Mel-a-palooza brings in approximately $100,000 for long-time islander Mel Meo
Artist Mel Meo, left, and long-time friend Elsie Stearns at the recent Mel-a-palooza fundraiser at the Olde Fish House Marina in Matlacha.
PHOTO PROVIDED
According to professional fundraising auctioneer and Matlacha resident Scott Robertson, coming together in support of islanders is nothing new or out of the ordinary on Pine Island. When beloved artist Mel Meo was given a terminal diagnosis because of a tumor on her heart, islanders rushed in to help in various ways.
Saturday’s Mel-a-palooza was to be an auction thrown at the Olde Fish House Marina for Meo, in an effort to help with costly medical bills. Tickets for the event were sold out almost as quickly as they went on sale. Robertson said he wondered if they had a thousand seats available, if the event still would have sold out … supposing it would have.
“One of the things that’s so great about this community is we support our own. Mel Meo has supported this island and all of Southwest Florida for decades. This is our opportunity to show Mel how much we love and support her. I am honored to be able to help. I’ve known Mel for 25-plus years. When you see Mel Meo, your face has to light up because it’s always so fun. Today is living proof of the way we care for one another,” Robertson said.
Meo’s son, Luke Long, who attended the event, was heartened, although not surprised, by the response of fellow islanders in his mother’s time of need.
“We are so unbelievably grateful and blown away by all the love and support that every person showed my mom today. Just when I started to feel like we are going through this alone, this island reminded me that we aren’t. We truly feel blessed to be a part of this supportive community. Thank you for knocking it out of the park today,” Long said.
Beacon of Hope Board member and Centennial Bank manager Elsie Stearns, who is one of Meo’s long-time friends recalled the years of deep friendship shared between the two.
“The first day I met her was in September of 1977, my first day at work on Useppa Island. I was super nervous and quite the city girl who now lived on a remote island. We worked together every day for about 2 1/2 years. Mel taught me so much — how to cook, make pine needles and palm frond baskets, what a mullet was and, more importantly, how to fry it correctly. Her kind heart and the giving person she is has always made me admire and love her. She is the best friend a girl could ask for.
“Not only was the island giving by donating, but the determination and desire of the team that put it together was awesome too,” Stearns said about Mel-a-palooza. “It was very touching when I looked out into the crowd. There were many people there that we’ve been friends with for over 40 years, and their children were there and their children’s children. There is love and a connection on this island between us all and at times like this it makes me cherish this place. It is humbling to know those same families will be here to continue taking care of this island.”
Olde Fish House Marina owner Lisa Dence, who gave over use of the restaurant as the event’s venue, said this kind of occasion is one of the highlights of owning a business on Pine Island.
“Even though I am extremely exhausted, I am incredibly grateful and filled with joy,” she said. “Many weeks ago, Jim Frock contacted me about hosting a event for Mel Meo. Of course my answer was absolutely — I love Mel, everyone loves Mel, so we got together, threw some ideas around the table, put our expertise to work. It began with planning each week with Jim Frock, Elsie Stearns, Cindee Evans Tolliver, Jill Bjorkland Dean, Scott Robertson, Julia Marie Gaylor and Luke Long. We all had one common goal and it was raising funds for Mel, but never in a million years did I ever think we would accomplish what we did today. You see, never for one minute was it about me, Scott, Jill, Jim — it was about Mel.
“We took what we were good at and ran with it,” she continued. “Jim and Jill lined up the music, Elsie helped with business sponsors, Julie arranged all the check-ins and volunteers at the check-in table, Scott was absolutely amazing with providing his expertise on the auction, Luke helped us with information we needed to gather along with auction items and what I do best is put the pieces to the puzzle together, creating an event, selling tickets and turning our parking lot into a place for us to gather. So, to my 88-year-old dad that was put there at 8 a.m. this morning setting up tables, to my incredibly overworked staff and volunteers, Tania Watkins, Heather Woodstock, the Matlacha Hookers and to all the businesses that stepped up and donated, and to all of you that came and attended this event, we thank you because without each and every one of you this would not of been possible.
“From the bottom of my heart, I am beyond grateful and thankful to be part of an amazing community. I always say it takes an island and today our island did it. We will have a final number this week, but we are over $93,000 and I expect us to be right around $100,000 — you all are amazing!” Dence said of her fellow islanders.