Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs PRSRT STD

Page 20 Southwest Spotlight January 2011 U.S. POSTAGE PAID

S O U T H W E S T FT MYERS, FL
PERMIT #980
™ RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER
ECRWSS

animal wellness
center of bonita Inside
Vol.2, No.1 JANUARY 2011 FREE

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The birds and the bees and more… Small Town Charm.

Bonita Nature Place

Big Bright Future.

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$PVOTFMJOH kathy@swspotlight.com was 10 acres of residential
land with a private home,
January
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1SFWFOUBUJWFT Bonita Springs – What hap- horse stable and playhouse Events 5
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#BUIJOH pens when a group of deter- and several other buildings.
mined City Council The private home and play-
www.animalwellnesscenterofbonita.com members and interested cit- house now house the care-
239-405-VETS (8387) izens embrace the idea of a taker’s residence, meeting
rooms and a bee house.
10347 Bonita Beach Rd. SE #118, Bonita Springs, FL
Other buildings “were
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri: 8am-5pm Wed & Sat: 8am-Noon The gardens attract deemed unsafe and they

$25OFF INITIAL 75 PROCEDURE

$ OFF DENTAL
EXAM
New Patients only with coupon.
Limit 1 per Family. Not to be combined
with any other offers.
AMIR RUG GALLERY
at least seven
species of butterflies.
conservation area that will
Limit 1 per Family. Not to be combined
with any other offers. benefit the whole commu-
Proof of Vaccination & Exam Required
nity? The Bonita Nature
Place happens. That original
idea has germinated and
grown to include 30 acres of
environmentally fragile land
which connects the people
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1959
to the habitat in many ways.
Bonita Springs City
Council member Janet Mar-
were demolished,” accord-
ing to Martin. Volunteer Focus 13
Located just minutes
from downtown Bonita
on Kent Road, south of
William L. Meyers | info@swspotlight.com
East Terry Street, the prop-
erty sits adjacent to environ- From beautiful gardens, to the bee and bat houses, the Bonita Nature Place has
something for everyone. It’s open for free on Sundays from noon to 5.
mentally-critical preserve
lands associated with CREW
(Corkscrew Regional Eco-
system Watershed), Lee
Historical
County's Conservation 20/
20, and the Imperial River. In
2009 the property was
Society 11

Weavers
Weavers of fine decorative rugs since 1820 tin recently recalled, “The
city had the opportunity to
purchase the property in
named Bonita Nature Place.
The location includes several
interconnected habitats in-
Bonita’s
Best Friends 7
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2006...it was finalized in Continued on page 17

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EXPIRES 1/31/11 0RQ6DW‡6XQ

14700 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 1s.EXTTO.APLES4OMATO2ESTAURANTsMILENORTHOF7IGGINS0ASSs.APLES&LORIDAs239 597 1223
Page 2 Southwest Spotlight January 2011

From the Mayor

Shoppes at Pelican Landing
24600 Tamiami Trail S#204
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
mon interests. Some are
strictly social organizations,
some concentrate on a spe-
(239) 498-6808 cific hobby, interest or per-
sonal development and some
Open Daily 5 - 10 pm are dedicated to service to
others. Some manage to
wrap all of these into one.
organizations, fraternal or-
ganizations, service clubs,
softball teams, dining, shop-
ping, fishing, book clubs,
swimming, golf, kayaking,
the arts, gardening, kickball,
soccer, tennis… the list
seems endless.

2 for 1 15% The source of this activity

is the people who have come
to call the Bonita Springs
I quite often remind my
kids – and myself – that in
some ways, “life is an all you

Entrée
with coupon and
OFF area their home. They have
brought their talents, experi-
ence and their energy with
can eat buffet.” There are so
many things to do and so
many choices to be made

purchase of one
entrée and two
your By Ben Nelson
info@swspotlight.com
them and they are anxious to
share. When you combine
these wonderful people with
that it can be difficult to
choose. Try a little bit of
everything and your life’s

beverages the 2nd

entrée is FREE!
entire Bonita Springs – It is always
refreshing to read about “Life is an all you
purpose and happiness will
be more likely to find you.
Don’t wait for life to come to

Dine in only
(Up to $20 value per couple)
check good news. We need to be re-
minded at times that there
are people out there enjoying
what life has to offer in our
beautiful community and
18% gratuity added Not valid with
before discount. any other offer. that they are actively giving
Expires 1/14/11 Expires 1/28/11 back. They join organiza-
tions that give them the op-
portunity to have fun, to
contribute, to spend time
For menu & wine list visit us at lafontanellarestaurant.net with people that have com-
can eat buffet.”
our beautiful natural re-
sources and the great quality
of life that we have built here
together it’s no wonder you
have so many recreational
and volunteer opportunities
to choose from here in
Bonita Springs… faith based
you.
So, many thanks to
“Southwest Spotlight” for
highlighting the events,
things to do and opportuni-
ties to give back in and
around this city with the
“Small Town Charm and the
Big, Bright Future!” Your
city... Bonita Springs. Come
on out and join us.

Peter R. O’Flinn | prof@swspotlight.com

The Banyan tree across from Riverside Park was planted in the early 1900’s
by Cordell Smith.

S O U T H W E S T
™
Publisher
Peter A. O'Flinn
peter@swspotlight.com

Locally owned and Advertising Sales

operated since 2010 Katie O'Flinn
katie@swspotlight.com
(239) 287-6474 Kathy O'Flinn
info@swspotlight.com kathy@swspotlight.com
PO Box 1946 Contributors
Bonita Springs, FL 34133 Max Harris
Dorota Harris
Southwest Spotlight, LLC William L. Meyers
Ben Nelson
swspotlight.com Robert L. Smith
January 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 3

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January 2011
EVENTS
Sporting Events
Dave Cranor 5K
Sat., Jan. 1, 7:30 a.m.
The Dave Cranor 5K is pre-
sented by the Gulf Coast
Runners Club. Where: Low-
dermilk Park, Naples. Call
239-434-9786 for more in-
formation. Cost: Free.
Hockey in the everblades
Jan. 5, 7, 19, 21, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 8, 22, 7 p.m.
Come see the team that has
never had a losing season
and hasn’t missed the play-
offs in 12 years. The Florida
Everblades, our minor league
hockey team, has six home
games in January. Where:
Germain Arena, Estero. For
tickets, go to floridae-
verblades.com.
Boston Red Sox
Sat., Jan. 8
Single game tickets for 2011
Spring Training games are
scheduled to go on sale Jan-
uary 8. Every game since
March 16, 2003 has sold out.
This season will be the 19th
and final season at City of
Palms Park. The Red Sox’s
new facility is scheduled to
debut in 2012.
Minnesota Twins
Sat., Jan. 8
Twins single game tickets are
also scheduled to go on sale
January 8. The 2010 Ameri-
can League Central Division
Champions will play 16
games at Hammond Sta-
dium this spring.
Arts and Entertainment
Young Frankenstein
Jan. 1 & 2
The classic Mel Brooks
movie is alive! You'll have a
monstrously good time at
this spectacular production,
winner of the 2008 Outer
Critics Circle Award and the
Broadway.com Audience
Award for Best Musical.
Where: Barbara B. Mann
Performing Arts Hall, Fort
Myers. Cost: Go to www.bb-
mannpah.com for tickets.
Pottery glazing
Tues., Jan. 4, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Raku & You, attendees glaze
their own pots, Where: Cen-
ter for the Arts of Bonita
Springs. For more informa-
tion, call 239-495-8989.
Cost: $40 per person.
Historical Society
Speakers’ Forum
Jan. 6, 7 p.m.
This season the Bonita
Springs Historical Society is
sponsoring a speakers’
forum that will introduce
residents and visitors to
some of the forgotten stories
of old Florida. This month,
Janina Birtolo will take on
the persona of Marjory
Stoneman Douglas, also
known as Mother of the
Everglades. Late in her life,
Marjory crusaded for the
preservation of the Ever-
glades and was present when
President Truman dedicated
the Everglades National
Park. Where: Bonita Springs
Community Hall on Old 41.
Cost: Free. For more infor-
mation call 239-992-6997.
When Swing was King
Jan. 7 & 8, 8 p.m.
Carl Topilow, a past Pops
conductor at the Southwest
Florida Symphony, will re-
turn to entertain audiences
with his colorful clarinets
and sounds of swing. Carl is
renowned worldwide for his
versatility, whether he is
holding a conductor's baton
or his trademark red clarinet.
Where: Barbara B. Mann
Performing Arts Hall, Fort
Myers. Cost: Go to www.bb-
mannpah.com for tickets.
Latin flavored Jazz
Thurs., Jan., 13, 7 p.m.
Live at the Promenade! –
Mark Barrios, Enjoy a blend
of Funk, Blues, Soul and
Latin music with this
Tampa-based hit performer.
Southwest Spotlight Page 5
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., Jan 14 & 28, 5 p.m.
The artists of the six historic
cottages at Riverside Park in-
vite 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.
Top 11 in the Nation
Fri., Jan. 15 & 16,
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonita Springs National Art
Festival, rated in the top 11 in
the Nation, 211 award-win-
ning national and interna-
tional artists will showcase
their work. Where: Prome-
nade at Bonita Bay. For more
information, call 239-495-
8989 or visit www.artcenter-
bonita.org. Cost: $5 donation
requested.
South Pacific
Jan. 19 - 23
A stunning reinvention pro-
duced by Lincoln Center
Theater, “South Pacific”
swept the 2008 Tony
Awards®, winning seven
honors including Best Musi-
cal Revival and Best Director
for Bartlett Sher. The
production features a cast
of 34 and a full orchestra of
26 members – the largest
orchestra of any touring
Broadway production.
Where: Barbara B. Mann
Performing Arts Hall, Fort
Myers. Cost: Go to www.bb-
mannpah.com for tickets.
From Mozart
to Broadway
Thurs., Jan., 20, 7 p.m.
Live at the Promenade! –
Music from Mozart to
Broadway with the Wein-
traub Duo, They play music
from classical to contempo-
rary and educate the audi-
ence while they entertain.
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.
continued on page 18
Page 6 Southwest Spotlight January 2011
January 2011
Bonita’s best friends:
A poodle named Blue
By Max Harris and
Dorota Harris
info@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – We are
writing this first dog col-
umn under the watchful eye
of Blue. He is puzzled. He
can think of many things to
do that would be more en-
tertaining. Little does he
know that this Southwest
Spotlight newspaper, mailed
into thousands of homes in
his neighborhood, can turn
him into a Bonita Springs
celebrity.
Blue is a standard poo-
dle. He is called Blue be-
cause his papers from the
American Kennel Club say
that he is blue. In reality, he
is indisputably brown. Any-
body can see that. He is a so-
ciable and good-looking
dog who attracts favorable
comment wherever he goes.
People stop us and say,
“What a beautiful dog!”,
“How elegantly he walks”.
But nobody ever says “wow,
your dog is so blue.” What
were those kennel club peo-
ple thinking? Did anyone
EVER see a BLUE dog?
In later editions we’ll talk
about other breeds and
other people’s dogs. Maybe
Interestingly, size
has nothing to do
with intelligence.
in the future we can write
about the canine marvel
that runs your own life. If
you have a dog that you think
is particularly wonderful,
contact us at info@ swspot-
light.com, and he or she
could be the next dog fea-
tured in this column. But
today we’ll concentrate on
Blue and poodles generally.
Standard poodles are
Southwest Spotlight
well-known for being intel-
ligent. According to Stanley
Coren, Professor of Psychol-
ogy at the University of
British Colombia, the poo-
dle ranked second in intelli-
gence out of 110 breeds he
surveyed, beaten out of first
place by the Border Collie.
A dog in the Top Ten will
typically be able to learn a
new command with just five
repetitions, and will carry out
a command it already knows
about 95 percent of the time.
Interestingly, size has nothing
to do with intelligence. The
Top Ten breeds include the
Rottweiler, which can weigh
130 pounds, and the Papil-
lon, which can weigh as little
as five.
Intelligence only mani-
fests itself some of the time
in Blue. He has a penchant
for chewing up small per-
sonal items. The toll so far –
he’s still less than two years
old – includes two pairs of
Page 7
sunglasses, two computer
mouses, and a Blackberry.
Fortunately he is now dis-
tracted from expensive
personal items by the ap-
pearance of the Christmas
tree. His objective is to chew
up one tree ornament for
each day of Christmas. So
far he is on target. Is this in-
telligence?
We used to keep Dober-
mans before we changed to
poodles. We got tired of see-
ing young mothers snatch
their children up from the
sidewalk as our dog ap-
proached. Nobody ever does Peter Sargent | www.peter-sargent-art.com
that when they see Blue This pencil drawing of Blue is the work of Peter
Sargent, an artist who is often to be found exhibit-
coming. They just laugh. ing locally.
Our last Doberman, in-
troduced into the family as a tweiler. And of course end often to be found exhibiting
puppy during the sixteen up with a significant accu- locally. Previous attempts
months between the births mulation of vet’s bills after- at commissioning portraits
of our two children, was ac- wards. of our dogs have generally
tually a complete softy. By Incidentally, the pencil been disastrous. Not so
comparison we have had big drawing of Blue that appears this time. Peter’s portrayal
poodles that would happily here is the work of Peter Sar- catches Blue’s personality ex-
go head-to-head with a Rot- gent, an excellent artist who is actly.
Page 8 Southwest Spotlight
Molinos’ Opportunities
VOTED ++++
to give back
Bonita Springs
#1 ITALIAN RISTORANTE Assistance Office –
Stocking Fund
3 COURSE DINNER
For over thirty years, the
Bonita Springs Assistance
Office has served as a pri-
mary social service agency in
50
FOR 2
Bonita Springs. The organi-
$
zation has helped thousands
of area residents at a time of
crisis and believes in provid-
with a
ing a hand-up, not a hand
out. The assistance office
believes in fostering inde-
pendence and self-reliance
Bottle of Wine through education and by
bridging temporary financial
needs. When you donate to
Sunday thru Thursday. Must be seated by 5:30pm Bonita Springs Assistance
Office through the Stocking
Fund, 100% of every dollar
OPEN DAILY FOR LUNCH & DINNER, 11:30AM-9:00PM donated is given back to help
Reservations Required - 992-7025 your community, and your
donations are only used to
RESERVE A PRIVATE WINE CELLAR DINING ROOM help your neighbors right
here in Bonita Springs. To
IN THE PROMENADE donate, make your tax de-
26841 South Bay Drive - Bonita Springs ductible donation payable
to: Bonita Springs Assistance
Office, PO Box 16, Bonita
Springs, FL 33133 or go to
BonitaAssistance.org to do-
nate online. For more infor-
mation call 239-992-3034.
Bonita Springs Lions Club
Our local Lions Club is al-
ways looking to help our
community. The Farmers
Market at the Promenade,
Thrift Store on Pennsylvania
Ave., and Saturday pancake
breakfasts (in season), help
them raise money for the
causes they support includ-
ing the Literacy Council,
Harry Chapin Food Pantry,
and scholarships for local
high school students. For
volunteer opportunities call
239-992-6665.
Saint Vincent de Paul
Thrift Stores
With locations in Bonita
Springs and Naples, St. Vin-
cent de Paul’s thrift stores are
well stocked with a wonder-
ful variety of household
items, including clothing
and furniture that have been
donated for distribution.
Volunteer caseworkers give
many items freely to those in
need. Funds raised through
sales to the public support fi-
nancial assistance to pay bills
for the needy. Over 200 vol-
unteers serve the society in
the thrift stores. Call 239-
775-1667 if you would like to
volunteer.
Amigos Center
The Amigos Center was
founded in 1999 to provide
tools for success, primarily
for immigrants to Southwest
Florida and their families, to
improve their quality of life.
Volunteers are needed in a
variety of capacities to help
the center run. For more in-
formation on ways to con-
tribute and help call
239-437-6727.
YMCA
of the Palms
The YMCA of the Palms
wouldn't be able to offer
quality programs, provide
excellent service or build
strong kids, strong families
and strong communities
without its dedicated, gifted
and generous volunteers.
Volunteers’ roles are as var-
ied as supporting commu-
nity programs, greeting
members and participants,
coaching and watching over
children. For more informa-
tion call 239-597-3148, or
email info@ymcapalms.org.
Harry Chapin
Food Bank
The food bank depends on
volunteers who help distrib-
ute millions of pounds of
food throughout southwest
Florida. During regular
weekday business hours and
most Saturdays, volunteers
help the warehouse team
prepare orders for agencies,
receive incoming donations,
or answer telephones. The
food bank also needs help at
festivals, shows, fairs, walks,
and food drives. Sponsored
activities and food and fund
drives are vital to the growth
and sustainability of the
food bank and so are you.
To volunteer, email Marta
Hodson at martahodson@
harrychapinfoodbank.org or
call 334-7007.
January 2011
Habitat for Humanity
of Lee County
Habitat for Humanity will
not be doing new construc-
tion in the near future, but
focusing on rehabs. It will
focus on rehab work by re-
furbishing houses that are
coming back to Habitat due
to foreclosures. This will re-
duce the number of empty
houses in Lee County and
make a positive impact on
our community. The organi-
zation’s plan for the next
year is to rehab existing
houses and to fundraise for
future land purchases and
future construction. The re-
habbed houses are restored
and then sold to qualifying
homeowner candidates. For
information about volun-
teering with Habitat for Hu-
manity of Lee County, email
volcoor@habitat4human-
ity.org or call 239-652-0434,
ext.: 1684.
Big Brothers
Big Sisters
of Southwest Florida
Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Southwest Florida, a United
Way agency, has been bring-
ing caring adults into the
lives of children for 35 years.
The organization serves chil-
dren in Lee and Collier
Counties, and currently has
close to 500 mentoring
matches, which includes
both Community-Based
mentoring matches and
Bigs-In-Schools matches. In
the community-based pro-
gram, 80% of the children
assessed maintained or
improved in the areas of
confidence, caring and
competence. For more infor-
mation on volunteer oppor -
tunities email info@
hereforthekids.org or call
239-278-0003 in Lee County
or call 239-281-4414 in
Collier County.
January 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 9

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January 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 11

The Bonita Springs Historical Society:

If the walls of the Liles Hotel could talk
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – Walls can-
not talk but the walls of the
Liles Hotel on Old 41 in
downtown Bonita Springs
do the next best thing.
Thanks to the efforts of the
Bonita Springs Historical
Society, interpretive story-
boards line the inside corri-
dors on both floors of the
building, which was pur-
chased by the City of Bonita
Springs in 2003 and reno-
vated. With text and archival
photographs, they tell the
tales of earlier times and
those who pioneered the
path to the Bonita Springs of
today. They are the handi-
work of Allison Fortuna of
the Society. Complementing
the storyboards are archival
photographs of Bonita
Springs, together with re-
productions of plat maps
and renderings of historic
properties by local artists.
“Get in on the ground
floor and the harvest is
yours. Watch Bonita grow,”
implores a displayed bro-
chure for the Ragsdale Realty
Company advertising
“Greater Bonita Springs,
Florida...The town with the
bright future. People from
many states are finding out.
Bonita Springs is located
among the pines in real
tropical Florida 23 miles
south of Fort Myers on the
Tamiami Trail. It is destined
to become an all year busi-
ness and residential town.”
The brochure shows a “town
site plat,” including what is
today downtown Bonita
Springs, south of the Impe-
rial River, a “beautiful river
winding among the pines
and the orange groves.”
The Ragsdale of the Re-
alty Company brochure was
J.H. Ragsdale of Pulaski,
Tennessee by way of Fort
Myers, Florida. The “Bonita”
of Bonita Springs was, it is
believed, his daughter
Bonita. The “Springs” was a
reference to the large spring
emptying into Oak Creek,
on the grounds of the
presently dormant Shangri-
La Resort on Old 41. The
name “Imperial River” re-
Peter R. O’Flinn | prof@swspotlight.com
The Liles Hotel on Old 41. Interpretive storyboards
line the corridors on both floors of the building.
Open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
placed the former name of
the watercourse flowing
through town – “Surveyors
Creek.” Ragsdale and his fel-
low real estate marketers jet-
tisoned that name as they
did the name of the town –
Survey. The date of the
brochure was April 2, 1925.
The streets too bore a
personal touch. The names
of Ragsdale and his business
partners are today enshrined
on signs marking the Bonita
Springs streets they named
after themselves eighty five
years ago – Abernathy Street,
Dean Street, Crockett Street,
Childers Street, Felts Avenue,
Shriver Avenue and, of
course, Ragsdale Street.
Thirty years earlier, the
land which Ragsdale and his
partners developed had been
among 6,000 acres assem-
bled by another man, Brax-
ton Bragg Comer. Comer
developed a tropical fruit
plantation in the late 1880’s,
but his stay in Survey was
short lived. When a frost
dipped into the area in the
winter of 1893-94, causing
severe damage to his crops,
he returned to his home
state of Alabama. Braxton
Bragg Comer did not find
success in Survey, but he
prospered upon his return
home – as the owner of the
extensive Avondale Mills, a
cotton manufacturing firm,
and later as Alabama’s gov-
ernor and then United States
Senator.
The Liles Hotel History
Center was established by
the Bonita Springs Historical
Society “so that people can
come in and get a sense of
what Bonita is and was,”
said Charlie Strader of the
Historical Society. The goal
is to help visitors have a
greater appreciation of the
past in “the special place that
is Bonita Springs” and, in
turn, see the value of preser-
vation of local cultural and
historical resources.
The interpretive story-
boards of the History Center
explore various facets of
Bonita Springs’ unique his-
tory, including early school
days and transportation to
the area, first only by boat,
then by train and finally in
the mid 1920’s by the road
blazed through the swamps
and mangroves from Tampa
to Miami, the cities for
which the Tamiami Trail is
named. Bonita Springs’ early
history as a “vacation para-
dise” is depicted, with lodg-
ing centered around the
Imperial River and Oak
Creek along Old 41, includ-
ing the Bonita Springs Hotel,
which still stands today as
the Shangri-La Resort and
the Liles Hotel, the home of
the history center which for
many years was known as
the Imperial River Tourist
Court. Doc Baird’s Tourist
Camp, which stood across
Old 41 from the Everglades
Wonder Gardens, and the
Wayside Inn, which stood
for nearly 90 years on the
corner of Ragsdale and Old
41, are gone but not forgot-
ten. Other storyboard topics
include Hurricane Donna
and other deadly hurricanes,
and farming and fishing as
mainstays of the local econ-
Continued on page 14

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Page 12 Southwest Spotlight January 2011
January 2011
In tough economic times,
Café of Life redoubles efforts
By Peter R. O’Flinn
prof@swspotlight.com
Bonita Springs – A few
years back a volunteer with
the Café of Life approached
a supermarket checkout in
Bonita Springs, rolling a cart
overloaded with groceries.
The cashier joked about the
store inventory being wiped
out and the cookout she was
missing. No, the volunteer
explained, there was no
cookout; these groceries
were on their way to the Café
of Life. “Really,” the cashier
said “I was a client of the
Café of Life several years ago.
It was the lowest point of my
life, and I went over there
and ate until I could get back
on my feet and find a job”.
Each weekday morning
starting at 10 a.m. the chari-
table work of the Café of Life
–providing meals to those in
need from all walks of life –
takes place at the geographic
heart of Bonita Springs,
under the boughs of the
Banyan tree on Old 41.
view the digital verson at
www.swspotlight.com
On a recent Monday
morning, Bruce Wheatley of
Bonita Springs sat on one of
the benches near the Banyan
tree to reflect on the time he
has served as a volunteer
with the Café. His involve-
ment started around 2000
when Jane, his wife, read a
notice in the First Presbyte-
rian Church bulletin. At that
time, Mr. Wheatley was
working on perfecting his
golf game. Ten years later, his
golf game, while enjoyable, is
not so perfect.
The work of Jane and
Bruce Wheatley for the Café
has, by all accounts, been ex-
tensive. When the Zonta
Club of Bonita Springs hon-
ored Jane as its 2010-2011
woman of the year, club
president Y’Vonne Murray
observed that Mrs. Wheatley
“selflessly gives of herself vir-
tually every day of the year to
help those less fortunate.”
Mrs. Wheatley, while thank-
ful for the honor, is “uncom-
fortable” with being singled
out but hopeful that it may
cause others to think about
Southwest Spotlight
volunteering.
As he sat on the park
bench, Mr. Wheatley too was
not interested in talking
about his family’s contribu-
tions or accomplishments –
but rather about the mission
of the Café of Life and the
contributions to it by hun-
dreds of volunteer residents,
businesses, churches and or-
ganizations in Bonita
Springs. As he talked that
Monday morning, a team of
ten women from Pelican
Landing was busily serving
meat casseroles, fruits, salads
and cupcakes to over sixty
people. The volunteers have
not missed a Monday morn-
ing – or any weekday morn-
ing – since its charitable
works began over a decade
ago.
“We talk to people in our
serving line who say ‘We
never thought we would be
eating a meal here,’” Mr.
Wheatley said. “There is a
misconception about the
Café of Life – that most of
the clients are homeless,” he
explained, noting that is true
Page 13
months,” either finding a job The Café of Life was
or moving out of the area.
The Café serves people
from all walks of life experi-
founded in 1998, starting out
at Liberty Lighthouse
Church on Felts Avenue,
encing tough times. The eco-
nomic recession has taken a
heavy toll. In 2009, 30,357
originally serving coffee to
those who were down on
their luck. It quickly outgrew
of only about one percent of meals were served, an that space, then another. Six
the clients. “Most are unem- amount almost three times years ago it arrived at its
ployed … our current mix is that served just three years present out of doors loca-
about 60 percent who are out earlier. Many clients are la- tion.
of work, with 40 percent borers, but they also include Over 300 regularly active
mothers and children” in attorneys and business exec- volunteers donate over
families that can use extra utives. Alumni clients of the 12,000 hours of their time
help. Of those who are out of Café frequently return to annually. Another 300 vol-
work, he said, “very few are serve on the other side of the unteers help periodically.
with us for more than six line. Continued on page 14
Robert L. Smith | info@swspotlight.com
Each weekday morning starting at 10 a.m. the charitable work of the Café of
Life takes place under the boughs of the Banyan tree on Old 41. In 2009,
30,357 meals were served.
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
Mon. – Fri. 11am-3pm
DINNER SPECIALS STARTING AT $7.99
Includes Soup or Salad
Every day after 3pm
BREAKFAST BUFFET
Sat. & Sun. 8am-Noon
$6.95
Lunch Deliveries to Businesses
Mon. – Fri. 11am-2pm
26930 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Tel: 239-948-7900 | Fax: 239-948-7913
Page 14 Southwest Spotlight
Liles Hotel
from page 11
omy, “Fiddlerville” – as
Bonita Beach was called
when more fiddler crabs
than people called it home,
and the fight against the
poaching of birds, called the
“Plume Wars,” for their
valuable feathers which were
used to decorate ladies’ hats.
The Liles Hotel History
Center also includes the
Bonita Springs Historical
Society’s resource center
and research library, as well
as a 1930’s period hotel
room furnished by the Soci-
ety and the Survey Creek
Questers. According to
Donna Nemsick, president
of the Society, the History
Center is just one of the
Cafe of Life
from page 13
Cooking teams, which
are often organized by
neighborhood or church
groups, shop for food, which
they prepare at home. For
those who might find fixing
four score or more meals
daunting, recipes are pro-
vided courtesy of Ron Win-
sett, a retired military chef
who cooked for hundreds.
Each morning a mobile
pantry carries all of the
paper goods and tables for
serving which are unloaded
for use, and then packed up
again every day after each
meal. Serving teams consist
of eight to twelve volunteers.
Setup begins at 9:45 a.m.,
and by 10 o’clock the food is
ready to serve. Drivers also
pick up groceries from area
supermarkets which are dis-
tributed in addition to the
meals served.
Children are not forgot-
ten, particularly when school
is out of session. Local book
groups read to the children.
Perhaps more importantly to
the children, in the summer
months tubs of ice cream are
provided by Royal Scoop Ice
Cream, courtesy of David
Zimmerman, its owner and
another anonymous donor.
“This is both practical
and spiritual work, a pro-
found expression of faith
and compassion,” said Dr.
Doug Pratt, Senior Pastor of
First Presbyterian Church of
Bonita Spring. Twelve area
churches in Bonita Springs
provide financial and volun-
teer support to the cafe.
Members of one church –
the Unity Church of Bonita,
tithe each month to support
the Café.
“Get in on the
ground floor and the
harvest is yours.
Watch Bonita grow.”
– 1925 Ragsdale
Realty Brochure
projects in which the over
one hundred twenty mem-
bers of the Society are
involved. At their headquar-
ters, the Casner-Holzmeyer
House on South Riverside
Drive, the creation of a liv-
ing history museum has
been undertaken to illus-
trate Bonita Springs life in
the early 1900s. Ms. Fortuna
of the Society co-wrote
“Bonita Springs – Images of
America,” which tells the
Just up the road from the
Café on Old 41, Buffalo
Chips restaurant has become
a Bonita Springs institution
during the thirty years since
Al Greenwood moved from
Buffalo, New York and re-
modeled what was the Em-
pire City Motel. Buffalo
Chips regularly donates full
catered meals to the cafe.
Like all area restaurants, the
"We are not going to cut back on helping the
poor...taking care of needy people, that's
what it says in the good book." –
Chip Greenwood, Buffalo Chips Restaurant
recession has posed chal-
lenges for them, “but we are
not going to cut back on
helping the poor,” said Chip
Greenwood. “We try to do
the right thing, giving back
to the community. Taking
care of needy people, that’s
what it says in the good
book.”
Sneaky Pete's Restaurant
on Bonita Beach Road also
has been a stalwart supporter
of the cafe. It serves full
meals of spaghetti and meat-
balls, particularly in the
spring and summer months
when fewer volunteers are
available. The Café "volun-
teers are nice people doing
nice things for people in
need. The need has grown
because of the economy, af-
fecting people from all walks
of life,” said Peter Walker
who along with Joe Hall
owns Sneaky Pete's. Each
October, the proceeds of
their annual golf outing
are donated to the Café of
Life.
So it is with many of the
area’s businesses and com-
munity organizations, giving
January 2011
history of Bonita Springs
through archival photo-
graphs. The Society also
hosts walking and house
tours, presentations, exhibits
and social and civic events.
Since its founding in
1984, the Society has accom-
plished much to further its
mission to record, preserve
and promote Bonita Springs
history. There is more to do.
“Much of the history of
Bonita is tied up in peoples’
minds...and we need more
of them to come share it
with us,” said Charlie
Strader. He added that the
Society will scan and return
old photos. “We are trying
to preserve photos of his-
toric Bonita before they get
thrown out in a shoe box,”
he said.
proof to the notion that
Bonita Springs is a small
town with a big heart. Ben-
son’s Grocery, another
neighbor, has been “very
supportive,” said Mr.
Wheatley. The chef at Wor-
thington Country Club
cooks full meals courtesy of
the club’s residents.
There is more. The Ren-
aissance Group also donates
meals. Farmer Mike donates
extra produce. Excess but
not expired groceries are do-
nated by three area super-
markets, Sweetbay, Fresh
Market and Publix. Emer-
gency packages are provided
by the Bonita Springs Fire
Department from rotated
inventory. Last April, the
United States Postal Service’s
food drive donated six thou-
sand pounds of canned
foods.
It’s not just food that is
donated. Bonita Storage Inn
provides discounted storage
space, and the Café’s website
and logo were donated by Gil
Urick Designs. Even the bugs
are exterminated as a courtesy
– by Alex Grantt’s Bugs Away.
The cafe partners with the
Salvation Army and the
Bonita Assistance Office to
provide social services and is
an agency of the United Way.
Thanks to a responsive
community the work of the
Café of Life continues. Their
mission of “caring, sharing
and serving” ensures that the
most unfortunate will not be
forgotten.
January 2011 Southwest Spotlight Page 15
Page 16 Southwest Spotlight January 2011
January 2011
Bonita Nature Place
from page 1
cluding oak hammocks, pine
flatwoods, riverine forests
and aquatic areas.
According to Martin, “An
absolutely big thank you”
goes to the South Florida
Water Management District
which recognized the envi-
ronmental conservation and
education opportunities of
Nature Place and deeded 20
adjoining acres to the City of
Bonita Springs. That
brought the total land area of
Nature Place to 30 acres. “It’s
ours. It was a big wow,” said
Martin recalling the excite-
ment of the day. Soon there-
after the Friends of the
Bonita Nature Place regis-
tered as a Not-for-Profit Or-
ganization with the State of
Florida and was recognized
by the Bonita Springs City
Council as the resident or-
ganization.
One of the early steps in
moving forward was the
City's decision three years
ago to hold the annual Earth
Day/Arbor Day at the Na-
ture Place site. Community
volunteers planted two but-
terfly gardens with donated
plants. “That was part of the
event that day,” said Martin.
The main garden features
Florida native butterfly
plants and the second gar-
den includes Florida-
friendly plants. Both are an
opportunity to showcase
Florida-friendly landscaping
and xeriscaping techniques
which require minimal
water, fertilizers and pesti-
cides to ensure a cleaner,
healthier environment. The
gardens attract at least seven
species of butterflies. Ac-
cording to Cullum Hasty, a
Friends board member,
“Butterflies have at least one
host plant and numerous
nectar plants.” Planting
these will encourage butter-
fly populations. On a recent
Sunday visit, a Zebra Long-
wing was feeding on a pas-
sion vine. Several monarchs
were flying among the other
plants. Hasty would like to
reintroduce the Atala butter-
fly to Bonita Nature Place.
Their population declined in
the 40’s and 50’s and they
were thought to be extinct in
the 60’s. However numerous
Atalas were later found in the
Southwest Spotlight
Bahamas. It is thought that
the disappearance of Coon-
tie, a food plant that is also
used in making starch, re-
sulted in the declining pop-
ulations. Purchasing Atala
chrysalis and reintroducing
it to this suitable habitat,
along with coontie plants, is
another one of Hasty’s
planned projects.
After that first Earth Day
event at the site, a workshop
was held at city hall to try to
determine what would be
the best use of the land. Sug-
gestions included an obser-
vatory, nature trails, nature
place, even a tree farm. After
many visits to the location,
“We realized that there were
an awful lot of gopher tor-
toises that had located right
here in the old pasture field.
We know we’re a preserve
area for them. Let’s start with
that,” council member Mar-
tin recalled. Gopher tortoises
are a protected species and
the Nature Place property
had become a gopher tor-
toise safe place. Gopher tor-
toises are land turtles that do
not swim. They make a bur-
row and can bury down 30
feet or more, even down to
the water table and they can
get the water internally to
their nest. “They go down
and then they go horizon-
tally,” said Kathy McGrath, a
board member of The
Friends. People and gopher
tortoises can coexist. Martin
explained, “They just eat
grass. They’re herbivores. It’s
just a matter of educating
people; this is a great place to
get that out.”
Volunteer efforts have
been an important catalyst.
Hasty, a Kent Street neigh-
bor, donated a bat house and
the pole for it was donated
by Florida Power and Light.
For the second Arbor
Day/Earth Day event at Na-
ture Place, a bee keeper was
invited who donated an ob-
servation bee hive. Martin
said they then realized that,
“There is this unique tie in to
the plight of the bats, butter-
flies, the bees and how im-
portant they all are for
pollinating the fruits and
vegetables.” It was then de-
cided to use the property as
a learning place. The obser-
vation bee hive is housed in
a small building. The hive,
approximately 2 by 3 feet, is
constructed of wood with
plexiglass sides to view the
bees’ activity and sits on a
custom metal base designed
and fabricated by Hasty. The
bees enter and exit the hive
through a clear hose that
goes through the outside
wall of the building. A visitor
can safely view the bees at-
Page 17
tending to the larvae and
making honey. Hasty ex-
plained that this is only a
“small” hive – about 25,000
bees.
Bonita Nature Place is
part of an expanding net-
work of conservation lands.
Pine Lake Preserve’s 144
acres, part of Lee County's
Conservation 20/20 pro-
gram, are located east and
north of Nature Place. To the
west are lands the Florida
Department of Transporta-
tion purchased to facilitate
the widening of Interstate
75. Now excess, they are
being turned over to the city.
In all, over 200 acres of con-
servation land have been
Continued on page 19
Page 18 Southwest Spotlight January 2011

Events the Center for the Arts of Woodcarving

Complete Automotive Repair from page 5
Voted Bonita Springs at 239-495- Tuesdays, 12:45 p.m.
Bonita’s • Air Conditioning • Brakes 8989. Cost: $175. to 2:45 p.m.
Best • Exhaust • Shocks • Heating & Bonita Woodcarvers - All
10 Years Bonita Village Band
Cooling • Struts • Lube/Oil/Filter woodcarvers, aspiring wood-
Sun., Jan 30, 2 p.m. carvers and interested parties
Family Owned • Starting & Charging The Bonita Village Band has are invited to join. Tools and
and Operated General Maintenance & More been performing in the wood are usually available
The official concert band Bonita Springs area for over and one-on-one instruction
27790 Tamiami Trail Sun., Jan. 23, 2 p.m. 20 years. The band is pat- and some classes are offered.
Bonita Springs Bonita Springs Concert terned after the Philadelphia Where: Bonita Springs
Band, Enjoy an afternoon of Mummers, and consists of Recreation Center, 26740
Power A/C Tire music marches, pop, rag-
time, big band, light classics
banjos, accordions, saxo-
phones, and a variety of
Pine Avenue, Bonita Springs.
For more information, call
Window Recharge Rotation and show tune medleys con-
ducted by Dr. Dennis Hill.
rhythm instruments includ-
ing piano and tuba. Where:
Chet at 826-5388, Paul at
498-6394, or the rec center at
Repair & Balance Where: Riverside Park, Riverside Park. Cost: Free. 992-2556. Cost: Free

8999
$
10 off
$ Bonita Springs. Email
bonitaspringsconcertband@ Weekly Events City Meetings
$
25 off 134A System
2LB Most Cars/Trucks
Dye Extra
Most Cars/Trucks
Call for Appt.
yahoo.com. Cost: Free.

Art walk
Get it while it’s fresh
Saturdays, 7 a.m. to noon.
Come watch the action
live and in person
Expires 2/28/11 Expires 2/28/11 Expires 2/28/11 Thurs., Jan 27, 5 to 8 p.m.
Visit artists’ studios at the
Promenade, Where: Prome-
SHELL
Oil Change
& Filter
Brake Service
FREE Brake Inspection
“Lifetime Warranted”
1/2 nade at Bonita Bay. For more
information, call the Center
for the Arts of Bonita

Price
Small Town Charm.
Springs at 239-495-8989.
PLUS 4-Wheel $50 OFF Cost: Free.
Big Bright Future.

Wed., Jan. 5, 5:30 p.m.

Free Tire 2-Wheel $25 OFF
Rotation Save on our complete line of lifetime
Alignment
$
5 off
warranted brake pads and shoes -
good for as long as you own your car.
Additional fees may apply. In lieu of
Up to 5 Qts. other offers. Most cars and light trucks.
Additional Fees May Apply
Not valid with any sale prices or
Call for appt. Expires 2/28/11 other discounts. Expires 2/28/11
Cabaret at the club
Sat., Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
This beautiful and romantic
with purchase of evening will feature a cock-
4 tires
tail reception, unique cabaret
*Most vehicles
performances, dinner, danc-
Additional fees may apply
ing, live and silent auctions.
Expires 2/28/11 Where: Bonita Bay Club.
For more information, call
Wed., Jan. 19, 9 a.m.
Lions Club Farm Fresh
Market at the Promenade -
Bonita Springs City Council
Where: Council Chambers,
Where: 26811 S. Bay Dr.,
Bonita Springs. For more
9101 Bonita Beach Rd. For
more information, call 239-
information, go to
949-6262.
bonitalions.org. On Jan. 15
the market will be located at
the Bonita Springs Middle All dates, times and prices are
School. subject to change.

The Southwest
Spotlight is mailed
to 12,000 homes
each month.
Pick up a copy at:
•The Survey Café
•Dolly’s Produce Patch & Eatery
•Buffalo Chips Restaurant Treat yourself to something special...you deserve it!
•The Fish House Restaurant
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•Bonita Springs Public Library

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Sunday 10-4pm Bonita Springs, FL (In Sweetbay Plaza)
January 2011
Bonita Nature Place
from page 17
preserved. “And it will be
preserved forever. That’s the
important thing,” added
McGrath. Water access is an-
other idea for the future.
“Accessible from Nature
Place and the Y (YMCA),
people will be able to put in
their kayaks” for Imperial
River access, McGrath ex-
plained. “The city has ap-
plied for a grant from the
state so that we can actually
put in a shell road, a pervi-
ous surface down towards
the riverbank so that people
will be able to launch their
kayaks,” said Martin. It is
not now part of the Calusa
Blueway which stretches all
the way up to Charlotte
County but, according to
McGrath, “It will be.” “That
will be another great addi-
tion to the property,” said
Martin.
Walking trails have al-
ready been started. Taken on
a walking tour along one of
the trails with Hasty as a
guide, a visitor can learn that
shoestring fern grows in
abundance here. “It is really
rare. I’ve never seen such a
large concentration,” ex-
plained Hasty. Bright ma-
genta colored berries grow
along the trail. “It’s called
Beauty Berry and the birds
love it,” said Hasty. Painted
bunting, about the size of a
finch, have been seen in the
neighborhood and Hasty is
hoping that the bird feeder
he hung outside a palmetto
thicket will attract them.
“They are an elusive bird and
like to live in the middle of a
palmetto thicket. The male
migrates north in the sum-
mer but in the winter you
can see the male’s bright col-
oring – electric blue head,
orange chest and green
wings.”
The trails wind through
the property that is an old
native habitat that is in its
original pristine condition.
During a recent visit, council
member Martin remarked
that "The University
(FGCU) students are out
there on a trail now that the
students actually created.”
This is just part of a collabo-
ration with FGCU. A bee-
keeper worked with a
University class to research
Southwest Spotlight Page 19
bee behavior and those stu-
dents in turn worked with
middle school students to
share what they had learned.
Another class from the mid-
dle school also used Nature
Place as an outdoor class-
room when researching na-
tive butterflies and an art
class painted the butterflies
they observed.
“We also have a boy scout
who’s working on his Eagle
Scout project here. He’s
doing a trail kiosk for us,”
explained Martin. With the
kiosk they’ll be able to post
maps and sightings.
When asked about what
excites them most about
Bonita Nature Place, Martin
enjoys watching it grow,
raising awareness about the
plight of the bees, the effects
of pesticides and watching
people light up as they learn
more about the land and
the wildlife that inhabits it.
McGrath explained that
when the children come, the
adults come with them and
so you’re teaching several
generations. But McGrath
believes, “If you can con-
nect to the child, that is our
future.”
 Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs PRSRT STD
Page 20 Southwest Spotlight January 2011 U.S. POSTAGE PAID
S O U T H W E S T FT MYERS, FL
PERMIT #980
™ RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER
ECRWSS

animal wellness
center of bonita Inside
Vol.2, No.1 JANUARY 2011 FREE

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The birds and the bees and more… Small Town Charm.

Bonita Nature Place

Big Bright Future.

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#FIBWJPSBM By Kathy O’Flinn 2007.” The original parcel



$PVOTFMJOH kathy@swspotlight.com was 10 acres of residential
land with a private home,
January
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1SFWFOUBUJWFT Bonita Springs – What hap- horse stable and playhouse Events 5
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#BUIJOH pens when a group of deter- and several other buildings.
mined City Council The private home and play-
www.animalwellnesscenterofbonita.com members and interested cit- house now house the care-
239-405-VETS (8387) izens embrace the idea of a taker’s residence, meeting
rooms and a bee house.
10347 Bonita Beach Rd. SE #118, Bonita Springs, FL
Other buildings “were
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri: 8am-5pm Wed & Sat: 8am-Noon The gardens attract deemed unsafe and they

$25OFF INITIAL 75 PROCEDURE

$ OFF DENTAL
EXAM
New Patients only with coupon.
Limit 1 per Family. Not to be combined
with any other offers.
AMIR RUG GALLERY
at least seven
species of butterflies.
conservation area that will
Limit 1 per Family. Not to be combined
with any other offers. benefit the whole commu-
Proof of Vaccination & Exam Required
nity? The Bonita Nature
Place happens. That original
idea has germinated and
grown to include 30 acres of
environmentally fragile land
which connects the people
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1959
to the habitat in many ways.
Bonita Springs City
Council member Janet Mar-
were demolished,” accord-
ing to Martin. Volunteer Focus 13
Located just minutes
from downtown Bonita
on Kent Road, south of
William L. Meyers | info@swspotlight.com
East Terry Street, the prop-
erty sits adjacent to environ- From beautiful gardens, to the bee and bat houses, the Bonita Nature Place has
something for everyone. It’s open for free on Sundays from noon to 5.
mentally-critical preserve
lands associated with CREW
(Corkscrew Regional Eco-
system Watershed), Lee
Historical
County's Conservation 20/
20, and the Imperial River. In
2009 the property was
Society 11

Weavers
Weavers of fine decorative rugs since 1820 tin recently recalled, “The
city had the opportunity to
purchase the property in
named Bonita Nature Place.
The location includes several
interconnected habitats in-
Bonita’s
Best Friends 7
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2006...it was finalized in Continued on page 17

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EXPIRES 1/31/11 0RQ6DW‡6XQ

14700 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 1s.EXTTO.APLES4OMATO2ESTAURANTsMILENORTHOF7IGGINS0ASSs.APLES&LORIDAs239 597 1223