Events on the Island
African Drum Workshop and Social Soiree: Jan. 23
This introductory African Drum Workshop and Social Soiree will give participants a chance to start from the very beginning and to really experience the thrill of playing an instrument that has withstood the test of time. The history and meaning will be explained and each person will be given an authentic hand-carved drum on which they will learn the “Rhythm of the Forest People.”
All levels are welcome, but beginners will especially feel the camaraderie of starting and learning together. This workshop and social soiree is a kickoff to an ongoing class, which will continue each Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. thereafter at the same place in St. James City. Participants will later be invited to participate in local performances, special community events and charitable fundraisers if they so desire.
A full complementary gourmet dinner and beverages will be served and a rare African film clip will be shown during dinner. African Drumming has emerged as a community instrument and creates harmony among those who play and those who listen. All ages and all levels are welcome to attend this cultural workshop.
Contact Ndakhte Ndiaye at 283-7885 or email sharingafrica@yahoo.com for reservations. A $15 donation includes everything.
Ladies of the Elks: Jan. 24
Church Lady Jan. 24 is sold out. Tickets for our next event will be on sale after Jan. 14. Tickets for Janina Birtolo, portraying rogue journalist Ida Tarbell, will also be a sell out. The date is Feb. 14. Don’t miss out on this one! Contact Ann Thomas 283-0415, or Jean Mc Caffrey 283-5379.
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church Women’s
Guild: Jan. 25
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church Women’s Guild is hosting a Card and Game Party on Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Lunch will be served. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by any guild member or by calling Judy at 283-8627. The event will also include door prizes, snacks and raffles.
Church of God of Prophecy: Jan. 26
The Church of God of Prophecy in Bokeelia will serve a spaghetti lunch on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. for $6. Call 283-2128 for more information.
Calusa Land Trust: Jan. 26
The Calusa Land Trust Annual “Shirley House” Rummage Sale will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. 1 p.m. at Fritts Park on Beach Daisy Lane in Bokeelia. Please bring any donations to Fritts Park by Friday, Jan. 25 after noon. For more information, please call Alison at 851-3176 or Judy at 229-6899.
Bicycle Poker Run: Jan. 26
Pine Island Moose 1954 is hosting a Bicycle Poker Run on Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 a piece.
The card stops include Low Key Tiki, Ragged Ass Saloon, American Legion Post 136, KOA Campground Driveway, Tropical Point Drive, VFW Post 4353 and Moose Lodge 1954. The poker hands must be turned in at the Moose by 3 p.m.
The event will include high three hand winners. Half of the proceeds will go to the winner and the other half will go towards Pine Island scholarships.
A last chance raffle for a 32″ LED flat screen television will also be a part of the festivities.
For more information call the Moose at 282-0438 or Tom at 265-6686.
There will be a party at the Moose with Last Resort from 3-6 p.m. The event is open to the public.
Pine Island Elks Lodge: Jan. 26
On Saturday Jan 26th the “Del Prados” will be playing at the Pine Island Elks Lodge. Tickets are $8 each and can be purchased at the Lodge, and they are selling fast! There will also be your choice of Swedish meatballs or shrimp chowder for dinner.
Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce: Jan. 28
The GPICC will be holding their annual dinner/ meeting and elections at Sandy Hook Fish & Rib House on Monday, Jan. 28t. Social and cash bar starts at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Commissioner John Manning, District 1.
Miceli’s Restaurant: Feb. 2
Baker Buddies is excited to host the Fourth Annual Baker Buddies Bash fund-raising event Saturday, Feb. 2 from 1-5 p.m. at Miceli’s Restaurant, 3930 Pine Island Road in Matlacha. This year is going to be bigger than ever with three bands playing Ground Down, Grayson Rogers Band and Groove Alliance.
Everyone is invited to attend the fund-raising event between 1-5 p.m., due to Miceli’s donating 25 percent of the proceeds from the day back to the club.
Baker Buddies is a partnership between “typical developing,” general education students at Ida Baker High School and our students with intellectual disabilities in our Life Skills program. The goal of the club is to promote social awareness and acceptance of all types of people, with all types of disabilities.
Events on the Island
Matlacha Chamber of Commerce: Jan. 10
The Matlacha Island Chamber of Commerce will meet on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Historic Matlacha Fire Station Building in Matlacha Park. Our guest speaker will be Chris Pendleton, CEO and President of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Pendleton is also on the MICC Advisory Board. All business owners and friends of the new MICC are welcome to attend. For information call 239-822-4109. Or email at info@matlachachamber.com
Church of God of Prophecy: Jan. 12
The Church of God of Prophecy, 15146 Stringfellow Road in Bokeelia, is offering a chicken dinner on Jan. 12 from 3-6 p.m. Call Friday for take out at 239-283-2128.
Flamingo Bay: Jan. 12
Julie’s egg benedict (city ham, pouched egg and Julie’s cheese sauce), hash browns, and grilled pineapple is our first breakfast of the new year on Jan. 12 between 8 and 9:30 a.m. by the Flamingo Bay Residents’ Association. For $6 you’ll get this egg benedict breakfast or if you don’t want egg benedict you’ll get city ham, eggs, hash browns, grilled pineapple and a banana or bran muffin. Tickets will be sold at the door on the morning of the breakfast.
Pine Island Art Association: Jan. 12
Starting Saturday, Jan. 12, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., David Meo will teach drawing at the Pine Island Art Association building in Matlacha Community Park, 4577 N.E. Pine Island Road, just west of the new Pine Island Bridge. The course will focus on the basic A B C’s of drawing. A: action drawing, B: blocking simple shapes, spheres, cones and cylinders, C: contour drawing. Meo is an accomplished southwest artist and teacher. He enjoys teaching aspiring artists of all ages. For this reason the class is open to double digit age and triple digit age artists. This is your chance to improve your ability to draw. Maybe you and your child or grandchild would like to come to class together. Drawing for beginners with David Meo on Saturdays, Jan. 12, 19, 26, Feb. 2, 16, 23 and March 2 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. for $50. Checks made out to PIAA and mailed to P O Box 12, St. James City, FL 33956. For registration info www.pineislandart.com or call 283-9155 or David Meo djmeo@mac.com or call 337-5518.
Flamingo Bay: Jan. 13
We are honored to have “The Last Resort” entertain us at our first Ice Cream Social for this season at Flamingo Bay. The event will be held on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. Our sundaes are $3. So come listen to their music, dance and eat our delicious sundaes.
Matlacha Hookers: Jan. 14
The Matlacha Hookers general membership meeting will be on Monday, Jan. 14 at the Sandy Hook Restaurant in Matlacha beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sandy Hook will have a limited menu available for your enjoyment and the doors open at 5:30 p.m. The Matlacha Hookers is a 501c women’s civic organization whose mission statement is to ‘Make a Positive Difference in our Community’ and is open to women over the age of 21. For the month of January, members are reminded to bring two items for the Food Pantry. This month, the Pantry is requesting personal care items. Any items that you use each day such as soap, shampoo, razors, feminine products, toothpaste, body lotions, toilet paper, laundry detergent are in need. For information about the Matlacha Hookers or the general membership meeting, call DJ at 283-5270. The next monthly meeting is scheduled on Feb. 7 at the Elks Lodge on Pine Island next to Station One of the Matlacha Pine Island Fire Department.
Gambling Trip: Jan. 14
Allstar Charters and Sarah Furia are doing a free day trip to the Seminole Immokalee Casino on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. You pay $30 and get $30 free play, plus a $5 food voucher and your round trip to Immokalee. We will be leaving at 10 a.m. from the boat ramp at Pine Island Cove and leave the casino at 5 p.m. Call Sarah Furia for reservations at 283-8410. There can be a pick up at Winn-Dixie parking lot. Make sure to bring a photo ID. If mailing a check make it out to Allstar Charters and mail it to Sarah Furia, 4990 PinFish Lane, St. James City, FL 33956.
Spa 33: Jan 16
Spa 33 is providing a free Dermalogica class on Jan. 16 from 6-8 p.m. at 4547 Pine Island Road Unit C in Matlacha. The topic is “New Year, New You!” and will touch upon skin brightening. The class will talk about treatment that brightens and minimizes skin discoloration, uneven skin tone, hyper pigmentation and age spots. For more information call 239-558-8217.
Pine Island Garden Club: Jan. 17
The Pine Island Garden Club is excited to welcome Lynn Berreitter as our speaker for our Jan. 17 meeting. Growing up with a camera in her hand, Berreitter concentrated on photojournalism during the 1980’s. She photographed people in natural settings, people that she happened upon on the street, at events, etc. She used strictly black and white film and developed and printed her own photographs in the lab. After receiving a degree in Environmental Science in the 1990’s, she had a career change, deciding photography was where her heart was. Living in SW Florida, Berreitter finds it most rewarding to photograph the nature that surrounds us. If you visit her website at www.berreitter.com, you’ll see an expanded bio and a variety of beautiful work, including What’s Blooming posters done for Lee County Parks.
Gala Update: Date: Feb. 23. Location: Garden Club Park, Island Center. There will be demonstrations during the day, plant and tree vendors selling amazing inventory, local authors signing and selling their books, a fantastic “white elephant sale”, and many raffle prizes given away during the entire Gala. Mark your calendar! Raffle tickets are now on sale from club members. There are a few spaces left for vendors who would like to participate. Please go to our Gala website for details: Pineislandgardenclubgala.weebly.com
Monthly Garden Club meetings are held at the Fishers of Men Evangelical Lutheran Church at 10360 Stringfellow Road and begin at 9:00 a.m. with coffee and refreshments followed by our guest speaker’s presentation and finishing up with a brief member’s business meeting.
Club meetings are free and open to everyone. If you are interested in attending a meeting or becoming a member (annual dues are $20), please call Kathie Reiter, Membership Chairman, at 283-3176.
Please visit our website: www.pineislandgardenclub.org., for membership information and events.
Flamingo Bay: Jan. 19
Bring out your green, purple and gold beads and wear your mask to the Mardi Gras dance with “Just Friends” providing the entertainment at Flamingo Bay on Saturday, Jan. 19 beginning at 7 p.m. Get your $7 tickets from Carol at 283.7855. BYOB
Old Pine Island Marina: Jan 19
Old Pine Island Marina will hold its first seminar on Saturday, Jan 19 at 7 p.m. with Capt. Dick May.
Beth Moore Bible Study: Jan. 21
On Monday, Jan. 21, a Beth Moore Study entitled “Esther It’s Tough Being a Woman” will be offered at Pine Island Community Church in St. James City. This is a 10-week, interactive study, which features personal, daily assignments and weekly group sessions with videos. The sessions will be two hours in length starting promptly at 10 a.m. to noon, Monday mornings beginning on Jan. 21.
There is no charge for the class, but a study book is recommended. Book charge is $15. Please call the church at 239-283-9944 to register for the class and put in a book request. Materials will be available at the first session.
Order of the Golden Brush: Jan. 22
Order of the Golden Brush is proud to offer two water color seminars by Pine Island artist Joanna Bowles. The first seminar will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 1-4 p.m. at the Saint James City Civic Association, 4th and Lemon Street, St. James City. The second seminar is scheduled for March 26, 2013. Bowles studied under artists Helen Pierce and Betty Wedelas and in North Carolina at the Ringling School of Arts and continues to study at the Pine Island Art Association. Past president and current member of the Pine Island Art Association, Bowles’s art has been displayed at the Useppa and Sanibel art shows, judged Punta Gorda sShow, and the Arts for Acts silent auction. Her art reflects her travels but her passion is portraits and pet paintings. For more information on Bowle’s and to view her paintings, visit pineislandart.com.
To sign up for the Jan. 22 seminar call Linda Selleck at 283-5207 or Mary Ann Harms at 283-9337. Artists need to bring their own supplies and have a subject of their choice ready to paint. Cost of the class is $35 and participant skill level intermediate to advanced.
Ladies of the Elks: Jan. 24
Church Lady Jan. 24 is sold out. Tickets for our next event will be on sale after Jan. 14. Tickets for Janita Bertolo, portraying rogue journalist Ida Tarbell, go even quicker than Church Lady. The date is Feb. 14. Don’t miss out on this one! Contact Yve Malbon 283-4476, Ann Thomas 283-0415, or Jean McCaffrey 283-5379.
St. James Hobby Club: Feb. 13
The St. James Hobby Club will be hosting their annual Valentine Card Party on Feb. 13. The party will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the St. James Civic Center. There will be refreshments; lots of door prizes and a luncheon will be served.
Tickets are $11 and must be purchased before the day of the event, so the club will have enough food for everyone who attends. Tickets can be purchased by calling Rebecca Murray at 352-356-1123, or drop by the St. James Civic Center any Wednesday morning between 9-11:30 a.m. beginning Jan. 9.
The annual card party is a lot of fun. Most groups play cards, but there are usually a few dice and board games as well. It is the main fund-raiser for the Hobby Club providing operating funds, as well as helping the club’s annual charitable donations.
Everyone is welcome to attend and all different games are played.
Events on the Island
The Real Estate Caf: Jan. 3
Dream Home Associates is proud to announce the grand opening of their new office. Owners, Carl Jervis and Lynn Berreitter have been island residents since 2000 and up until 2009, had a real estate office in St. James City.
Come join them for the grand opening, Jan. 3 from 4-7 p.m. at The Real Estate Caf, 5459 Pine Island Rd. There will be champagne, wine, cheese and music by Annie Wenz.
The Caf is located on the south side of Pine Island Road, just east of the 4-way stop sign, adjacent to The Beacon of Hope. Extra parking is available behind the buildings.
Pine Island Writers: Jan. 5
Pine Island Writers invites you to attend Anne Dalton’s Workshop: “Invasion of Privacy and Defamation Issues,” Jan. 5, 10 a.m. until noon at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Stringfellow Road in St. James City. This workshop is designed for concerns specific to writers. Event fee: members $5/non-members $10.
Dalton’s 35-year career includes stints as senior attorney for Radio City Music Hall and legal and business affairs counsel for ABC network news “20/20.” Her legal practice offers a particular emphasis on creative arts and entertainment law. Visit her website at: www.dalton-legal.com.
Please join the Pine Island Writers on Jan. 5. For information visit our website at WWW.PINEISLANDWRITERS.ORG or email us at writers4pi@gmail.com.
Earth and Spirit Gallery: Jan. 7
Earth and Spirit Gallery will host two new regular yoga classes starting Monday, Jan. 7th at 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 4 p.m. The classes are 90-minutes long, fee is $10. All levels are welcome.
Museum of the Islands: Jan 7
The Museum of the Islands (MOTI) will present the program “The Cushing Expedition-1896” on Monday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m., at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, 10360 Stringfellow Rd., Saint James City.
The featured speaker will be Dr. Robin C. Brown, who will share the history of the Calusa Indians on Marco Island and the discovery of remarkably preserved artifacts that have provided details of Calusa customs and lifestyle rarely obtainable for an archeological site.
The program is free and open to the public. Please contact Sharon Traylor, 283-9155, for additional information.
Matlacha Chamber of Commerce: Jan. 10
The Matlacha Island Chamber of Commerce will meet on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Historic Matlacha Fire Station Building in Matlacha Park. Our guest speaker will be Chris Pendleton, CEO and President of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Pendleton is also on the MICC Advisory Board. All business owners and friends of the new MICC are welcome to attend.
For more information call 239-822-4109. Or email at info@matlachachamber.com
Flamingo Bay: Jan. 12
Julie’s egg benedict (city ham, pouched egg and Julie’s cheese sauce), hash browns, and grilled pineapple is our first breakfast of the new year on Jan. 12 between 8 and 9:30 a.m. by the Flamingo Bay Residents’ Association. For $6 you’ll get this egg benedict breakfast or if you don’t want egg benedict you’ll get city ham, eggs, hash browns, grilled pineapple and a banana or bran muffin. Tickets will be sold at the door on the morning of the breakfast.
Pine Island Art
Association: Jan. 12
Starting Saturday, Jan. 12 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. David Meo will teach drawing at the Pine Island Art Association building in Matlacha Community Park, 4577 NE Pine Island Road, just west of the new Pine Island Bridge. The course will focus on the basic A B C’s of drawing. A: action drawing, B: blocking simple shapes, spheres, cones and cylinders, C: contour drawing. Meo is an accomplished southwest artist and teacher. He enjoys teaching aspiring artists of all ages. For this reason the class is open to double digit age and triple digit age artists. This is your chance to improve your ability to draw. Maybe you and your child or grandchild would like to come to class together.
Drawing for beginners with David Meo on Saturdays, Jan. 12, 19, 26, Feb. 2, 16, 23 and March 2 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. for $50.
Checks made out to PIAA and mailed to P O Box 12, St. James City, FL 33956. For registration info www.pineislandart.com or call 283-9155 or David Meo djmeo@mac.com or call 337-5518.
Wounded Warrior
Anglers: Jan. 13
Wounded Warrior Anglers will have a fund-raising event at Miceli’s Restaurant on Sunday, Jan. 13 from 12-4 p.m. with live music, raffle items and 50/50, plus the 2013 NauticStar raffle boat will be present for all to see.
Gambling Trip: Jan. 14
Allstar Charters and Sarah Furia are doing a free day trip to the Seminole Immokalee Casino on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. You pay $30 and get $30 free play, plus a $5 food voucher and your round trip to Immokalee. We will be leaving at 10 a.m. from the boat ramp at Pine Island Cove and leave the casino at 5 p.m. Call Sarah Furia for reservations at 283-8410. There can be a pick up at Winn-Dixie parking lot. Make sure to bring a photo ID. If mailing a check make it out to Allstar Charters and mail it to Sarah Furia, 4990 PinFish Lane, St. James City, FL 33956.
Spa 33: Jan 16
Spa 33 is providing a free Dermalogica class on Jan. 16 from 6-8 p.m. at 4547 Pine Island Road Unit C in Matlacha. The topic is “New Year, New You!” and will touch upon skin brightening. The class will talk about treatment that brightens and minimizes skin discoloration, uneven skin tone, hyper pigmentation and age spots. For more information call 239-558-8217.
Family Coalition Meeting: Jan 17
A Family Prevention Meeting will be held on Jan. 17, 2013 at 6 p.m. at Pine Island Elementary School, 5360 Ridgewood Drive in Bokeelia. The night will feature a free family spaghetti dinner, featuring Mr. Mazzoli’s secret sauce and sponsored by Busey Bank.
Staff Sgt. Jorge Garcia with the Florida National Guard Counterdrug Program will present the Night Vision Prevention Program for the kids. There will be a panel on prescription drug abuse prevention for families as well. Associates and Bruce L Scheiner is sponsoring family keepsake photos.
Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to the Coalition by calling 239-931-9317 or emailing executivedir@drugfreeswfl.org. The event is free and open to the public.
Thanks to our event sponsors, this program is free and open to the public: Lee County Sheriff’s Office; Lee Memorial Health System; Busey Bank; Florida Department of Children and Families; Central Florida Behavioral Health Network; School District of Lee County and Pine Island Elementary School; Dr. Omar Rieche; Florida National Guard; Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner; Southwest Florida Addiction Services; Fundamental Fitness for Kids; Law Offices of Shawn Seliger; FUN-damental Fitness for Kids and Street Chicks in Recovery.
Old Pine Island Marina: Jan 19
Old Pine Island Marina will hold its first seminar on Saturday, Jan 19 at 7 p.m. with Capt. Dick May.
Order of the Golden
Brush: Jan. 22
Order of the Golden Brush is proud to offer two water color seminars by Pine Island artist Joanna Bowles. The first seminar will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 1-4 p.m. at the Saint James City Civic Association, 4th and Lemon Street, St. James City. The second seminar is scheduled for March 26, 2013. Bowles studied under artists Helen Pierce and Betty Wedelas and in North Carolina at the Ringling School of Arts and continues to study at the Pine Island Art Association. Past president and current member of the Pine Island Art Association, Bowles’s art has been displayed at the Useppa and Sanibel art shows, judged Punta Gorda show, and the Arts for Acts silent auction. Her art reflects her travels but her passion is portraits and pet paintings. For more information on Bowle’s and to view her paintings, visit pineislandart.com.
To sign up for the Jan. 22 seminar call Linda Selleck at 283-5207 or Mary Ann Harms at 283-9337. Artists need to bring their own supplies and have a subject of their choice ready to paint. Cost of the class is $35 and participant skill level intermediate to advanced.
Ladies of the Elks: Jan. 24
Lily Grace, portrayed by local actress Denyea Clarkson, brought down the house three years ago with this hilarious comedy. This time men are welcome! She now returns with “Church Lady Act 2” on Thursday, Jan. 24. Tickets are on sale now for $20, which includes a delicious lunch. The doors of the Pine Island Elks Lodge will open at 11 a.m. Advance tickets only. 106 sold. Only 14 tickets left. Call Ann Thomas 239-283-0415 cell 292-2972.