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Operation Second Chance offers wounded veterans new adventures

■ BY SUE ERWIN For the past two years, Kathy and Dave Irwin have been organizing and hosting events for disabled veterans through Operation Second Chance. Kathy and Dave live in Silver King condominiums on the island. They learned about the nonprofit organization when they attended a fundraiser a few years ago, and they were so […]

Born in the Lighthouse – that’s why she’s so bright

■ BY SUE ERWIN Evelyn Carter McKinney took her first breath of air in the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse. She was born in 1934 in a bedroom of the circa 1890 Lighthouse that doubles as a museum of regional history. Her father, Light Keeper Osmund McKinney, served as the keeper of the establishment from 1931 to […]

Profile: Boo Thayer Gemes

■ BY SUE ERWIN After 27 years of working in the fashion industry on 7th Avenue in New York City, Boo Thayer Gemes perceived a void in the market for stylish and affordable separates, so she created a collection of clothing that appeals to women of all ages. “I design clothes for real people, clothes that […]

Veterans, heroism and whistleblowing

■ BY MARY BESSWe need to understand the spark of divinity within human beings who put their lives at risk to benefit others. Of particular interest are those who commit acts of heroism for which they will not be honored and may even be vilified, despised and ostracized. Especially on Veterans Day,  helicopter reconnaissance pilot Hugh […]

Garden Club presents Lolo Weir Memorial Buddy Bench to The Island School

■ BY CATHERINE S. BALLMAN Anyone who knew Lolo Weir knew she was a lot of fun. This made Lolo, who died December 21, 2017, the spark- plug for many island activities, including the Boca Grande Garden Club. For many years she designed and created the floral table pieces that highlighted the Club’s monthly teas. […]

Flying monkeys do exist: an afternoon well spent with bats

■ BY SUE ERWIN While a tiny evening bat sat nestled in the front pocket of her jacket, Shari Blissett Clark gave a 90-minute presentation about Florida bats at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 25. Clark is president of the Florida Bat Conservancy. She’s dedicated the past four decades of her life […]

Fust to hold annual book sale, Turkish cooking book sale next week

■ STAFF REPORT The Fust Library loggia and gardens create a beautiful backdrop for the Library Foundation’s semiannual used book sale. You are invited to come and peruse thousands of gently used hardcover books, trade paperbacks, DVDs, CDs and even some rare books. This year, they have received more book donations than ever before Mystery […]

The bats of Boca Grande

■ BY SUE ERWIN A colony of evening bats surprisingly became nightly entertainment in September for Susan Hanafee and Ian Rogerson at their home in Seawatch at the north end of the island. Each night at dusk, they’d watch from their second-story balcony as the little creatures took flight to find their twilight feast of […]

Mosquito control treatment times have changed

■ BY SUE ERWIN The Lee County Mosquito Control District held its regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17 in Lehigh Acres. According to LCMCD’s Public Information Director Eric Jackson, the major part of the meeting included approving the budget for the purchase of fuel and insecticides for the upcoming year. Other items on the agenda […]