President’s Letter
At the September 25th meeting of the Gulf Harbour Master Association the Finance Committee reported that we are still in a very strong position. The following items of old business were discussed:
• The Guardhouse painting and new roof are scheduled to start as planned.
• We are still waiting on the correct fencing to repair the hurricane damage north of the main entrance.
• The new fountain next to the 17th green will be installed soon.
Holiday4Heroes
“We
Give Because They Give”
Who Are We?
What Do We Do?
What started as a holiday program, our first year sending 40 packages, became a yearround effort. We now send 100 to 200 comfort packages each month to our brave men and women, and 1,000 packages for our holiday mission. We have now sent almost a total of 20,000 packages.
Additions To The Mission
Holiday4Heroes was founded in 2007 by Jonette Kessack, who owned a postage and wine store. This grassroots effort was started to fill a need to provide comfort and care to our deployed men and women all over the world. We are a group of team members, volunteers and business owners who had a desire to show our military that we remember them and appreciate their sacrifices for us.
To fill the need at home we have added more programs for our community to serve our in-need and homeless veterans and their families.
In 2019, we started our Backpack for Homeless and InNeed Veterans Program partnering with the VA and various homeless coalitions. Our backpacks are filled with personal care items, high protein snacks and information on where to get help.
In 2020, we began distributing bulk food drops to our in-need veterans and their families through the VA food pantry.
Soundings
• Westport paving will commence by the middle of October.
• The Board is still negotiating with Osprey Point/ Sagamore to install the security fence.
• The security system for the pedestrian entrances has been ordered. Entrance will be by FOB keys, for those that request them, at a minimal cost. Cameras, to communicate with the guards, will also be installed as needed.
• According to our last survey, a vast majority of property owners would like to see the island rebuilt. A communication will soon be sent to them outlining the cost of this project.
Thank you, Chris Cope, President
In 2021 our local VA Clinic asked us if we could help fill a need in our community. We were asked if we could provide tents and water filtration bottles for our veterans who are losing their homes during the current housing crisis.
In 2022 we realized that some of our Mission Make Merry Families, sometimes, need a little extra help for emergencies. When funds are available, we provide what we can to help our families get through these difficult times with a little less stress. Please read about some of the things we are doing for our families.
Mission Make Merry
As the mission evolves, Holiday4Heroes supports our military families at home by giving them a Christmas filled with joy and less worries.
Every year we provide a merrier Christmas for local military families, who may be going through some difficult times. These families are recommended to us through the VA. The first year we started with three families. Last year we were able to help 23 families.
Fast forward to 2023, we are currently seeking donations and all the necessary trimmings to help our veterans’ families make their holiday season a little bit brighter.
Holiday4Heroes on page 6
2023 Festival Of Trees
Thursday, Nov. 30 Through Sunday, Dec. 3
The 17th Annual Festival returns to the Sidney & Berne Art Center (SBDAC)! Experience the beautiful trees decorated by local business to raise money for Goodwill of Southwest Florida and SBDAC. See these gorgeous creations beginning for just $2 per person, beginning on Nov. 30.
View trees, vote, and buy raffle tickets to win a tree! Raffle tickets: $10; 3 for $25; 10 for $50; 25 for $100.
Festival Of Trees Viewing Times
Thursday, Nov. 30 – 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 1 – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 2 – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 3 – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
2023 Festival Of Trees Event Information
Preview Party: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 6 To 8 p.m.
Come be one of the first to see the beautifully decorated trees for the 17th Annual Festival of Trees! You are cordially invited to attend the official Festival of Trees Preview Party on Wednesday, Nov. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Delectable hors d’oeuvres will be served alongside a cash bar. Check out all the goodies under the trees and pick your favorite while enjoying cheery holiday music! Only $50 per person!
Love the trees and all the presents beneath them? You can’t buy one, but you can try to win one! The first of the raffle tickets will be available to purchase during the Preview Party!
Also come for the one night only silent auction!
Winners take their prizes home at the end of the evening. Proceeds go toward programs for SBDAC and Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.
Wine And Paint: Thursday, Nov. 30, 6 To 9 p.m.
’Tis the season to get creative with one of our favorite local artists, Dharma Lefevre! This talented and quirky elf is going to show you how to create a gorgeous wintery landscape in acrylic. This is not like other paint parties. Dharma will be teaching color theory, how to translate
2023 Festival Of Trees on page 7
Gulf Harbour Book Club Review
The Night Watchman
Submitted by Joan Kaplan
The Gulf Harbour Book Club met on Oct. 2 to discuss The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. There were 15 people in attendance.
Cheryl Kenney led the group and has provided me with the notes from the meeting.
Cheryl is my alter ego. I appreciate her support. The attendees had a spirited discussion.
Linda Rosalanko delivered the author review which she thoroughly researched as is her style. Linda always does a great job.
Karen Louise Erdrich was born in 1954, she is the oldest of seven children, Her mother, Rita, is a Chippewa woman, half Ojibwe and half French. Her father, Ralph Erdrich, is German American. Both parents taught at a boarding school in North Dakota, set up by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Louise was not raised in a reservation but she often visited relatives there. Her maternal grandfather, Patrick Gourneau, was tribal chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa for many years. Louise is an enrolled member of Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, a federally recognized tribe of the Ojibwe people. The reservation is located in North Dakota. She has two sisters who are also writers.
In 1972, Erdrich was among the first women admitted to Dartmouth College. She majored in English and creative writing, and took courses in the Native American Studies program, headed by her future husband Michael Dorris. She graduated in 1976. In 1979 she earned her Master of Arts degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her thesis was poetry, that would later be published as Jacklight. The first of her numerous literary awards was in 1975 American Academy of Poets Prize. In 1982 she won the Nelson Algren Short Fiction competition for The World’s Greatest Fisherman, which would become the first chapter of her debut novel Love Medicine She also won $5,000 – which was life changing at the time. She became friends with Studs Terkel and Kay Boyle, the judges! Later she was the 2009 Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Pulitzer in 2021 for The Night Watchman among others. Erdrich is widely known for her novels in the Native American fiction genre. She has also published nonfiction, poetry and children’s books. She is a prolific writer for sure, having written at least 28 books. Unlike most authors there is a lot of information about Erdrich’s personal life. She returned to Dartmouth in 1981 as a writer in residence in the Native American Studies Program. She had kept up correspondence with the chair of the department Michael Dorris. He was an anthropologist with degrees from Georgetown University and Yale. They had
similar interests at a time of rising Native American activisim in the 1970s. In 1971, he became one of the first unmarried men in the United States to adopt a child. The child he adopted was a 3-yearold from the Lakota tribe, who had fetal alcohol syndrome. Dorris wrote a famous memoir in 1987, The Broken Cord, detailing his struggle to care for his son. He adopted two more Native American children. Erdrich and Dorris married in 1981 and were literary partners as well, writing together and managing her career. They had three biological children together and his adopted children. They separated in 1995. The oldest adopted child died in a car accident that year. Dorris died by suicide two years later in 1997. Prior to his death he had been accused of child abuse, and Erdrich had been accused of not stopping the abuse by his remaining adopted children. Sad story.
The group decided it was a good book club discussion book although they thought there were too many characters. They also said the stereotypes Senator Watkins laid out in his testimony is something Native Americans are still dealing with today. We learned a lot about their plight.
A couple of years ago, Erdrich thought she would never write again after winning The National Book Award for The Round House Her grandfather was Patrick Gourneau. She discovered a cache of letters written mid-20th century. He had been chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Advisory Committee during the tribe’s modern-day fight for survival. The threat at that time was legal but as potentially disastrous as earlier assaults: In 1953, the U.S. House passed a resolution declaring that a number of tribes should be rapidly “freed from federal supervision.”
Her writing style is fluid as she vividly portrays the characters in the book. She creates a fictional world populated with memorable characters who each have their own major issues who are forced to grapple with the worst and best impulses of human nature. Illuminating the loves and lives, the desires and ambitions of these characters with compassion, wit, and intelligence.
Beneath that glorious promise of emancipation lurked the government’s true plan: the unilateral abrogation of treaties, the wholesale termination of tribes’ rights and the abandonment of Native Americans already impoverished by centuries of genocidal policies.
Thomas Wazhashk, the tribal leader at the center of this novel, understands the legislative danger early and fully.
Thomas, a character based on Erdrich’s grandfather, works as a night watchman in a jewel bearing factory, the first manufacturing plant on the reservation. The hours are long, always lonely, sometimes spooky. Thomas struggles to stay awake so that he can write letters to local and national politicians, business leaders, scholars anyone who might help him mount an effective defense against Congress’s plans to terminate the tribe.
“We have survived smallpox, the Winchester repeating rifle, the Hotchkiss gun, and tuberculosis,” Thomas thinks. “We have survived the flu epidemic of 1918, and fought in four or five deadly United States wars. But at last we will be destroyed by a collection of tedious words.” Not if he can help it.
In 2001 Erdrich, at age 47 gave birth to a daughter by a Native American man, she declines to identify publicly.
Erdrich has a bookstore in Minneapolis called Birchbark Books which she considers to be a “teaching bookstore,” they sell native art and Native American jewelry as well. Wiigwaas Press, a small nonprofit publisher founded by Erdrich and her sister, is affiliated with the store. When asked in an interview if writing is a lonely life for her, Erdrich replied, “Strangely, I think it is. I am surrounded by an abundance of family and friends and yet I am alone with the writing. And that is perfect.”
As one of our members put it, “Never knew much beyond Louisiana Purchase and the Alamo. Another blatant piece of history we were missing.”
The Gulf Harbour Book Club usually meets on the first Monday of each month at noon in the club’s boardroom. If you want to join the book club email joankaplan@mac.com. From December through April, Zoom will not be available as we are using Zoom for the authors. The selections for the upcoming season are: November is Horse Dec. 4 is Lisa See for Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, Jan. 8, 2024 is Laurie Frankel for One, Two, Three, Feb. 5 is Ann Napolitano for Hello Beautiful, March 4 is Will Schwalbe for We Should Not Be Friends, April is Etaf Rum for Evil Eye. In May we will read The River We Remember by William Kent Kreuger. Preference will be given to book club members for the authors joining us. There will be a deadline for book club members to sign up. After the deadline any member of the club is welcome.
To contribute to your Gulf Harbour Soundings newspaper, please send articles, announcements, photos, events or any issues to
October Ladies’ Luncheon
By Sandy Kreatz
We kicked off season in high style! Missy presented us with the latest and greatest tennis and golf fashions.
Thanks to models Susie Gunia, Toni Swanson, Lilly Riordan, Marilyn Lappin, Debbie Nagle and Ron Marcotte.
Yes, Ron and Susie
modeled nightshirts while sipping cocktails you had to be there! A fun afternoon with the ladies connecting with friends, enjoying a delicious lunch and of course, shopping. Thanks to Missy for her hard work and the staff for their great service.
Our November luncheon is being presented by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office “Social Media and Internet Security.” This will be interesting and very topical. Make your reservations today!
Arts And Crafts At Gulf Harbour
Submitted by Joan Kaplan
Gulf Harbour now offers a new club for its members.
Beginning Thursday, Oct. 19 in the ladies’ locker room members are invited to join in the Arts and Crafts Group to share your projects.
You can show up anytime from 1 to 4 p.m. where there will be tables set up and plugs available for you to work on your craft. This was available to Gulf Harbour members when we had the marina lunch place. It was so much fun sharing our ideas. We met new friends and laughed a lot.
Since the marina closed its lunch service, we have not had a place available to continue our crafts together.
Eventually we may invite Gulf Harbour artists to teach us
a craft as well as retain outside artists to learn new projects. Arts and crafts is a wonderful opportunity to concentrate on your project and train your mind to be calm. Gulf Harbour welcomes anyone who wants to show up on any Thursday at 1 p.m.
Enjoy!
Saturday December 2nd
From The Desk Of Sheriff Carmine Marceno
Pedestrian Safety
Our county is growing and, with that growth comes an increase in the number of vehicles, more pedestrians, additional cyclists, and construction to alter, repair and improve roadways.
All of the aforementioned variables are capable of compromising pedestrian safety … especially for children walking to and from school and/or bus stops. As part of my
Seeking
Soundings Writers
Do you have an interesting story to share?
The Soundings is always looking for new and talented writers to submit articles on events, the social scene, restaurants, movies, family matters, village life, etc… Now is your chance to share your interests with the community. You can contribute each month, just once, or once in a while.
• Are you involved in any particular activities in Gulf Harbour or around town?
• Can you share your knowledge about a specific topic or hobby?
• Do you have (or did you retire from) an interesting career?
• Are you the person who always knows what to do/ where to go in our area?
• Do you like to take pictures or draw cartoons?
• Can you pass along a favorite recipe?
If you answered yes to any of the above or have an idea of your own, you can submit your articles (and photos) at GulfHarbourReport@gmail.com.
Gulf Harbour Master Association Board Meetings
will now be routinely held at Suitor Middleton Cox & Associates offices, 15751 San Carlos Blvd #8, Fort Myers, FL 33908. Meeting date and times will continue to be posted on the signs at the north and south entrances.
Gulf Harbour
Master Association
Board
Of Directors
President Chris Cope
Vice President David J. Urban
Secretary Dave Van Namee
Treasurer Carl Pecko
Director Carol Gillespie
Director John Wilson
Director Sam Schiphorst
“Safe Kids, Safe Schools” initiative, a safe walk to school, and back home later in the day, is a nonnegotiable component. Everyone is seemingly rushing to get somewhere … school, work, appointments. All too many of us have our eyes focused on our cellular devices, have headphones/ earphones and are simply not paying appropriate attention to all that is occurring around them.
While most reading this message are adults, we believe that our many years of street crossing and neighborhood walking makes us immune to these types of accidents.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Let’s begin by remaining alert. If there is no sidewalk, please walk on the left side of the road facing traffic. Walk as far from the roadway as possible and reasonable.
Stop signs and red lights do not guarantee that a vehicle will stop. Do not assume that a vehicle will abide by traffic laws/signs. Attempt to make eye contact with the driver and, in an abundance of safety, always yield to oncoming vehicles.
Holiday4Heroes from page 1
This year, through the tremendous generosity of our community, we are hoping to be able to include gift certificates for food to help out with Thanksgiving dinner too.
How You Can Help
We are always being asked “what can we buy” or “what do you need.” Each and every donation is needed and appreciated!
There are many ways to help: Attend events, purchase monthly raffle tickets, pick up a box and fill it with supplies, volunteer to help pack boxes, make a monetary donation to help with costs, become a sponsor, donate gift cards and much more.
If you would like to help, please send your contact information to triciah4h@gmail.com.Tricia has taken over volunteer services and is an amazing addition to our committee. Packing dates are set and you will be able to sign up in advance!
Exit vehicles, whenever possible, from the passenger side. Pedestrians and cyclists should exercise additional caution in areas of road construction as traffic patterns change during the course of the construction and drivers may become confused or disoriented.
Crossing major roadways can be perilous. Vehicles are moving at higher speeds, may have blind spots created by large trucks and, when turning, may not see a pedestrian jutting out from behind a parked vehicle or landscaping. These hazards increase exponentially during the dark of night.
Time spent discussing these matters with school-aged children is time well spent. While they may feel insulted when you broach this subject as they are “grown up” and “know how to cross a street,” please remind them that even adults are susceptible to these sorts of tragedies.
“Season” will soon be upon us; more people, more vehicles, more congestion. Let’s all be alert and cautious as we approach the holiday season.
Visit our website www.holiday4heroes.com for a list of supplies needed and for more information. Holiday4Heroes, 3990 Wholesale Court, Suite 2, North Fort Myers, FL 33903, www.holiday4heroes. com, holiday4heroes@outlook.com, (239) 677-9923. (We are only open on certain days, please call to see when we are available.)
Association Presidents
Celebrating 21 Years
• Proven
• Outstanding
landscapes and simplify what you see to produce scenery with depth and soul!
Dharma is a self-taught local artist; she has had various solo, and group shows and has worked on both charity and live painting for local events and did we mention she’s a ton of fun! She can’t wait to create alongside of you!
Each artist will be supplied with canvas, paint, paint brushes, and of course wine.
Tickets: $45
Wreath Lighting Featuring Rosaline: Friday, Dec. 1, 6 To 10 p.m.
Another beautiful holiday tradition bringing Christmas to the River District.
At 7 p.m. join the mayor and Santa as they lead the stroll down First Street to the Art Center to light the giant wreath and pick the winner of the Mayor’s Choice tree at the festival.
Rosaline will be playing from 7:30 to 10 p.m. and is a free concert. Some chairs will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own.
Santa’s Block Party: Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. To 2 p.m.
Join Santa for fun, food, and holiday festivities!
Santa’s Block Party offers workshops including many fun holiday activities for children to enjoy with cookie decorating, a train ride, and many different kinds of arts and crafts. Kids Workshop bags will be available to purchase during the event. $6 a bag.
Several different performances will be happening throughout the day. Touch a Firetruck and hang out with the Fort Myers Fire Department’s mascot, Sparky the Dog! Scoops on First will have their amazing ice cream available for purchase.
Catch A Live Band (To Be Determined): Saturday, Dec. 2, 7:30 To 9:30 p.m.
Come enjoy the free concert on the front steps! Tree Raffle Drawing: Sunday, Dec. 3, 5 p.m.
Proceeds benefit the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation, 5100 Tice St., Fort Myers, FL 33905, and the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center.
Winner selection to be held via random drawing on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. Each Festival of Trees raffle winner will receive one of the fully decorated raffle trees, each valued at a minimum of $500.
Each prize tree will have a separate raffle entry box which corresponds that prize tree only. Prize selection is determined by the ticket holder by depositing entry ticket in selected tree’s entry box. Prize selection cannot be changed once raffle entry ticket has been deposited. Prizes are provided by the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation and in-kind tree sponsors.
Reminder:
All Dogs MUST be leashed at ALL times in and on Gulf Harbour Properties.
Stacy Gizzi Managing Broker
What’s Blooming At Edison And Ford Winter Estates?
By Karen M. Maxwell, Horticultural Specialist
On a recent evening, just after sunset, as the crepuscular creatures were venturing out, I walked into the Moonlight Garden to turn off lights that had been left on for a special event. Strolling around, my mind was wandering and suddenly, I was seduced by an intoxicating fragrance that filled the soft dusky air.
In our Moonlight Garden, there are no less than six varieties of gardenias – one actually belongs to the tribe gardenia, meaning it’s not a true gardenia by botanical definition, but more on that later. Gardenias are included in the plant family Rubiaceae, which also includes coffee, pentas and quinine. Taxonomically speaking, the common gardenia is Gardenia jasminoides where the species epithet means jasmine-like. In some literature, Gardenia jasminoides is synonymous with Gardenia florida (meaning many flowers, not our state); and Gardenia augusta The genus name honors Alexander Garden (1730 to 1791) who was a Scottish physician, a naturalist, a resident of Charleston, S.C., and a correspondent of Linnaeus, the father of botanical classification. Commonly, gardenias are also referred to as cape jasmine in some parts of the world.
Most species of gardenias originated in the eastern hemisphere. As early as the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960 to 1279) the Chinese were cultivating gardenias which made their way to South Africa and onto England as early as 1760, and shortly thereafter arrived on the shores of the soon to be United States. Since then, nothing speaks of Southern charm and culture in flowers as does the gardenia. My Florida horticulture hero, Henry Nehrling (who was employed by the Edisons in Fort Myers in 1928), wrote in 1925, “Camellia, rose and gardenia were the most fashionable flowers of the antebellum days the glorious fragrance [of the gardenia] … and pure white color – another point in its favor …”
The architect Hal Walker, who designed Edison’s study and the swimming pool complex, also designed a flower garden for Mrs. Edison dated 1928 for the areas between the houses and outside of the pergola which included gardenias. Historic inventories list G. augusta, specifically “August Beauty” on site during the years 1930 to 1936.
Oh, that fragrance oh yes, that is why we must grow a beautiful gardenia in our garden. With more than 200 varieties ranging from dwarfs that grow only 2 feet tall, to gardenia standards (small trees) reaching to 12 feet, such as those that anchor both ends of the eastern path through the Moonlight Garden, we will share the formula for success here in Southwest Florida.
Gardenia flowers are waxy, and they all open as a white flower – some a bright white, while others have flowers that fade to off-white or pale yellow or orange. Yes, orange. Gardenia flowers may be single or double, clustered or solitary. All are fragrant. These are slow-growing plants with a life span of approximately 20 years.
In Southwest Florida, the most popular variety is “Miami Supreme” followed by “Aimee” which offers larger, but later blooms. Gardenias are susceptible to the root-knot nematodes in our sandy soil, so the University of Florida recommends purchasing a gardenia that has been grafted onto Gardenia thunbergia rootstock resulting in a more vigorous gardenia shrub. The limiting factor of these grafted gardenias is that they are not cold-hardy and will die below 28 degrees, where
gardenias can grow as far north as zone 7B. Such is our lot as a Southwest Florida gardener – but when one considers that we have managed to survive without the ability to grow camellias, we should be happy we have the opportunity to grow a lovely gardenia. (For those left wondering, Gardenia thunbergia is native to Zimbabwe, where it is known as the wild gardenia, and it is used by the Karanga of Zimbabwe to ward off witchcraft. It has an intense, almost overpowering scent.)
A noted college friend and neighbor of the Edisons, James Hendry who owned and operated the Everglades Nursery, which was located just up the road on McGregor Boulevard, is credited with being the first nurseryman to graft Gardenia veitchi with Gardenia thunbergia and according to a News-Press article dated May 5, 1975, was the granddaddy of our grafted gardenias.
Gardenia lovers are encouraged to limit their garden to one or two plants as these shrubs are as attractive to insects as they are to humans. For this particular reason, while they do grow well in pots, we don’t recommend them as houseplants. Should you observe sooty mold, a black powdery-like substance, on gardenia leaves, closer inspection will most likely reveal ants marching up and down its stems. They are after the honeydew of the insects, and it is a call to action. During times of extended dry periods is when this would typically occur.
Begin by planting the gardenia in a mound, higher than the surrounding garden area, and be sure to keep the flare (where the bottom of the trunk meets the roots or graft) above the soil line. Keep an eye on this after the first year, as often they will sink as the disturbed soil settles from rainy season. (This is good advice for planting most trees, by the way.) Most importantly, plant your gardenia where you will be able to enjoy its fragrance and, like roses, they appreciate very good air circulation. They will thrive with some afternoon shade from the hottest of summer sun, but they can endure full sun with appropriate watering. Gardenias are not at all salt tolerant and will show their disdain if briny reclaimed water, household softened water, etc., is applied. Do keep them moist and apply a nice 4-inch layer of good organic mulch over their roots.
Maintain a good feeding regime of a quality fertilizer with minors (the other trace elements of a complete fertilizer) formulated for acid-loving plants, two to three times a year – February and October and if the leaves are showing signs of deficiency, also feed in June and again in August. Our alkaline soil block acid-loving plants from accessing iron, magnesium and nitrogen from the soil. The telltale signs of these deficiencies are: If the leaves have yellowing between the the all Solutions
Gardenia jasminoides arbor
Gardenia jasminoides
Vietnamese gardenia
Gardenia tubifera Gardenia nitida
Gardenia taitensis
What’s Blooming from page 8
are as follows: Purchase fertilizer for acid-loving plants – the fertilizer should be complete and include ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, iron sulfate and sulphur-coated urea.
In the absence of the correct fertilizer, the gardener can add dry coffee grounds to the soil or one tablespoon of Epsom salt mixed with one gallon of water, once a month; or apply one tablespoon of vinegar to one gallon of water, once every three months.
When to prune is a common question. Give only a minimal pruning to maintain desired shape and vigor after the plant has completed its blooming cycle. If pruning is done after Oct. 1, the number of blooms the following spring will be greatly diminished.
Should bud-drop start to occur, it could be from natural causes such as an extended dry and hot spell, or very cool weather. Inadequate drainage or too much fertilizer will also lead to the loss of buds.
In addition to Gardenia jasminoides , visitors to our Moonlight Garden can also view several other varieties,
including Gardenia nitida native to West Central Africa. It is a shrub that can grow to 12 feet. The single flowers have long tubular throats for pollination by hawkmoths. G. nitida is unusual in that it will develop lots of flowers in one day, and they are all gone the next and it will repeat this bloom pattern several times a year. Gardenia nitida was first identified by William J. Hooker, the first director of Kew Gardens in England.
As one enters the Moonlight Garden from the northwest (and original) entrance, there is Gardenia taitensis “Heaven Scent” on the left (they also flank the riverside entrance to Ford’s cottage). Neither native to nor naturalized in Tahiti, the name is misleading. However, it is now the national flower of French Polynesia and the Cook Island. It grows up to 8 feet with glossy, deep green leaves. The flowers are used to make perfume oil by infusing them in coconut oil.
Speaking of misnomers, the Vietnamese gardenia is neither from Vietnam, nor a true gardenia in that its seed pod has grooves, unlike true gardenias, but botanists do classify this Kailarsenia in the tribe gardenia. This closely related plant otherwise looks and smells like a single flower gardenia and it tolerates very moist soils, is highly resistant to root-knot nematodes and is free
flowering year-round. It is most fragrant in the early evening. With a flower structure similar to G. nitida, don’t miss Gardenia tubifera, or golden gardenia, located along the pathway to the caretaker’s house along the eastern side of the Moonlight Garden – it is tucked in between the Tabernaemontanas, which are often mistaken for gardenias. An easy way to tell the difference is the lack of strong fragrance, and all of the Tabernaemontana have milky latex oozing from their stems. To add to the confusion, these gardenias look-a-likes are often referred to as crepe (or crape) jasmines and remember cape jasmine is a common name for gardenias. So, the next time you visit the Moonlight Garden, please stop to smell the gardenias!
For The Arts
Clown Bar By Adam Szymkowicz
Directed By Bill Taylor
Nov. 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 and 26, 2 p.m.
Bar Opens 45 Minutes Prior To Show
Join us for this immersive experience as we transform the Alliance theatre into the Clown Bar (an actual functioning bar!), plunging you into the dark and secret world of these hilarious, yet frightening, gangster clowns.
Happy’s brother Timmy is found dead. Now Happy must return to his former life as a clown to ask a few questions. But will Happy be able to go home again without getting sucked into the seedy clown underbelly of vice and violence?
Alliance For The Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33919, (239) 939-2787, artinlee.org.
Golf Cart Rules Reminder Alliance
Gulf Harbour has had several incidents and issues involving golf carts. Reports have included underage driving, wrong-way driving, driving on pedestrian and bike paths, and driving under the influence.
Some excerpts from our Rules and Regulations:
Any member, family member, or guest may operate a motorized vehicle (i.e. cars, trucks, golf carts, motorized scooters, etc.) on Master Association property as long as the driver is at least 16 years of age, has a valid driver’s license and has proof of vehicle insurance.
All golfers with golf carts should refrain from using pedestrian and bicycle pathways, if at all possible, especially if a golf cart path is available in that area and the golf cart driver is playing golf at the time. When use of a Gulf Harbour road is necessary, ATVs and golf carts utilized for activities other than golf should be driven in the same direction as vehicle traffic and comply with all rules that apply to vehicles.
All Florida rules of the road must be followed when driving motor vehicles within Gulf Harbour.
Please consider the above when driving your golf cart at Gulf Harbour.
A Trip Through Arches In Time
June Naas Photo (1978)
Our iconic arches (1924 to 1979) were recognized as home by residents. It was a symbol of Fort Myers Beach to visitors. 104 feet wide, towering 27 feet high, and 10 feet deep with a pedestrian walk; they were stunning. The impressive arches came into view from Buttonwood Drive. But for a communication lapse, FDOT and Matanzas Pass bridge subcontractors, they would still exist in a county park.
When built, there were just nine landowners and four houses, and Ambrose McGregor was among them. Tom Phillips started building the Crescent Beach Casino (“Shucker’s at the Gulf shore and Cottage Bar” until destroyed by Ian). In 1924, he built the arches facing his sales pavilion for his “San Carlos on the Gulf” development.
Tom’s arches became the star of the show. Tom sold lots for small cottages and dug the first canals on Estero
Crescent and First Streets. Then in 1926 the great Miami hurricane decimated the area; the arches would survive four more hurricanes. So strong was the 1926 storm, the surge created San Carlos Island, Hurricane Bay, and Hurricane Pass. The area was cut off from street traffic. In 1928, era planners decided on the swing bridge. Tom pleaded with them to align the bridge to the arches. This became San Carlos Boulevard; the arches were the town entrance for 54 years.
The swing bridge was prone to breakdown. It became public in 1979 that destruction of the arches were part of a plan to replace the bridge. Conversations among citizens, local planners, FDOT, Lee County Commissioners, and the bridge contractor resulted in a plan to move them to county park instead. Our arches had been saved Phone calls were made to Tallahassee by our commissioners telling them to stand down on the destruction of the arches. Unfortunately, nobody told the bridges wrecking ball subcontractor.
Our group paid to recover the stone remains and have those 3-D imaged. Our group paid for the engineering drawings package, and transported 17 stones and 60,000 pounds of material to Buckingham for storage. Additionally, we paid to have the surfaces cut for reuse. We have paid for 70 percent of the etched brick to build the Arch Walk. We will pay for signage and construction of the project. We are told by Lee County the cost may be $150,000. Much of Fort Myers Beach’s history is gone, the arches are still etched in our memories and hearts. Help us bring back some history. The fourth annual Rock the Arches music festival is April 6 and 7, 2024 at Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers, www.facebook. com/events/222865257101136. Buy tickets and enjoy the fundraiser, information is at www.rockthearches.com. We are a one and done nonprofit and this is our mission. We want to finish, and hand over the project with no taxpayer burden. 2024 would have been the hundredth year of the arches. Donate now at https://mickyds2002.wixsite.com/ restorethearches.
1924 arches and Pavalian
Island behind
1920s advertisement
San Carlos Island (circa 1928), San Carlos Boulevard and Drive pictured
Robbie Williams and Frank Hemelgarn on the arch remains
Wooden toll bridge, Matanzas Pass (1921)
Dear friend,
“I Just Don’t Believe That…”
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 non-surgical 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 nonsurgical 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!
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 November 30, 2023, 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 best-selling 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 239482-8686. 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 TV program 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!
Veterans Build: Habitat For Humanity
Volunteers Raise Walls Of Future Home For Army Veteran
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties is helping a local U.S. Army veteran achieve his dream of homeownership in Fort Myers. Greg, a former combat medic, is the first to have a home built as part of Habitat’s new Veterans Build program, highlighting the organization’s ongoing commitment to partnering with veterans.
Following his military service, Greg set his sights on raising a family, attending college and working full-time. Unfortunately, the dream of owning a home remained out of reach, forcing him to spend the last seven years renting and living with a roommate.
Habitat for Humanity held a Veterans Build on Sept. 9, when volunteers raised and completed the exterior walls of Greg’s home in Habitat’s new community off Prospect Avenue in Fort Myers. A team of Habitat volunteers, veterans and sponsors, as well as Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, came together to show their support and participate in the construction of Greg’s future home.
“It was so difficult to get a home through a [Veterans Affairs] loan,” said Greg. “Habitat made the process much easier and helped me with different programs and finances. They’re helping me build a home, so I’m paying for my future and my grandkids’ future.”
Habitat’s Veterans Build program aims to partner with local veterans to provide decent housing, an affordable mortgage and the skills to succeed. Greg will complete 300 hours of sweat equity, more than 20 hours of homeownership and financial literacy classes, and will pay $2,000 for the closing costs of his home through Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program.
Gulf Harbour Marina Board of Directors
President Dana Snyder
Vice President Craig Anderson
Secretary Mike Needler
Treasurer Doug Duncan
Marina Appearance David Kelley
Gulf Harbour Country Club Board Of Governors
Bill Lambert
Philip Croxford
Scott Bassett
George Johnson
Patti Buckingham
Gary Delanois
Kathie Gorski
Steve Hancox
Chris Moore
President
Vice
President
Treasurer
Secretary
Governor
Governor
Governor
Governor
Governor
Rules & Regulations
Reminder
• Lakes: No boating, fishing or swimming in any lake within Gulf Harbour.
• Eagle Perch Island: No fishing.
• Marina: No recreational swimming or fishing in the marina. No fish or other marine life of any kind shall be cleaned, prepared or processed in any manner on the property.
“Habitat for Humanity understands the unique housing challenges our veterans are faced with in Southwest Florida, and we want to be a local resource they can seek out to help them on their journey to homeownership,” said Malaina Mote, Habitat’s director of donor development.
“We are excited to launch our inaugural Veteran’s Build program, so we can partner with more veterans like Greg in our area.”
The Veterans Build initiative opens the door for partnerships with sponsors, individual donors, community organizations and volunteers to build homes with veterans to help them achieve their dreams of homeownership. For more information or to become a sponsor, visit Habitat4Humanity.org/Veterans-Build.
About Habitat For Humanity Of Lee And Hendry Counties
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties is a faith-based private nonprofit serving families with a housing need willing to partner. As a developer, builder, mortgage lender, housing counseling agency, retail operator and hurricane recovery organization, Habitat partners with families to build, improve or retain places to call home. Since 1982, Habitat has partnered with more than 1,800 families to help them achieve their dream of affordable homeownership. In addition to putting in 300 hours of sweat equity into building their own homes, Habitat homebuyers contribute to their closing costs, attend more than 20 hours of financial education classes, and pay an affordable mortgage set at no more than 30 percent of their monthly income. Through volunteering and providing financial or material donations, everyone can help Lee and Hendry County families achieve strength, stability, and independence. For more information, visit Habitat4Humanity.org.
Attention
If you are not receiving your monthly issues of Gulf Harbour Soundings by mail, please email mailroom@ seabreezecommunications.com with your name, address and community to ensure your information is correct.
Greg – U.S. Army vet, future Habitat homeowner
Greg, Mayor Kevin Anderson and volunteers raising walls to Greg’s home Greg and Mayor Kevin Anderson
Pledge of Allegiance at Veterans Build
Greg’s sweat equity at Veterans Build
Operation Christmas Child
It’s Shoebox Time!
Operation Christmas Child delivers great joy to children in need around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes. Each box packed full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items, becomes a tangible expression of God’s immense love for the child. For many, it is their first gift ever! Delivered by our local church partners, shoebox gifts provide an opportunity to present the Gospel to boys and girls in a clear, child-friendly way. Find A Shoebox
Start with an average-size cardboard or plastic shoebox. If you want to wrap it, cover the box and lid separately. You can use your own shoeboxes or order our colorful preprinted
ones, available in both cardboard and plastic. These sturdy options hold up well and can be lasting gifts in themselves for children to store cherished items. Boxes can be purchased on our website, www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/ operation-christmas-child.
Get Your Label
Visit our label options page to find out whether an adhesive or printable label is best for you. Whichever you choose, use the label to indicate on your shoebox whether it was packed for a boy or girl and which age category: Ages 2 to 4; 5 to 9; or 10 to 14.
Fill With Gifts
Select a medium to large “wow” item such as a soccer ball with pump, clothing outfit or stuffed animal, then fill with other fun toys, hygiene items, and school supplies that will capture the child’s attention the instant he or she opens the box. Don’t forget to also include a personal note and photo – sometimes these are the child’s favorite things to receive!
Do not include candy; toothpaste; gum; used or damaged items; scary or war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
Donate $10 Per Shoebox
A donation of $10 per box is critical to cover shipping and other project costs. For easiest processing, you can give online through our label options or “ways to give” pages, or by mailing a check in the postage-paid envelope available in our print brochure. If you use an online option on the labels page, you can follow your box and discover the destination of your gift.
Drop Off
Every year, National Collection Week takes place on the third week in November when more than 4,500 drop-off locations are open across the country. Take your shoebox gift to a local drop-off location during National Collection Week, Nov. 13 to 20. Drop-off locations will be updated mid-October, so please check back then for local drop-off locations.
Build A Shoebox Online
Shoebox gifts built online go to the ends of the earth to children in some of the hardest-to-reach places – whether deep jungles, city slums, steep mountainsides, or one of 1,000 remote Pacific islands. Many of these areas are resistant to the Gospel, for cultural or religious reasons, and are home to numerous unreached people groups.
When you build a shoebox online, it provides believers in remote regions a creative way to share the Good News in a culturally sensitive manner. Online boxes are carefully prepared, abiding by strict customs regulations to safeguard partners who will deliver the gifts, as well as the boys and girls who receive them!
For more information on how to pack your “online” shoebox, please visit www.samaritanspurse.org/operationchristmas-child/buildonline.
DESIGNERS WEEKEND
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 10:30 a.m. with a short social period, a business meeting at 11:15 a.m., followed by lunch at noon, and normally an informative speaker program, 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 lunch.
Our next meeting will be held early (due to Thanksgiving) on Thursday, Nov. 9, and our planned speaker will be Bryan Mulcahy, reference/genealogy librarian for the Fort Myers Regional Library. Mulcahy will discuss the various resources patrons can access using a Family Search Library Affiliate versus going to a Family Search Center to satisfy their genealogy curiosities when tracing either one’s family tree or family history.
Luncheon fee is $28, and the planned regular menu will be a 6-ounce grilled flat iron steak with mushroom demi sauce, chef’s seasonal vegetable choice and chocolate flourless cake for dessert. The plant-based/ vegan entree option will be a grilled cauliflower vegan steak with mushroom demi sauce, served with a quinoa, kale, garbanzo, edamame blend and 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 noon, Thursday, Nov. 2.
Attention Association Board Members
When your officers change, be sure to notify us so that we can keep both
Florida Repertory Theatre
The Legend Of Georgia McBride
The Legend of Georgia McBride is sponsored by Noreen Raney.
Florida Repertory Theatre’s 26th season continues with a fabulous new comedy, The Legend of Georgia McBride, by Matthew Lopez. The production runs in the Historic Arcade Theatre through Nov. 12. Tickets start at $65 and may be purchased online at www.floridarep.org or by calling the box office at (239) 332-4488 or toll-free at (877) 787-8053.
The Legend of Georgia McBride follows Casey, an Elvis impersonator struggling to make a living in a Panama City Beach dive bar. He’s young, broke, behind on rent and now his wife is pregnant. To make matters worse, Casey gets fired, losing his gig to a second-rate drag show. Before “the King” leaves the building, however, a twist of fate and a makeover by some fabulous new friends provide Casey a second chance to make it in showbiz.
“This play is full of heart, packed with laughs, and features a soundtrack of pop and country songs that will have you dancing in the aisles,” said producing artistic director Greg Longenhagen. “At the core, it’s an entertaining story about friendship, acceptance and finding family in the unlikeliest of places.”
The cast features an all-star lineup of New York-based actors, Caturah Brown, Sam Given and Michael Liebhauser, all making their Florida Rep debuts alongside ensemble member William McNulty (And Then There Were None) and Kraig Swartz, who returns to Florida Rep after appearing in Florida Rep’s 10th anniversary season production of Visiting Mr. Green
Director Jason Parrish (Ring of Fire) is joined by an expert creative team including choreographer Kyle Brand (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder), scenic designer Dennis Maulden (And Then There Were None), stage manager Ruth E. Kramer (Ring of Fire), costume designer Joseph Shrope (Florida Rep debut), sound designer Katie Lowe (Ripcord), lighting designer Mario Raymond (Florida Rep debut) and drag consultant Andrew Spaulding – also known as Alyssa Lemay.
Fort Myers Camera Club
Resumes Bimonthly Meetings
Submitted by Carol Heffernan
Photographers at all levels of ability throughout Lee County are invited to the regular bimonthly meetings of the Fort Myers Camera Club. Meetings are held the first and third Wednesday each month (from Nov. 1 to April 3) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Meetings are held at the All Faiths Church, 2736 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Annual dues for membership are $30. Novices are welcome and mentoring is available. Various speakers at the meetings cover topics such as critiquing, competition and instruction.
See the ftmyerscc.com website or email carolheff23@ gmail.com for additional information about the camera club.
Gulf Harbour Websites
Gulf Harbour Master Association • www.GulfHarbour33908.com
Grande Cay • www.grandecay.com
Harbour Landings I • www.harbourlandings.org
Harbour Links • www.harbourlinks.net
Mariposa • http://detaliassociates.com/secure/login.aspx
Palmas Del Sol • www.palmasdelsol.net
Paramount • http://www.athomenet.com/theparamount
Tamarind Cay • https://smca.cincwebaxis.com/cinc/home/
Gulf Harbour Country Club • www.gulfharbour.com
Marina • www.gulfharbourmarina.com Yacht Club • www.gulfharbouryachtclub.org
Single ticket prices for The Legend of Georgia McBride are $65 for regular performances. Curtain times are Tuesday through Saturday at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 p.m. Florida Rep’s parking lot opens two hours before each performance and offers guests free parking across the street from the Arcade Theatre.
This production includes adult language and mature subject matter.
About Florida Repertory Theatre
Founded in 1998, Florida Repertory Theatre is a fully professional, live theatre in the Fort Myers River District. Performances are held in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre on Bay Street between Jackson Street and Hendry Street.
Subscriptions for the 2023/24 season are on sale now
for 6, 7, 8, or 9 shows and start as low as $234 for six shows. Discounted previews are selling out fast in the Historic Arcade Theatre, and popular Flex Passes allow patrons to lock into $59 tickets before prices go up with demand. Tickets and information are available through the box office at (239) 332-4488 or tollfree at (877) 787-8053.
Visit Florida Rep online at FloridaRep.org to view the full season lineup of comedies, dramas, musicals and new works. Follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for updates, behind-the-scenes insight, special offers and more.
Eye Group
Kate Wagner,
ArtFest Fort Myers High School Art Competition – Chalk Block
Embracing a tradition rooted in 16th century Italy, 40 teams of Lee County high school students unleash their creativity on the pavement using chalk pastels. Within 7.5 hours at ArtFest Fort Myers, students craft impressive 6-foot square artworks, all inspired by the overarching theme of “The Joy is in the Journey.”
These student teams form under the guidance of art teachers from Lee County high schools and counselors at various afterschool programs serving high school students. To access more information, visit ArtFestFortMyers.com/chalk-block.
Chalk Block was conceived to benefit Lee County high school students, serving as a fitting counterpart to the art festival’s already thriving Art Under 20 high school exhibition. Both of these high school activities underscore ArtFest’s unwavering commitment to the vital role of the arts in the comprehensive education of our youth. The arts impart a wealth of essential lessons indispensable for success in the ever-evolving world of tomorrow. They teach our children the myriad approaches to problem-solving and emphasize that multiple solutions are possible for any challenge. Abundant research highlights the impressive advantages of arts in education, encouraging students to stay in school, excel academically, and succeed in life and their future careers.
In the lead-up to the Chalk Block installation, three seasoned chalk artists share their expertise in street painting designs and
techniques with the students, offering instructional videos accessible at ArtFestFortMyers.com. After completing the student artwork, these professional artists are responsible for identifying the victorious teams granting them cash awards and ribbons.
We cordially invite everyone to witness the captivating Chalk Block creative process unfolding at Hendry Street and Edwards Drive during ArtFest Fort Myers 2024.
Individuals and organizations committed to fostering art opportunities for our youth can contribute to Chalk Block in various ways. These may include introducing new award categories, offering scholarships to the winners, or hosting artistic experiences for the participants. For further details, please get in touch with ArtFest Fort Myers.
Prepare to immerse yourself in the ArtFest Fort Myers experience in the heart of downtown Fort Myers River District, where art truly comes to life from Feb. 3 and 4, 2024. You’ll relish an extraordinary encounter with over 200 artists from across the county, the most extensive high school art exhibit and competition in South Florida, Chalk Block, and an array of interactive art activities for children of all ages.
If You Go
For additional information, kindly visit ArtFestFortMyers. com or contact us at (239) 768-3602 or info@ ArtFestFortMyers.com. Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram using the tag #artfestfm.
What: Southwest Florida’s premier art festival, featuring 200 national artists, a high school art competition, a street chalk art competition, children’s art activities, delectable cuisine, and captivating entertainment.
Chalk Block: Located at the heart of ArtFest Fort Myers on Hendry Street, adjacent to the Yacht Basin.
When: Feb. 4 and 5, 2024, Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Downtown Fort Myers Riverfront on Edwards Drive.
Parking: Look for conspicuous event parking signage and flags. Multiple parking lots, on-street parking, and city garages are at your disposal near the festival.
Information: Explore ArtFestFortMyers.com or reach out to us at (239) 768-3602 or info@ ArtFestFortMyers.com.
Fair At Fenway
Nov.
3
To 19 – JetBlue Park
The Fair at Fenway is coming to JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, 11500 Daniels Parkway, with all of our entertainment. See live performances daily. All shows at the Fair at Fenway South are free with admission and include Flying Pages High Flying Thrill Show; Dynamo Dogs; Magic of Lance Gifford; World Famous Racing Pigs; Las Vegas Hypnosis Show; Wolves of the World Show; Barnyard Petting Corral; and Pony Rides (this is an extra ticketed attraction and is not included with fair admission).
Aside from our amazing acts, the Fair at Fenway South also has one of the largest carnival midways in the area filled with exciting rides, fun games, and delicious fair foods!
Thrill Rides
Rock Star; Starship 4000; Streetfighter 360; Super Cyclone Coaster; Typhoon; and Vertigo. Family Rides
Puppy Roll; Bumper Cars; Carousel; Giant Wheel; Magic Maze; Sizzler; Superslide; and Wacky Shack.
Disclaimer
The Soundings is a newsletter published for the benefit of the residents of Gulf Harbour. Seabreeze Communications Group assists in providing publishing, printing and advertising services. The content is that of the authors which should not be construed to be representations, opinions or views of the Gulf Harbour Master Association Inc., or its management, officers or directors or Seabreeze Communications Group. Additionally, the paid advertising in the Soundings should not be construed as an endorsement of any advertised product or service. Finally, none of the content of the Soundings may be reproduced for any purpose nor can the name GHY&CC Homeowner’s Association or similar modification be used in any way without the express prior written consent of the GH Master Association Inc Board of Directors.
Important Phone Numbers
Gate Access and Community Patrol
Pre-Call Gate Access Line
239-935-5179
North Gatehouse 239-482-5039
South Gatehouse 239-433-0110 Patrol 239-340-8994
Assistance
Police/Fire/EMS-EMERGENCY 911 EMS-NON-EMERGENCY 239-335-1660 Poison Control 800-282-3171
Lee County Sheriff
- NON-EMERGENCY
239-477-1000
Iona McGregor Fire Station 239-433-0660
Highway Patrol 239-278-7100
Marine Patrol 239-332-6966 Coast Guard 239-463-5754
Property Management
Suitor, Middleton, Cox & Associates
Gulf Harbour Marina
Kiddie Rides
Bumblebee; Farm Tractors; Granny Bugs; Happy Swings; Mini Dumbos; Swamp Gator; and Umbrella 4x4.
Note: Ride ticket amounts, rider restrictions, and event specials, hours, and general information is subject to change without notice.
Fair Admission: $6 per person with 2-for-1 coupon before 7 p.m., $12 per person. Children ages 2 and under free. Admission to the fair and unlimited ride tickets are available
online now for $35. Last ticket sold one hour before closing.
Admission And Ride Wristband: Admission to the fair and unlimited rides. $35 online. (Save $5.) Available online through 7 p.m. during fair hours.
Family Four-Packs: Include four admissions and four Pay One Price ride bracelets. Only $135 online. (Save $25.) Available during the weekend.
Amusement Rides
Unlimited Ride Wristbands: Available for $30 at the fair. Discounted combo tickets (admission and unlimited rides) and family four-packs (admission and unlimited rides for four) are offered online.
239-437-0340
Harbor Master 239-437-0881
Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club Clubhouse 239-433-5111
Lee County Contacts
Comcast 239-432-9277
Florida Power & Light 239-694-0183
Lee County Utilities-Water & Sewer 239-936-0247
Veolia - Trash & Recycling 239-334-1224
CenturyLink - Telephone 239-335-3111
TECO - Natural Gas 877-832-6747
Government Agencies
Motor Vehicle Registration 239-339-6000 Taxes 239-335-2283
Voter Registration 239-339-6300
Social Security 800-772-1213
As the opening of our
Individual Ride Tickets: Individual ride tickets may be purchased at the fair. Rides take multiple tickets. Individual ride ticket pricing is as follows: 4 tickets for $5; 25 tickets for $25 (save $6.50); 55 tickets for $50 (save $18.75). For more information please visit our website at www. fairatfenway.com. In the meantime, we are here to help. Call us at 239.472.8300.
