Island businesses enjoy chamber reopening celebrations

Recent opening events hosted by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce demonstrate the vigor of hurricane recovery and the breadth of its range

On Feb 24, a ribbon-cutting celebration took place at the Bell Tower in Fort Myers at the temporary relocation of Congress Jewelers Starbucks Coffee at Chadwick's Square on Captiva held its grand opening Feb. 28, while the Tower Gallery on Sanibel cut the yellow ribbon on March 2

In addition, the Bell Tower in Fort Myers recently d e d i c a t e d a L i t t l e F r e e L i b r a r y t o t h e C h i l d r e n ' s Education Center of the Islands on Sanibel, which lost all of its books during Hurricane Ian

After 40 years in business at the Periwinkle Place

Shops on Sanibel, Congress Jewelers was forced to move its store due to severe storm destruction Owners Scot and Melissa Congress reopened on Dec 2, leading a movement of now six Sanibel-based businesses to the Bell Tower to serve customers during the rebuilding of their island venues

“We are planning to open by Thanksgiving with a brand-new store in the same location at Periwinkle Place, being designed now,” Scot Congress, president of the family business, said

Strong pendants, with a portion of the proceeds from the collection shared with island non-profits F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva and the Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund Congress' philanthropy through the years has extended to other nonprofits, including the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club, BIG ARTS, “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge and Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, to name a few

“All of these charities are in our hearts,” he said “We have participated for decades We serve on their boards, run fundraising for them and each charity is for the locals ”

Strong

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Florida

Knowing their clients would want to play a role in the islands' rebuild, the Congresses had their jewelry designers create Sanibel Strong, Captiva

SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT

ABOVE: Fire Chief Kevin Barbot, fourth from left, and Mayor Holly Smith, sixth from left, each accept the Senators' Pride of Florida Award from Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, center, on behalf of the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District and city of Sanibel. LEFT: From left, Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Administrative Assistant Greta Fulkerson, F i r e C h i e f K e v i n B a r b o t a n d C o m m i s s i o n e r R i c h a r d McCurry.

City, Sanibel fire honored with award

Both the city of Sanibel and the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District were recently presented with the Senators' Pride of Florida Award by Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. Officials reported that the fire district was honored with the recognition for its servant leadership and service during Hurricane Ian Fire Chief Kevin B a r b o t , a l o n g w i t h C o m m i s s i o n e r R i c h a r d M c C u r r y a n d Administrative Assistant Greta Fulkerson, accepted the award on behalf of the men and women of the district who provide the highest level of pride and excellence to the island community every day