WEEk of SEptEmbEr 20, 2023 FLIER INSIDE
Recognition Greater Pine Island VFW Post 4353 provides lunch for local first responders — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 47, NumbEr 20
Beacon of Hope planning to put grant money to good use By PAULETTE LeBLANC
received the funds yet. “I think a lot of people are thinking that we have those funds and we don’t have those funds,” Stearns said, going on to explain that there is a 90 period given to allow the board time to plan for proper disbursement of funds. The weight of this responsibility has
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Beacon of Hope board member Elsie Stearns wants to make it clear to islanders that although the Beacon was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Florida Disaster Fund to help Pine Island in its recovery from Hurricane Ian, they have not
been taken into consideration by the organization, she said, in that there has already been a task force put in place to ensure transparency and accuracy remain key factors in managing grant monies. This task force, made up of community See BEACON, page 18
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BRITTNEY BRANSFIELD
Hook’d Up Bait Co & Art Gallery owners dream of mom and pop shop
Pine Island Kiwanis Club installs new president and officers
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Kiwanis Club District 19 Lieutenant Governor, Denny Sharma installed Pine Island Kiwanis Club’s new officers, including new president, Cindy Bickford, at their installation dinner, Monday, Sept., 11, at the Fine Swine Restaurant, said outgoing Pine Island Kiwanis Club president Jayson Rider. Rider’s one-year term as president of the Pine Island Kiwanis Club, which ends Oct. 1, will by no means end his service to the organization, as he said, it is work that rewards him every time he sees a child’s face at an event or a high school student going off to college, as a result of scholarships funded by the organization. Former president, Shawn Kinney, who also attended the installation dinner, was awarded as Secretary for distinguished service, and Jayson Rider for his outstanding service as President for 2022See KIWANIS, page 18
TOP PHOTO: Left to right: Shawn Kinney, Jayson Rider, Carlyn Herring and Tonya Player./PHOTO PROVIDED BY CARLYN HERRING ABOVE: Award presented to Jayson Rider for his outstanding service as President for 20222023./PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAYSON RIDER
Hook’d up Bait Co & Art Gallery opened on July 8 of this year. In addition to offering necessary fishing tools, such as, live bait and tackle, the front of the store is an art gallery featuring local artists, said store owner, Brittney Bransfield. “It’s a neat combination, so the women stay busy shopping while the men get to buy all their fishing gear,” Bransfield said. After having had 4 feet of water, following Hurricane Ian, the previous tenants had no plans to stay and clean up the building. This offered Bransfield and her husband Michael Dillevig a unique opportunity, since she had previous experience in the construction industry. The couple was able to invest their own money and brought in a crew to do the necessary cleanup and work on the interior of the store to get the doors open. Since they are both Pine Islanders, opening a bait and tackle shop, with the twist of artistry wasn’t a stretch for their imagination of a local business. Formerly a full-time fishing guide, it was always Bransfield’s husband Michael’s dream to open a bait shop, she said. After all the necessary cleanup following the hurricane, the couple found that they were ready financially to get into the store and open it. “We had a newborn recently, and once we had her, we took a leap of faith, and added the bait shop too,” Bransfield said. See HOOK’D UP, page 21
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