Sanibel-Captiva Daily

“Love That Dress” collection party,The PACE Center for Girls of Lee County

The Royal Shell Companies, Norman Love Confections and The Timbers Restaurant hosted Sanibel’s very first “Love That Dress” collection party benefiting The PACE Center for Girls of Lee County.

Admission was one gently used dress. The event was at Adventures in Paradise Outfitters store in Tahitian Gardens. This year’s “Love That Dress” debut was a huge success and a great amount of people came out to support the The PACE Center for Girls of Lee County.

“It has always been a part of the Royal Shell culture to give back to the community and this event is a wonderful opportunity for us to do that,” stated Randy Bacik of The Royal Shell Companies.

“Aligning ourselves as a sponsor in the company of Norman Love Confections and the Timbers Restaurant will most assuredly make this one of our finer events.”

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Royal Shell Hosts “Love That Dress” Collection Party on Sanibel

The Royal Shell Companies, Norman Love Confections and The Timbers Restaurant and are excited to host Sanibel’s very first “Love That Dress” collection party benefiting The PACE Center for Girls of Lee County. This “Girls Night Out” party will take place at Tahitian Gardens, 1975 Periwinkle Way on Tuesday, Aug. 10 from 5 -7 p.m.

“It has always been a part of the Royal Shell culture to give back to the community and this event is a wonderful opportunity for us to do that,” stated Randy Bacik of The Royal Shell Companies.

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Royal Shell Hosts “Love That Dress” Collection Party on Sanibel

Royal Shell Hosts “Love That Dress” Collection Party on Sanibel

The Royal Shell Companies, Norman Love Confections and The Timbers Restaurant and are excited to host Sanibel’s very first “Love That Dress” collection party benefitting The PACE Center for Girls of Lee County. This “Girls Night Out” party will take place at Tahitian Gardens, 1975 Periwinkle Way on Tuesday, Aug. 10 from 5 -7 p.m.

“It has always been a part of the Royal Shell culture to give back to the community and this event is a wonderful opportunity for us to do that,” stated Randy Bacik of The Royal Shell Companies.

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The Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club 31st Annual 4th of July Road Rally, Sanibel Florida

The tradition continued for the   The Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club 31st annual 4th of July Road Rally! Participants  meet at Timbers for check in and started the rally there! For those of you who don’t know about this annual island event, the Road Rally is a scavenger hunt for Answers to clever questions…it is not a race! Everyone was in a good mood and was ready and eager for their challenge. Winners will be announced later this week after all of the scores have been counted. Click below for photos of the event!

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Summer Resident Savings Program at the Sanibel Day Spa

Sanibel Lighthouse and Miss Florida USA 2010

Megan Clementi – Miss Florida USA 2010 was on Sanibel today and climbed to the top of our lighthouse to promote finding a cure for breast cancer. Megan is currently representing the state of Florida as Miss Florida USA 2010. She is traveling up and down the state making appearances for various charities including, Susan G. Komen

THE 31ST ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY ROAD RALLY Sanibel Island & Captiva Island

THE ROAD RALLY ROLLS
THE 31ST ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY ROAD RALLY
TO BE HELD JULY 3RD FOLLOWING THE PARADE

It’s Road Rally Time!  SO…GET IT IN GEAR !  Put on your driving gloves, your cool sunglasses and your thinking caps!  The Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club is pleased to invite all residents and visitors to participate in the annual island tradition Road Rally beginning at noon on July 3rd.

For those of you who don’t know about this annual island event, the Road Rally is a scavenger hunt for Answers to clever questions…it is not a race! The entrance fee per car is $35.00.  We provide you with detailed directions and fun questions — you find the answers along the way.  The route takes 2-1/4 hours or so.  This year we begin and finish our “tour of the island” at the Timbers Restaurant, 703 Tarpon Bay Road, in the parking lot at 12 noon.

You may pre-register and request a preferred start time. We will get as close as we can to your request.  All entrants will be able to see the parade first!  Entry forms will be available from The Sanibel Café, Bailey’s General Store, American Legion Post 123 and the Sanibel Grill/Timbers Restaurant.

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Update on the Deep Horizon Florida Oil Spill. What is happening to Sanibel & Captiva because of the BP Oil Spill? Our Beaches are still Beautiful and our water is Clean! Great time for a Island Vacation!

Yesterday, we talked to Lee County Florida District 4 Commissioner, Tammy Hall. We were extremely happy to hear what she had to say! Although the Deep Horizon Florida Oil Spill has harmed a lot of things, Sanibel and Captiva are still SAFE! We learned that our water is clean and our beaches are still beautiful and this is actually a great time to visit Sanibel & Captiva. Check out our backyard and enjoy a wonderful Island Vacation!

Tamara Pigott, Executive Director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau also talked to us on camera to express what a great time it is to take a vacation in our unspoiled waters of SWFL. Not only are the beaches on Sanibel & Captiva OIL FREE, there are lots of other great reasons to visit! There are great deals on accommodations, shopping, restaurants and services. If you are thinking about visiting Sanibel & Captiva, now is the time to do it! Watch the video and see for yourself! Once you do that, explore our site more and start planning your next PERFECT vacation on the Islands!

The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce, Update on the Deep Horizon Florida Oil Spill – Our Beaches are Clean

The information below was provided by The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce about the Florida Oil Spill.

“Our function is to keep everyone informed with on going information with continual updates” – Ric Base, President of The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce.

Our Beaches are Clean and Open
The only oil on our beaches is suntan oil!

Updated June 11, 2010 1:30 p.m.
At this time, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has not impacted Sanibel, Captiva or Fort Myers Beach. The Florida Division of Emergency Management does not expect the oil to impact the Sanibel/Captiva/Fort Myers Beach area between now and Monday, June 14. Forecasts are being made in 72 hour increments. There are no projections beyond that time frame.

Officials on Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach are monitoring the situation closely and will respond accordingly to any potential impact on our area. If you are traveling to the destination within the next few days, you can monitor the websites below for the latest updates on the spill and check back with this site for specific information regarding Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach .

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island is reporting, “There are currently no impacts to our refuge waters. The beaches are clean and open.”

Click below to learn more about the Oil Spill and some of the Frequently Asked Questions that The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce.

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The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

Local Breast Cancer Benefit at Ellington’s Jazz Bar & Restaurant

Ellington’s Jazz Bar & Restaurant hosted a cancer benefit for a Sanibel local. Friends and Family of Julie Biffar got together to support her Breast Cancer benefit. Julie was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in January 2010. The afternoon was filled with wonderful people and great auction items. Live music was played by Kat Epple and Chuck Grinnel while a silent and live auction took place. Generous people and companies donated wonderful things for the auction from Accommodations to Fine Art! If you are interested in donating, contact Sean Biffar at 239-851-9598. Click below to see the event!

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Breast Cancer Benefit for a Sanibel Local at Ellington’s

Come out this Sunday to help support Julie Biffar at Ellington’s from 2pm -5pm. There will be live music, great Auction Items and lots of familiar faces! Make sure to spend your Sunday helping out a Sanibel Local!

Shopping on Sanibel Starts with Shop On Sanibel, Retail Centers

Your Sanibel-Captiva Island vacation starts with our world famous shopping, on Sanibel Island. Sanibel Island is home to wonderful retail centers that are made up of independently owned boutiques, restaurants and specialty services providers not found anywhere else in the world.

We took photographs of our close friends as they spent all day shopping at some of Sanibel’s best shops. We captured these fabulous people enjoying the experience of all of the wonderful things that these Retail Centers have to  provide. We visited the Olde Sanibel Shoppes, Tahitian Gardens, The Village Shops and the Town Center, all in one day! These fine retail centers provided everything that Julie, Jenna, Ashley and Josh could want and more! We did our best to check out all of the wonderful clothes, accessories and services that Sanibel has to offer but ran out of time in our day!

Josh and Julie started their day relaxing by the pool and drinking coffee while wearing relaxing clothes from Adventures In Paradise. Then they got a phone call from Jenna , who wanted to meet up and go shopping! The decided the best shops to go were definitely the Shops on Sanibel.  After they got off the phone with Jenna, Julie and Josh finished up their coffee and headed inside to decide what they wanted to wear for the day, and then head out. Julie decided to wear an outfit from Amy’s Something Special which is known for its great tropical island covers.

While Julie was waiting for her friend Jenna she decided to shop around at the Tahitian Gardens Shops. She saw a dress a black dress at C. Turtles which is known for its hip trendy clothing and accessories!

Julie then headed to The Village Shops right down the road to meet up with her friend Jenna who had already started shopping in her wonderfully flowing white and blue Sanibel Resort Wear shirt and skirt. Julie and Jenna then began their shopping duo. They stopped at the Watson MacRae Gallery to check out some wonderful art and art handmade necklace artwork by “Pastry by Penelope” made of vintage tart shells and knitted chenille braid,  which Julie could not resist buying!  After some serious shopping Josh surprised them with two dogs at the “Lee Humane Society” wearing Leashes & harnesses from Island Paws.

After, Josh picked up the dogs Julie Decided she would like to get her hair done while Jenna headed to Tahitian Gardens to check out what Julie was talking so highly of!

Meanwhile Ashley, a friend of Jenna and Julie, had already planned a day of reading and shopping at the peaceful yet upbeat Sanibel Shops. She decided for her relaxing day she would sport the clothing from Why Knot, where they specialize in elegant, comfortable clothing for the relaxed life style and a Czeck double drop Necklace from Suncatchers’ Dream and enjoy her day. She as well decided it might be nice to get her hair done for the dinner date that her, Jenna, and Julie had later that night. She walked in to Tribeca Salon and saw Julie already getting her hair done by Nicolas, hair coloring specialist. After their hair was finished they then they got their nails done at Head to Toes By Tina.

After Jenna and Ashley pampered themselves at The Village Shops Jenna had finished up her shopping spree and could not wait to put on her new orchid necklace from Shiny Objects at Tahitian Gardens they all decided to meet up there. But then they got there and Ashley saw Cedar Chest, a Jewelry store that specializes in original designs made of 14k and 18k Jewelry and is the area’s largest collection of authentic Spanish and ancient coin jewelry.

They then were off to the Odle Sanibel Shoppes!  Were J.B Designs and their incredible bags and Amy’s Something Special with their wide variety of colorful “jelly” watches are located. They could not resist neither the bags nor the jelly watches, buying them as soon as they saw them, and just in time!

They hurried up knowing that they were going to want to catch dinner at the incredibly delectable Over Easy Café!  The girls got a chance to relax and enjoy their delicious food while talking about their exciting day at the Shops on Sanibel.

After an amazing time of eating and enjoying their drinks and they decided to head back to Julie’s house to try on some of their new clothes to check them all out and  then head down to the beach for the sunset with a fruity bottle of wine from Tropical Wines

What a full and yet relaxed day at the retail shops at ShopOnSanibel.com.

Photography Credit: Cameron Michael / Publishing Credit: Cameron Micheal & Max Soto

Click below to see more stunning pictures.

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5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Summery of all 5 tips

• Apr 14 – Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva – the eBook!
• Apr 15 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 1
• Apr 16 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva, Tip 2
• Apr 20 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva, Tip 3
• Apr 24 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 4
• Apr 26 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 5

A Celebration of Island Life to Benefit BIG ARTS at Ellington’s Jazz Club and Restaurant, The Royal Shell Companies

There was a celebration yesterday at noon until 3 pm at Ellington’s Jazz Club and Restaurant. The Royal Shell Companies organized a wonderful benefit for BIG ARTS. The afternoon featured a fashion show with local models, a live auction and raffles galore. “We are so pleased with the way the community has come together on this fundraiser for BIG ARTS,” stated Barbara Harrington with The Royal Shell Companies.

Models like Ric Base and Bridgit Stone Budd showcased island fashions from Adventures In Paradise, Island Girl Boutique, and Pelican’s Roost. While wearing beautiful jewelry from The Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry and William E. Wilson Fine Jewelry, the runway models looked more astonishing than usual because of Gina Barfield and her Mary Kay Cosmetics.

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1st Annual Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest on Sanibel Island at Timbers Restaurant and Fish Market for The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

This weekend was the 1st Annual Edible Mollusk Festival and Oyster Eating Contest held at Timbers restaurant and fish market. This event was to celebrate the unveiling of The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum’s new Mollusk exhibit and to raise awareness of edible mollusks. The day included fun for the whole family, a Dunk Tank, Oyster Exhibit, Kids face paining, games, crafts and a raffle to win a pearl shell necklace donated by Lily and Co. The main event was the “Oyster Eating Contest”! Everyone had a great time while eating as many oysters as possible. Click below to see people like Maureen Valiquette, Matt Asen, John Carney and other island celebraties eat countless oyeters in a short amount of time!

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Sanibel Fire & Rescue raised money for March of Dimes & CROW

Sanibel Fire & Rescue were able to raise $7850 for both March of Dimes & CROW. Each received a check for $3925 as you can see in the pictures. The firefighters are in the following order left to right; Tim Barrett, John DiMaria, Chris Jackson, John Griffith, and John Reitenbach. The Sanibel Fire & Rescue sold and still is selling their famous Sanibel & Rescue Yearly Calender.

The Royal Shell Companies Raised Money For PURRE

Above is Don Deluca and Randy Bacik presenting Mike Valiquette of PURRE with a check over $5,000! PURRE (People United to Restore our Rivers & Estuaries) headquartered on Sanibel was the beneficiary of this year’s car show. Held March 20th, The Royal Shell Companies 2nd Annual Tahitian Gardens Car Show raised $5241 for PURRE. PURRE is a non-profit organization whose mission is to insure that water quality in all of Southwest Florida continues to improve. “I am proud to support PURRE and all of their efforts. The islands are one of a kind and all of our continued support is critical to keeping Sanibel and Captiva a special place. We are lucky to have organizations like PURRE behind these great causes and will continue to support PURRE on their endeavors,” said Don DeLuca, Broker of Royal Shell and General Counsel of RLR Investments, LLC.

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Royal Shell Fashion Show Fundraiser for BIG ARTS

On Wednesday, April 21 The Royal Shell Companies host a Luncheon fashion show at Ellington’s Restaurant  1244 Periwinkle Way to benefit BIG ARTS.

The luncheon is from noon until 3 p.m. and costs $35 per person. Please RSVP to 239-333-3575 or eventrsvp@royalshell.com. This fun event features fashions, gems, art and experiences unique to our island lifestyle. We’re gathering some very fun activities together to add to the auction and raffles at this time.

“We’ve had a wonderful response from the business community on very short notice,” stated Barbara Harrington. This no doubt is because of the variety of high quality cultural events BIG ARTS brings to our community throughout the year. By emphasizing island business, residents and long term guests can reacquaint themselves with all Sanibel & Captiva have to offer. Many businesses are donating excursions and experiences along with beautiful items.

Donations for the auction and raffle are being accepted until April 14^th. To participate in this fun fundraiser, contact Barb Harrington at 239-472-2783. Watch for an update on participants and auction/raffle items in the next week.

The Royal Shell Companies are comprised of

• Royal Shell Preferred Properties (www.royalshellsales.com) a full service real estate brokerage,
• Royal Shell Vacations (www.royalshell.com) , vacation rentals providing travelers with quality guest accommodations for short and long term stays in single family homes and condos
• Royal Shell Property Management (www.royalshellpropertymgmt.com) association management.

Royal Shell offers homeowners all the conveniences necessary to get the most out of property ownership. 

Sanibel & Captiva Raising money for the United Way!

If you have been driving into Sanibel the last couple of weeks, you’ve seen this sign in front of the Sanibel – Captiva Chamber of Commerce. Sanibel and Captiva raised $275,00 for the United Way! That is truly amazing! Good job to everyone who had a part in that!

Sanibel’s Firefighters Present Checks to March of Dimes and CROW

The firefighters of Sanibel Fire Rescue District will be presenting checks to two local charities as a result of selling their popular “Firefighter Calendar”. The checks will be presented to representatives of March of Dimes and CROW at the regular monthly commissioner meeting held April 14, 2010 at 1:00pm, at Sanibel Fire Rescue Station One at 2351 Palm Ridge Rd.

Sanibel’s Firefighters took on the task to help support two wonderful causes the benefit two great aspects of their lives; kids and animals. The calendar sales were a tremendous success and there are still calendars available for purchase to help these two great charities.

Royal Shell holds the 2nd Annual Tahitian Gardens Car Show, Benefiting PURRE

Saturday was perfect for the 2nd Annual Tahitian Gardens Car Show on Sanibel. This island style event was open to all types of vehicles. Photographer Cameron Michael was there shooting the show that benefited PURRE (People United to Restore our Rivers and Estuaries). The Royal Shell Companies along with others did a wonderful job organizing this Sanibel Island Car Show. Be sure to click below to see more photos!

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Watching the earthquake coverage of Haiti, Sanibel resident and physical therapist Rachel Tritaik, like many, was deeply concerned.  Without adequate therapy and equipment, the thousands of earthquake survivors with amputations will face immeasurable challenges if they are unable to walk. “Close friends of mine, a prosthetist and a fellow physical therapist, will be travelling to Haiti this spring to volunteer with the organization Healing Hands for Haiti. After providing physical therapy services to many amputees in my career, I know how important appropriate walking aids are to being independent, so I’ve decided to organize a donation drive for mobility devices” says Rachel.  “Healing Hands for Haiti has provided rehabilitation services and educational programs in Haiti for 10 years.  They operated the only physical rehabilitation clinic in the country, and the clinic was 80% destroyed during the earthquake.”

Local Therapist Organizes Equipment Donation Drive for Haiti

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“Wave of Hope” Sanibel Beach Walk for Kids Cancer Care

The “Wave of Hope” Sanibel Beach Walk for Kids Cancer Care, hosted by the Sanibel~Captiva Optimist Club, will be held at Bowman’s Beach on Sanibel Island.

Join us for a 2k to 10k walk on one of Sanibel’s most spectacular beaches, featuring the live music styles of our very own Danny Morgan and Pittsburg Mike! Water and refreshments will be provided along the course and afterwards. Free parking for participants.
Cancer is still a leading cause of death in children under the age of 15, second only to accidents. The Sanibel~Captiva Optimist Club is proud to announce all proceeds from this event will benefit Barbara’s Friends – The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund at Lee Memorial Hospital. The Children’s Hospital is located within the Health Park Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida.

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“SANIBEL UNCORKED” 2010, WINTER WINE FESTIVAL, San-Cap Optimist Club, Sanibel Florida

The San-Cap Optimist Club held their second “Sanibel Uncorked” Winter Win Fest last evening. Held at Lily Co., there was at least four wine purveyors, each representing an excellent selection of wineries, varietals, and vintages were available to taste. All wines will be available for purchase at Bailey’s. A silent auction was held offering many fine prizes such as vacation packages, dazzling jewelry, restaurant gift certificates, local activities tickets, theater and concert tickets, works of art, gift baskets, outstanding merchandise – and of course many wines. For more information click  www.sancapoptimist.org. Proceeds went to benefit the health and educational needs of children.

p.s. If you would like emails of events like this, sign up to your left!

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Local Volunteers Leaving for Haiti, Looking for More Supplies

If you can help out, please contact: 239-848-5533 Elke Podlasek

Sea Fandango, Sanibel Sea School, Ocean Celebration and Fundraiser

Yesterday was the Sea Fandango for the Sanibel Sea School, the Ocean Celebration and Fundraiser. Drinks were served at 6:30pm and were followed by dinner, a video and a live auction. Giggles was the main sponsor, be sure to click here to see the new store! The Sanibel Charity Event, Sea Fandango, helped raise money for the Sanibel Sea School and it was a success thanks to the hard work by Bruce and Evelyn Neill!

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The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week. It truly has been a great week to be living or vacationing on Sanibel & Captiva this week. Below, we are taking a look back at what events we covered at the Sanibel Captiva Daily. Take some time and enjoy!

• Feb 14 – Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva, 27th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair Sanibel & Captiva, Fund Raising Sanibel & Captiva
• Feb 13 – The Number One Thing to Know about Sanibel Shelling
• Feb 13 – Sanibel – Captiva Chamber of Commerce After Hours, Royal Shell Preferred Properties
• Feb 12 – Incredible Savings This Weekend ONLY, Sanibel Day Spa
• Feb 12 – Valentines Ideas, Sanibel Island Cinema
• Feb 11 – Lunch at Twilight Cafe, Sanibel Florida
• Feb 10 – What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial Sanibel & Captiva?
• Feb 10 – Sanibel Beach, Sanibel Vacation
• Feb 09 – Valentine’s Dinner Dance, The Sanibel Community House
• Feb 09 – Award Winning Sanibel Restaurant, Courtney’s On Sanibel
• Feb 09 – Sanibel & Captiva Children’s Clothing Store, Giggles, Unique Kidz Boutique, Island Shopping, New Location
• Feb 09 – Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva, 27th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair Sanibel & Captiva, Raising Funds For Haiti Relief
• Feb 08 – Island Jazz and Dance Band at The Community House, Sanibel & Captiva
• Feb 08 – 27th Annual Rotary Club of Sanibel – Captiva, Arts and Crafts Fair, Community House
• Feb 08 – Birthday Spent on Sanibel & Captiva, Happy Birthday from the SanibelCaptivaDaily!
• Feb 07 – The Best Sports Bar and Restaurant on Sanibel Island, Biddles Bucket, Sunday Football

Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva, 27th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair Sanibel & Captiva, Fund Raising Sanibel & Captiva

The Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva started its Annual Arts and Crafts Fair held on the grounds of The Community House on Sanibel Island, Florida. The event marks the 27th year the club has conducted a juried fair of crafts persons and artisans on the island. The first day of the fair was a huge success! Over 100 artist have their tents set up with photography, jewelry, crafts, painting, sculptors and more! There is also a Chinese auction and silent auction with goods from local business. The Arts and Crafts Fair brought in several hundreds of people to Sanibel and Captiva, all who had a blast! There is something for everyone at this fair, be sure to check out the event today from 10am-5pm. Click below to see our photos from Max Soto. Come out and enjoy one of the biggest events of the year! Hope to see you there!

p.s. sign up for our emails to stay tuned for the video of Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva Annual Arts and Crafts Fair.

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Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva, 27th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair Sanibel & Captiva, Raising Funds For Haiti Relief

SANIBEL ROTARY CLUB PREPARES FOR 27TH ANNUAL ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR,
RAISING FUNDS FOR HAITI RELIEF EFFORTS

The Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva is gearing up for its Annual Arts and Crafts Fair being held on the grounds of The Community House on Sanibel Island, Florida. The event, coming this weekend (February 13th and 14th) marks the 27th year the club has conducted a juried fair of crafts persons and artisans on the island.

The fair includes 104 vendors selected from a pool of applicants and includes a multitude of artistic disciplines such as painting, woodcarving, sculpture and photography. Returning this year is renowned Sanibel artist Ikki Matsumoto. Mr. Matsumoto and his wife, Polly, have again generously donated a design for the fair’s commemorative t-shirt.  The shirts, available for sale at the fair, are a popular fixture of island attire.

This year marks a new endeavor for Rotarians as the fair has been expanded to include silent auction and raffle items from local businesses in an effort to raise additional funds for Haiti relief.  Among the items donated are a piece of fine jewelry from Congress Jewelers and a one week stay in a Sanibel beach condominium from VIP Vacation Rentals.

The Club hopes to raise in excess of $50,000 which will be used to benefit local organizations providing food and educational services, Rotary sponsored international projects providing clean water and polio immunization, and to maintain the Club’s two endowed university scholarships awarded to local students.  In addition, the Club intends to increase its effort to assist Rotary affiliated relief efforts for those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Click here to see the event from last year!

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“SANIBEL UNCORKED” 2010 WINTER WINE FESTIVAL, San-Cap Optimist Club

The San-Cap Optimist Club announces its second Winter Wine Fest called “Sanibel Uncorked!” This year it will be held on February 24th from 5 to 9 PM at the beautiful Lily Co., Jewelers, 520 Tarpon Bay Road, across from Bailey’s General Store where there is plenty of parking.

At least four wine purveyors, each representing an excellent selection of wineries, varietals, and vintages will be available to taste. All wines will be available for purchase at Bailey’s. This is a prime opportunity to taste many fine wines before you buy.

A silent auction will be held offering many fine prizes such as vacation packages, dazzling jewelry, restaurant gift certificates, local activities tickets, theater and concert tickets, works of art, gift baskets, outstanding merchandise – and of course many wines. Also available to patrons will be Lily Bucks, discount certificates from Lily Co.

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Sanibel American Legion Post 123

It was that time again, Sunday Fun Day at the Sanibel American Legion Post 123. With great food and great company, the American Legion Post 123 is on of the BEST places to be on any Sunday. Not to mention the Trouble Starters were playing! Check out the pictures from one of the best Sanibel Island photographers, Terry Waldorf!

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Captiva & Sanibel Community House, Dancing With The Islands’ Stars, The Big Night

The much awaited evening of the Dancing With The Islands’ Stars was big! Everyone at the Sanibel Community House was excited to watch the talk of the Island! The Community House members did a wonderful job managing such a large and important fundraiser! All of the sponsors for this event did an incredible job! The night seemed to go perfectly with lots of dancing, music, great food and entertainment!

If you were unable to be at the Sanibel Community House or one of the remote locations airing the event live, Billy Kirkland and Karen Bell won the awards! Karen won the peoples choice awards and Billy got the most votes for fundraising. Craig Albert, Karen Bell, Liddy Johnson, Linda Naton, Billy Kirkland, Susan Scott all did a WONDERFUL job! It was a close call for the winners! All of the people responsable for this evening thank the professional dancers from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Fort Myers, for teaching these Island Stars to do such a great job! Click below to see over 100 photos of the night from Max Soto.

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WOW! Must See Event! Dancing with the Islands’ Stars, The Community House

It was the dress rehearsal at the Sanibel Community House for the Dancing with the Islands’ Stars. We just have to say one word, WOW! All of the Island hype does not do justice! The Sanibel Community House has out done its-self, everyone had a wonderful time! This really is a Must See Event! We at the SanibelCaptivaDaily urge you to watch the dance competition at one of the four locations on Island that is broadcasting live! There are SO many surprises, we don’t want to give anything away, so…we are only showing you a taste of the event. Click below so see some of the photos!

The Grog Shop, Donate to the American Red Cross

Stop by the Grog Shop on Sanibel Island next time you need any wine or spirits and help out the American Red Cross by dropping some money off to at the register. The Grog Shop is kind enough to MATCH the $1,000 collected! So, do what you can and swing by donate a couple of bucks! Thank you Grog Shop for supporting the International Response for Haiti.

Dancing with the Islands’ Stars at the Sanibel & Captiva Community House

The much anticipated event of the year is happening this weekend! Dancing with the Island Stars’. Six Island Stars’ are competing for glory at the first dance competition held at the Community House. Big names like, Craig Albert, Karen Bell, Liddy Johnson, Linda Naton, Billy Kirkland, Susan Scott are the talented local dancers.

The dancers from Sanibel and Captiva are putting their skills to the test! They have all had extensive training from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructors from Fort Myers and have been matched up with professional dancer. The mood is intense for this Community House fundraiser; they have been training very hard since 2009. Be prepared to witness Island history as the competitors show off their skill and wardrobe!

The main night, Jan. 23 is already sold-out but there are 15 seats available for the rehearsal on Jan. 22. Be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible because they will being going very fast! Check out the Community House website or call 239-472-2155 to find out how to purchases your tickets!

If you cant make it to the event, you can watch the competition over a live feed at four other spots on the Island! This is going to be a night to remember! Be prepared for a wonderful event! Click below for the location and the forms to become a member!

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Sunday at the Sanibel American Legion Post 123

The Daily.com crew was at the Sanibel American Legion Post 123 for one of their amazing events. Like always, it was a great time. Robby Hutto was there playing and keeping everyone entertained! With live music and great food, the American Legion Post 123, was the place to be. Click below to see more photos by Cameron Michael.

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Captiva Restaurant, The Mucky Duck, Hosted The Trouble Starters for The Heights Foundation

Sunday was a great day at The Mucky Duck, on Captiva Island! The band, Trouble Starters, played live music for the crowd as delicious food and cool drinks were served to everyone there. Profits from the food and beverage sales went to The Heights Foundation. The Heights Foundation is a grassroots, hands-on organization that provides educational and life-changing opportunities for families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood of South Fort Myers. Click below to see how big of a success this afternoon was! Everyone had a great time while supporting a wonderful cause! Photos taken by Cameron Michael.

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The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week. It truly has been a great week to be living or vacationing on Sanibel & Captiva this week. Below, we are taking a look back at what events we covered at the Sanibel Captiva Daily. Take some time and enjoy!

• Jan 16 – Blind Pass Ecosystem Restoration Project, Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
• Jan 16 – Donate Blood, Save Lives
• Jan 15 – Florida Weather, Sanibel & Captiva
• Jan 14 – Susan Scott’s Dancing Stars Auction, The Community House, Dancing with the Islands’ Stars
• Jan 14 – The Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting, The Village Shops
• Jan 13 – Sanibel American Legion, Sanibel 8-Ball Pool League
• Jan 12 – The Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, The Village Shops, ShopOnSanibel.com
• Jan 12 – Island Jazz and Dance Band at The Sanibel Community House, Sanibel Entertainment
• Jan 11 – Island Jazz and Dance Band at The Community House, Sanibel
• Jan 11 – Larry Hahn, Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate

Donate Blood, Save Lives

With the devastation in Haiti, we can all help out. The American Red Cross is always looking for blood donors. Click here to find the nearest American Red Cross Blood Center. Please give the gift of life if you can!

Susan Scott’s Dancing Stars Auction, The Community House, Dancing with the Islands’ Stars

Sandy Kostick and Max Soto covered dancing star, Susan Scott, at her home for Susan’s Personal Creative Dancing Stars Auction. The event is for the much anticipated “Dancing with the Islands’ Stars” at The Community House. This fund-raising competition has all the Buzz on Sanibel Island and Captiva Island. Susan did an astonishing job and helped build even more hype for The Community House! Click below to see some of the photos from the evening. Photo Credit: Max Soto.

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Sanibel American Legion, SANIBEL 8-BALL POOL LEAGUE

The other night we went to the Sanibel American Legion to take a couple of photos of the pool tournament. Here are the current standings. Click below for more photos.

SANIBEL 8-BALL POOL LEAGUE 2009-10

Standings through January 11, 2010

Won    Lost

First        BUNT’S BALL BUSTERS       161       63

Second    ONE BALL WONDERS           102     122

Third       FRESH LEGION CREW           101     123

Fourth     SANIBEL CAFÉ                       84      140

January 11, 2010 Results

Bunt’s Ball Busters 10.  Sanibel Café 6

One Ball Wonders 8. Fresh Legion Crew 8

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The Rotary Club of Sanibel Captiva, Support of St. Marc, Haiti School

The St. Marc School in Haiti was started 30 years ago by the Missionary Baptist Church with only 45 students. It has now grown to over 1,000 grade school and Junior high school students. The school has a well respected curriculum with 18 college graduate teachers. In addition the school provides one meal a day of beans and rice to every student. For many of the students this meal is the only meal that they receive each day.

The Rotary Club of Sanibel Captiva is partnering with Missionary Enterprises, Inc headed by Harold & June Hanson, residents of Shell Point to provide $1,000 to purchase Beans and rice for the students at St. Marc School. The school ran out of food last month. Many of the students stopped coming to school. This money will purchase enough rice and beans to last to the end of the school year.

The Rotary Club of Sanibel Captiva has plans to take on more projects at St. Marc School. Some of these projects include providing water, restrooms, and washrooms. If you have any questions on this, further projects or would like to help out, contact Harold Hanson 239-481-1629 or Chet Sadler 239-472-7257.

The Best of Sanibel – Captiva Year Review, 2009

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week. It truly has been a great week to be living or vacationing on Sanibel & Captiva this week. Below, we are taking a look back at what events we covered at the Sanibel Captiva Daily. Take some time and enjoy!

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week. It truly has been a great week to be living or vacationing on Sanibel & Captiva this week. Below, we are taking a look back at what events we covered at the Sanibel Captiva Daily. Take some time and enjoy!

• Dec 06 – Day two of The First Annual Chix-N-Stix Ladies Fishing Tournament, Sanibel & Captiva Fishing
• Dec 05 – The First Annual Chix-N-Stix Ladies Fishing Tournament, Sanibel & Captiva Fishing
• Dec 05 – 25th Annual Luminary Festival on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Sanibel – Captiva Chamber of Commerce
• Dec 04 – The Mermaid Restaurant & Bar, Luminary Celebration
• Dec 03 – Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce, Christmas Tree
• Dec 02 – Local Residents Relaxing at the Thistle Lodge
• Dec 02 – Santa’s Workshop on the Luminary Trail, The Sanibel Community House, Luminary Festival
• Dec 01 – ISG, Internet Services Group of Florida, LLC
• Dec 01 – Sanibel Community House, ” Life on Old Sanibel”

Day two of The First Annual Chix-N-Stix Ladies Fishing Tournament, Sanibel & Captiva Fishing

Yesterday was, day two of the First Annual Chix-N-Stix Fishing Tournament! Teams started fishing at 7:00am and continued all the way to about 3:00pm! There was a little rain in the beginning of the day but that didn’t stop the ladies from catching all of the Lady fish they could! After the last bucket was brought in to weight, everyone enjoyed great food and drinks by Bahama Breeze while at Fish-Tale Marina. Once all of the teams got some food, Kristi Riley and Lacey Rush announced the all of the winners! The whole event was AMAZING and a TON of fun! Everyone did a great job putting this weekend together and helped support our troops through Operation Open Arms. Please click below to see just some of the photos from yesterday! More photos and the Video of the First Annual Chix-N-Stix Fishing Tournament will be posted later this week! So make sure to keep checking.

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The First Annual Chix-N-Stix Ladies Fishing Tournament, Sanibel & Captiva Fishing

Last night was a BLAST! The first annual Chix-N-Stix Fishing Tournament held their Anglers meeting at Fish-Tale Marina, they did an AMAZING job, especially given the weather! Kristi Riley and Lacey Rush did a FANTASITIC job putting this huge event together! There was a live and silent auction to benefit Operation Open Arms (supporting our troops www.operationopenarms.net) items included, vacation packages, fishing charters, jewelry, art, fishing equipment, baskets and more! Thank you to Bahama Breeze for the great food and an open bar! Below is just a taste of what it was like there last night, a video and more photos to come on Monday! Everyone get ready for today! The lines drop at 7:00am!

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The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week

The Best of Sanibel & Captiva From This Past Week. It truly has been a great week to be living or vacationing on Sanibel & Captiva this week. Below, we are taking a look back at what events we covered at the Sanibel Captiva Daily. Take some time and enjoy!

• Nov 28 – The Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at ‘Tween Waters Inn Island Resort, Captiva Island Holiday
• Nov 28 – Captain Joey Burnsed, Sanibel & Captiva Fishing
• Nov 28 – Do you know who this Island Local is?
• Nov 27 – Shop On Sanibel, Black Friday, Shopping Sales!
• Nov 26 – CROW’s “Giving Tree Festival”, Sanibel & Captiva Fundraising
• Nov 26 – Happy Thanksgiving Sanibel and Captiva!
• Nov 25 – Sun Harvest Citrus, Florida Oranges, Online Shopping
• Nov 24 – Great Sanibel Accommodations, Sanibel Holiday offers Sanibel Vacation Rentals
• Nov 24 – SanCap One Source Realty, Giving Back to the Community
• Nov 23 – New Moon Sailing, Sanibel & Captiva Sailing
• Nov 22 – Hulk Hogan, Sanibel Entertainment
• Nov 21 – Mermaid Restaurant and Bar for Sanibel Entertainment and Sanibel Jazz