WEEK OF JANUARY 1, 2025
VOLUME 63, NUMBER 7
School board discusses healthy meal options By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
The Lee County School Board continues to ask the food services department to find healthy and fresh options for breakfast and lunch for students. Board Member Jada Langford-Fleming said she did not mean to sound harsh, but they can always better their game. “Every one of our schools should have a garden, K-12, frankly,” she said. The board members were given a sample of what is served at the schools at their meeting on Dec. 10. Langford-Fleming said she entered the types food from the meal into an app she had on her phone, which showed how many carbohydrates were in the meal. “Some of these kids eat at 10:30 in the morning and are expected to sustain high See HEALTHY MEAL, page 22
Shell museum announces new programming for year The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel will start the new year by expanding upon its educational mission with a new lineup of lectures, classes, field education and learning experiences. The classes will span a range of scientific and creative subjects related to shells and mollusks and their ecosystems. They See SHELL MUSEUM, page 21
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The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel is kicking off the new year with a new lineup of lectures, classes, field education and learning experiences. A “Shell Ambassador Certification” class will take place on Jan. 7. BAILEY-MATTHEWS NATIONAL SHELL MUSEUM & AQUARIUM
FISH fundraiser returns with record participation, support FISH of Sanibel-Captiva reported that its annual JOG N JAM on Dec. 7 on the islands welcomed 570 runners, with participants from across Florida and as far away as the Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West Coast, as well as international runners from Canada, the United Kingdom and Jersey. “This is the largest runner registration in the history of our race, and we couldn’t be more excited,” event Committee Cochair Leah Winkler said. “It’s incredible to see participants from across the globe coming together to support our mission —
From left, Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson and FISH of SanibelCaptiva Executive Director Maria Espinoza kick off the annual JOG N JAM on Dec. 7 on the islands. FISH OF SANIBEL-CAPTIVA
we are truly honored to be represented worldwide.” Starting and finishing at The Community House on Sanibel, the 10K and 5K races opened with greetings from Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson and FISH Executive Director Maria Espinoza, along with the national anthem performed by eighth grader Teagan Clark. The finisher medals featured the Sanibel Lighthouse and noted the city's 50th anniversary, while the handcrafted age group awards showcased shells found on Sanibel beachSee FISH, page 22
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