WEEK APRIL 9, 2025 FLIER INSIDE
Waterkeeper class
Islanders learn how to make vertical oyster gardens for use on home docks or seawalls — INSIDE PINEISLAND-EAGLE.COM
VOLUME 48, NUMBER 48
Collaboratory reps discuss EPA grant at GPICA meeting By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Tessa LeSage, chief impact officer of Collaboratory, and her partner, John Romaine, community resilience strategist for the foundation, were invited to the April 1 meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association to share possible future opportunities there could be for supporting resiliency on Pine Island. Collaboratory is working with Lee County to use a $19 million grant from the EPA to strengthen the county’s disaster preparedness by creating resiliency hubs at Collaboratory, Franklin Park Elementary, the IMAG History and Science Center and Pine Manor Community Center. LeSage began by explaining Collaboratory’s role, which is helping the community give back to the com-
munity. “We also do work with non-profit organizations to help build their capacity, to help apply for grants together, to find ways for us to work together, where problems require more than one organization to be able to actually make a difference,” LeSage said. She went on to explain that, as a neutral, third-party organization, Collaboratory has the opportunity to bring organizations together who have problems they cannot solve on their own. Resilience, she said, is one of those issues which cannot be solved alone or easily. “I would encourage you to look at Collaboratory, and if you are interested to learn more, we are happy to follow up with you,” LeSage said. She then explained that the plan she was referencing began in February 2023, just a few months after
Hurricane Ian. The county, she said, wanted to work on developing a plan that would go above and beyond the HUD money that was coming in. This, she said, would allow for the seeking of additional funding on a much longer term. “Because we’re a community foundation, we have that neutral, third-party convening power that a lot of organizations don’t have. We don’t really have a dog in the fight, except that we want our community and region to be a better place and we want to ensure that our communities are thriving,” LeSage said. The plan can be accessed, she said, on ResilientLee. com. It was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in March 2024, she said. Various municSee GPICA MEETING, page 11
Sold-out crowd attends annual Matlacha Civic Association Gala
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
The rebuilding of Matlacha Residents, businesses continue recovery efforts after recent hurricanes By PAULETTE LeBLANC
A
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
ccording to Matlacha resident Michael Hannon, he and his wife, Kathleen Walsh, have not changed their views about Matlacha from their original mindset when they moved here in 2012. “This is the Shangri-La, and while the unusual occurrence of three hurricanes back to back is discouraging, Shangri-La is worth rebuilding,” Hannon said. He said he believes this time to be a transitional phase for many who may not have been able to stay after the last three hurricanes. He added that he sees Matlacha as a one-lane choke point as one enters Pine Island. Bill Carey, owner of Carey Construction, said it is important to rebuild Matlacha above the flood plain. “Great town. We’ve fallen in love with it. The
INSIDETODAY
hurricanes, I think, have given it a little re-boot, or an opportunity to improve itself, which is wonderful,” Carey said. He admits he’s excited about Matlacha being rebuilt so he can live here. He is currently collaborating with other local businesses, such as Stearns Custom Builders Local Stearns Custom Builders owner Derrick Stearns said his company recently finished building a home in Matlacha, up to the flood plain elevation, which changed, he said, following Hurricane Ian. “Even though it is a home that is at the lowest elevation that FEMA allows, we still had nearly 2 feet See REBUILDING MATLACHA, page 11
A crew from Carey Construction building islander Mike Hannon’s house in Matlacha.
Athlete of the Week..........13 Bridge Beat......................11 Cat of the Week................12
According to Matlacha Civic Association President Carol Scott, this year’s annual gala, which was held at Leoma Lovegrove’s studio Sunday March 30, was sold out as of Saturday, as far as tickets both online and physically, she said. Scott approximated the total at more than 140 people present at the event. In addition to the usual fundraising efforts for the MCA, there was also a celebration of Matlacha now being 99 years old. “In my welcoming speech to our guests, I reminded them that they were in a very special place, which was, of course, Leoma’s Gardens. We held a beautiful gala in a magical place,” Scott said. The annual MCA gala, which is the only fundraiser for the year, funds many things throughout the year, she explained. “The American flags up — one for each state up and down our little commerce area. It funds the Fourth of July picnic. It funds events like in May — we’re having butterflies and a band, where the artists all painted butterflies for our transformation into something new and beautiful. It funds the Christmas trees and our little Christmas village. This fundraiser meant a lot but it also meant we were celebrating 99 years in Matlacha,” Scott said. There was also an auction, she said, where wooden fish were given to a number of the island artists. Scott told them to paint them on both sides and bring them back. The fish were then hung with crystals and turned into sun-catchers, she explained. “They were beautifully painted and studded with little diamond or iridescent stones and glitter and some of them print-sketched the iconic bridge—there were dolphins and sunsets, sunrises. There were paintings of
PHOTO PROVIDED
Cribbage Corner..............10 Dolphin Tales.....................6 From the Firehouse..........5
See MCA GALA, page 10
Local Tides......................12 Mahjongg Scores............12 On the Water.......................8
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