Greater Pine Island Civic Association continues conducting post-Ian survey

It's been nearly nine months since Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage to the island community

The Greater Pine Island Civic Association is conducting a survey to assess how post-Ian recovery is going for members of Matlacha Isles, Matlacha, St James City, Pine Island Center, Pineland and Bokeelia

Please tell the GPICA how you're doing, whether you have unmet needs and what your most pressing concerns are. The organization will share this information with long-term recovery groups working on the island to demonstrate the community's needs in order to seek additional support and resources

Visit this link to take the survey -- https://forms gle/ vcHin7voo76m5fGx9

S p e c i a l n o t e : T h e G P I C A w i l l n o t s h a r e e m a i l addresses with any other group or agency unless you give us explicit permission to do so in the second question of the survey

Also note that the GPICA is only collecting names of those islanders who are seeking help from long-term recovery groups so that information can be passed on to recovery groups working on the islands

Pine Island Art Association, still alive and painting

Pine Island Art Association began offering painting classes over 50 years ago in the Greater Pine Island Civic Association (Elks Building) Hurricane Ian has brought the association back to the same area. The present building is located in the county park in Matlacha which has been unusable since Ian hit last September

The PIAA is fortunate to have classrooms at the Methodist Church just down the street from where the group began. Since Ian, PIAA artists have been working on hand-painted minis and they will be selling them at Mango Mania this July 15

For the last 50 years, the PIAA has held an art show and sale every February until recently interrupted first by COVID and then Ian The association is offering classes this summer at the Methodist Church on Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9 to noon PIAA has a more comprehensive offering of classes restarting in the fall

While the group has no idea when the regular building will be back, the members are encouraged that this will all happen

Legion Auxiliary, CPE-Project Hope to hold Ice Cream Social

Come join us for the old-fashioned Ice Cream Social, presented by the American Legion Auxiliary and CPEProject Hope This free event will be held Tuesday, July 11, from 1-3 p m , at the American Legion Post 136, located at 4106 Stringfellow Rd , St James City We will be serving up soft serve ice cream, bingo and a cake walk (Adult event only) Come join us for an old-fashioned good time

July From page 9 a good time, just make sure and do it safely for both the angler and the shark

To keep up on current fishing regulations, you can go to www myfwc com or download the Fish Rules app for the latest rules and regulations

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www fishpine island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live com

Have a safe week and good fishin’

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years