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Internationally renowned organist to christen new organ at St. Andrew’s

“Jeremy is phenomenally talented and internationally recognized for his extraordinary playing of both organ and piano,” said Alan Corey, Minister of Music at St. Andrews. “He has many highly regarded recordings to his credit.”
Dr. Filsell is the Organist and Director of Music at St. Thomas Church, 5th Avenue, New York City, and the men and boys’ choir director, the only existing boys’ choir school in the country.
St. Andrew’s new organ comes from the Walker Organ Company. John Carpenter, the company’s president, is expected to attend the concert on Friday.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Boca Grande – a charming place made even more charming by its honest, kind people

To the Editor:
Two weeks ago, our family had a wonderful vacation in Boca Grande. It was our third visit to the island and we had rented a hundred plus-year-old cottage on Tarpon Ave. We love what a step back in time this charming town portrays. No chain stores, no high rises, no litter, no graffiti, a fabulous bike path and walking path, very little vehicular traffic, beautiful beaches, and a warm, friendly, welcoming attitude that is hard to find. Everyone is so outdoorsy and active. It is obvious the residents take great pride in their property and are grateful to live in such a special place.

First History Bytes of season: Pranks and programs

Janet Gillespie who lived in Boca Grande between 1978 and 2004 told stories of the jobs she held, the friends she made, the programs she helped start and the pranks she pulled to the interest and delight of the audience at the Historical Society’s first History Byte since 2020. A number of themes ran through Janet’s presentation, her love of horses and of the water and fishing, her creative friends with whom she started several Island organizations and events and her history of pulling pranks.

Friends of renowned island artist Patti Middleton donate her last painting to TIS

Friends from decades past, I came to regard Patti Middleton as the true artistic nature muse of our coast. Her passing in May of last year seemed emblematic of the titanic scale of change throughout our island world and beyond.
I really felt this first when legendary seaplane pilot Mark Futch went on ahead in 2018. So memorable from earlier flying days was a sunset flight with Mark from the Boca Grande bayou out over Boca Grande Pass, which I preserved in a poem “Charlotte Harbor Sea Peace” in my collection called “Verdana Poems.”

Cutting a Christmas tree on-island and other memories

The February 9 History Bytes program features the Davis family – Frank Davis, Robin Davis Melvin, Doug and Gail Coleman Davis – who spent their summers and holidays in Boca Grande during the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Their memories include arriving on the train from Arcadia, cutting the family’s Christmas tree at the north end of the Island and days of freedom, fishing, swimming and fun.

BGHPB to discuss Journey’s End, St. Andrew’s memorial garden

The Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board will hold their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. in the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. The items on the agenda include a project at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and one at Journey’s End, the historic home at the end of 18th Street.The proposal at […]

Join in the fun at the Boca Grande 5K walk and run

On Sunday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 a.m. sharp, join us for an island run through historic Boca Grande.
Start your run at the Boca Grande Community Center (on the National Register of Historic Places), pass beautiful views of Charlotte Harbor and the famous Gasparilla Inn, go along scenic Gilchrist Avenue (lined with palm trees) and finish on Banyan Street (named for the very large trees that line both sides of the street).

ROLLING! The Boca Grande Film Festival has begun

While it was a rainy night for the opening party of the Boca Grande Film Festival, the people who gathered in the Boca Grande Community Center Woman’s Club Room were warm and sheltered from the elements, as they celebrated the announcement of films. This event was virtual last year, so this was a welcome gathering.
Sponsored by the Boca Beacon and Friends of the Boca Grande Community Center, this event includes special guests from some of the films. Many of these have been viewed at well-known festivals such as Sundance and each one was hand-picked for the event.
Here is your line-up of films and schedule for the 2022 Boca Grande Film Festival:

Janet Gillespie recalls the origin of the Bike Parade and other events at History Bytes

Gillespie arrived on the Island in December 1978 to work in management for the newly constructed Boca Grande Club. She tells this story and 25 years worth of other information at the first of this season’s Historical Society “History Bytes,” presentation at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the Johann Fust Library.
The Boca Grande Club had one condominium building and only pilings for the restaurant building in 1978, and Janet recalls that the town of Boca Grande except for Nabor’s gas station, Fugate’s and the Temptation was run down and boarded up.