WEEk of JuNE 7, 2023 FLIER INSIDE
Stop the Bleed Elks Lodge purchases emergency kits for Pine Island Elementary School — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 47, NumbEr 5
Doctor Watson’s Spirits opens at Calusa Cay By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
It was quite a relief for Beth Durling, owner of Doctor Watson’s Spirits of Pine Island, to finally have moved into the new location at Calusa Cay. The store began in the Winn-Dixie plaza on the island in 1984, Durling explained, after her father, a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, applied for and won the liquor license, by lottery. “To this day, liquor licenses are drawn based on population increase. You either buy one that is a resale market or you have the opportunity to buy one in a state lot-
tery,” Durling said. For years, her brother Richard entered her father in the state lottery for a liquor license, she said, and her father won. The license was originally intended for a Holmes and Watson-themed restaurant and lounge, but instead landed on Doctor Watson’s Spirits package store. Talk about moving the store began some time ago, when it was thought perhaps another liquor store might open near the center. Durling said it really wasn’t on her radar at first because Pine Island Elementary is too close to have a store in the Calusa Cay Shopping Plaza that sells alcohol,
but when she learned the plaza would be requesting a variance for retail stores, she quickly got on board. “It was almost a no-brainer, because someone was going to go in there, and if it wasn’t me, it was going to be someone else,” Durling said. It was at that point she said she called the developer, told them who she was and threw her hat in the ring. If anyone was going to open there, it should be them, she said, since they have been on the island for so many years. What Durling describes as a very slow process, See DR. WATSON’S SPIRITS, page 10
Elks Lodge #2781 to host Flag Day Ceremony June 14
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KAREN HARTSHORNE
Karen Hartshorne with two young art students she is teaching.
Sharing what she knows with everyone -- free of charge
On Wednesday, June 14, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge #2781 will hold its annual Flag Day Ceremony. The Elks have celebrated the holiday since the early days of its organization. In 1907, the BPOE Grand Lodge designated June 14 as Flag Day. The event will begin with the “Presentation of Colors” and opening remarks by Exalted Ruler Judy Hopkins of Greater Pine Island Elks 2781. This event is open to the public and will begin at 11 a.m., at the VFW Post 4353, 8150 Stringfellow Road, St. James City. Many people may not know that Flag Day has been an important part of the Elks’ culture even before it was adopted as a day of national observance. Flag Day is an Elks patriotic tradition, and allegiance to the flag of the country is a requirement of every Elks member. The Pledge of Allegiance is cited at the beginning of every Elks Lodge meeting. In 1907, the B.P.O. Elks Grand Lodge designated by resolution June 14 as Flag Day. The Grand Lodge of the Elks Order adopted mandatory observance of the occasion by every Elks Lodge in 1911, as it is still honored today. The Elks prompted President Woodrow Wilson to See FLAG DAY, page 10
MOTI president and Kiwanian Hartshorne teaching painting classes By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Pine Island Kiwanian Karen Hartshorne believes it is important to share everything she has. In addition to serving Pine Island through the Kiwanis Club, she also volunteers and is the president of the Museum of the Islands (MOTI). In fact, she teaches children free painting classes right inside the museum and encourages them to sell their work for a fair price. At one point, Hartshorne even invited pro-baseball player Bill Lee to come and paint right along with the children. “I went to Louisiana State University and I took Drawing I and they moved me into the graduate pro-
gram because I told them I did not want to get a degree — they let you do that at LSU. So I went straight into the graduate program to painting and drawing, had an overall 4.0 in everything I took and that’s my education,” Hartshorne said. While living in Hawaii, Hartshorne taught painting to the nuns and patients at the Hanson’s Disease Colony of Kalaupa’a in Molokai. She said she always teaches free of charge because she never wants the cost of doing something to get in the way of people reaching their goals and potential, and because that’s what she was taught when she was young. See SHARING, page 7
PHOTO PROVIDED
The flags that will be used by the Elks for the Flag Day Ceremony Wednesday, June 14.
insidetoday CERT Update.....................6 Obituaries........................11 Tides................................17 Cats of the Week.............14
Island Mahjongg.............14
On the Water....................16
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