Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs
Page 32 Southwest Spotlight April 2011
Vol.2, No.4
Beach nourishment planned
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – The shore-
line of Little Hickory Island,
which stretches over a five
and a half mile crescent from
Barefoot Beach in the south
to Bonita Beach in the north,
ranks among the finest beach-
fronts in Florida. On any giv-
en day one might notice an
angler tending multiple lines,
snowbirds sipping a sunset
cocktail, a couple planting
ski poles in a cardio workout
or, perhaps, a few skimpily
clad spring breakers.
However, one man’s fo-
cus, when on the beach, is
decidedly downward – de-
ciphering the movements of
the sand beneath his feet.
Robert Neal is a Coastal En-
gineer with Lee County’s Di-
vision of Natural Resources.
Lee County’s beaches are its
“number one economic and
environmental resource,” ac-
cording to county docu-
ments, and keeping the sand
on beaches that ring Lee
County is his job.
Bonita Beach is experi-
encing little of the critical
sand erosion that affects al-
most half of Florida’s beach-
es, including fifteen of the
forty-one miles of beach
under Lee County’s over-
sight, according to state
records. Now, sand will be
“The influence of
Big Hickory Pass is
interesting to me.”
– Robert Neal, Lee
County Coastal Engineer
added to mitigate the ero-
sion that has occurred, on
Bonita Beach’s north end.
It is the result of what the
Florida Department of En-
vironmental Protection
ranks as a primary cause of
beach erosion statewide –
tidal currents at an inlet.
“Anything next to an in-
let is going to be interesting,”
said Neal. “The influence of
Big Hickory Pass is inter-
esting to me.”
Big Hickory Pass, sepa-
rating Little Hickory Island
from its northern neighbor,
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Opportunities to
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Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com
In 1995, Lee County constructed two rock structures protruding into the Gulf
of Mexico at the northern tip of Little Hickory Island. These structures, shown
in the photo above, help prevent erosion.
Big Hickory Island, is a bu- Florida sediment transport that create waves that move
colic feature in the Estero is going to be from north to the sediment.” So do sum-
Bay watershed. But, beneath south,” said Neal, explaining mertime winds, which come
the surface, tidal action in the forces that typically move from the south, but they are
the pass is removing sand beach sand. “Any boater will more gentle and of shorter
from an adjacent stretch of
Bonita Beach.
realize that the gulf water is
rougher in the winter. It is
duration. Winter cold fronts
can endure for several days, Relay for Life 9
“Generally in southwest those winds from the north Continued on page 30
Page 2 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

EVENTS in Motion, on display through

Fundraisers
Rotary Run 5K
Sat., April 2, 7:30 a.m.
The Fourth Annual Rotary
Run to benefit the Gift of
Life program kicks off at 7:30
a.m. at Riverside Park in
Downtown Bonita Springs.
The Gift of Life program
helps children with failing
hearts in desperate need of
cardiac surgery but do not
have the resources to have
the operation. The program
has saved over 9,000 children’s
lives from all over the world.
You can register for the race
between 6:15 a.m. and 7:15
a.m. the day of the race. The
entry fee is $25. After the
race, enjoy the day in Riverside
Park for the 12th annual Cel-
ebrate Bonita Festival.
Relay for Life
Fri., April 8, 6 p.m.
Last year, Bonita’s Relay for
Life raised $63,000 for the
American Cancer Society.
The relay gets started at 6
p.m., goes through the night,
ending at noon the follow-
ing day. For more informa-
tion, turn to page 9. Where:
YMCA of Bonita Springs,
27200 Kent Rd.
Chinese Auction
Tues., May 3, 5 to 7:30 p.m.
The Bonita Estero Association
of Realtors is holding a Chi-
nese Auction to benefit Boys
& Girls Clubs of Lee County.
Where: Villages at Country
Creek. For more information,
call 239-992-6771.
Arts and Entertainment
Celebrate Bonita
Sat., April 2, 2 to 8 p.m.
Happy Birthday Bonita!
The 12th annual Celebrate
Bonita Festival will feature
live music by Jimmie Van
Zant, Screaming Orphans,
New Odyssey, Jay Frost & 3
Below and the Townsmen
Band. Chili cook-off, chil-
dren’s activities, food and
fun! Where: Riverside Park.
Cost: Free.
Family Days
at the Art Center
Sat., April 2, 9, 23, 30, 1 to 3 p.m.
Children can come create art
from tools and everyday ob-
jects this month during Tools
in Motion: Works from the
Hechinger Collection. Tools
April 30, is an exhibition of
witty, light-hearted works by
emerging and prominent con-
temporary artists. Children
and parents join instructors
for a quick tour of the artwork
and then spend time creating
their own artwork. Cost: Free,
pre-registration is required.
For more information, call
the Center for the Arts of
Bonita Springs at 239-495-
8989.
Extreme skiing
Sundays, 4 p.m.
The Southern Extreme Water
Ski Show Team performs
every Sunday at the Miromar
Outlets. For more informa-
tion about the show, go to
swspotlight.com and read
story on page 11 of our March
issue. Cost: Free.
Live at the Promenade
April 7, 21
Two performances are sched-
uled this month at the Prom-
enade including, “American
Dance Standards,” on April
7, featuring professional
dancers Erin Dunbar and
Jessie Garcia for an elegant
evening filled with dance ac-
companied by American stan-
dards. A variety of classic
dances like Swing, Foxtrot
Continued on page 18

S O U T H W E S T
Advertising Sales
™ Kathy O'Flinn
kathy@swspotlight.com
Office Manager
Locally owned and Katie O'Flinn
katie@swspotlight.com
operated since 2010
Contributing Writers
(239) 287-6474 Kate Danaher
info@swspotlight.com Max Harris
Dorota Harris
PO Box 1946 Ben Nelson Jr.
Bonita Springs, FL 34133 Barbara Newell
Peter R. O'Flinn
Southwest Spotlight, LLC Contributing Photographers
Meghan Easterly
swspotlight.com David Di Martino
Chris Griffith
William L. Meyers
Publisher Lori Nelson
Peter A. O'Flinn Logan Newell
peter@swspotlight.com
Robert L. Smith
LoraTaylor
April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 3
Page 4 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

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April 2011
The Bonita: A family tale of fishing past
By Kate Danaher
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – Joe
Hogue, a Bonita Springs
electrician, entered The
Pewter Mug one night a
while back and stopped
short. Across the room hung
a large painting. The hairs
stood up on his arms. He
got the goose bumps.
“That’s my grandfather’s
boat!” he said to his wife
Marisa. They went up for a
closer look. Yes, there was
the Bonita, along with Vic-
tory Morn, the Sea Horse,
the Mary Von, the North
Star, Miss Georgia, and the
Sea Robber. “It’s the Mack-
erel Fleet!
Joe, the family historian,
learned from the painter,
the well-known maritime
artist Jerry Vallez, that the
piece was out of print. It
was a limited edition com-
missioned by the Lutgert
Insurance Company in
1963, from a photo taken
in 1947, the very year Joe’s
dad graduated from high
school and started fishing.
Joe contacted Lutgert In-
surance. They found two
copies of the painting in
their archives and gave one
to Joe, free of charge. Joe
took the picture to his father,
John Emil, who has demen-
March 27, 1954 – Joe Hogue’s grandfather and Joe’s Uncle Gary, gutting a catch McGill, the captain of the
of 14,571 pounds of kingfish on the Bonita.
Southwest Spotlight
tia, but when he saw the
painting, his eyes welled up
with tears. Joe’s Uncle Gary
Contributed | info@swspotlight.com the fish house to Huett
was there as well. He, too,
painting, and in that paint-
was overcome with emo- ing, so many memories of
tion. Before them was onetheir boyhood days.
John Emil and Gary
spent a good ten years on
the 47 foot Bonita, learning
the life of a fisherman. But
in their twenties, they saw
around them bigger boats,
with planes to spot the fish.
They knew they couldn’t
survive in the business.
Their father hung in and
fished into his eighties. A
firm believer in the old
school, he declared, “If you
have to have a plane find
fish for you, you ain’t no
fisherman.”
Joe’s grandfather reared
four children and sent one
to college, something he
was very proud of, on a
fisherman’s wages. The
Mackerel Fleet caught
mackerel from November
to early January, did their
mullet run in January, then
went after kingfish, and so
on through the year. They
sold their fish to Bob
Combs, who owned a fish
house in what is now Tin
City. Bob eventually sold
Miss Georgia. After ten years,
Page 5
Huett turned it into a
restaurant and named it
Kelly’s, after his wife. So a
visitor to Kelly’s Fish House,
“the oldest and most re-
spected seafood restaurant
in Naples,” might think
back to the days when a
single man could own a
single boat and make a liv-
ing on the sea.
”If you have to have
a plane find the fish
for you, you ain’t
no fisherman.”
Joe Hogue treasures Jerry
Vallez’s painting and is proud
of his family history. The
fishing tradition wasn’t lost
when Joe’s father took up
the electrical trade, as did
Joe himself. Joe’s an
expert at throwing a cast net.
On a recent fishing trip, his
son asked, “Why would any-
one fish with a hook when
they can catch ten at a time?”
It’s not the thousands his
grandfather caught in his
net, but in Joe’s mind, it’s as
close as he can get, and that
makes him happy.
Page 6 Southwest Spotlight
Up and Down the Trail
Staff Report
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita’s Library
The all-volunteer Bonita
Springs Library Task Force,
chaired by Jeffrey Brown,
recently delivered its Final
Report on options for the
library to the Bonita Springs
City Council. The Bonita
Springs branch library is op-
erated as part of Lee Coun-
ty’s system. Located on Pine
Avenue north of West Terry
Street, the library building
was last expanded in 1991.
In the intervening two
decades, Bonita Springs’ pop-
ulation has more than dou-
bled. During the last decade,
City taxpayers contributed
almost $24 million more in
library tax dollars to Lee
County than the Bonita
Springs branch library re-
ceived in direct spending,
not including spending for
shared services within the
system. The task force found
that this has left Bonita
Springs with a branch in-
sufficient in size, with min-
imal meeting space, com-
puters and study rooms
when compared to county
library standards. It also
compares poorly to the in-
dependent libraries in the
cities of Sanibel and Fort
Myers Beach that the task
force visited. The library
staff, headed by Maureen
Pollock, was praised for do-
ing an excellent job under
these conditions.
The task force’s primary
finding was that the City
needs an expanded facility,
to almost triple its current
size. It recommended that
the City Council enter into
negotiations to have Lee
County expand the library.
Councilman Bill Lonkart,
who served as liaison to the
task force, plans to discuss
the matter with Lee County
District 3 Commissioner
Ray Judah; and City Man-
ager Gary Price and staff
will begin discussions with
their Lee County counter-
parts. The matter may be a
key agenda item when City
Council members meet with
Lee County commissioners
in May.
The task force also rec-
ommended that, if an ex-
pansion commitment was
not forthcoming from Lee
County, the City pursue a
referendum on forming a
library independent of Lee
County. If that transpired,
several issues would have to
be addressed, including
transfer of existing facilities
and access to transitional
services from Lee County.
Also, to avoid double taxa-
tion, the County’s consent
would be required to release
Bonita Springs property
owners from taxation for
the county library system.
Prioletti is
President
Mike Prioletti has moved
from his position of Vice-
President to President of the
Board of Directors of the
Bonita Springs Assistance
Office, announced Executive
Director, Maribel Slabaugh.
Prioletti has been an active
member of the community,
serving as a trustee at Hodges
University, Past Lay Leader
of North Naples United
Methodist Church and Past
President of the Noon Rotary
Club in Bonita Springs.
Mike is the senior mem-
ber of The Prioletti Murphy
Group at Baird Private
Wealth Management. When
asked about his new status
on the Board of the Assis-
tance office, Prioletti re-
sponded, “I am proud to be
a part of a thirty-year tradi-
tion of serving those in need
and will continue the mission
of the organization, partic-
ularly as we navigate the
challenges and opportunities
associated with the expan-
sion and growth of a new
location in March of this
year to Bernwood Drive in
Bonita Springs..”
April 2011
Celebrate Bonita
The 2011 Celebrate Boni-
ta Festival is Saturday April
2, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., at
Riverside Park. The stage is
set for a full day’s worth
of free family fun and en-
tertainment.
“It has always been a great
community event, it started
out small and every year
it gets bigger,” said Lori
Nelson, owner of the Survey
Café. This year’s event marks
our city’s 12th anniversary
and will feature musical en-
tertainment from Jimmie
Van Zant, Screaming Or-
phans, New Odyssey, Jay
Frost & Three Below and
the Townsmen Big Band
Orchestra. “The Screaming
Orphans is just a great, great
act,” said Jim Dati, President
of the Rotary Club of Bonita
Springs.
The day’s activities will
kick-off with the 4th Annual
Rotary Run 5K from River-
side Park at 7:30 a.m. The
5K run will benefit the Gift
of Life program. A large kids’
activity area will include
bounce houses, a fun house,
30-foot rock climbing wall,
train ride, swing, turtle rides
and a high striker with prizes.
Community activities and
booths will be set up
throughout Riverside Park
and the Artists’ Cottages at
the Liles Hotel will be open
during the event.
There will be a traditional
chili cook-off and the winner
of the annual Sammy the
Snook contest will be an-
nounced. All food and bev-
erages sales proceeds will
benefit the Bonita Assistance
Office. The Bonita Estero
Association of Realtors has
donated cupcakes for the
singing of happy birthday
to our city.
Continued on page 29
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April 2011
_
Relay for Life and hope and friendship
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@spotlight.com
Bonita Springs – In recent
decades significant advances
have been made in cancer
detection and treatment, and
survival rates for many can-
cers have improved dramat-
ically. More improvement is
needed, and so on April 8
and 9 hundreds of Bonitans
will gather on the YMCA
fields on Kent Road to do
their part in a nationwide
American Cancer Society
fundraising event, the Relay
for Life.
“If there was not a treat-
ment for what I had, I would
not be here,” said Cathie
Bartlett, an event committee
member, referring to her per-
sonal experience with the
disease. “The Relay is so im-
portant,” she said, under-
scoring the need to raise
money for research. Cancer
“hits everybody in some way
whether it be a friend, a sister
or a mother. It does not dis-
criminate,” she said.
Among the many local
patient services funded with
Relay proceeds are trans-
portation to and from treat-
ment, lodging at Florida’s
Hope Lodges, the Reaching
Out to Cancer Kids program,
children’s summer camps
and counseling services. Bob-
bi Bird, the event chair, em-
phasized that by highlighting
local programs, the event in-
forms the community of
help that is available.
After the Veterans of For-
eign Wars opening ceremony
Friday evening, the Relay
will begin with a walking
lap by survivors of the dis-
ease, and continue through
the night to Saturday morn-
ing. The progression of the
relay, from dusk through
the night to the dawn of a
new day symbolizes the
phases of a patient’s illness,
from initial awareness
through some darker times
to the daylight of cure. While
each team will have someone
on the track for its duration,
the Relay is not an athletic
event. Many participants
walk.
The Luminaria, the light-
ing of candles around the
track amidst the 9 p.m. dark-
ness, is a remembrance of
those who have passed while
summoning the hope of
treatment for those facing
the disease. “Everybody
Southwest Spotlight Page 9
makes the walk. We are hon-
oring all at that point,” said
Bartlett.
The Relay goal is to raise
much needed money,
$65,000 this year, but the
event is about much more.
It is a community celebration
of life, mutual support and
fun, with a touch of friendly
competitiveness. “We will
have the best jerk chicken
and kabobs on the track,”
guaranteed Darrell Brown,
who is organizing a Carib-
bean display for the Noon
Rotary Club.
The Relay is packed full
of events to “keep it fun, Contributed | Special to the Spotlight
The Relay for Life starts at 6 p.m. on April 8 with an opening survivor lap.
keep people going, said Bird.
A partial list: country and
western music from mid- For more information...
night to 1 a.m., with a pro- www.relayforlife.org
fessional dance instructor to www.cancer.org
tutor line dancing; a limbo 1-800-ACS-2345
contest; a frozen tee shirt
contest - “crack it open and
wear it for a lap” - brrr; the end result of finding a cure,”
“pajama bed head game” Contributed | Special to the Spotlight said Bartlett. And there is
contest at wake up time; The Relay for Life at the YMCA on April 8 and 9 will friendship and hope. “I
Zumba dancing lessons; the raise funds to support the American Cancer Society. walked beside someone who
hula hoop contest; yoga class; The lighting of the luminaries at 9 p.m. is always an has been a survivor for a
the purple color contest - emotional ceremony. year,” she said, “and I told
“everyone gets as purple as her I have been a survivor
possible”; the tug of war - purple color contest. and other things you can since 1987. I want you to
“you have to be in your The Relay of Life is open purchase for as little as a know how good that made
pajamas” and, yes, a second to everyone. “There is food dollar that goes toward the her feel.”
Page 10 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

Bonita Business Beat

Staff Report
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – The inau-
gural meeting of the Bonita
Springs Economic Devel-
opment Council is slated
for April 1 at 9 a.m. at the
Bonita Springs Chamber of
Commerce. The Council is
a non profit organization
dedicated to fostering job
growth by supporting exist-
ing businesses and potentially
attracting new businesses to
Bonita Springs. A nominat-
ing committee will be
Contributed | Special to the Spotlight
formed to compile a list of Dirk Novak, Branch Manager of Florida Community Bank, cut the ribbon last month at 3360 Bonita Beach Road.
potential board of director
nominees. The initial board gram” for existing businesses residents of the area. works on both PCs and ber board members and Bernwood Drive next to the
will be comprised of twelve that involves accumulating The Lee County Library Macs. Lee County Library chamber ambassadors, April Lee County Tax Collector
individuals from various seg- their perceptions, concerns System introduced a new System full use library card 4, 5, 6 or 7, from 8 to 9:30 last month.
ments of the business com- and demographic informa- service last month at the holders are limited to three a.m. The magazine includes The Chamber is holding
munity, as well as a repre- tion. Southwest Florida Reading downloads per week. this year’s membership its monthly Business After
sentative from the City, Boni- Even in the incipient Festival – Freegal Music, a directory. Hours event on April 14 at
ta Springs Utilities, Bonita stages, Council representa- free and legal downloadable Nelson Marine Con- 5:30 p.m. at the Double
Springs Fire and Rescue Dis- tives are busy. They recently music service for Lee County struction is celebrating its Tree Hotel at12200 Tamiami
trict and the Bonita Springs participated in Lee County Library System full use li- 30 year anniversary. Ribbon Trail North in Naples; call
Chamber of Commerce. The economic development pre- brary card holders. Freegal cuttings for several new the Chamber at 239-992-
City has approved seed cap- sentations to business site Music offers access to the Membership appreciation Bonita Springs businesses 2943 to register. The Young
ital of $25,000 and up to an selectors representing com- Sony Music Entertainment week at the Bonita Springs were held last month in- Professionals are holding
additional $75,000 in funds panies from around the catalog with hundreds of Chamber of Commerce is cluding New Image Fitness, their monthly, free network-
matching contributions from country. A reception is being thousands of current songs. the week of April 4. Members Florida Community Bank, ing event on April 20 at 5:30
Bonita Springs businesses. organized to present the ben- The downloaded songs will can stop by the Chamber to and Parmesan Pete’s. The p.m. at Stevie Tomato’s at
The initial work of the efits of doing business in work with any MP3 player, pick up a copy of Beautiful Bonita Assistance Office 25271 Chamber of Com-
Council will include devel- Bonita Springs to business including an iPod, and can Bonita Magazine and have also celebrated the opening merce Drive; registration is
oping an “enterprise pro- leaders who are part time be loaded into iTunes. It bagels and coffee with cham- of their new location on not required.

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April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 11

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Page 12 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

TOWN TALK
Bonita Nature
Place
Andy Bravo, right, of the Bonita
Nature Place, was presented a
check for $1,000 last month by
Mary Shallies, Rick Perry and Lori
Nelson of the Rotary Club of Bonita
Springs Noon. For more information
about the Nature Place go to
swspotlight.com and read the cover
Chris Griffith | Special to the Spotlight story in the January issue.

Happy Birthday Auction April 9

David Di Martino | info@swspotlight.com

Adam Botana of Bay Water Exclu-
sive Boat Club is celebrating his
birthday on April 27. Wish him a
happy birthday when you see him.
He wants you to know the Bonita
Springs Chamber of Commerce David Di Martino | info@swspotlight.com
Young Professionals are having Mike Joyce and Denise Joyce of Gulf Coast
their monthly networking event at Coin & Jewelry were at the Chamber’s Tech
5:30 p.m. on April 20 at Stevie Expo last month at the Embassy Suites. The
Tomato’s at 15215 Chamber of next Auction at Gulf Coast Coin & Jewelry is
Commerce Dr. set for noon on April 9.

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City Clean-Up
Lora Taylor | Special to the Spotlight
Two hundred volunteers helped fill two twenty yard
dumpsters on February 26 during the Keep Bonita
Beautiful City Wide Clean-Up. The clean –up was
sponsored by Buffalo Chips, Keep Lee County Beauti-
ful, Nelson Marine Construction and Veolia Environ-
mental Services. “This clean-up is one of the greatest
things we can do for our community. It shows a com-
mitment to community and pride in our City,” said
volunteer Joseph Cofield.
TOWN TALK
Women’s Council of Realtors
Jeanette Igoe, Chair of the B.E.A.R. Community Relations Committee,
and Heather Wightman, President of the Bonita Springs Estero Chapter
of the Women’s Council of Realtors, at their March business meeting.
WCR’s next luncheons at the Club at Grandezza are scheduled for
April 1 and May 6. April’s luncheon is a Spring Fashion Show with
fashions provided by Dillards. For more information, go to
David Di Martino | info@swspotlight.com wcrbonitaestero.com.
One Million Meals
Don Thomas, Bobbi Bird and Jane Goble at the Ro-
tary Club of Estero’s BBQ & Family Fun Fest last
month at the Estero Community Park. They want you
to save the date of May 14 for the Million Meals
Packaging Event. For more information about this
project, turn to page 24.
Contributed | Special to the Spotlight

$1,000,000 Tools in
for breast Motion
Luka Pavlovic creates a
cancer piece of artwork using
A record $1,000,000 was wire during the free Satur-
raised at the Race for the day Family Activity Days
Cure last month at Coconut at the Center for the Arts
Point Mall. Seventy-five of Bonita Springs. The free
percent of all net proceeds family days will be select
stay in Southwest Florida Saturdays through April
to fund local programs of 30 and are a part of the
education, screening, and exhibition Tools in Motion:
treatment. Twenty-five per- Works from the Hechinger
cent is applied to a na- Collection. The art project
tional research program. Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com is different each week. Meghan Easterly | info@swspotlight.com

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Page 14 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

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April 2011
Wildcats roam Bonita’s green fields
By Barbara Newell
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – “They did
not have a voice or a leader.”
These are the words of Yaro
Garcia, a young Bonita
Springs mother of two who
also has a demanding career.
Garcia was remembering her
experience of a little over
two years ago, when she was
with her children at a city
activity at Pueblo Bonita, lo-
cated behind the Art League
of Bonita Springs.
She noticed a group of
28 to 30 kids of all ages play-
ing soccer on the concrete
basketball court. When she
asked why they were playing
on the concrete court, they
explained that they did not
have anywhere else to play.
“OK, I’ll have to do some-
thing about it, after all isn’t
that what we all should do,”
said Garcia. She obtained
permission for the kids to
play on a soccer field for a
short period of time. After
that, they attended a City
Council meeting where they
presented the City with a
thank you, a trophy and an
American flag. This was fol-
lowed by meetings with the
City and the Parks and
Recreation Department. She
was allowed to use the fields
on a continuous basis. The
only requirement from her
was insurance. Garcia went
further than that. She set up
a non-profit corporation and
the kids named the league.
The Bonita Springs Wildcats
were born. Garcia is the
founder and president of
this non-profit charitable
organization. There is no
charge for the children to
play on this league. She raises
money for expenses – some
out of her own pocket. The
journey led to the opportu-
nity for these children to
play in a league at an official
soccer field.
Ramon Villa is the coach
that Garcia met on that life
changing day at Pueblo Boni-
ta. His story is unique. He is
head coach for the Bonita
Springs Wildcats. The chil-
dren feel very fortunate to
have him, as he was a pro-
fessional soccer player in
Mexico. An accident left him
unable to play professionally.
“Putting others before myself
seemed the right thing to
do,” he said through his
translator. He volunteered
Southwest Spotlight Page 15
his time to be with these
children as their coach.
The league, now 200
strong, has uniforms, socks
and shin guards, cups and
water, tournaments, trophies
and rivals from across the
state. There is pride, passion
and love and it shows in all
of their faces.
The Valentine’s tourna-
ment was recently held at
the Marni Fields off East
Terry Street and brought
teams to Bonita Springs from
Homestead, Labelle,
Immokalee, Clewiston and
Cape Coral. All of the chil-
dren were lined up for the
tournament kick-off. They
were so polite, quiet and ap-
preciative.
Alexia Carsolio, an Estero
High School student, has
been playing soccer with
Coach Ramon for 8 years.
With pride she tells us that
he is an amazing man. “It is
awesome that this would
happen,” is a comment that
brings glimmer to her eyes.
“I thought we would still
play on concrete, but things
got better,” said Carsolio. Logan Newell | info@swspotlight.com
More is planned, and hoped Armando Gutierrez floats through the air. The Wildcats and visiting teams from
for, including a bus for the Homestead, Labelle, Immokalee, Clewiston and Cape Coral play at the soccer
Continued on page 28 fields off East Terry Street.
Page 16
Where our water comes from
By Kathy O’Flinn water comes from and how
kathy@swspotlight.com it is treated.
Before 1971 many coastal
Bonita Springs – In Bonita wells were salty with sulfur
Springs there is no hill to and iron. At that time a
climb to fetch a pail of water. group of residents formed
It is all underground, enough Bonita Springs Water System
last year to produce about
to provide 1,500 residents
2.5 billion gallons. In a recent with water for drinking and
visit to the facilities of Bonita fire fighting. BSU, a mem-
Springs Utilities (BSU) on ber-owned utility governed
East Terry Street, manage- by an elected board of di-
ment explained where the rectors, has grown along with
Bonita Springs itself and to-
day provides water to over
40,000 people within its 60
square mile service area.
Two different water
sources provide water and
each is treated with a differ-
ent process. The Lower Tami-
ami Aquifer lies beneath sur-
face water and a layer of clay
and porous limestone that
Did you know… is 50 to 60 feet deep and 20
Bonita’s water comes to 30 feet thick. This aquifer
system is, “unique to the
from two sources. area... if you go much further
1. The Lower Tamiami north of Alico Road or south
Aquifer wells are of Pine Ridge, the clay layer...
100 feet deep. thins out and doesn’t exist
2. The Lower beyond that,” said Fred
Hawthorne Aquifer Partin, Executive Director at
wells are 800 BSU. “We are very fortunate
feet deep. to have a very good quality
water supply to work with.”
The aquifer is accessed

Southwest Spotlight
by nineteen wells, located in
two well fields, one at East
Terry Street parallel to I-75
and the other east of Bonita
Grande, which have an av-
“We are very fortunate
to have a very good
quality water supply to
work with.”
– Fred Partin, Executive
Director, Bonita Springs
Utilities
erage depth of 100 feet. Mel
Fisher, Director of Opera-
tions, explained that none
of the wells contain iron.
This water is pumped to a
lime softening plant, which
removes the hydrogen sulfide
through aeration (whiffle
balls do the work) and then
passes through wood chips
that decompose the hydro-
gen sulfide. Chloramines are
then added. Chloramines
are a combination of chlo-
rine and ammonia, a disin-
fectant agent.
As Bonita Springs’ pop-
ulation grew, with more de-
mands on the water supply,
BSU limited its withdrawals
to 9 million gallons a day
from the Lower Tamiami
Aquifer System. “It would
be foolish to over pump it
and allow it to go salty,”
through intrusion of sur-
rounding coastal salt water,
said Partin.
In response to the grow-
ing demand, BSU developed
eight wells at a depth of 800
feet, from another source,
the Lower Hawthorne
Aquifer. It contains brackish
water too salty to drink,
requiring treatment by a
reverse-osmosis process
(RO). Fisher explained that
the RO process, introduced
in 2004, forces water through
membranes filtering out im-
purities down to .1 microns.
The membrane concentrate,
or brine, is then pumped
into a very deep injection
well 3,000 feet deep as a per-
manent method of disposal.
Chloramines are added as
needed.
The treated water from
the two aquifers is blended
– about 60% RO water and
40% lime softened water.
The finished product is then
stored in three 2 million
gallon tanks for eventual
distribution to BSU cus-
tomers. The blended water
has a pH of 8.3 with some
hardness and alkalinity. The
water in southwest Florida
is typically hard because it
is exposed to calcium and
nutrients in the ground.
According to Fisher, “If we
took all hardness and alka-
linity out, it would actually
taste funny.”
The RO process, along
with the lime-softening water
process, help to ensure that
BSU customers will have an
adequate and safe water sup-
“If we took all hardness and alkalinity out,
it would actually taste funny.”
– Mel Fisher, Director of Operations,
ply for years to come. To-
gether both water processes
can now provide a total of
14 million gallons of water
a day for its customers.
Partin explained that sev-
eral governmental agencies
have oversight of drinking
water. Lee County Health
Department tests the water
on a monthly basis and con-
ducts inspections several
times a year. The State De-
partment of Environmental
Protection reviews plans for
April 2011
expansion of the drinking
water system. The South
Florida Water Management
District controls impacts on
the aquifer system through
consumptive use permits on
water withdrawals. It oversees
the water resources in the
southern half of the state,
managing and protecting
water quality, flood control,
natural systems and water
supply.
In January BSU issued a
system wide precautionary
Bonita Springs Utilities
boil water notice, the first in
Partin’s 29 years at the utility.
An electrical failure caused
a temporary drop in water
pressure below 20psi, with
the possibility of something
getting into the water. After
two days of testing, the water
was determined safe for
drinking. “We did the pru-
dent thing even though there
was no reason to believe that
there was anything wrong
with the system bacterio-
logically,” said Partin.



 

  







 



 
 
 
  

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April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 17
Page 18 Southwest Spotlight
Events
from page 2
animal wellness
and Waltz will take center
stage throughout the evening.
center of bonita
Join Keith Raygor on April
21 in an evening of intimate
theater that fuses the elements
of music and laughter with
sleight-of-hand artistry and
thought-reading. His talents
as magician and mind reader
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www.animalwellnesscenterofbonita.com Springs Historical Society will
be at the Liles Hotel, adjacent
239-405-VETS (8387) to the cottages where you can
view history of Old Bonita
10347 Bonita Beach Rd. SE #118, Bonita Springs, FL
Springs and talk to City His-
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri: 8am-5pm Wed & Sat: 8am-Noon torians. At the Liles Hotel in
$25OFF $75
OFFPROCEDURE
Riverside Park, at 7 p.m., au-
INITIAL DENTAL
thor Maureen Sullivan-Har-
EXAM
tung will present her new book,
“The Hidden History of Ever-
New Patients only with coupon. Limit 1 per Family. Not to be combined glade City.” Cost: Free.
Limit 1 per Family. Not to be combined with any other offers.
with any other offers. Proof of Vaccination & Exam Required
Movies in the Park
Sat., April 9
Come out to Riverside Park
to catch a free outdoor show-
ing of “Finding Nemo.”
Where: Riverside Park. Cost:
Free.
The official concert band
Sun., April 10, 2 p.m.
Come see the Bonita Springs
Concert Band in their final
performance of the season.
Enjoy an afternoon of music
marches, pop, ragtime, big
band, light classics and show
tune medleys conducted
by Dr. Dennis Hill. Where:
Riverside Park. For more
information, go to
bonitaspringsconcertband.co
m. Cost: Free.
Speakers’ Forum
Films for Film Lovers
Mon., April 11, 25, 7 p.m.
The Center for the Arts Film
Society presents two evenings
of Films for Film Lovers.
Twelve films will be shown
as part of a series that runs
through May. The Full Monty
and Bread & Tulips will be
shown this month. Where:
Promenade at Bonita Bay.
Cost: $8. For more informa-
tion, call the Center for the
Arts of Bonita Springs at
239-495-8989.
Arts Worldwide
Sat., April 16,
noon to 4 p.m.
Children and families enjoy
a day of art and culture from
around the world. Watch
music and dance perform-
ances from groups from
Africa, Japan, Ireland and
more. Create art at dozens
of stations set up around the
Promenade. Art projects will
include painting, clay, jewelry
and more. There will be food
and refreshments available.
April 2011
Where: Promenade at Bonita
Bay, 26811 S Bay Dr. Cost:
Free.
Big band in Bonita
Sun., April 17, 2 p.m.
The Townsmen Big Band
Orchestra under the direction
of Pat Callen will present a
free concert of popular fa-
vorites as performed by the
most celebrated bands of the
big band era. Where: River-
side Park. Cost: Free.
Historical Society
Wed., April 13, 7 p.m.
This month, David Southall,
Curator of Education for the
Collier County Museum and
a well-known speaker on a
wide range of local historical
subjects, will talk about Flori-
da’s historical Shipwrecks.
Where: Bonita Springs Com-
munity Hall on Old 41. Cost:
Free. For more information,
call 239-992-6997.
Death and Dessert
Thurs., April 14, 2 to 4 p.m.
This event features three local
mystery authors. Marty Am-
brose has written Peril in
Paradise, Island Intrique and
Murder in the Mangroves.
Terrell Griffin has written the
Matt Royal Mysteries, Bitter
Legacy, Blood Island, Murder
Key, Longboat Blues and
April 2011
Wyatt's Revenge. Suzi Weinert
has written Garage Sale Stalk-
er. Where: Bonita Springs
Library. Seating is limited,
contact the Library at 239-
992-0101 to RSVP.
Markets
Get it while it’s fresh
Saturdays, 7:00 a.m. to noon.
Lions Club Farm Fresh Mar-
ket at the Promenade
Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Farmer’s Market at Riverside
Park.
Meetings
Small T
Town
own Charm.
Big Bright Future.
Come watch the action
live and in person
Wed., April 6, 1 p.m.
Wed., April 20, 9 a.m.
Bonita Springs City Council
Where: Council Chambers,
9101 Bonita Beach Rd. For
Continued on page 29
Southwest Spotlight
The million dollar dog
By Max Harris and Dorota Harris
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – We were planning to write this month about greyhounds,
and the interesting transition they sometimes make from racing dog to
family pet. However, as we put pen to paper, our attention was caught by
an article in the Daily Mail, a British newspaper. The headline said, “Red
Tibetan Mastiff becomes world's most expensive dog.”
The dog in question turns out to have just been sold for 10 million
Chinese Yuan. That’s a little over $1.5 million!
His name is Big Splash, or Hong Dong in Chinese – yes, really, we
couldn’t make this stuff up! He was bought by a coal baron in China, and
Contributed | info@swspotlight.com
A Red Tibetan Mastiff was bought by a Chinese coal baron for
just over $1.5 million. According to the American Tibetan Mastiff
Association, Tibetan Mastiffs are not always willing to please their
owners and they can be extremely determined to get their own
way.
Page 19
his diet is “chicken and beef, spiced up with Chinese delicacies such as sea
cucumber and abalone.”
Big Splash is 11 months old, and will apparently charge $15,000 each
time he is bred. With a life span of 14 years, and a good work ethic, the dog
has a shot at earning back the coal baron’s $1.5 million.
This sounds like a dog that should come with a
warning, “For experienced owners only.”
Now we have to be honest, we think we are quite well-informed about
dogs, but we did not know much – nothing, actually – about Tibetan
Mastiffs. So we looked them up, and the first surprise was that – Big Splash
is not the most expensive! Last December, a Tibetan Mastiff sold for 16
million Yuan ($2.5 million).
So here are some other facts we discovered:
The weight of an adult male is 180 pounds, but they can be as heavy as
280 pounds. They are “primitive dogs.” Like wolves, the females have
puppies only once a year, whereas most domestic breeds produce puppies
twice yearly. They were bred as guards, and used in nomad camps, but also
in monasteries and palaces. Although the breed’s Tibetan name translates
as “dog which is tied up,” nomadic tribes were accustomed to let them run
wild at night to see off intruders.
As a guardian of the flocks, the Tibetan Mastiff is reported to confront
wolves or leopards without flinching.
After centuries of breeding as a night-time guard, the dogs tend to sleep
more in the day, and be active and alert at night. The American Tibetan
Mastiff Association warns potential owners that the dog is a “night-
barker,” and may not be suitable as a pet if you have neighbors living
close-by!
We must compliment the American Tibetan Mastiff Association on the
exemplary honesty of their website. It tells us: Tibetan Mastiffs are not
always willing to please their owners. They are not recommended for
formal obedience competition. They can be extremely determined to get
their own way. They are very cat-like in their behavior. They often display
dominance over unfamiliar dogs to which they are introduced. Dogs can
be very athletic, and may climb high chain link fences to escape.
This sounds like a dog that should come with a warning, “For experienced
owners only.”
Next month we really will talk about greyhounds. We thought they
might prove difficult to keep in the house… but compared to this, we are
sure they are child’s play.
Page 20 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

Abstract art
TOWN TALK
Bonita Blues Festival
Last month’s Blues Fest at Riverside Park raised
money for the Bonita Assistance Office, the
Wounded Warrior Project, and the Music for Minors
Foundation.

We saw Les and Karen Heuser, of Alpharetta, GA,

reading a copy of the Spotlight at the Blues Festival
at Riverside Park last month. Send us your photos of
you and your friends reading the Spotlight and we’ll
publish it in Town Talk.
Lesley Phillips is exhibiting her abstract impressionist
art at the Kathleen Bradford Studio/Gallery at 4259
Bonita Beach Road.

Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com

Congratulations

Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com

Jim Dati, President of The Rotary Club of Bonita Lorraine Mason | Special to the Spotlight
Springs and Sabra Smith, Chair of the Board of the
Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce at the 5th An- Stacey Rose and Erik Melia, of Minnesota, were mar-
Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com nual Bonita Blues Festival at Riverside Park last month. ried on Barefoot Beach March 10.
April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 21

TOWN TALK
Bonita’s newest park

Ben Nelson, Bonita Springs Mayor,

cuts the ribbon at River Park. Over
60 people attended the ribbon cut-
ting celebration last month. The new
park has boardwalks and two
docks.

Gary Price, Bonita Springs City

Manager, wearing his American flag
tie, gives a tour of the new park. The
park is located west of U.S. 41,
north of Bonita Beach Road, behind
Tuffy Auto Service Center.

Staff Photos | info@swspotlight.com

Page 22 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

NEED
NEED A
ASSISTANCE
S S I S TA N C E D
DOWNSIZING
OWNSIZING & M
MOVING?
OVING?
C
Call:
all: 239-248-7284
239-248-7284 or
or email:
email: BrendaBergin@earthlink.net
BrendaBergin@earthlink.net

Ristorante
 
Member:
Member: N
National
ation
a al Association
Association of
of Se
Senior
nior M
Move
ove Ma
Managers
nagers

llll tth
the
he iight
igh
ig
gghh
ght
Enrico
Licensed
Licensed
Bonded
Bonded

ooves
Ins
n ured
Insured

ves
es anizing
• Proffessional packing
• Floor plan design
Brenda Bergin • Sale or donation of unwanted items
Downsizing & Moving Coordinator • Unpackkiing and arranging home
• Schedule and oversee movers and workkm
men

www.SeniorHomeMoves.com
w w w. S e n i o r H o m e M o v e s . c o m ffree
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in-home consultations
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26831 Tamiami Trail S.

off West Terry Street
(239) 949-2204
Mon-Sat 10-10, Sun 11-10

Three years in the same location

April 2011
We should do this more often
By Ben Nelson Jr.
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – “You
know, we haven’t gone down
to watch the sunset in a
long time. Why don’t we go
for a walk on the beach
tonight?” My wife and I say
this to each other at least 3
or 4 times a year. I bet we’re
not the only ones that are
so involved with work and
our day to day routines that
It’s so strange…
it’s like we havem
to “make” ourselves
go there…
we forget that there’s a world
class beach with the most
beautiful sunsets anywhere,
all of 5 minutes away. It’s
so strange… it’s like we have
to “make” ourselves go there,
but as soon as we walk out
onto the beach, on a calm
evening just before the sun
touches the water, we can’t
believe what we’ve been
missing and that we’re not
there every day.
It feels so good to stroll
Sometimes we forget that there’s a world class beach with the most beautiful sunsets only a few minutes
away.
along without any purpose
other than to take in the
scenery and relax. Your only
goal is to listen to the waves
gently end their journey by
setting themselves with a
whoosh onto the shore, to
feel the clean coarse sand
on your feet, to close your
eyes and feel the gentle sun
and breeze on your face. We
talk… not about work, but
about the sandpiper zigzag-
Southwest Spotlight
ging back and forth in front
of us, about the coquinas
that appear and then fran-
tically rebury themselves be-
neath our feet with every
wave, about the beautiful
patterns and variety of colors
in the sky surrounding the
sun… about that one heav-
enly beam of yellow light
escaping between the distant
clouds. Soon we’re both
stooped over, looking down
Lori Nelson | Special to the Spotlight
as we walk, stopping now you nod to each other, ac-
and then to exam an un- knowledging that you’re
broken or especially colorful sharing the same wonderful
shell. My favorite thing to experience. Although watch-
look for is driftwood. I like ing the wildlife is fun… peo-
how the rough edges seem ple watching can be just as
to have been painstakingly interesting. For example…
sanded to perfection by it’s pretty easy to spot our
chance… like some of the tourist friends. I have a fa-
people I’ve got to know in vorite list of signs that may
my life. lead you to believe that
Occasionally you pass an- someone is a visitor to the
other person or couple and area. 1. He’s wearing shorts
Page 23
with black socks and sandals
or dress shoes. 2. The couple
is well camouflaged in
matching seashell-patterned
outfits. 3. They’re wearing
way too much clothing. 4.
They’re wearing way too lit-
tle clothing. 5. The water
temperature is below 70 de-
grees and they’re swimming.
6. They are so sun burnt
that you’re tempted to throw
a blanket on them and roll
them on the ground to put
out the flames.
Lori and I invariably end
up sitting side by side to-
gether next to our sandals,
our toes digging into the
cool sand, as we watch the
sun ever so slowly disappear
beneath the horizon. After
the sun has blinked out, we
pause quietly for a minute,
but the show is over. We
haul each other off of our
sandy butts and head back
towards our day-to-day lives,
somehow calmer, refreshed
and more confident that we
are blessed to live in the best
place in the world. Arm in
arm, one of us always says…
“We should do this more
often!”
Yes…we all should.
Page 24 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

FULL SERVICES FOR MEN & WOMEN

Opportunities
Nu’USalon & Spa Staff Report
to give back
info@swspotlight.com
a volunteer call Hope’s Volunteer Department
at 239-482-4673.

Friends of Barefoot Beach Preserve

One Million Meals
Quality Services at Rotary International has announced a district
Barefoot Beach is one of the last stretches of
undeveloped beachfront land in South Florida;
Reasonable Prices wide initiative to pack one million meals in
one day for distribution through our local
it remains as natural and unspoiled as it was
hundreds of years ago. The preserve consists

Hair Design food banks. All of the meals will stay in of 342 acres on a barrier island, separated
Southwest Florida. May 14 is the day that from the mainland by mangrove swamps
 Keratin Treatments and tidal creeks. For information on how to
3,000 Rotarians, friends, families and com-
 Color munity partners will gather at Riverview become a volunteer, call Margaret Winn,
 Manicure “Shellac” High School in Sarasota, Harborside Con- President of the Friends of Barefoot Beach
Specials vention Center in Fort Myers and Naples Preserve, at 239-495-9100, or visit fobbp.org.
 Pedicures
SPA MANICURE  Facials
High School in Naples to pack the meals.
Volunteers are needed for this massive project. Boys and Girls Club of Lee County
& PEDICURE $45  Waxing Anyone from age five to 100 can help pack Volunteers are
the food. Two positions in each team are always welcome
Mon, Tues & Wed www.nuusalon.com seated jobs, weighing and sealing. The other at the Boys &

A $72 Value 239.949.6800 positions are more easily done standing. Pack-
ing sessions will last two hours. The first
4450 Bonita Beach Rd.
session will run from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
FREE HAIRCUT (West of 41 in the Liberty Bank Plaza-
and the second session will run from 10:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To register for this event,
with FULL HI LITES $115 Opposite the Sea Shell Company)
go to www.massivero-
Mon., Tues., & Thurs. Only Hours: taryaction.com.
Mon. - Fri. 10-5PM
A $180 Value Sat. 9 -3PM School supplies
The Bonita Estero Asso-
BRING IN THIS AD FOR SPECIALS ciation of Realtors is col-
lecting pencils, colored
paper, plain paper, note
pads, sticky notes and
other school supplies this
month for Pinewoods El-
ementary School. Dona-
tions can be dropped off
at the B.E.A.R. offices at
25300 Bernwood Drive off Old 41 Rd., next
to the Lee County Tax Collector.
Beach Buckets
for Scholars
This large scale
raffle will benefit
scholarships for
local students as
well as provide
supplemental
support to Bonita
Springs Chamber
of Commerce programs. A variety of prizes
will total at least $5,000 in value. Winners
will be announced on May 7 at the Chamber’s
Kentucky Derby Party at the Hyatt Regency
Coconut Point Resort. Tickets are $20 and
you do not need to be present to win. To
purchase a raffle ticket call 239-992-2943.
Hope HealthCare Services
Hospice is a special kind of care designed to
provide comfort and support to people of
all ages that are facing a life limiting
illness. More than a quarter-century ago, a
small group of volunteers envisioned a new
concept in care for the people of southwest
Florida. It was their belief that life could be
lived better, even at its end. This charter
group of Hope Hospice workers cared for
perhaps 10 or 12 patients a day in the begin-
ning. Today Hope cares for more than 2,000
people each day. For information on becoming
Girls Clubs of
Lee County. Just
an hour a few times a week can have a mean-
ingful impact on a child’s life. So many times
young people need the guidance 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 opportunities
call Alex Lindsay at 239-334-1886 or email
aclindsay@bgclc.net.
Music for Minors Foundation
The Foundation
works closely with
middle school string
orchestra and band
teachers to identify
qualified seventh
grade students who
have had a year of
band or orchestra,
that demonstrate a sincere desire, and that
have a financial need. The candidates are
then interviewed for participation in the
MFM program. The students that are accepted
into the program are notified and invited to
a reception where they are honored with a
yearly grant for the instrument of their choice.
Each year the students are re-certified to
ensure they continue to meet Foundation
requirements. The organization offers a variety
of volunteer opportunities for individuals
or groups who have an interest in furthering
the musical education of children. For more
information, call 239-947-1943.
Bonita Springs Lions Club
Our local Lions Club
supports many local
causes. The Farmers
Market at the Prom-
enade, Thrift Store
on Pennsylvania
Ave., and Saturday
pancake breakfasts
(in season), help
them raise money for the causes they support
including the Literacy Council, Harry Chapin
Food Pantry, scholarships for local high
school students and the Lion’s Eye Clinic.
For volunteer opportunities call the office at
239-992-6665.
April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 25

We specialize in Pasta, Veal, Chicken, Seafood, Steak

Daily specials include Osso Bucco, Dover Sole,
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15% Open Easter Sunday

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April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 27

Charity Golf
TOWN TALK Bonita
Bay Club
Member-owned
Bonita Bay Club is
Coming in 2012 offering a limited
number of golf
memberships to
those who live out-
David Di Martino | info@swspotlight.com
side the Bonita Bay
community. The
David M. Arter Jr., of Private Client Club has 90 holes
Insurance Services, wants you to of championship
know the 20th Annual B.E.A.R. Golf golf, with three
Challenge is set for June 3. Suzie Arthur Hills-de-
Urban, of Island Title will be driving signed courses
the beverage cart during the charity within the 2,400-
event at Miromar Lakes Beach & acre Bonita Bay
Golf Club. All proceeds will benefit community, and
Habitat for Humanity of Lee County two courses by Tom
and the B.E.A.R. Charity Founda- Fazio at nearby
tion. To register, contact the B.E.A.R. Contributed | Special to the Spotlight Bonita Bay East.
office at 239-992-6771.

Business Before Business 5 o’clock

somewhere
Roberta Moore and
Tony Eller of Keller
Williams Elite Realty at
Contributed | Special to the Spotlight the Bonita Estero Asso-
ciation of Realtors 5
Boston Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino presents Lee o’clock somewhere
County Board of County Commissioners Chair Frank event. Last month,
David Di Martino | info@swspotlight.com B.E.A.R. collected
Mann with a silver shovel during a groundbreaking
ceremony at the site of the Red Sox future Spring Debbi Redfield, of the Bonita Springs Fire Con- candy and cookies for
Training facilities last month. The new facility, located trol & Rescue District, and Pastor Matt Loveall, Joanne’s House at
just north of Bonita at Daniels Parkway, is scheduled to of Oak River Church at the Chamber’s Business Hope Hospice in
David Di Martino | info@swspotlight.com
open next spring. Before Business Event. Bonita Springs.

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Page 28 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

Wildcats learn about soccer and fessional Soccer Team and

from page 15
league. “It would be won-
derful to have all the children
be able to attend the games,”
said Garcia.
Not only do the children
sportsmanship, they have
a list of special accomplish-
ments which include, walk-
ing in the 4th of July pa-
rade, participating in the
Susan G. Komen Race for
the Cure, enjoying a visit
with the Chicago Fire Pro-
listening to educational
speakers each month in-
cluding speakers from
organizations such as the
Lee County Sheriff’s De-
partment and the Abuse
Counseling and Treatment
Center.

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Cannot be combined with Bonita Springs, FL (In Sweetbay Plaza)
other discounts or offers.




 Find us on
ONLY Facebook
Mon.-Sat. 9-7pm STERILE
Sunday 10-4pm PRODUCTS USED
Logan Newell | Special to the Spotlight
Eduardo Pedro unleashes a powerful kick at the Marni Fields in Bonita Springs.
April 2011
Events
from page 19
more information, call 239-
949-6262.
Cypress Masonic Lodge
April 14 & 28, 6 p.m.
Cypress Masonic Lodge No.
295, F. & A.M. meets on the
second and fourth Thursday
of each month. Where:
Masonic Temple, 5850 Tami-
ami Trail North, Naples. Din-
ner is at 6 p.m. and the meet-
ing is at 7 p.m. Traveling
brethren are always welcome.
For more information, call
239-597-3030.
All dates, times and prices are
subject to change.
Up and Down
from page 6
Pelican Landing
raises over
$50,000
The Pelican Landing
Community raised over
$57,621 for the United Way
of Lee, Hendry, and Glades.
Ted and Jane Grant chaired
the campaign which resulted
in a 250 percent increase
over last year.“A heart-felt
‘thank you’ to the Pelican
Landing residents who did
an incredible job of sup-
porting the United Way. The
enthusiasm and hard work
of the campaign committee
really made a difference be-
cause this year’s total is a
tremendous increase over
the previous year,” said Cliff
Smith, President of the Unit-
ed Way of Lee, Hendry, and
Glades.
Volunteers organized the
campaign and special events
such as “A Little Classic and
All That Jazz” concert and
reception which was attend-
ed by over 160 people. “Hav-
ing members of the South-
west Florida Symphony per-
form at this event made it a
Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com
Orange, Mango, Avocado and other tropical fruit
trees were on sale at Riverside Park last month.
Southwest Spotlight Page 29
huge success,” said Ted Grant
Campaign Chair. The event
featured a night of enter-
tainment featuring classical
string and jazz quintets.
Water quality
The City recently pre-
sented Charles Dauray with
a proclamation of appreci-
ation for his efforts over the
past four years as governing
board member of the South
Florida Water Management
District. He was cited for
his support of the Bonita
Springs efforts to improve
water quality and for helping
secure twenty environmen-
tally sensitive acres off Kent
Road for the City.
SW Florida’s new premier car
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Page 30 Southwest Spotlight April 2011

Sand was added. In 1995, the pedestrian bridge, fronting

from page 1
while summer thunder-
storms last a few hours. “The
sediment goes back and forth
but the overall trend is going
to be south,” he said.
Near every pass, including
Big Hickory Pass, tidal cur-
rents can reverse the normal
north to south flow of sedi-
ment, said Neal. The incom-
ing, or “flood" tide, “is just
like a vacuum cleaner – it is
going to suck up from all
edges,” carrying sand off the
beach. The outgoing, or
“ebb” tide, “shoots out like
a jet,” said Neal, with sedi-
ment typically forming a
sandbar offshore.
“For about 2000 feet on
the northern end of Bonita
Beach the flood tides are
carrying” sand into Big Hick-
ory Pass, said Neal. Also, loss
of sand from this area leaves
less sand to replenish the
normal north-south flow for
an additional 2100 feet of
beachfront immediately
south. Design and permitting
plans to nourish this 4,100-
foot beachfront are under-
way, said Neal, with com-
pletion of the project ex-
pected in 2013.
The beachfront has re-
treated to its position before
prior nourishment in 2004,
when an average of one hun-
dred twenty feet of depth
County also added sand and
constructed two rock struc-
tures protruding into the
Gulf of Mexico at the north-
ern tip of Little Hickory Is-
land. Without these struc-
tures, said Neal, “the sand
would come straight off the
tip” of Little Hickory Island.
Strong storms also cause
erosion, but natural recovery
processes help reverse the
damage. “Each wave in a
cold front may carry sedi-
ment twenty or thirty feet,”
said Neal. As a cold front
dissipates lower energy waves
will move the sand back in
smaller time steps, two to
five feet at a time.” It will
take a lot longer but even-
tually it will push it back to
shore,” said Neal.
In 2004, Hurricane Char-
lie and the other storm events
initially removed an average
of forty feet from the shore-
line nourished earlier that
year. Some nourished shore-
line may get lost in a storm,
but what remains protects
structures by buffering in-
coming wave energy, said
Neal. He contrasted the fate
of two structures on Lovers
Key, where an ongoing beach
nourishment project was in-
complete when Hurricane
Charlie arrived. The beach-
front pavilion, which stood
behind a nourished shore-
line, was not impacted. A
on a shoreline not nourished,
was destroyed by wave dam-
age.
Locating a suitable source
for the Bonita Beach project
is a challenge. “There is ob-
viously plenty of sand very
close by that we could go
out and grab,” said Neal.
“But we have to consider
impacts of taking sand…
making sure you are not
hurting any down drift prop-
erties,” such as Big Hickory
Island. Big Hickory, the small
island located north of Big
Hickory Pass, has significant
erosion issues. It temporarily
split into two in 2010.
A sand bar off the south-
ern tip of Estero Island, the
location of Fort Myers beach,
provided material for the
2004 nourishment project.
Another potential source of
sand is the area off Light-
house Point on Sanibel Is-
land, currently approved for
a nourishment project on
northern Fort Myers beach.
Depending upon the dis-
tance from Bonita Beach,
the source sand will be
brought in by a slurry
pipeline or barge. The Bonita
Beach project, including sand
sourcing, requires approvals
from the state and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
The cost of designing,
permitting and constructing
the new Bonita Beach project
4,100 foot stretch of beachfront on the northern end of Bonita Beach is slated
to receive sand.
is currently estimated at
$3,026,000, according to Lee
County officials. Past funding
sources for beach nourish-
ment have varied. In 1995,
prior to the City’s incorpo-
ration, private property own-
ers were assessed approxi-
mately $2,000,000. For the
2004 project, funding total-
ing $3,250,000 was provided
by the State ($868,000), Lee
County ($1,693,000) and the
City ($790,000).
What are the prospects
for state funding of the new
project? “Not looking good,”
said Neal. Florida received
over $101 million in beach
nourishment requests this
year, with just $15 million
available. The design and
permitting phase of the
Bonita Beach project ranked
low on a priority list com-
piled by the Florida Depart-
ment of Environmental Pro-
tection.
State ranking for the con-
Source: Lee County Natural Resources Division
struction phase of the project
may improve in the next
year, but state funding ap-
pears quite uncertain, said
Neal. Any state aid is funded
from property transfer taxes.
County contributions,
funded by taxes on short
term and seasonal rentals,
are calculated by reference
to the number of nearby
publicly available parking
spaces.
The Bonita Springs City
Council recently focused on
the project design and per-
mitting stage. It approved
an allocation of $178,000
from general revenues to
fund the City’s share. The
County will pay $222,000.
At a later date, the City
Council will consider financ-
ing options for the more ex-
pensive construction stage,
including consideration of
any property owner contri-
butions, pending determi-
nation of state participation
and final project cost esti-
mates. If no state monies
were available, Lee County
would pay about $1,460,000
or 55 percent of the currently
estimated construction cost,
leaving the City’s share at
about $1,166,000.
Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency assistance
may be forthcoming for sand
lost in Hurricane Charlie
and other 2004 storms. If
so, County and City funding
requirements would be re-
duced.
The Bonita Beach project
is one of seven beach man-
agement projects in which
Neal is currently involved.
Other projects include Gas-
parilla Island, Captiva Island
and Northern Sanibel, Lovers
Key and Estero Island. Neal
is a fourteen-year veteran of
beach management for Lee
County. “It is hard to say
no,” he said, “to working on
the beach.”

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April 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 31

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 Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs
Page 32 Southwest Spotlight April 2011
Vol.2, No.4
Beach nourishment planned
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – The shore-
line of Little Hickory Island,
which stretches over a five
and a half mile crescent from
Barefoot Beach in the south
to Bonita Beach in the north,
ranks among the finest beach-
fronts in Florida. On any giv-
en day one might notice an
angler tending multiple lines,
snowbirds sipping a sunset
cocktail, a couple planting
ski poles in a cardio workout
or, perhaps, a few skimpily
clad spring breakers.
However, one man’s fo-
cus, when on the beach, is
decidedly downward – de-
ciphering the movements of
the sand beneath his feet.
Robert Neal is a Coastal En-
gineer with Lee County’s Di-
vision of Natural Resources.
Lee County’s beaches are its
“number one economic and
environmental resource,” ac-
cording to county docu-
ments, and keeping the sand
on beaches that ring Lee
County is his job.
Bonita Beach is experi-
encing little of the critical
sand erosion that affects al-
most half of Florida’s beach-
es, including fifteen of the
forty-one miles of beach
under Lee County’s over-
sight, according to state
records. Now, sand will be
“The influence of
Big Hickory Pass is
interesting to me.”
– Robert Neal, Lee
County Coastal Engineer
added to mitigate the ero-
sion that has occurred, on
Bonita Beach’s north end.
It is the result of what the
Florida Department of En-
vironmental Protection
ranks as a primary cause of
beach erosion statewide –
tidal currents at an inlet.
“Anything next to an in-
let is going to be interesting,”
said Neal. “The influence of
Big Hickory Pass is inter-
esting to me.”
Big Hickory Pass, sepa-
rating Little Hickory Island
from its northern neighbor,
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Opportunities to
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Staff Photo | info@swspotlight.com
In 1995, Lee County constructed two rock structures protruding into the Gulf
of Mexico at the northern tip of Little Hickory Island. These structures, shown
in the photo above, help prevent erosion.
Big Hickory Island, is a bu- Florida sediment transport that create waves that move
colic feature in the Estero is going to be from north to the sediment.” So do sum-
Bay watershed. But, beneath south,” said Neal, explaining mertime winds, which come
the surface, tidal action in the forces that typically move from the south, but they are
the pass is removing sand beach sand. “Any boater will more gentle and of shorter
from an adjacent stretch of
Bonita Beach.
realize that the gulf water is
rougher in the winter. It is
duration. Winter cold fronts
can endure for several days, Relay for Life 9
“Generally in southwest those winds from the north Continued on page 30