Celebrating Pine Islanders: Jody Franke
Jody Franke said if she could name the purpose of her life, it would be making sure the people around her know their own worth.
“I think I’ve been put on this earth to help people enjoy their lives to the fullest,” she said.
So far, Franke has learned that life will likely offer plenty of opportunities to work hard and grow from mistakes and anything working against a person, without their having to default to the manner of a wounded victim. A person’s response tells the whole story, she said.
“When we get older, we learn more about how to respond to life and its difficulties,” Franke said.
Working with an aging community has made her feel good about her purpose, she said, emphasizing that even someone in their 90s may have a great deal yet for which to live. In 2011, just after losing her father-in-law, Franke came to live on Pine Island with her husband, Alex, mother-in-law and daughter, Sanibel.
“We were looking for a place of peace and serenity and also to provide a healthy lifestyle for our young family. We could do that out here in Pine Island,” she said.
Franke recalled earlier days when she and her husband would go off fishing together. The couple didn’t even need to catch the fish, but only to watch them eat the grass, which she said may no longer be present.
“We’d go fishing off of Maria Drive when there was still grass for the redfish to eat. You didn’t even need to catch them. It was great,” Franke said.
In thoughtful consideration of her life over the past two plus decades, she said Pine Island has personally given her a great deal through the relationships she’s built with people. Franke feels her life out here has helped to sculpt her into a friend upon which people in her life can truly count.
“Even if it’s just advice for navigating all that they’re dealing with, I think that I’m a friend,” she said.
Franke admitted after Hurricane Ian, there were noticeable changes in the groups available to come out and do things at the Saint James Civic Center, such as playing Bingo or cards.
Overall, Franke said she would describe Pine Island as an interesting mix of people who came for peace and serenity, just like her family did, as well as generational islanders whose families have been here for quite some time. Either way, she would love to see a lot of collaboration, no matter how anyone finds themselves on the island.
“Whether you’re in business or involved in an organization, we all, as Pine Islanders, need to stick together,” Franke said.
If she had a wish for Pine Island, she said it would be that everyone would put their ego aside and come together.
“I really want to see people come together for the right reasons with the right intentions,” Franke said.
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