WEEk of fEbruarY 15, 2023 FLIER INSIDE
New books Hurricane damaged Little Library at island school rebuilt — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 46, NumbEr 41
State, county staff join islanders for GPICA meeting By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
At the Tuesday, Feb. 7 meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association, President Helen Fox encouraged members to manage the recent unforeseen changes with diligence, goodwill and persistence. “GPICA committees are researching new development on the island and informing us on how to make our voices heard. Both as a civic organization and individuals, we should be contacting our elected representatives, letting them know what we think and thanking them when they stand up for us,” Fox said. To answer islanders' questions from the previous
meeting were representatives from the Deputy County Manager’s office, Veteran’s Services, Solid Waste, as well as representatives both from the Florida Department of Transportation and FEMA. Deputy Director of Human and Veteran Services
Jeannie Sutton told members that although the FEMA assistance deadline had passed, they may still seek assistance with housing rehabilitation, utility, rent, mortgage and insurance deductible programs. Postcards have gone out to homeowners, she said, regarding housing related programs, including elevation and reconstruction programs, funded through the hurricane mitigation program. The applications are coming up and there will be an informational public hearing on Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Pine Island Elementary School, she said. If you have gotten one of those postcards and are See GPICA, page 16
Kiwanis takes over after-school program, welcomes volunteer readers By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Pine island Power CouPle Spotlight on Mike Silberg and Leoma Lovegrove By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
ike Silberg and Leoma Lovegrove have been married for 44 years. They said their courtship to marriage process was like a whirlwind that has yet to come to a full stop. “I picture our marriage like the scene from ‘Ben Hur,’ when he was being dragged by the chariots. Leoma said, ‘let’s go — let’s do this,’ and I’m the kind of person that
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has to plan, has to think it out, but she said, ‘we don’t have time for that, let’s go,’” Silberg said with a chuckle. Still very much caught up in one another, the couple has found a balance in their opposing personalities that See POWER COUPLE, page 12 Islanders Mike Silberg and Leoma Lovegrove. PHOTO PROVIDED
According to Kiwanian Carlyn Herring, since Hurricane Ian, the after-school program, sponsored by Lee County Parks and Recreation at Matlacha Park, is no longer being offered. “We heard about this in our Kiwanis Club, raised the funds, along with other Kiwanis Clubs around the district, and we are sponsoring the after-school program at Pine Island Elementary School now. So the children that used to go to the Parks and Rec program are now doing the after school program at the elementary school,” Herring said. Beginning Jan. 10, when school began after Christmas break, this endeavor was taken on by Kiwanis Clubs all over the district, including the Pine Island Kiwanis, Herring said, explaining the club’s mission to incorporate reading to the children by local first responders. On Wednesday afternoons, as many as four members of the Pine Island Kiwanis Club will be reading to kids when they attend the after-school program, she said. “We are starting out with our members and then we are going to try to bring in the Fire Department and EMTs, as well as others,” Herring said, adding that it will be an opportune time to bring in more members. Those involved in this mission, along with Herring, are Kiwanians Tonya Player and program director Gus Hawkins. The Pine Island Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT) program has also invited Kiwanis Club members to read to the elementary-aged kids in their program. Both organizations invite adult readers to volunteer. “Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis is sponsoring the after school program and we’re also going to be reading to the kids once a week as a district mission and we’re hoping to spread it to the PILOT program,” Herring said. If you’re interested in reading to children in either or both programs, please contact Nichole Pichon (PILOT) 239-677-9492 or Gus Hawkins (Kiwanis) 219-2014150.
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