WEEK OF AUGUST 27, 2025 FLIER INSIDE
Feature returns
The Breeze’s weekly tribute to local high school athletic standouts back for 5th year
— INSIDE
PINEISLAND-EAGLE.COM
VOLUME 49, NUMBER 16
Celebrating Pine Islanders: Cena Hamby By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
St. James City Civic Association President Cena Hamby makes no bones about who she is, describing herself as a “big personality.” “I’m a passionate person. So much of it now is focused on the Civic Center and the island. That’s what I’ve become. I think we all should leave the island better than we found it for generations to come,” Hamby said. She said she also enjoys, sailing, cooking and traveling. What brought her out to Pine Island, originally, was vacationing out on Sanibel, with her
husband, Don, she said. “In 2013, we rented a house, for a week on North Captiva, on the bay side. Dolphins stayed in front of the house and played there. As we were driving home in the boat, after the week, I saw land to the left, little did I know, it was Pine Island,” Hamby said. A friend, who happened to be living in Matlacha, connected the couple with a Realtor, who helped them look for a place for about a year, until they finally decided to build. In 2019, the Hambys had a new Pine Island house, but she said, it wasn’t until three years after that Pine Island became priceless to her.
“It truly was the destruction of Ian — I’ll never forget that two-week point where we drove back onto the island and saw the devastation and I was in utter shock. I didn’t cry and I didn’t cry, and then we walked into a church in St. James. I saw all kinds of emergency supplies and shelving. I looked through it all and I saw this stained glass window and I lost it,” Hamby said. She said the goodness she saw those See HAMBY, page 10
Cena and Don Hamby
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Ready to roll Beacon Buggy available for islanders in need Special to The Eagle
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Samaritan Health and Wellness Center helping island residents young and old
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Dr. Susan Hook, DNP, APRN, is excited to celebrate 11 years, this coming November, since opening the Samaritan Health and Wellness Center, of which she is founder and executive director. However, her mission to bring the clinic to Pine Island began in March 2023, shortly after Hurricane Ian. “We’re coming up on 3 years of being out here,” Hook said. She explained the importance of folks on Pine Island knowing about the services offered by the orga-
nization and how they serve the un-insured as well as the under-insured, as the goal is always to drive better health for the community. “We got a health-screening grant — the Cinotti See YOUNG AND OLD , page 11 Dr. Susan Hook at the Samaritan Health and Wellness Center at the Beacon of HOPE on Pine Island. PAULETTE LEBLANC
Pine Island is more than just a scenic escape — it’s a place where neighbors become family and service is a way of life. Two residents, Ava Brainerd and Gregory Goodwin, embody this spirit as the Beacon Buggy drivers for the Beacon of Hope, a local nonprofit offering vital support to the community. Ava Brainerd: A legacy of service Ava has lived in Bokeelia for over 40 years, following in the footsteps of her mother and uncle. With a background in the medical field and a heart for helping others, she found a meaningful way to give back through Beacon of Hope. One of its most impactful programs, the Beacon Buggy, provides essential transportation to medical appointments, including dialysis and cancer treatments — a lifeline for many residents who would otherwise struggle to access care. “The Beacon Buggy is more than just a ride — it’s a lifeline,” Ava shares. “The gratitude from those who rely on it is deeply moving, and being part of this program has been a gift.” Gregory Goodwin: A newcomer with a big heart Gregory moved to Pine Island four years ago after discovering a home listing on Zillow. “I fell in love with the Island right away,” he said. “It feels like country living, but close to everything you need.” For Gregory, the best part of island life is helping others. He’s seen firsthand how essential the Beacon Buggy is to residents in need. “The service Beacon Buggy offers is a Godsend,” Gregory says. “I hope funding and donations can keep it going—it’s so important to so many people.” Why medical transportation matters Medical transportation is a critical need, especially in rural areas like Pine Island: n Approximately 3.6 million Americans miss or delay See BEACON BUGGY, page 10
Beat........................2 Kittens of the Week..........13 On the Water......................8 INSIDETODAY Bridge Dolphin Tales.....................6 Local Tides.........................8 SJCCA Update...................6
Classifieds & Obituaries