Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs
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Vol.1, No.1
Lovers Key: What’s not to love?
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@swspotlight.com
Lovers Key State Park –
How do you hide a beach
park of almost 2,000 acres?
Lovers Key has plenty of vis-
itors – but why do many of
our neighbors miss it? Well,
if you are not paying atten-
tion, you can miss the sign
“Lovers Key is
unique.”
Brie Ochoa
Florida Park Service
marking the park entrance
even if you are holding to the
fifty mph limit. For those
who don’t know, here is how
to get there: drive north to
the end of Little Hickory Is-
land (Bonita Beach.) After
the second bridge over Es-
tero Bay (New Pass), you will
see the blue Florida State
Park sign marking the en-
trance on the left. Or, to
make it simple – punch your
car trip ticker at Doc’s Beach
PRSRT STD
S O U T H W E S T FT MYERS, FL
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DECEMBER 2010 FREE
December
House and make a left in 4.5
miles. That’s the “front events 2
door” to the park. The “back
door,” an opening in the
chain link fence (don’t
worry – it’s legal!), is about a
mile further up the road –
right before the Big Carlos
Pass bridge leading on to
Fort Myers beach.
Fifty years ago it was Bonita Springs
home to fishing camps – ac- Concert Band 5
cessible, old timers say, only
by love boats. Forty years ago
it was slated for develop- Opportunities
ment. Since the 1980s,
Lovers Key State Park has to give back 8
been preserved for all. It is
consistently ranked among
the most pristine and beau-
tiful beaches in all of Florida.
The Travel Channel said it is William L. Meyers | Special to the Spotlight
A pelican takes flight. There is something for everyone at Lovers Key State Park.
among the top three. “The
best wedding location in the Besides getting married pristine two mile beach is ac- the park. Buffering the park
world – storybook perfect,” (yes, you can rent the pavil- cessible by boardwalk or mo- from development are the
said a member at Tripadvi- ion) what is there to do? torized tram and is popular fifteen square miles of the Volunteer
sor.com. And yet Lovers Key
is just one of the many beau-
Well, start by communing
with nature. As the state park
for shelling, swimming, pic-
nicking and sunbathing.
Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve
– it was Florida’s first aquatic
focus 11
tiful parks and spaces in and system puts it: This is The But Lovers Key is much preserve, dedicated in 1966,
around our city of Bonita Real Florida – decidedly not more than just sun and sand. and it is home to over forty
Springs. the world of jet skis. The Four barrier islands make up Continued on page 14 Things to do 6
Page 2
S O U T H W E S T
™ Golf Resort, Naples. For
Locally owned and
operated since 2010
(239) 287-6474
info@swspotlight.com
PO Box 1946
Bonita Springs, FL 34133
Southwest Spotlight, LLC
www.swspotlight.com
Southwest Spotlight
FUNDRAISERS
EVENTS
Deck the Walls
Mon., Dec 6, 9 to 6 p.m.
Deck the Walls, a juried art
exhibition and sale. Why: To
raise funds to support the
Literacy Council. The Liter-
acy Council of Bonita
Springs provides free English
instruction in reading and
writing for adult speakers of
other languages. Where: Lit-
eracy Council, 26820 Old 41
Rd., Bonita Springs. Cost:
Free. Forty percent of sales
go directly to the Literacy
Council.
Off the Walls
Fri., Dec. 10, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Off the Walls! Fundraiser
cocktail reception - Why: To
raise funds for youth schol-
arships and community out-
reach programming. Every
ticket has a unique number
and enters the holder in a
random drawing for beauti-
ful artworks and collectibles
valued from $275 to $6,000.
Where: Center for the Arts of
Bonita Springs. For more in-
formation, call 239-495-
8989. Cost: $150 per person.
5k at the shootout
Dec. 11, 7 a.m.
The Shark Shootout 5k,
Why: To benefit CureSearch
for Children’s Cancer.
Where: Tiburón Golf Club at
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Re-
sort, Naples. For more infor-
mation, go to gcrunner.org.
Cost: $25 advance/ $30 race
day/ $10 under 18 – all in-
clude 1 daily grounds ticket
to the shootout.
SPORTING EVENTS
Shark Shootout
Dec. 8 to 12.
The 2010 Shark Shootout,
hosted by Greg Norman, is
widely regarded as the PGA
Tour’s premier post-season
event. Where: Tiburón Golf
Club at The Ritz-Carlton
Publisher more information, go to
Peter A. O'Flinn thesharkshootout.com.
peter@swspotlight.com
Hockey in
Advertising Sales the everblades
Dec. 8,10,21,22, 7:30 p.m.
Katie O'Flinn
Dec. 11, 7 p.m.
katie@swspotlight.com Come see the team that
Kathy O'Flinn has never had a losing season
kathy@swspotlight.com and hasn’t missed the
playoffs in 12 years. The
Florida Everblades, our
minor league hockey team,
has five home games in De-
cember. Where: Germain
Arena, Estero. For tickets, go
to floridaeverblades.com.
The best in high school
basketball
Dec. 17 to 22.
The 38th Annual City of
Palms Classic – This is the
premier high school boys’
basketball tournament in
America. The 2008 tourna-
ment was labeled: "the best
field in the history of high
school basketball" by na-
tional recruiting guru Clark
Francis of HoopScoop Mag-
azine. Where: Bishop Verot
High School, 5598 Sunrise
Drive, Fort Myers. For tick-
ets, go to cityofpalmsclassic.
com.
ARTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT
It’s snowing in Bonita
Tues., Dec. 7, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Holiday in the Park – Come
out to Riverside Park to
see Santa and the tons of
snow he brings with him.
Where: Riverside Park,
Bonita Springs. Cost: Free.
Travel around the world
Thurs., Dec. 9, 7 p.m.
Live at the Promenade! –
“Around the World in 80
minutes” with the Naples
Piano Quartet. Travel with
this gifted foursome com-
prised of piano, two violins
and cello as you travel from
Paris to Italy, India to
Germany, enjoying the
music of Bruch, Albinoni,
Senneville and more. Where:
Promenade at Bonita Bay.
For more information, call
the Center for the Arts of
Bonita Springs at 239-495-
8989. Cost: $30 mem-
bers/$35 non-members.
Evening in the Park
Fri., Dec. 10 & 17, 5 p.m.
Evening in the Park - The
artists of the six historic cot-
tages at Riverside Park invite
you to join them for an
evening in the park and view
their most recent work. The
Bonita Springs Historical
Society will be at the Liles
Hotel, adjacent to the cot-
tages where you can view
history of Old Bonita
Springs and talk to City His-
torians. Where: Riverside
Park, Bonita Springs. Cost:
Free.
Holiday Boat Parade
Sat., Dec. 11, 4 p.m.
Bonita Springs Holiday Boat
Parade. Where: The parade
starts by the Fish House
December 2010
Restaurant on Bonita Beach
Rd. and travels up the Impe-
rial River to U.S. 41 before
turning around. Where:
View the parade from the
Imperial River boat launch-
ing ramp on 41.
Small and mighty
Fri., Dec. 17, 6 to 8 p.m.
Opening reception: Small
works & miniatures exhibi-
tion, Where: Center for the
Arts of Bonita Springs. For
more information, call 239-
495-8989 or visit www.art-
centerbonita.org. Cost: Free.
Holiday Pops
Dec. 16, 17, 18, 19.
Naples Philharmonic –
Maestro Stuart Malina re-
turns with a sensational se-
lection of holiday music and
fun for the whole family.
Where: Hayes Hall, Philhar-
monic Center for the Arts,
5833 Pelican Bay Boulevard,
Naples. Go to thephil.org or
call 800-597-1900 for more
information. Cost: $47/
adults, $22/students.
Big Band in Bonita
Sun, Dec., 19, time tba.
Townsmen Big Band. Where:
Riverside Park, Bonita
Springs. Cost: Free.
Weekly Events
Get it while it’s fresh
Saturdays, 7:00 a.m. to noon.
Lions Club Farm Fresh Mar-
ket at the Promenade. Where:
26811 S. Bay Dr., Bonita
Springs. For more informa-
tion, go to bonitalions.org.
City Council Meetings
Come watch the action
live and in person
Wed., Dec. 1, 5:30 p.m.,
Wed., Dec. 15, 9 a.m.
Bonita Springs City Council
Where: Council Chambers,
9101 Bonita Beach Rd. For
more information, call 239-
949-6262.
All dates, times and prices
are subject to change.
December 2010 Southwest Spotlight Page 3
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December 2010 Southwest Spotlight Page 5

Bonita Springs Concert Band celebrates its third season

By Peter A. O’Flinn
peter@swspotlight.com
Riverside Park – The first
time Sylvia Schraff drove by
Riverside Park and noticed
the band shell she got ex-
cited. “It just needed a band,
and it was such a beautiful
thing,” said Schraff, Presi-
dent of the Bonita Springs
Concert Band.
The all-volunteer band’s
third season kicked off No-
vember 7. The next per-
formance is at 2 p.m. on
December 12. Comprised of
musicians of all ages – high
schoolers to those in their
80s – the band performs a
variety of music including
pop, ragtime, big band, show
tunes, some marches and
some lighter classics.
Over three years ago,
Schraff was playing in the
concert band at Edison State
College with Dr. Dennis
Hill. Dr. Hill was the Direc-
tor of Bands at Edison State
College on the Lee County
campus for 32 years. She
asked him if he would con-
sider conducting a band in
Bonita Springs when he re-
tired.
“I said sure,” said Dr.
Hill, Director of the Bonita
Spring Concert Band.
A board and steering
committee were formed and
the idea was presented to the
city. “They were enthusias-
tic,” Schraff said. “They said
if we could get it together we
could use the band shell.”
Since then, the band has
been named the Official
Concert Band of Bonita
Springs. Hundreds of people
bring their chairs to River-
“The community has
been amazing.”
President, Bonita Springs Concert Band
side Park to watch the band
perform.
They placed an ad in the
paper looking for anyone in-
terested in playing. “We got
over 100 responses,” said
Schraff. “I thought we’d get
maybe 30 or 40.” Rehearsals
started in the fall of 2008
and the first concert was
held that November. The
band is now comprised of 55
to 65 musicians.
“We started with a bang,”
said Dr. Hill. “Last year was
even better and we’re look-
ing forward to this year
being better.”
The band has been
helped by generous dona-
tions from our three local
Rotary Clubs, the Lions
Club and the Southwest
Florida Community Foun-
dation among others. The
band has a trailer of equip-
ment hauled to Riverside
Park before each perform-
ance. It takes a lot of volun-
Sylvia Schraff
teers to make this happen.
Some of the equipment is
borrowed from Three Oaks
Middle School, where the
band holds weekly re-
hearsals.
“We have almost all of
our own percussion equip-
ment now. Hopefully we’ll
get tympani this year,” Dr.
Hill said. “We have a tym-
pani fund going. We’re
maybe two thirds to the goal
to buy a set.”
When Schraff reflects on
Bring your chairs out to Riverside Park on December 12 for the Bonita Springs
Concert Band’s second performance of the season.
what has made the band a
continuing success, she
knows what has made the
difference. “The reason is the
support of the community,”
said Schraff. “The commu-
nity has been amazing.”
One of the purposes the
band has adopted is to help
provide scholarships to high
school students. This past
summer, a student that plays
in the band was awarded a
scholarship to go to music
camp. Dr. Hill hopes the
band will be able to give
Peter A. O’Flinn | peter@swspotlight.com
more scholarships in the
coming years.
“It’s been a labor of love
for a lot of people in Bonita
that have given their time
and efforts and money,” said
Dr. Hill. The band is always
looking for talented musi-
cians and volunteers. “We
can always use players in just
about every section.” If you
would like to help you
should contact any band
member or go to boni-
taspringsconcertband.com.
If you can’t get to the
concert this month you’ll
have a few more chances this
winter. Four more concerts
are scheduled through April.
If you go…
Bonita Springs Concert Band
Where: Riverside Park,
Old 41, Bonita Springs
When: 2 p.m., Sunday,
Dec. 12, Jan. 23, Feb. 20,
March 13, April 10.
Cost: Free.
For more information:
239-405-3320 or
bonitaspringsconcertband.com

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Page 6 Southwest Spotlight
Things To Do
Sun ‘n Sand
Bonita
Beach Park
Located at the end of Bonita
Beach Road. Restrooms and
showers, sport rentals. Food
at Doc’s Beach House. Free
parking (look for banners) at
lots every 1/4 mile on Hick-
ory Boulevard, 3-4 spaces
and 1 handicapped space at
each lot. Parking for $2/hour
on either side of Doc’s Beach
House. For additional park-
ing turn left off Bonita Beach
Road onto Barefoot Blvd.,
then take an immediate right
into the Collier County lot.
The fee is $8/day or a $50 an-
nual non-Collier resident
County pass.
Little Hickory Island Park
Located at the far north end
of Hickory Blvd. (Access#10)
public restrooms, parking fee
$1/hour.
Dog Beach
Dogs may run free in a beau-
tiful beach setting. Parking is
free. No restroom or running
water. Proceed north on
Hickory Blvd. which be-
comes Estero Blvd. Look for
sign for Dog Beach on your
left after the second bridge.
Barefoot Beach
Go west on Bonita Beach
Road and turn left onto Bare-
foot Blvd. Proceed 2 miles to
guardhouse and pay $8/day
or use your Collier County
annual parking pass. Rest-
rooms, showers, cafe and
sports rentals.
Lovers Key State Park
Located off Estero Blvd. 4.5
miles north of Doc’s Beach
House. Two and one half
mile stretch of beautiful
beach. Restrooms, showers,
restaurant and picnic area.
Courtesy beach wheelchairs.
Tram has wheelchair lift. Bi-
cycle, canoe and kayak
rentals; boat and fishing
tours. Open 8 a.m. until sun-
down. Entrance fee $8/vehi-
cle. See feature article for
more info.
Delnor Wiggins Pass
State Park
This beautiful mile long
stretch of beach is in North
Naples at the western end of
Immokalee Road. Rest-
rooms, showers and picnic
areas. Two beach wheelchairs
are available and free for use
to the public. Parking is $6
per vehicle for up to 8 people,
$4 single occupancy vehicle,
$2 per pedestrian and bicy-
clist. Open 8 a.m. until sun-
down. During busy winter
season, gates close when park
reaches maximum capacity.
Golf, But Not Golf
Disc Golf
If you can throw a Frisbee,
you can play disc golf. A sce-
nic 9 hole course wraps
around a 7 acre lake. Same
rules as traditional golf. Am-
ateur tee pads for the begin-
ner and pro pads for the more
advanced player. Fun for the
whole family. 26740 Pine Av-
enue off West Terry Street at
Bonita Springs Recreation
Center. Hours: Mon. to
Thurs. 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.;
Fri. 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat 8
to 5 p.m.; closed Sun. Free.
Golf Safari
Jungle theme with life size an-
imals, chickee huts and water-
falls. 3775 Bonita Beach Road,
1/4 mile west of US 41. Hours:
daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call
239-947-1377 for pricing.
Congo River Golf
Caves, waterfalls, alligators
coming soon, party room, ar-
cade and mining room (extra
charge) where you can pan
for special stones. 24280
South Tamiami Trail, Route
41 (just south of “The Ship”)
Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun.
to Thurs., open to midnight
Fri. and Sat. Call 239-948-
9099 for pricing.
Call of the wild
Corkscrew Swamp
Sanctuary
A 2.25 mile raised boardwalk
takes visitors through 4 dis-
tinct habitats found within
the 11,000 acres including
the largest remaining virgin
bald cypress forest in North
America. Interpretive signs
allow each visitor to take a
self-guided tour. Allow 2-3
hours. Optional 1 mile trail.
Wheelchairs and strollers
available free of charge - first
come, first served. Enjoy
birds, reptiles, mammals, in-
sects and a variety of native
plants including wild orchids.
375 Sanctuary Road, Naples.
Go east on Immokalee Rd.
approximately 15 miles past
I-75 and turn left onto
Sanctuary Rd. Look for a left
turn lane and large sign
on the left at the intersection.
Stay on the paved road until
the entrance sign and park-
ing lot on the right. Cost:
$10 per adult, $6 full time
December 2010
college student, $4 student 6
to 18 years old, children
under 6 free. Hours: 7 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. Oct 1 through Apr
10.
Everglades Wonder
Gardens
1940’s-era roadside attrac-
tion. See “up close and per-
sonal” deer, gators, exotic
birds, panthers, snakes and
Molly the river otter who
puts on a show. Open daily 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last
tour at 4:15. They offer con-
tinuous tours with the alliga-
tor feeding considered the
highlight by some visitors.
Natural history museum and
gift shop. 27180 Old US 41,
just south of West Terry
Street. Call 239-992-2591 for
pricing.
Naples Zoo
& Botanic Gardens
Preview the new giraffe herd.
Seven young reticulated gi-
raffe can be seen daily be-
tween 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in
their temporary home until
the new giraffe exhibit opens
in 2012. Dec. 13-24: 12 Days
of Wild Holiday Fun. Watch
the animals open their beau-
tifully wrapped presents
made especially for them -
hint: it’s not a partridge in a
pear tree. 1590 Goodlette
Road, Naples. Open daily 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Christ-
mas day, Dec. 24 closed at 4
p.m. Cost: $ 19.95 per adult,
$18.95 for seniors 65 and up,
$11.95 per child 3 to 12 years
of age, children 2 and under
are free.
Marine adventures
Canoeing &
Kayaking
Paddle the 190-mile marked
Calusa Blueway trail that me-
anders through the coastal
waters and inland tributaries
of Lee County. Explore Es-
tero Bay, Pine Island Sound
and the Caloosahatchee
River, home to abundant
marine life and shorebirds
including dolphins and man-
atees. Go to CalusaBlueway.
com to plan your trip. On
this website you can find out-
fitters, put-in spots, places to
stay, stops along the trail, sug-
gested routes and view and
print trail maps. Pick the
route that is perfect for you -
whether a novice or ad-
vanced paddler.
All dates, times and prices
are subject to change.
December 2010 Southwest Spotlight Page 7

Robert L. Smith | Special to the Spotlight

Page 8 Southwest Spotlight
Opportunities
to give back
Friends of Barefoot
Beach Preserve
Barefoot beach is one of the
last stretches of undeveloped
beachfront land in South
Florida; it remains as natural
and unspoiled as it was hun-
dreds of years ago. The pre-
serve consists of 342 acres on
a barrier island, separated
from the mainland by man-
grove swamps and tidal
creeks. For information on
how to become a volunteer,
call Margaret Winn, Presi-
dent of the Friends of
Barefoot Beach Preserve,
at 239-495-9100, or visit
fobbp.org.
Café of Life
In its formative months in
1998 the Café of Life offered
coffee to its clients. From this
humble beginning the Café
of Life has become a fixture
in Bonita Springs, serving
luncheon meals Monday
through Friday to individu-
als and families from all
walks of life. More than 600
volunteers contribute over
12,000 hours in shopping for
groceries each year, prepar-
ing and serving meals, serv-
ing on the Board of Directors,
arranging special events such
as Thanksgiving and Christ-
mas luncheons, and “lending
a helping hand” to anything
and everything in meeting
the nutritional and supple-
mental needs of the less for-
tunate. You can become a
volunteer by emailing volun-
teer@cafeoflife.org or calling
239-495-9325.
Boys and Girls Clubs
of Lee County
Volunteers are always wel-
come at the Boys & Girls
Clubs of Lee County. Just an
hour a few times a week can
have a meaningful impact on
a child's life. So many times
young people need the guid-
ance of positive adults to
help them through tough
times. Volunteers can be one
on one tutors, coaches, art
teachers, mentors and so
much more. To learn more
about volunteer opportuni-
ties call Alex Lindsay at 239-
334-1886 or email aclindsay
@ bgclc.net.
Hope HealthCare
Services
Hospice is a special kind of
care designed to provide
comfort and support to peo-
ple of all ages that are facing
a life limiting illness. More
than a quarter-century ago, a
small group of volunteers en-
visioned a new concept in
care for the people of south-
west Florida. It was their be-
lief that life could be lived
better, even at its end. This
charter group of Hope Hos-
pice workers cared for per-
haps 10 or 12 patients a day
in the beginning. Today
Hope cares for more than
2,000 people each day. For
information on becoming a
volunteer call Hope’s Volun-
teer Department at 239-482-
4673.
Liberty
Youth Ranch
Liberty Youth Ranch is a
long-term children's resi-
dential group home for
Florida's orphaned, abused,
abandoned, neglected, and
homeless children, designed
to ensure each child's educa-
tion and eventual high
school graduation with a
strong emphasis being
placed on the uniqueness
and inherent worth of each
child. The Ranch depends
on hundreds of volunteers
each year. For more infor-
mation on becoming a vol-
unteer, call Ruth Martin, Exec-
utive Administrator at
239-597-7070, or email at
ruth@libertyyouthranch.
org.
Literacy Council
of Bonita Springs
The Literacy Council pro-
vides free English instruction
in reading and writing for
adult speakers of other
languages. A Moms and
Tots Family Literacy pro-
gram for mothers and their
young children is also avail-
able. Additionally, work-
December 2010
site literacy programs are
offered at 17 local golf/gated
communities. Volunteers can
provide valuable assistance
no matter how little time
they have to give. For
more information, email
bonitaliteracy@comcast.net,
or call 239-676-5202.
Meals-on-Wheels
Meals-on-Wheels serves the
infirm and homebound by
providing one meal a day to
those in need. Monday
through Friday, recipients re-
ceive hot meals; for week-
ends they receive frozen
meals. Almost 200 volunteer
drivers make the program
possible by providing their
own cars and gasoline. In an
average month, drivers cover
almost 4,500 miles, deliver-
ing over 6,000 meals. If you
would like to become a vol-
unteer delivering meals to
the homebound, please call
239-775-0443.
Saint Matthew’s House
Since 1987, St. Matthew's
House and Immokalee
Friendship House has pro-
vided housing, spiritual sup-
port and structured recovery
programs for the homeless
in Collier County. St.
Matthew's House is more
than a housing recovery cen-
ter. It also helps those who
have a home, but are living
paycheck to paycheck, often
at or below poverty level. To
this end, St. Matthew’s
House has two food pantries
stocked with nonperishable
grocery items generously do-
nated by local businesses,
churches, supermarkets and
individuals. For more infor-
mation on becoming a vol-
unteer email Kerri Sparks at
kerri@stmatthewshouse.org
or call 239-774-050.
December 2010 Southwest Spotlight Page 9

Shoppes at Pelican Landing

24600 Tamiami Trail S#204 (239) 498-6808
Bonita Springs, FL 34134 Open Daily 5 - 10 pm

Take an Additional
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18% gratuity added
before discount.
Dine in only.
Expires 12/23/10 (Up to $20 value per couple)
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Entrée
with coupon and
purchase of one
entrée and two
beverages the 2nd
entrée is FREE!

Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
CHRISTMAS EVE SPECIAL - 15% OFF entire check
For menu & wine list visit us at lafontanellarestaurant.net
Page 10 Southwest Spotlight December 2010

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December 2010
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – Tears of joy
are not unusual at the Lions
Club Charitable Eye Clinic in
Bonita Springs. Children and
adults, who thought they
couldn't afford better vision,
are helped with eye examina-
tions and eyeglasses. "The vi-
sion of the board is to take in
as many patients as we can,"
said Frank Hayes, Chairman
of the Board of the Eye Care
Clinic. Thanks to the deter-
mination of the Bonita Lions
Club to help the indigent with
eye care, over 3000 area resi-
dents have been served at the
clinic since its inception – all
free of charge.
The Bonita Springs Lions
Club, among the 45,000
Lions Clubs in more than 200
countries, has been honored
as a “worldwide leader” for its
volunteer efforts and the hun-
dreds of thousands of dollars
it gives annually to fund local
needs. The Lions campus –
three buildings adjacent to
Riverside Park in the heart of
Bonita’s historic district – is a
one stop shop for community
service and activity, including
Touching the lives of thousands
its Thrift Store and Charitable
Eye Clinic.
Central to the mission of
the Bonita Lions Club is eye
care – as it has been with the
international organization
ever since the day in 1925
when Helen Keller challenged
the Lions to become “knights
of the blind in the crusade
against darkness.” Through-
out the world many pro-
grams have been initiated,
from the recycling of thou-
sands of glasses at 8 cents a
pair to funding innovative
programs to combat the dis-
ease of river blindness. The
Bonita Lions Club recycling
drop off is located inside the
thrift store and has collected
over 7,000 glasses.
In 2008 the club expanded
its mission by pioneering the
Charitable Eye Clinic, located
on its campus off Pennsylva-
nia Avenue, to help the med-
ically indigent. In addition to
the tens of thousands of dol-
lars contributed by the Lions,
generous financial contribu-
tions were made by both the
Mediterra Foundation and
the Southwest Florida Com-
munity Foundation.
"We have two examining
Southwest Spotlight
rooms and one surgery
room," explained Hayes.
Staffed by volunteer ophthal-
mologists and optometrists,
the clinic provides a full range
Central to the mission of the
Bonita Lions Club is eye care
of services, from comprehen-
sive eye examinations to re-
ferrals for specialized care.
According to Hayes, they are
always, "looking for eager
participants to do good."
They have certainly suc-
ceeded and won international
recognition in the Lions or-
ganization as a service to em-
ulate.
The Lions practice giving
by doing, with most of the
monies needed to fund its
considerable community ac-
tivities funded by the physical
efforts of volunteers. Its thrift
store, located on the Lions
campus, is staffed year round
with dozens of volunteers
participating. It offers new
and used items from clothes
to electronics, books to furni-
ture and everything in be-
tween. The thrift store is open
Monday through Friday, 9
a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Lion’s Club also spon-
sors two baseball leagues for
children and young adults who
are physically challenged. “I
looked around and everybody
was laughing. Kids are laugh-
ing. They’re having a ball,” said
John Elliff of the Bonita
Springs Lions club recalling his
first experience at a league
game at Three Oaks Park. Each
league has about eighty partic-
ipants, boys and girls. It is just
another one of the ways that its
120 members are giving back
to our community.
The Lions seem to have
perfected the art of combin-
ing volunteerism and food. Its
pancake breakfast, served at
its campus, is a mainstay
every Saturday morning from
January through March. Re-
cently, several Lions served
over 1,300 hot dogs on a hot,
humid day at Riverside Park.
An enduring Saturday
morning ritual in Bonita
Springs, the Lions’ Farm
Fresh Market is flourishing at
the Promenade outside
Bonita Bay on Route 41.
Farm products are the center-
piece of the market – with
vendors traveling to Plant
City or Immokalee the day
before to ensure freshness.
Three to four thousand peo-
ple show up on a typical
morning in season. Many get
there early – starting at 7 a.m.
to pick the best fruit, vegeta-
bles and fish. Key Lime pie
Page 11
sells like hot cakes – last sea-
son one vendor sold 240 pies
in less than two hours. Work
for the Lions’ volunteers be-
gins earlier – arising at 5 a.m.
to set up the vendors for the 7
a.m. start. This season 125
vendors are expected.
Some market patrons re-
member the days at the
Bonita Middle School on
Terry Street, and then River-
side Park and then the Middle
School again. In those earlier
days the market’s burgeoning
success collided with traffic
control and limited parking.
Mr. Elliff recently recounted
the time one Saturday about
ten years ago when traffic was
particularly bad on Terry
Street outside the market.
“I was a military police of-
ficer so I know how to direct
traffic,” said Elliff. “And then
one day a state cop came
along and I said, ‘oh shoot
he’s gonna nail me.’” But the
officer had other plans, “he
said, ‘buddy you need some
help.’” The kind officer
politely insisted he return to
the market and leave traffic
control to the professionals.
Sometimes, even volun-
teerism has its limits.
Page 12 Southwest Spotlight December 2010

Treat yourself to something special...you deserve it!

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Over 1.5 million lights
The Flesher family farm lights up Dec. 3
Ask about our ALL SALON By Peter A. O’Flinn
CUSTOMER SERVICES. peter@swspotlight.com
APPRECIATION Cannot be combined with
GAME! other discounts or offers. Bonita Grande Drive – The kids,” said Margaret Flesher. Naples Awning, B&W Golf
#.+&6*417)*EFfGEfEN
Flesher family has been “They really enjoy it.” Cars, Lowes, and Home
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working hard since June on In addition to family Depot.

L I F E S T Y L E
NAIL SPA S A L O N & S P A
their Christmas light display.
It takes a lot of time and en-
ergy to turn on 1.5 million
Find us on lights, and the lights are only
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part of the excitement.
STERILE Mon.-Sat. 9-7pm ENNFN1%10761#&˜vEGJ
PRODUCTS USED Sunday 10-4pm Bonita Springs, FL (In Sweetbay Plaza) “When you’re that big,
and doing that much work,
you’ve got to get started way
ahead of time,” said Chuck
Flesher.
A tradition since 1986,
the display is a tribute to
Margaret Flesher’s daughter
Vicki, and husband Charlie,
who have passed away.
Thousands of people have
come to see the display at
27865 Bonita Grande Drive,
just north of Bonita Beach
Road. The parking field has
space for 500 cars, and that
doesn’t include the addi-
tional handicapped parking.
“We had people years ago
that came out with their kids,
the kids got married, and
now they’re bringing their
members from multiple gen-
erations, people from all over
the world have taken a stroll
down Candy Cane Lane.
“We had people from
Germany, Canada, England,
all over,” said Chuck Flesher.
The display is always
growing. “We try to add
every year,” said Flesher. This
year, some of the many addi-
tions include a new carousel
and Santa’s sleigh. Children
can take rides on the golf cart
powered sleigh.
The Bonita Springs Fire
Department helped hang the
lights on the 70-foot tree.
The ladder reached just high
enough to put the star on
top.
In addition to the fire de-
partment, support from
many local businesses has
helped make the display pos-
sible including Val’s Uphol-
stery, Designs & Woodwork,
This year, donations from
the public will support
scholarships to local high
school students and will be
given to the Make a Wish
Foundation.
“It all goes to charity,”
said Flesher.
The lights will be on at
the Flesher farm from De-
cember 3 through January 1.
If you go…
Flesher Family Farm
Christmas Light Display
Where:
27865 Bonita Grande Drive.
When:
Dec. 3 - Jan. 1.
Santa:
Dec. 17-23, 7-9 p.m.
Hours:
6-9 p.m., Sun. - Thurs.
6-10 p.m., Fri. and Sat.
Cost: Free.

Serving Classic Country Cooking 7 days a week

HOUSE SPECIAL $3.99

2+2+2 Pancakes or French Toast,
2 Eggs any style and your choice of Bacon or Sausage
Mon. – Fri. 7am-11am
BREAKFAST SPECIAL $2.99
2 Eggs any style with Home Fries & Toast
Mon. – Fri. 7am-11am
LUNCH SPECIALS STARTING AT $4.99
Includes homemade bowl of Soup & Fries ABOVE: Chuck Flesher
Mon. – Fri. 11am-3pm attaches Rudolf to the
train. The lights in
DINNER SPECIALS STARTING AT $7.99 Rudolf’s nose and the
Includes Soup or Salad other 1.5 million lights
Every day after 3pm will glow Dec. 3 through
Jan. 1.
BREAKFAST BUFFET $6.95
Sat. & Sun. 8am-Noon LEFT: The Christmas vil-
lage inside the Flesher
garage is one of the
Lunch Deliveries to Businesses farm’s biggest attrac-
tions.
Mon. – Fri. 11am-2pm
26930 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135 Photos: Peter A. O’Flinn
peter@swspotlight.com
Tel: 239-948-7900 | Fax: 239-948-7913
December 2010 Southwest Spotlight Page 13

Is it your transmission or something else?

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Page 14 Southwest Spotlight December 2010

Lovers Key from page 1
of the state’s endangered and
threatened species. You
might see Wilson’s Plovers
or Least Terns wading on the
beach, an American Oyster-
catcher or Roseate Spoonbill
aloft, a Bottlenose Dolphin
or West Indian Manatee in
and around the inland wa-
terways or a Mangrove Skip-
per or Gulf Fritillary among
the host plants in the butter-
fly garden. The 750 acre
maze of backwater trails
through the mangroves is
ideal for kayaking and ca-
noeing. Hikers and bikers
can explore over eight miles
of trails including the three
mile Black Island Trail that
follows the inner waterways.
Anglers and boaters can
launch their vessels from the
park's boat ramp.
“Lovers Key is unique. It
is one of the most significant
undeveloped barrier islands
in Florida,” said Brie Ochoa
of the Florida Park Service.
And it is going to be kept
that way – thanks to the ef-
forts of a dedicated park staff
and over two hundred of our
southwest Florida neighbors
who volunteer to do every-
thing from driving the trams
to monitoring sea turtles.
The Friends of Lovers Key,
the key volunteer group, is
dedicated to ensuring that
the park remains one of the
most beautiful and tranquil
nature parks in the country.
If you prefer your activi-
ties a little more organized,
park rangers and the Friends
have fashioned an extensive
range of programs for adults
and kids. These activities are
popular, so advance registra-
tion is required by calling
239-463-4588. All the activ-
ities are geared to enhance
the park experience while, as
the park service puts it,
“leaving nothing but foot-
prints”. A sampling of the
ranger programs (free with
admission) includes walking
and kayaking (rental avail-
able) tours, The Estuary
Wading Trip and an
overview of the discovery of
the sunken Spanish galleon,
Nuestra Senora de Atocha.
The Friends Annual Na-
ture Program Series (a nom-
inal fee goes toward a
planned visitors center) in-
cludes artist and photogra-
phy workshops, a moonlight
kayak tour, an astronomy
night, a saltwater fishing
clinic and special events for
Valentine’s Day, Mother’s
Day and Father’s Day.
If you go…
Lovers Key State Park
Where: 8700 Estero Blvd.
Hours: 8 a.m. until sunset,
365 days a year.
Admission Fees:
$8 per vehicle
(limit 2-8 people per vehicle).
$4 Single occupant vehicle.
$2 Pedestrians, bicyclists,
extra passengers.
For more information:
Call 239-463-4588.
Lovers Key State Park has
something for everyone.
With so much to do and see,
you may be next to fall in
love with Lovers Key State
Park.

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December 2010 Southwest Spotlight Page 15

From the publisher

By Peter A. O’Flinn
peter@swspotlight.com

Thank you for reading the

first issue of the Southwest
Spotlight. This issue is a taste
of what’s to come in the com-
ing months.
Each month we will fea-
ture events, volunteer organi-
zations and other interesting
things to do in Bonita. Our
articles include in-depth re-
porting and interviews with
our neighbors that are pas-
sionate about their causes.
Our feature articles are com- Minnie, one of the O’Flinn family’s Italian Grey-
plemented with listings that hounds, reading the Southwest Spotlight.
explain the many exciting
things that are happening in involved with that you ated. With your help the
the Gateway to the Gulf. think we should feature Southwest Spotlight will be-
in the Southwest Spotlight come a great resource for our
This is your please email me at peter@
swspotlight.com. If there is a
community.
We are committed to those
paper. volunteer organization you who enrich and enjoy the
know of that is in need of vol- Bonita Springs community.
This is your paper. We unteers please let me know. If With dozens of volunteer or-
value your input. We would there is something you think ganizations helping our
love your suggestions to help should be added to any of our neighbors every day, Bonita
make this paper the best it listings please do not hesitate Springs truly is a small town
can be. to contact me. Any and all with a big heart.
If there is an event you are feedback is greatly appreci-
Peter A. O’Flinn | peter@swspotlight.com
Page 16 Southwest Spotlight December 2010

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