WEEk of SEptEmbEr 4, 2024 FLIER INSIDE
Nominees sought 38th annual Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program underway — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 48, NumbEr 18
YOGAZ pants become all the rage Island couple creates comfortable clothing option By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
After visiting their daughter in Thailand, Pine Islanders William (Buck) and Barbara Pelton found a new love. Just before Hurricane Ian, she had been teaching yoga at quite a few Pine Island locations, including Sweeneys S.O.S., the St. James City Civic Center and the Beacon of Hope. Having been influenced by the colors and vibe of the Asian markets they’d visited on their trip, she said, initially planted a seed in the creation of their new online retail company, YOGAZ. “Right after COVID hit, we put our heads together and started thinking about this idea,” Barbara said. Where they were located in Minnesota, the Peltons said women they know, who enjoy yoga, were talking about how they couldn’t find anything but leggings to wear, and so began the idea to make a new comfortable design. It wasn’t long before they had some of their own designs manufactured.
“Because of the markets that we saw in Thailand, and also coming to Florida for the past 40 years, we thought this would be a much better place to launch the company and grow it slowly from there and now we’re selling nationwide,” Buck said. Although their business online is booming, he said, they still do most of their business in outdoor markets such as in Cape Coral as well as Fort Myers Beach, Lakes Park and many island markets. They set up as often as five days a week, and as many as seven during season. YOGAZ has gained popularity at the Franklin Shops in Fort Myers, they said, where they have been for just over a year. “What’s happening is people are A model wearing YOGAZ.
coming and buying from us at the markets, and they’re taking them home and their friends are seeing them and then we’re noticing online orders from their friends and the word is really spreading,” Buck said. Online orders have increased from an average of one order a month to three or four per day, he said, explaining that they are still growing as they gain more popularity. “YOGAZ are a new style. You have leggings, which are super tight, and harem pants, which are too loose. YOGAZ are a new style that are completely different and fit just perfectly. People wear them to rock climb, work out, kayak, and say they’re the most comfortable things they’ve ever worn,” See YOGAZ, page 11
Peace Day Pine Island Russells discuss the creation of to be held Sept. 21 Things to do Inaugural event organized to ‘cultivate a culture of peace’
Peace Day Pine Island, an effort to “cultivate a culture of peace,” will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the St. James City Civic Association. Hosted by Sacred Souls LLC and The Peace Cottage, islanders are invited and urged to bring their loved ones, friends and neighbors for this first-ever island event. Peace Day Pine Island will feature over 40 vendors offering a variety of items including unique jewelry, clothing, art, readings and more, along with, according to event organizers, "a diverse variety of culinary treats in our food truck row." There will be live music throughout the day including performances by Calypso Magic, Kerri Moore, Dan Cook and others, with emcee Issac Holeva. A free children's area will include face painting, scavenger hunt and take-home creations.
Raffle drawings will be held every hour with prizes valued form $30 to $125 and a grand prize giveaway of a two-night stay at the historic Tarpon Lodge valued at over $500. A food drive to support the Pine Island Food Pantry will also be held. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Matlacha Hookers and its Hooked On Education Scholarship Program. Sponsors for the festivities include Nourish Your Soul, Mobile Healer, the Bears Den Apothecary, Karma and Coconuts, Seaweeds Kayak Adventures, Peace Guitars Co., MRW Law Group, Honc Industries and Rare Mangos & Exotic Fruit. For more information, please call Jennifer at 239-443-0244 or email sacredsoulsllc@gmail.com. The SJCCA is at the corner of Lemon Street and 4th Avenue in St. James City.
on Pine Island’ By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
According to Jennifer Russell, the “Things to do on Pine Island” Facebook page only started as a matter of necessity. Kevin Russell said the couple have been doing voiceover work for 20-plus years now. “Kevin is a talent agent and the general manager of the studio. I’ve been a voice actress, but prior to that, I came from a news background,” Jennifer said. Although the couple grew up in Southwest Florida and their studio is in Bokeelia on Pine Island, they said they’ve been all over the world. The realization that their building was much more then they needed prodded the Russells to keep a back room for recording purposes and utilize the rest of the square footage by opening a retail gallery. Jennifer said she would describe Kevin as a serial entrepreneur. Marketing Mania, Kevin said, began in 1994, with the couple doing concert promotions and advertising for local businesses. More comfortable with his role in promoting others, he’s loathe to talk about himself, but admits his life and work are not about his ego but rather about helping others. “My dad moved us to Cape Coral in 1978. On Saturdays we used to come to Pine Island to the palm farms and we’d buy fruit trees,” Russell said. See ‘THINGS TO DO ON PINE ISLAND,’ page 11
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