This date in the Boca Beacon: “Hoot” opens in theaters

FIVE YEARS AGO

The Divine Swine barbecue fundraiser was held at the Boca Grande Lighthouse Methodist Church. Over 200 meals were prepared for the community and over $7,300 raised for Englewood Helping Hand.

TEN YEARS AGO

The United States Coast Guard gave BIPS a license to restore and maintain the Range Light and the 7.4-acre property that it sits on.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Richard “Cucch” Cucchi, owner of Caddy Carts, donated his long locks to Locks of Love in honor of his mother.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

The movie “Hoot” opened in the movie theaters and was shown to a sold-out crowd at the Gasparilla Inn Beach Club with proceeds benefiting the GICIA Bike Path Endowment Fund.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO 

The Boca Grande Child Care Center held a casino night benefit at the Gasparilla Inn Beach Club.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Boca Grande celebrated the 25th anniversary celebration of the GICIA with a giant birthday bash at the Community Center.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Two beach goers were swept away in a raft from a Northern beach on Gasparilla Island with winds gusting to 30 mph and waves up to five feet. The two ended up three miles north on a beach at Little Gasparilla Island.

FORTY YEARS AGO

A pair of nesting ospreys were delaying the railroad bridge removal by at least two weeks.

FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Work had begun to create a 70-foot wall in front of the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse to protect the historic site from encroaching waves.