccupied vehicle. The side of your vehicle facing away from the pump is the most vulnerable to entry/theft. While pumping fuel, position yourself in a way so as to allow you to see your entire vehicle.
Like it or not, gas stations have a way of attracting a wide variety of individuals … some friendly, some not-so-friendly and some with criminal intentions.
Trust your instincts. If something seems unusual … if you are uncomfortable … should you have any concerns, leave the area immediately.
If necessary, please do not hesitate to call law enforcement … either 9-1-1 or a nonemergency number.
Florida Repertory Education Announces Summer Theatre Camp Programs For Children Ages 6 To 18
Two-Week Musical Theatre Intensive Offerings Include Seussical, Jr. , Anastasia The Musical, Youth Edition, Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. And The Lion King, Jr.
This summer, young artists are invited to discover the world of theatre through musical-intensive camps offered from June through August through Florida Rep’s education program. Each two-week session is open to students of all skill levels and runs daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The camp fee is $440 per child per session; sibling discounts are available upon request. To register call (239) 219-1551 or visit FloridaRepEducation.Org/summer-intensives.
The musical intensive theatre camps feature Broadway Junior musical titles and allow students to work with theatre professionals to develop their acting, singing and dancing skills on a professional stage. Each two-week camp concludes with a student performance in the historic Arcade Theatre complete with costumes, sets and lighting. Program enrollment is limited; openings remain for:
Consumer Alert
What’s A Verification Code And Why Would Someone Ask Me For It?
When you log into your bank or credit card account, you might get a text message or email with a verification code. You then enter it at the login screen to confirm it’s really you. That’s a form of two-factor authentication that adds a layer of security to your account — and keeps would-be scammers and hackers out.
Your account password and a verification code work together, like the lock on your doorknob and a deadbolt lock. If you unlock the doorknob but not the deadbolt, you can’t get in. Likewise, if you know the account password but not the verification code, you can’t get in.
The same goes for scammers trying to get into your account. To break into your account, scammers need both keys. That’s why they try to trick you into sharing your verification code.
Scammers pretend to be someone you can trust, and say they’ve discovered a problem with one of your accounts —
Save Your Knees!
Many of the patients who visit our clinic for the first time, often tell me the same story, “My orthopedic doctor, who has been giving me steroid injections, told me years ago that I would eventually need a total knee replacement.”
My question for anyone who has had a similar experience, did your doctor inform you of the American Medical Association Journal, JAMA randomized clinical trial that studied the safety and effectiveness of steroid injections for chronic knee pain? In this study they took 140 participants with chronic knee pain and split them up into two groups. The control group got a saline solution injection and the treated group got the steroid injection. The injections were given every three months for two years. At the end of the two years they compared notes. The pain level for both groups did not improve much. It was about equal for both groups. However, what they did find was that the treated group who received all of the steroid injections had a significant loss of cartilage between the knee joint as compared to the saline group.
Since 1998 when I began practicing, I have found that the most difficult knee cases presenting in our clinic are the patients who have received multiple steroid injections
• Seussical, Jr., offered June 3 to 7 and June 10 to 14, for ages 9 to 18.
• Disney’s Aladdin, Jr., offered June 17 to 21 and June 24 to 28, for ages 11 to 18.
• Anastasia The Musical, Youth Edition, offered July 8 to 12 and July 15 to 19, for ages 11 to 18.
• Disney’s The Lion King, Jr., offered July 22 to 26 and July 29 to Aug. 2, for ages 9 to 18.
For children ages 6 to 8, Florida Rep offers a one-week Camp Mini-Stars, July 1 to 3, and July 5. Participants will explore music and creative movement, play theatre games, and create art projects inspired by elements from Disney’s Lion King, Jr. Mini camp fee is $220.
There are also volunteer opportunities for students ages 15 to 18 to serve as junior teaching assistants at the camps. These youth leaders assist head teaching artists during the two-week sessions. An application may be found at FloridaRepEducation.Org/summer-intensives.
or that someone’s using your identity. They may know some things about you and sound very convincing. They may even be very sympathetic to your problem: offering to help you set things right … and then asking for your verification code to get into your account.
If you give them the code, they can log into your account and transfer all the money out of your savings or investment accounts.
Never give your verification code to someone else. It’s only for you to log into your account. Anyone who asks you for your account verification code is a scammer.
in their knees. Now it’s proven to destroy the connective tissue causing the bones to shear together and resulting in chronic degenerative pain.
In our clinic we use a multimodal approach to optimize your recovery from chronic knee pain. Understanding that nothing happens in isolation, I will leave no stone unturned when I do my evaluation including a complete neurological examination.
Once I determine that you are a good candidate for the non-surgical operation, I will perform a functional neurological procedure that resets the communication between the brain and the body, changing the tone at the knee and allowing it to unlock and bend properly. This procedure instantly decreases pain and inflammation, increases strength and flexibility, and assists with tissue healing.
We get tremendous results for those that qualify for the procedure.
Dr. Rob Davis is the best selling author of Breaking the Cycle, How to take control of your health when traditional medicine has failed. Call (239) 482-8686 to schedule an appointment.
About Florida Rep’s Education Program Florida Repertory Theatre’s education program is dedicated to enriching the lives of young people and families throughout Southwest Florida with exceptional theatre experiences; nurturing an appreciation for theatre in our students, audience and community; educating and engaging young people, new artists and adults with the high standards of performing arts training including classes, internships and volunteer opportunities; advocating for the arts and making them accessible to all; creating lasting relationships with community partners and artists; investing new efforts to expand and improve upon existing programming; inspiring greatness in a future generation of artists and art patrons.
If someone asks you for your verification code, don’t engage. Hang up. Block their number. Stop texting them. Then report them to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you’re worried there’s a problem with your account, contact your bank, credit union, or investment advisor directly. Use a number you trust, like the one on your statement or in your app. Never use the number the caller gave you; it’ll take you to the scammer.
What’s Blooming At Edison And Ford Winter Estates?
By Karen M. Maxwell, Horticultural Specialist
Old-time television aficionados may remember the tagline “Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.” To this day, I really don’t know to whom Jimmy Durante was speaking, but I’m reminded of it every time I happen upon our calabash tree.
If you’ve never closely examined the calabash along the riverfront, this is the best time of year to enjoy the blooms that are on the trunk (cauliflorously) and six months later a hard gourd, sometimes called a fruit, but truly a berry, develops at the former flower site, making these one of our more curious tropical trees. The flowers open for a single evening, and it takes the pollination of a bat while open, to produce the berry.
The calabash is part of a class of tropical understory trees with three genera – all of which share the same two traits: They bloom on their trunks and they are pollinated by bats. At Edison Ford, we have three species representing two of the genera, each with an interesting story to impart.
The riverside calabash, known as the “Common Calabash” (Crescentia cujete) and first to be discussed here, is not native to Florida; it is in the Bignoniaceae family and scholars still discuss whether the tree’s origins trace back to Africa or Asia.
Montage Women’s Club
The Montage Women’s Club is a social and philanthropic club open to all women residing in Lee County. We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month at The Club at Pelican Preserve, 9802 Pelican Preserve Blvd., Fort Myers 33913 (community entry off Treeline Avenue between Colonial Boulevard and Daniels Parkway).
Activities begin at 11:30 a.m. with a short social period, followed by lunch at 12 p.m., then an informative speaker program, followed by a short business meeting ending at 2 p.m. Within the organization are various interest groups for members’ participation. Membership is open to both year-round and seasonal residents. We welcome you to visit Montage for a luncheon.
Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, May 23, and our planned speakers will be Marcia Davis, executive director for the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers, and Desi Wynter, chief real estate officer of that same organization. They design and manage the community development enterprise known as the Greater Dunbar Initiative. This initiative is a collaborative effort between local, state and federal agencies and private businesses and industries to address issues such as distressed housing, crime and unemployment in the Southward Village and surrounding neighborhood of Fort Myers.
Additionally, our May meeting will conclude with the installation of the new Montage Women’s Club Executive Board for 2024/25.
Luncheon fee is $28 and the planned regular entree will be Three Meat Lasagna with house marinara, broccolini and tiramisu for dessert. The plant-based/vegan entree will be Vegan Lasagna, broccolini, with fresh fruit for dessert. Fresh rolls and butter are always served.
If you would like to attend a Montage meeting, need further information, or would like to make a reservation, please call Rita Artwohl at (239) 703-7787. Reservations cutoff to attend this meeting is 12 p.m., Thursday, May 16.
Though rarely found occurring naturally anymore in the wild, per National Geographic, this plant is only surpassed by the dog as to the extent of its worldwide distribution for a domestic species. Though not native, it doesn’t have an invasive tendency, so it’s a Florida-friendly candidate if you desire a neat, compact tree. We know the Common Calabash has been on site at the Estates since at least 1929 because Dr. Henry Nehrling wrote of it when describing this once wild landscape, though he never mentioned its precise location. Mina Edison also featured this calabash on her preferred flora list for garden club tours at her winter home during the years 1935 to 1938.
The Black Calabash also produces sessile or cauliflorous flowers and fruits, though it appears that the flowers of the Black Calabash are not perfect, meaning the tree’s flowers do not have both male and female parts, which is why we have never seen a gourd develop on our singular Black Calabash. Though I can’t confirm from experience, there are writings that say the Black Calabash gourd is lightweight and floats, and, as with sea-going coconuts, they can travel long distances, so that might explain how the tree has a naturally large native range.
It is thought that the Common Calabash was crossed with a large gourd calabash brought from Guyana in 1997, which can produce 20-inch-wide gourds. The botanical name C. cujete (pronounced coo-yet-ay) is from the Brazilian word for gourd. The calabash gourd is well known as the source for colorful Brazilian maracas – the popular musical instruments (dried calabash gourds filled with dry mung beans), and as a reliable container for food and liquid, earning it another common name “Beggar Bowl Tree.” No part of the Common Calabash is edible for humans.
To be clear, the calabash tree is not the same as the calabash gourd, a popular vine that produces the bottle-shaped gourd used to make birdhouses. In South America, the fruit of the Common Calabash is also used to fashion a vessel for drinking, or sipping the yerba mate beverage, popular in Argentina. After the pulp is removed and the gourd is dried, they are ornately carved, and in the case of one I purchased in Patagonia, detailed with sterling silver.
Additionally, there is also a Winged Calabash (Crescentia alata) on the grounds – it’s a small tree native to Mexico that produces edible seeds supposedly with the taste of licorice. Growing to a similar height as the Common Calabash (25 feet or so), the Winged Calabash has much smaller leaves but is structurally similar. It is located near the edge of the ginger beds just inside the McGregor Boulevard fence.
While I’ve always found the Common Calabash tree intriguing, I decided to write about the calabash after reading up on a third species, the “Black Calabash,” a heavily canopied tree that grows on the edge of our Florida native plant collection adjacent to the pool and tea house complex.
Interestingly, the University of Florida does not consider the Black Calabash (Amphitecna latifolia) native; however, several other flora authorities do, including The Kampong at the National Tropical Botanical Garden (Coral Gables), Kew Gardens (U.K.), Atlas of Florida Plants, Institute for Regional Conservation (Florida) and the Foundation for Latin American Anthropological Research (FLAAR) based in Guatemala.
There are several important features that distinguish the Black Calabash from the Common Calabash – most importantly the Black Calabash is edible, while the Common Calabash may be edible by horses, but definitely not for humans. The Common Calabash is not at all salt tolerant, but there is a great deal written about the growing conditions where the Black Calabash is usually found, such as coastal rivers and coastal hammocks that often include mangroves. The branches of the Black Calabash will root if they grow low enough to reach the silky muck of coastal hammocks and will develop a dense thicket to absorb tidal surge.
As all three species of the calabash at the Estates are strongly identified with Central American cultures, tracking back the specific trees and their uses through their Spanish names is a challenge. “Jicaro de playa” (Jicaro of the beach) would suggest the Black Calabash due to its proximity to water; however, we see this Spanish epithet used for any one of the calabash trees. Common names are as interchangeable as nicknames, and it is only quite recently that researchers at the Foundation for Latin American Anthropological Research have identified that the Black Calabash was important in Mayan ethnobotany and they are just rediscovering its value in medicine. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, the seeds have been used as a cocoa substitute.
There are no serious pest problems associated with Black Calabash and the tree is not known to be invasive. It will provide a dense handsome canopy where planted, keeping in mind its love of water. While it may take some doing to source a tree, the Black Calabash known for its rot-resistant hardwood might be an excellent addition to a coastal native landscape.
The third characteristic common to all of the calabash trees, is that their rough and deeply-scored bark provides an excellent host for epiphytic orchids.
I challenge visitors to find and compare all of the calabash trees when visiting!
Photos
by
K.M. Maxwell
Yerba mate calabash vessel
There are three calabash trees at Edison and Ford Winter Estates. The calabash is part of a class of tropical understory trees with three genera – all of which share the same two traits: They bloom on their trunks and they are pollinated by bats.
Sabal Dunes