Business Notes
San-Cap Optimist Club awards scholarship
The Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club recently awarded one of its college scholarships to Sam E. Arensman, a Sanibel resident and 2018 graduate of Fort Myers High School.
He received the Sam and Francis Bailey four-year scholarship. A special scholarship, the club only awards it every four years and specifies that the applicant has strong Sanibel or Captiva ties.
Arensman has lived on Sanibel for 12 years and attended The Sanibel School. He plans to attend the University of Florida and major in pre-med. Arensman hopes to become a pediatric surgeon, so he can work with children and make their lives better by ensuring they receive needed medical treatments.
The club’s other five scholarships are open to all Lee County high school graduates.
All six scholarships provide the recipients with $2,500 per year for four years of active enrollment, a total of $10,000.
Accessibility upgrade at refuge
The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge recently improved its accessibility for mobility-impaired visitors by adding automatic door openers to the Visitor & Education Center entrance.
It augments a long list of accessibility efforts through the years at the refuge, including a ramp and lift up to the center, a ramp at the observation tower, closed captioning for the center’s orientation film, and handicap restrooms at the center and Cross-Dike Pavilion.
Most trails and Tarpon Bay Explorers tours are also handicapped-accessible.
Business Notes
New interns arrive at refuge
Two new biology interns joined the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in July.
Andrea Centola and Michelle Martin plan to stay into early summer 2019 as part of the refuge’s internship program, supported by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge.
DDWS provides living stipends and other benefits for about a dozen interns each year.
The refuge supports interns and resident volunteers with free housing.
For more information about the internship programs, contact Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland at 239-472-1100 ext. 237.
To learn about supporting the intern program, contact Birgie Miller at 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
Lily & Co. offers free gift with purchase
Lily & Co. Jewelers is celebrating summer with a free sterling silver sand dollar pendant for every purchase of $150 or more on Aug. 23-24.
Its sea life designs are inspired by the shapes of the islands – starfish, clam shells, sea turtles, Gulf of Mexico waves and even flip flops.
The pieces incorporate the use of exotic gemstones or precious diamonds.
Lily & Co. Jewelers is at 520 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel.
SanCap Community Bank hires Shelton
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank announces the hiring of Ross Shelton as a teller and customer service representative at the Gateway branch in Fort Myers.
He is responsible for assisting customers with personal and business banking transactions.
A Cape Coral resident since 2016, Shelton has more than 15 years of industry experience, including universal banker, customer service representative and teller.
Hurricane Irma tax relief
Congress passed House Bill 3823 in September, which provides Hurricane Irma tax relief including employee retention tax credits for businesses in federally-designated Irma disaster zones.
The city of Sanibel reported that businesses located on-island during the storm may be eligible.
For more information, visit www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i5884a.pdf. The document details the application process and eligibility requirements.
Business Notes
TBE to offer discount for local residents
Tarpon Bay Explorers will offer 25 percent discounts on rentals and tours for residents of Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties during the month of September.
Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and bike rentals are first come, first serve.
Hobie fishing kayaks and pontoons require a reservation. All tours recommend a reservation, as well.
Construction is still being conducted in the parking lot and, as a result, the launching of personal watercraft – kayak, canoe, SUP or anything motorized – has been suspended until its completion.
Florida identification required to verify residency.
For more information or reservations, call 239-472-8900.
DDWS associate director leaving
Sarah Lathrop, associate director for the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge, has taken a fundraising position with her alma mater, Hanover College in Indiana.
Working in a telecommuting capacity for her new job, she is not leaving Sanibel and plans to continue supporting the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge as a volunteer.
Lathrop’s last day is Aug. 28.
She started with DDWS five years ago as an intern.
Collection volunteer to retire
Dr. Judy Clark, curatorial assistant and supporter of the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel, will soon be moving to Cincinnati to be closer to family.
Prior to joining the museum in 2013, she was a research scientist working on animal parasitology and bacteriology.
Clark’s analytical skills and familiarity with scientific nomenclature proved very valuable to the museum’s collection projects.
Business Notes
DDWS hires second store assistant
Cait Bowling recently accepted the full-time position as assistant manager of the Refuge Nature Store at the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge.
She, along with assistant manager Christopher Galloway, serve as support staff for store manager Ann-Marie Wildman.
A native of Kissimmee, Bowling has lived in Lee County for 14 years and graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a degree in history. She has worked six years in retail management, including Butterfly Beach on Sanibel and, most recently, David’s Bridal in Fort Myers.
DDWS operates the Refuge Nature Store at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, proceeds from which benefit wildlife, habitat conservation, education and research projects.
Hall elected to Florida Rep Theatre board
David Hall, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank’s executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer, has rejoined the Florida Repertory Theatre’s board of directors.
He previously served on its board of directors from 2003 to 2010.
In addition, Hall currently serves as treasurer of the Fort Myers Community Concert Association and president of the Southwest Florida Symphony Endowment Foundation’s board of trustees, both of which he first joined in 2008.
Florida Repertory Theatre is a professional theatre company that performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre in the Fort Myers River District. The board is compiled of Southwest Florida community leaders who support theatre in a variety of facets.
For more information, visit www.FloridaRep.org.
In The Garden reopens to public
In The Garden on Sanibel has reopened following renovations during the month of July.
Lisa Walsh, owner of R.S. Walsh Landscaping and In The Garden, explained that summer is the time staff refresh the garden center. The plans included redoing the gardens and plant display areas, updating the interior of the garden shop and coming up with fresh ideas for season.
Located at 3889 Sanibel Captiva Road, In The Garden is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information, call 239-768-5655 or visit www.rswalsh.com.
Business Notes
Pendelton, Plein join RE/MAX of the Islands
RE/MAX of the Islands recently announced that Realtor Les Pendelton and Sue Plein have joined the company.
Most recently, Pendelton was a real estate broker associate with American Realty of Captiva. His former work and business experience includes being the benefit payments manager for Investors Bank & Trust and the deputy director of the Massachusetts State Board of Retirement.
He and his wife have been full-time Sanibel residents for over 16 years.
Plein began her career as a loan officer with AmeriFirst Mortgage. She later became a vacation rental specialist for American Realty of Captiva, where she worked for about 10 years. A licensed real estate agent in Florida and Georgia, Plein plans to focus on vacation rentals as an owner relations concierge through ‘Tween Waters Island Vacation Rentals.
She and her husband reside on Captiva.
Sundial to hold fundraiser for officer
Sundial Beach Resort & Spa announced that it will hold a fundraiser through the Shima Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar for Fort Myers Police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller.
Jobbers-Miller was shot on July 21 while serving in the line of duty.
From Aug. 7-11, Shima will donate a portion of the sales from its steakhouse to assist Jobbers-Miller and his family.
Reservations can be made at shimasushisteak.com or by calling 239-989-1160.
Shima Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is at 1451 Middle Gulf Drive, Suite 1, Sanibel.