A Time of Giving

Well, it’s that time of year where excitement is in the air and we can all feel it! It’s also a time when people decorate their homes, giving them a happy feeling, a welcome feeling, a friendly feeling. Ahhh, I love this time of year! 

• * I also love the fun things that are about to happen, like parties, dinners, events, gatherings, celebrations, and all things that make people happy. I’m a people person and love to be around friendly people, so I go to as many things as I can with the time available and if I can afford them. Sometimes, they are out of reach financially, though. 
• * At the East Naples Civic and Commerce Association luncheon last month, we had a speaker talking about a development being built in East Naples (for some reason they called it South Naples– there is no SOUTH Naples on a map!) Oh well, call it what you may, but we are a lovely community in East Naples, and proud of it and love living here. This new community is called Caymas, and it’s another Stock Development community, which means exceptionally nice. They handed out lovely brochures showing what the 780 acres will include. You might want to check it out online: caymasnaples.com. Call Susan Joyce-Bremseth for more information: 239-777-7878 or sjoyce@2stockdevelopment.com. 
• * This is the time of year when people also want to give items to those who have very little. I visit Alice Sweetwater’s Restaurant on Davis Blvd., a popular restaurant that has great food and great service, but they also have a manager who cares about the children right here in our own community. Each year, she assembles little white trees with the names of children who live right here in an area where the children have very little. Then she visits the schools right near her restaurant and gets lists of items the kids would really love, and hangs each child’s wish on the trees, so when you come in to eat, you might also want to find a child that wants something you want to give. It’s handled very beautifully and without disclosing any names. The gifts you might want to give to the child you choose goes to that child, not shipped to another area, and when you enter that area, you can see the need is right there before your eyes! Drop into Alice’s and see for yourself. We all know there are so many scams out there, but the manager lives right here in the community, we all know her and trust her, and watched her success for these kids at Christmas every year.      
• * The Kiwanis Club of Marco Island held their Annual Installation this month at the beautiful Island Country Club, and everything was just perfect! Mike Murphy and his “sidekick,” Barb Murphy, conducted the entire evening. Mike’s opening speech was one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard, and believe me, I’ve heard a lot of really great ones. Even the Kiwanis Lt. Governor attended and spoke. It was like a lineup of “who’s who.” Just to name drop a little: Rosetta Stone, Pat Hagedorn, Bryan and Ronda Hauser, Yvette, the Pidhernys, Joel Gewirtz, Lucky Lang, Kathleen Reynolds, Donna Debey…gosh, I’m painting myself into a corner! There were so many terrific people there I cannot even get them all in this column. I’ll just say all the wonderful people who are Kiwanians, whether they live on the Island or near the Island, were there! There, that’s better! 
• * For all those folks who participate in the Santa Run each year, the parade gathers at Parkside Elementary School at 9:00 AM, thanks to Ted Beisler, and will include the Sheriff’s Officials and deputies, the East Naples/Greater Naples Fire Department, and The Ladies of Naples Lakes, who bag all the candy beforehand, and of course East Naples Civic and Commerce Association. The parade STARTS at 9:00 AM, so please be sure to arrive in plenty of time to help arrange things. These parades began many years ago with Ted Beisler and Ron Cummings, and this year, Christopher Schucart is in charge of the decorations and will pull Santa’s Sleigh. Carol Fries and Dave Ware will assist. We hope many of you can get to the start of the parade at the school. The kids in Naples Manor are all lined up with their bikes and full of excitement! It’s a beautiful event.