To the editor:

On behalf of the Randell Research Center at Pineland, I want to thank the many members of the community who helped make Calusa Heritage Day 2010 a success. Pine Island was pounded by 8 inches of rain on March 12, flooding many parts of the archaeological site and making it impossible to park cars where we usually do for public events. But March 13, dawned clear and beautiful, and more than 800 people came for the event. Cheryl

Mays, manager of the Pineland Marina, saved the day by allowing us to park some 350 cars at the marina. We also thank the Tarpon Lodge for allowing our visitors to use their restrooms while we were waiting for portable toilets to arrive. Items for a gift basket raffle were donated by Tarpon Lodge, Koucky Gallery, Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, Winn-Dixie, Perfect Cup, and Little Lilly’s Island Deli. The Olde Fish House Marina donated ice and smoked mullet. Bruce Riso at Pine Island Printing provided free printing services. Authors and storytellers included D. L. Havlin, Mary Kaye Stevens, Marsha Perlman, and Gerald Hausman. Informative exhibits were provided by Lee County Parks and Recreation, Florida Public Archaeology Network, the sawfish research team from Fish and Wildlife, Calusa Land Trust, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, CROW, Century Kayaks, Museum of the Islands, and the Charlotte Harbor Preserve. Art and Technology demonstrations were presented by Felix Macaguani Rodriguez, Dick Workman, Robin Brown, Kelgin Knives, Marty Haythorn, Terry Powell, Norberto Gillespie, Hermann Trappman and Elizabeth Neily, Mike Bonne, Michael Wylde, Andrea Palmiotto, Karen Walker, Gina Poppell, Gladys Schneider, Donna Ruhl, Melissa Ayvaz, Gypsy Price, Ryan VanDyke, and Austin Bell. Information tables on sawfish and shark research were presented by the Florida Museum’s George Burgess, Joana Fernandez de Carvalho, and Rui Coelho. Special thanks to Cindy Bear, Charles O’Connor, Dale Wagner, and the FGCU Anthropology Club, who managed the parking, and to Debbie Chargois, Steve Tutko, Frank Grieco, Jeanelle Havlin, Tom and Pat VanderVelde, John Beriault, Marty Kendall, Roger and Beverly Stone, Jan Brink, Ann Whitmore, Joyce Mutz, Diane Maher, David Townsend, Pat Townsend, Polly Eldred, Ed Fialkosky, Margi Nanney, Jack Stapler, Linda Heffner, and Mark Chargois, who all assisted in making the day a success.

Bill Marquardt

Director, Randell Research Center