Sheriff’s Office hosts chamber business card exchange

Aug 23, 2011 2 min read

By FRAN THOMAS

The Lee County Sheriff’s Pineland office was filled with people on Aug. 18. No, it wasn’t because of a crime wave. The gathering was the monthly business card exchange held by the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce. Along with the Sheriff’s Office, the event was co-hosted by Pineland Marina and the Tarpon Lodge.

While guests enjoyed the hors d’oeuvres of Chef Patrick Berleus, the conversation flowed.

Pat Burman of Ad & Print Craft is seeing activity on her Facebook page as residents submit their events to be posted.

“I love social networking,” she said.

Rick Alvarez and Keith Keefer of Island Breeze are having an up and down summer.

“It’s feast or famine,” Keefer explained. “One week we’re busy six days. The next week nothing.”

Robin Lilly of Little Lilly’s Deli is having a good summer.

“The locals do a nice job of supporting the businesses off season. You see people who never come in during season because they don’t want to wait in lines,” she said.

Karen Washburn of From Our Hearts was excited about the group’s fund-raising event, Octoberbreast, to be held at Micelli’s Restaurant.

Chamber President Jay Johnson of Century 21 Sunbelt Realty expects to have a final tally for last month’s MangoMania by September. He said attendance was down a little but the event was still a success.

Membership of the chamber, however, is growing. According to Tom Cleaver of Sun Trust, the Chamber’s vice president, other chambers have not retained their membership as well as the Pine Island Chamber. Johnson has seen a lot of technology-oriented people moving to the area.

“They are either not completely retired,” he said. “Or they found out they need more income than they thought.”

Others have started businesses as the job market continues to slump. The chamber welcomes all.

The next card exchange will be co-hosted by Island Visions Gallery and the Anglers Inn in Matlacha on Sept. 15.