Matlacha Hookers thank islanders for School Supply Drive success
Thanks to the generous support of islanders and island businesses, the Matlacha Hookers were able to deliver hundreds of much needed school supplies to Pine Island Elementary School for the 2021-2022 school year.
In June and July, the Matlacha Hookers placed bins in over 30 local businesses on the island, along with lists of supplies the teachers requested students bring in at the start of the school year.
Additional co-sponsored events, such as “Stuff the Trailer” with Pine Island Auto Care and the Ragged Ass Saloon; Cape Royal Community Bingo Night; and collections in area churches and communities, rounded out the donations, which included backpacks, earbuds and headphones, pencil boxes, pencils, pens, erasers and glue sticks, scissors, markers and crayons, composition books, spiral notebooks, pocket folders and index cards, along with tissues, baggies, disinfectant wipes and paper towels among other items.
Matlacha Hookers Back to School Chair Karen Durand said, “Due to everyone’s generous support we raised several thousand dollars in monetary donations and many, many school supplies to ensure all of our P.I.E. students get off to a great start.
“While a lot of the actual supplies were donated, we used some of the monetary donations to fill in, both bigger ticket items, such as backpacks and pencil cases, and bigger quantity items requested by teachers, such as earbuds and earphones, pocket folders and dry erasers, so they were on hand for P.I.E.’s big backpack event on Aug. 5,” she continued. “The Matlacha Hookers will present a check for all of the remaining monetary donations to Principal Dr. Tom Millins to purchase additional school supplies throughout the year.”
Millins said he greatly appreciates the help provided by the Matlacha Hookers, residents and businesses to ensure no child goes without needed school supplies this year.
He thanked the Hookers and said, “The number of supplies collected was amazing. It’s so great to see all of the civic support for our school, led by the Matlacha Hookers, who make such a positive difference in the community. We are very grateful for these donations. This is truly a community that takes care of its own, which includes Pine Island Elementary School.”
The Hookers would like to give a big shout out thank you to all of the participating businesses in this year’s back to school drive, which included: the Matlacha Post Office, The Perfect Cup, Blue Dog Restaurant, Trader’s Hitching Post, Yucatan Bar and Grill, CW Fudge, the Olde Fish House Marina Restaurant, Miceli’s Restaurant, Little Lilly’s, Pine Island Community Church, Nick B’s Artisan Food Market, Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, Cutting Ties Salon, Pine Island First Baptist Church, Winn Dixie, Dollar General, Island Grill, Centennial Bank, Pine Island Methodist Church, the Pine Island Elks Lodge, the Pine Island Library, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, Capt’n Cons Fish House, Pine Island Auto Care, the Moose Lodge, Ragged Ass Saloon, Low Key Tiki, and Pine Island First Baptist Church.