Marianne Paton Frank and Doreen Schooley are awarded for Best Cabinets as voted by Eagle readers from Tom White representing Breeze Newspapers and the Pine Island Eagle. The Schooleys are five-time winners in their category.

Since the inception of the Best of Pine Island five years ago, Eagle readers have consistantly selected 12 businesses to earn the title of the Best of Pine Island in their category. The five-time consecutive winners of this reader-based competition are Red’s Seafood Restaurant, Tropical Kitchens, Dr. Darrell Rich, D&D Bait and Tackle, Andy’s Island Seafood, True Blue Pools, the Matlacha Hookers, Island Decor and More, Center of Attention Day Spa, Angles Hair Salon, Waggoner and Bruehl, WildChild Art Gallery and Bert’s Bar and Grill. During last week’s winner recognition celebration and award ceremony, Frank and Doreen Schooley, owners of Tropical Kitchens expressed their gratitude to the residents of Pine Island.

“This is a privilege on top of a privilege,” said Frank Schooley. “It is a privilege to live here and a privilege to be recognized by our community.”

Tropical Kitchens specializes in custom kitchen cabinets and designs that reflect the island lifestyle. This small cabinet shop on Pine Island allows the Schooleys to work hand-in-hand with their customers while, at the same time, Frank is proficient in the use of the latest 21st century carpentry technology. All cabinets available from Tropical Kitchens are designed, built and installed by the Schooleys. The workshop and offices of Tropical Kitchens is at Doug Taylor Circle in St. James City and samples of their work can be seen at Island Decor and More, also a five-time winner of the Best of Pine Island.

“We all are aware that these are tough times and without the support of the Pine Island community we could not have survived,” said Judy Bicking,

owner of Island Decor. “We are very grateful to our Pine Island community.”

Voted the best gift shop, Island Decor in Matlacha had been a landmark in the Greater Pine Island area for many decades and offers shoppers a variety of items ranging from souvenirs and post cards to works of art and tropical clothing items.

The Greater Pine Island community is homebase for many non-profit charitable organizations and again this year, the ladies of the Matlacha Hookers were named the Best of Pine Island.

“The credit for us being named best service organization each year goes to our members,” said Hooker Madam Dee Hanks. “These wonderful women are very hard-working volunteers, and we couldn’t do what we do without them.”

The Matlacha Hookers came into being more than a 12 years ago and members work diligently to uphold their vow to ‘make a positive difference in our community.’ In keeping with this promise, members of the Hookers volunteer in numerous ways, which include roadside cleanup efforts, assisting other organizations with fund raisers, to raising money dedicated to scholarships, school supplies and donations to the Pine Island Elementary School.

Another five-time winner, Greg Lambricht, owner of True Blue Pools, attributed his success to providing the best service possible to his loyal customers.

“We make every effort to focus on being attentive to our Pine Island customers. I am very blessed to have a very hardworking quality team working with me,” said Lambricht “I have always believed it was important to be a hands-on business that is accessible whenever my customers need me, and I truly appreciate their continued support.”

True Blue Pools has been servicing commercial and residential pools and spas in the Greater Pine Island area since 1987.

For the fifth year in a row, WIldChild Art Gallery in Matlacha was bestowed with the honor of being named best art gallery and owner Peggy McTeague also attributes this to the community.

“It is the people of Pine Island who are truly the best,” McTeague said. “I do my best to keep trying to make the gallery inviting and interesting and I can’t thank the community enough for recognizing my efforts.”

Established in 2000, WildChild is home to more than 120 area artists whose works range from wall art to wearable and functional art pieces and collectables. McTeague is a metal sculptor and many of her decorative fountains can be seen in and around the gallery.