September 2016 Neapolitan Family

September 2016 neafamily.com

COMPLIMENTARY

18 Tips for Bringing the Arts Into Your Home Why Kids are Reading for Fun

2015 -1 Cove 6 Con r Gran test dP Winn rize er!

Your Child Our N

C ext W ould Be inner !

Irish Dancers Are Kicking It In Naples

Annual Arts Issue

NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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SEPTEMBER 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 20

in every issue . . .

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ON THE COVER

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

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REEL LIFE WITH JANE Movie reviews for the entire family

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COLLIER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATE

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RACHEL RECOMMENDS Book reviews for kids by a kid

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CITY CONNECTION City of Naples Parks Department News and Events

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Sunshine State Books. Most parents of public school kids in Florida know about Sunshine State Books. Find out how books make the list, and why kids love them. by Stacy Nicolau

The Arts 14

New Mom’s Corner. Art for Babies. Expose your child early to the joys of music, dance, and visual arts in our community.

by Anna Snyder

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Embracing the Arts. Here are 18 tips for bringing theater, dance, music, and visual arts into your home. by Lynn M. Dean

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The Arts Directory. Neapolitan Family advertisers in the arts offer art, dance, music, and theater classes for children and adults.

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Irish Dance. Naples boasts four Irish dance schools. Discover why local kids and parents love this centuries-old style of dance. by Leigh Ann Newman

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Art for Adults. Need more “me time” and want to express your creative side? Learn about the many local visual art classes for beginners. by Anna Snyder

on the cover…

t Giveaway f i G

Raelyn, age 2, is the daughter of Philip and Lauren Osborne. Raelyn is a spunky, very bubbly toddler who enjoys very active play, painting, dancing, but above all, being a big sister to her little brother.

Cover photo by Peggy Farren of Avant Garde Photography • (239) 263-7001

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NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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from the publishers… the parenting magazine devoted to collier county

P.O. Box 110656 Naples, FL 34108 info@neafamily.com Co-Publishers Stacy Nicolau advertising, marketing, social media, editorial snicolau@neafamily.com 239-370-5333 Leigh Ann Newman graphic design, accounting, editorial lanewman@neafamily.com 239-287-4221 Cover Photographer Peggy Farren

Editorial Submissions are welcome.

We reserve the right to edit, reject, or comment editorially on all material contributed. We cannot be responsible for return of any unsolicited materials.

Articles and advertisements in Neapolitan Family do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher nor does the publisher assume responsibility for statements made by our advertisers or editorial contributors. Acceptance of advertising by Neapolitan Family does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services, or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature.

Neapolitan Family is available free of charge at over 275 distribution points throughout Collier County as well as digitally at www.neafamily.com.

Neapolitan Family is ©2016 by Neapolitan Family Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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For the first time in 17 years, Andrea Breznay’s photo does not appear to the left. Instead, two new publishers stand at the helm of Neapolitan Family.

Leigh Ann Newman: When I moved to Naples in 2006, my daughter was 15 months old. I knew no one, and had visited Naples just once before. My little girl typically woke up at 5 a.m., and I discovered that Panera Bread was the only spot to get coffee before dawn, so we became frequent early morning visitors (along with other exhausted parents). That is where I picked up my first copy of Neapolitan Family, and discovered that there were, in fact, things to do in Naples with my toddler and that I wasn’t going to lose my mind. As my life changed over the years, so did my relationship with the magazine. I started a small business, and became an advertiser (I can’t tell you how many potential customers start a phone conversation with “I saw your ad in Neapolitan Family...”).

Then I started working part-time as a copy editor. Earlier this year, the opportunity arose to take over the magazine with Stacy Nicolau. A few crazy months later, here we are, publishing our first issue. The more I’ve learned about the magazine over the past few months, the more I’m in awe of the product that Andrea Breznay started from nothing, and I am beyond excited to continue to build on that foundation, while bringing my own voice to what has become a Naples institution.

Stacy Nicolau: I bought my first child’s first pair of “real” shoes in 2002. My daughter was a tentative walker but an amazingly adept crawler, so I headed to a local shoe store that was known for “properly fitted” children’s walking shoes.

After an exhausting experience of chasing her around the store and up and down the children’s fitting platform (you know the place), I paid for my purchase and grabbed my first issue of Neapolitan Family magazine which was strategically placed at the check out by the treasure box.

Each time I visited that store, the public library, or the pediatrician’s office, I knew I could find a new copy of Neapolitan Family, full of kid-friendly events and resources to help make parenting a bit easier. I relied on each issue to help me know what to do to keep my family busy, which preschools to consider, and eagerly awaited each annual summer camp directory that would ensure that our family would survive the hot summers in Naples.

A registered nurse by profession who also had a journalism degree, I submitted a writing sample to Andrea Breznay for consideration as a freelance writer for Neapolitan Family.

She (politely) turned me down. I continued to read the magazine anyway.

In 2011, reeling from a divorce and in need of some extra cash, I responded to an ad to sell advertising for Neapolitan Family and Andrea hired me. After a year, she finally published an article of mine. In the past five years, I have loved getting out in our community to help local businesses thrive and to write about local family issues. I have learned there is always something going on in Naples and that this is one of the friendliest and most giving communities I have ever lived in.

When Andrea decided it was time for her to move on, we formed this partnership to continue the magazine that has helped get us through the early years of parenting. We plan to continue to be the best resource for all families in Collier County for information, entertainment and community support. neafamily.com

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REEL LIFE WITH JANE

By Jane Louise Boursaw

Family Movie & DVD Reviews New movies in September for kids and teens include some cute family films, a few scary thrillers, and a remake of a classic Western. Here’s a sneak peek at all the new movies for kids and teens in August. Note that release dates are subject to change. heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and career. Clint Eastwood directs from a screenplay by Todd Komarnicki, based on the book “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters,”

by Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow. Also stars Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney.

STORKS

THE WILD LIFE Rated PG for mild action/peril and some rude humor In Theaters 9/9 • Ok for Kids 6+ Reel Preview: 3 of 5 Reels From the exuberant parrot Tuesday to the snack-obsessed tapir Rosie, things are largerthan-life on a tropical island that is a paradise for wild animals in this CG-animated family movie directed by Vincent Kesteloot. When Robinson Crusoe, a marooned human, arrives in the midst of a furious storm, their lives are forever changed by this bewildering new “creature.” No matter their differences, castaway human and quirky animals embark on a hilarious adventure to build a tree-house and survive together. But when two conniving members of the animal kingdom - savage cats Mal and May - pounce into a battle for control of the island, Crusoe and his animal posse must uncover the true power of friendship.

THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some sexual content In Theaters 9/2 • Ok for Kids 13+ Reel Preview: 3.5 of 5 Reels Based on M.L. Stedman’s debut novel and directed by Derek Cianfrance, this drama follows the story of Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender), who after four harrowing years

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on the Western Front, returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel (Alicia Vikander). Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God.” Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world - and their choices have devastated one of those people.

SULLY Rated PG-13 for some peril and brief strong language In Theaters 9/9 • Ok for Kids 13+ Reel Preview: 4.5 of 5 Reels On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain “Sully” Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being

Rated PG for mild action and some thematic elements In Theaters 9/23 • Ok for Kids 6+ Reel Preview: 3.5 of 5 Reels Storks deliver babies - or at least they used to.

Now they deliver packages for global internet giant Cornerstore. Junior, the company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly unauthorized baby girl. Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in the world. This cute family movie features an all-star voice cast, including Andy Samberg, Kelsey Grammer, Ty Burrell, and Jennifer Aniston.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Rated PG-13 for extended and intense sequences of Western violence, and for historical smoking, some language, and suggestive material In Theaters 9/23 • Ok for Kids 13+ Reel Preview: 4 of 5 Reels Director Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to the classic film released in 1960.

With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers, and hired NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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guns - Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN Not yet rated; likely PG In Theaters 9/30 • Ok for Kids 10+ Reel Preview: 4 of 5 Reels Directed by Tim Burton, this fantastical film is based on the best-selling novel by Ransom Riggs. When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.

Asa Butterfield, Eva Green, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Judi Dench, and Samuel L. Jackson star.

THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Not yet rated; likely PG-13 In Theaters 9/30 • Ok for Kids 13+ Reel Preview: 4 of 5 Reels This coming-of-age movie in the vein of “Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club” offers an honest, candid, often hilarious look at what it’s like to grow up as a young woman in today’s modern world. Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother Darian

(Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). All at once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until the unexpected friendship of a thoughtful boy (Hayden Szeto) gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all. Directed by Kelly Fremon, this movie also stars Kyra Sedgwick as Nadine’s wellmeaning but completely ineffective mother, and Woody Harrelson as Nadine’s history teacher, mentor and reluctant sounding board.

MASTERMINDS Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some language, and violence In Theaters 9/30 • Ok for Kids 14+ Reel Preview: 3.5 of 5 Reels In this action comedy based on true events and directed by Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite”), David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and a faulty heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash. The only problem? He foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers, who set him up to take the fall.

DEEPWATER HORIZON Not yet rated; likely PG-13 In Theaters 9/30 • Ok for Kids 13+ Reel Preview: 4 of 5 Reels Based on true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, this film chronicles the courage of those who

worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history.

Directed by Peter Berg, this movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Dylan O’Brien, Gina Rodriguez, and Kate Hudson.

BEFORE I WAKE Rated PG-13 for violent content and terror, including disturbing images Ok for Kids 14+ • In Theaters 9/9 Reel Preview: 3.5 of 5 Reels Directed by Mike Flanagan, this supernatural thriller follows a couple, Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane), who decide to take in a sweet and loving eight-year-old boy, Cody. Unbeknownst to them, Cody is terrified of falling asleep. At first, they assume his previous unstable homes caused his aversion to sleep, but they soon discover why: Cody’s dreams manifest in reality as he sleeps. In one moment they experience the incredible wonder of Cody’s imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of his night terrors. To save their new family, Jessie and Mark embark on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind Cody’s nightmares. Also stars Annabeth Gish and Jacob Tremblay.

JANE’S REEL RATING SYSTEM One Reel – Even the Force can’t save it.

Two Reels – Coulda been a contender Three Reels – Something to talk about.

Four Reels – You want the truth? Great flick!

Five Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

Jane Boursaw is the film critic and editor-inchief of Reel Life With Jane. Contact her at jboursaw@charter.net. Images used with permission of the studios and distributors.

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COLLIER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By Amanda Jackson, Communications & Community Engagement

Veterans Memorial Library Best in the USA

M

onths after winning the National School Library Program of the Year award, Veterans Memorial Elementary (VME) Media Specialist Marghe Cox says the honor still doesn’t feel real.

“We’ve known it since May, but I still wake up and think, ‘Wow, who would have thought?’ This is amazing. It is almost beyond belief,” she laughs. “It is the only award given by the American Association of School Librarians, and it’s national. It makes it more surreal.”

After an extensive application process, Cox received the award and with it $10,000 to help support VME library programs.

Although the award may have her name on it, she says this win belongs to the school.

“The award is a tribute to our teachers who appreciate the integration of the media center with their classrooms and participate in collaborative teaching, as well as our administration, parents, Parent Teacher Organization, and community as a whole who understand, participate, and

collaborate with us.”

But “it’s really about the students. I want every child to feel like they’re a part of this. I applied because of them. They’re the reason I love coming into work every day.”

She says they even handed out bookmarks to students that said, ‘I am a part of the School Library Program of the Year.’

After receiving the honor, Cox immediately entered research mode. Her goal was to use the money in a way that would influence student achievement in the longterm. She started the 2016-17 school year with two focuses for the award — purchasing more Playaway devices for the media center, and purchasing additional resources for their Makerspace.

“We are focusing a good part of the money on things called Playaways which are like an MP3 player and play a wordfor-word version of a book,” Cox explains.

“I’ve repacked our books so every student can check out a hard copy of the book and the Playaway. It’s based on research that

kids who read, see, and hear the print, it boosts their reading ability.”

Cox says she piloted the Playaways with some students last year and was thrilled to hear they loved reading the book along with the recording from the Playaway.

A Makerspace is a creative, DIY space where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. In libraries, they often have software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more that students can use. Although VME already has a space, Cox continued her research on the benefits of the area and determined handson learning experiences really are beneficial to students. She purchased additional resources so as kids are studying specific science concepts, they will not only read and hear about the subject but physically do an activity related to it.

Cox says it’s a work in progress but hopes when it’s all said and done, she’s left a media center that will continue to increase student achievement over time.

Third graders Reed Riashi, left, and Kyle Golden combine reading and playing in the National Library Program of the Year at Veterans Memorial Elementary in Naples.

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NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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RACHEL RECOMMENDS

Book Reviews

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

A

s you know my mother is taking co-ownership of Neapolitan Family with Stacy Nicolau and this is their first issue. In honor of my mom, I decided to review The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick.

Emma Hawthorne, Jessica Delaney, Megan Wong, and Cassidy Sloane are all members of The Mother-Daughter Book Club, started by their mothers. The club decided to pick one book to read over a whole year, and the first choice was Little Women.

Emma is the bookworm and best friends with Jess. Jess loves all animals on her farm and off, and is as shy as can be.

Cassidy recently moved to Concord, MA, from California, and loves to play her favorite sport, ice hockey. As a member of the Fab Four, Megan can be quite the snob, but she does adore all things fashion and had been good friends with Emma years ago.

My favorite setting in this book is at the house of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women. The Mother Daughter Book Club decided to visit Orchard House, Alcott’s home, because they were reading Little Women. I cherish this setting because it’s memorable, but it doesn’t come across to many people as important.

I love how Orchard House has things from Louisa’s childhood, not her adulthood. In the house they have information and artifacts regarding the entire Alcott

family. The house includes things such as Anna’s (Louisa’s sister) wedding dress, Louisa’s desk, a painting that Louisa’s other sister (May) painted for her, a piano belonging to another Alcott sister (Beth), and so much more.

Cassidy Sloan is my favorite character because she is not afraid to speak her mind and she’s not afraid to be herself. She defends her friends when they need it the most and she has a good sense of humor without going too far.

I identify most with Emma because she loves to read books and wants to be a

Is your child a reader?

We love Rachel Recommends, but we want to hear what other kids think about their favorite, and not-so-favorite, books.

Submit a book review of 500-750 words, and it may appear in print. Parents, no editing, please! The staff at Neapolitan Family will provide that service.

Send submissions to: info@neafamily.com 12

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writer. While Emma can sometimes be shy, she’s always up for a little fun.

I really liked how the book had real life problems and issues, because I love realistic fiction. Even though it hasn’t happened, it could happen. I also like how close all of the friends are.

I even liked that they included mean girls in the book, because Becca and the Fab Four (and sometimes Megan, because she was a member of the Fab Four) were the antagonists, and the other friends were the protagonists. There was fighting between the two groups, and I thought that really added a spark to the story.

It was really sad how Jess’ mom wasn’t home all of the time because she was acting on a soap opera in New York City, and how Jess was left to be the woman of her family, while her dad wasn’t really sure how to approach Jess. It was hard for her to be without her mother, especially as she was at a difficult age.

Megan’s mom, Mrs. Wong, loves the environment a lot and it really bothered Megan that her mom didn’t like her interest in fashion, and wanted her to be this person who was perfect at school and everything, and loved the earth.

Cassidy’s mom was a fashion model, which didn’t mix well with Cassidy’s love for hockey, and how she’s basically a tomboy. It would have helped if Mrs. Sloane was Megan’s mother!

Even though it’s been awhile since I read one of the books from this series, I remember each girl so well because the author made me feel like I knew them.

I would recommend this book to girls eight and older. Some words might be hard to read for girls younger than 8. If you are a girl who likes friendship drama, I think you would really enjoy this book.

RACHEL NEWMAN is 11 years old and in the sixth grade at Pine Ridge Middle School. She enjoys Irish dancing, flute, volleyball, and watching “I Love Lucy”.

NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

8/22/16 9:05 PM

Neapolitan Family Magazine and Mercato Present the 2016-17

Cover Kids Contest

We’re choosing 12 months of cover models.

This is your chance to see your child on the cover of Neapolitan Family Magazine during the next year!

Each of the 12 finalists will appear on a cover between November 2016 and October 2017.

The staff of Neapolitan Family Magazine will choose our 12 favorites and then readers will vote for the GRAND PRIZE winner!

The Grand Prize winner will win a Portrait package from Avant Garde Photography

Avant Garde Photography and Understand Photography

Check the website for entry fees, contest rules and deadlines.

Enter online at neafamily.com

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NEW MOM’S CORNER

By Anna Snyder

Setting a Strong Foundation for the Arts

W

Local Programs for Newborn to Two Years Old

hat are your goals for your children? When we look at our babies, we might picture academic success, contributions to society as a whole, college degrees, participation on sports teams, excellence in the arts – countless achievements come to mind. Overall, though, many of us want more than achievement for our children. We want our children to experience a full life, make wise decisions, and become decent human beings in the context of our constantly changing culture.

How do we accomplish these goals? For many of us, rich experiences within specific disciplines helped us grow and develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively, thereby setting a strong foundation for who we are as adults. Various academic, athletic, and artistic disciplines are a vehicle for accomplishing greater goals.

This month’s Neapolitan Family is focused specifically on the arts and its role in the lives of our families.

Building a strong foundation from a young age is vital, and it can be an overwhelming task, In searching for programs in the Naples area, I found several classes that introduce children ages 0-2 to various disciplines of the arts.

Kindermusik with Susie Offered at Covenant Presbyterian Church of Naples, Kindermusik with Susie utilizes a time-tested, research-based, holistic curriculum for children (and parents) ages 0-7. For families with babies and toddlers, parents attend class along with their children. Classes for 0-3 year-olds encourage social, cognitive, physical, emotional, and linguistic development. These classes involve rhythm, movement, listening to directions, and instrumental and vocal music.

Parents and children receive a percussion instrument, music CD, board book, and activity book for integrating principles and skills at home. The sessions and classes progress as children progress in their development. “The Kindermusik curriculum was developed by a team of specialists — musicians, educators, psychologists,” says Kindermusik Director Susan Rodriguez. “I love the program because I see it as an education for parents in why we do what we do in class. It is especially beneficial for new moms as they see their little ones develop.”

“Kindermusik gave my son and I a shared experience,” comments Julie, a Naples mom of two. “We could recreate pieces of this experience at home. After playing with anything, we sing a clean up song that indicates it is time to put away toys. We do that now at home, and because my son watched other children do it, he knows how to, and eagerly participates in cleaning up at home.”

Another Naples mom of two, Amanda, also enjoyed participating in the Kindermusik program with her first daughter and plans to enroll with her second daughter. “I loved being able to do the class with my daughter. There aren’t very many programs available for babies that age. I loved how Ms. Susie incorporated sign language into what we were doing. Even at such a young age, my daughter 14

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caught on, and we used those tools at home.”

For more information, visit www.kindermusikwithsusie.com.

My Gym My Gym Naples is a children’s fitness center with classes that encourage physical, cognitive, and emotional development for children six weeks to 13 years old. The classes incorporate music, dance, relays, games, gymnastics, and other activities.

My Gym Naples has three classes for children ages 0-2: one NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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each for ages six weeks to six months; seven months to 13 months; and 14 months to 22 months. Each of these classes has unique goals for the children, along with information and activities parents can utilize at home. A number of skills are introduced: stretches, exercises, songs, dances, balancing, agility skills, and introductory tumbling. Fine and gross motor skills development is integral throughout the program.

Babies and toddlers enjoy social interaction and introduction to music, movement, and gymnastics activities. The benefits of the classes reach beyond the children, though. “Parents enjoy their time bonding with their little ones, as well as creating bonds with other parents,” says Carly Bogen, director of My Gym Naples. “Forming friendships with other parents is a bonus for our members.”

Bogen notes that the program helps set a firm foundation for performing arts. “Children have so much fun as they gain strength, balance, coordination, agility, and flexibility while developing social skills, confidence, and self-esteem. Our programs focus on each step of development in these areas as an essential building block toward becoming a happy, healthy, well-adjusted human being.”

For additional information, visit www.mygym.com/naples.

House of Gaia Offered each Thursday at House of Gaia, Soul Art is designed for children aged 18 months to five years old.

Parents attend class with their children, and all participants experience various aspects of creativity and connectivity, including drama, arts, movements, and music.

“The class changes every week,” says Salima Silverman, assistant director at House of Gaia, a non-profit community and learning center in Naples. “Each class focuses on creative expression. There is a drama-based warm up that involves movement and directive play. Children and parents move onto the art room, where they work on a single art project over the course of seven weeks.”

Parents enjoy the peaceful atmosphere alongside of their children. “Parents have a unique opportunity during class to play with their children in a carefree environment.,” she comments. “Spending time with your child in this type of atmosphere is so precious. The children are always laughing. The class is outrageously fun! It is a great time for the children, as well as their parents.”

Says Silverman, “It’s really important to have

You may sign up for both Mondays and Wednesdays!

this level of connectivity [between parents, children, the community, and the arts] within Soul Art, and I hope we can offer more classes like this in the future.”

For further information, visit www.houseofgaia.org.

Dance Arts by Maria For children 18 months and older who are able to walk, the Mommy and Me dance class at Dance Arts by Maria is a fantastic introduction to basic first level dance. The class is taught by Maria Ellis, owner and director of the studio. Parents stay with their children, who learn concepts and skills such as following a leader, basic dance moves, creative movement, and taking turns.

“My goal for the little dancers is to eventually not need or want mom or dad in the room,” Ellis says. “Ideally, they will progress through the exercises — at first needing help with the movements, and then having the capability to do the movements on their own.

Parents get really into it, too! They need to be involved, particularly in the beginning, but once they realize we’re not making the children do splits or leaps, they usually relax and enjoy themselves.”

“Mommy and Me was a time for my daughter and I to enjoy structured fun,” comments Ashley, a Naples mom of two. “The girls learned a lot while playing together. My daughter loved the princess songs, playing with scarves, and being active. I could have my newborn in a baby carrier and still have quality time with my toddler, which I enjoyed. I also loved that I could be with her and prepare her for the next season of dance.”

Ultimately, Ellis wants her littlest students to be excited about what they are learning, and to express that excitement to others. “When a parent comes back and says their kids are showing friends and family members their steps and movements, then we know we have reached our goal, and that they are processing what we are teaching.”

For additional information, visit www. naplesdancearts.com.

Covenant Church of Naples Mom’s Morning Out Providing a loving environment for children while offering mothers and fathers a needed break

Mondays and Wednesdays 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Ages 2 Years to 4 Years

by August 1 Covenant Church of Naples 6926 Trail Blvd., Naples, FL 34108

239.597.3464

2016 Fall Session 2

Monday Sessions start on October 3

Wednesday sessions start on October 5 You can choose one or both days!

Hurry! Space is limited.

For more information or to register your child visit www.covenantnaples.com NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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CITY CONNECTION PARKS DEPT. by Laura Tichy-Smith

Still Cool as School Starts

Enjoy September with your family at these programs and events offered by the City of Naples Community Services Department and local organizations.

Free National Museum Day Come to the Naples Depot Museum for National Museum Day. Take a tour of Naples’ first passenger train station, ride a miniature railroad, and join in a full day of lively educational activities for both adults and children. Sponsored by the Friends of the Collier County Museums. Saturday, September 24 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, call 239-262-6525.

(1051 5th Ave. South, Naples) Afterschool Solutions The Adventures and Gymnastics Club at Fleischmann Park offers great fun with many activity choices for your child at this afterschool club hosted by an energetic,

CEDR 1003 NeaFamily 1-4 pg Horiz.4_Layout 1

well-trained staff. Your child will participate in gymnastics and sports fitness classes as well as daily homework and enrichment time. Monday to Friday 2:45 p.m.-6 p.m. (also open on all early release days). Call 239-248-6122 for prices, dates, and registration (inquire for partial-week rates).

(1600 Fleishmann Blvd., Naples) Take a Class Fleischmann Park boasts a variety of classes and sports leagues for adults and children, including kids as young as three or four.

Offerings for children include gymnastics, ballet, soccer, baseball, golf, tennis, martial arts, flag football, cheerleading, modeling and charm. Adult offerings include line dancing, tap dance, GiGi Rocky Gong, Zumba, folk dance, belly dance, Irish dance, dog obedience, fitness boot camp, softball, flag football, ultimate Frisbee, racquetball, and table tennis. Call 239-213-3020 for more information. (1600 Fleishmann 2/18/13 9:45 AM Page 1 Blvd., Naples)

I love my

Empowering and inspiring children to reach their potential with: - Programs for 6 months to 6 years of age with full or parttime days - Florida VPK programs & Private chef’s delicious full meal program - Residential campus setting with 2-large play yards and much more

Call today for a campus tour: 239-597-7190 www.cedarmontessori.org e-mail: office@cedarmontessori.org

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Come On In, The Water’s Free!

The River Park Aquatic Center is open.

Featuring fun for everyone from tiny tots to serious swimmers, pool admission is free to residents of Collier County. The kids will love the beach-like shallow end with play fountains, dump buckets and water slide, while the grownups will enjoy the lap swimming exercise lanes and sunbathing deck. Parents will rest assured their children are in good hands with the American Red Cross certified lifeguards on watchful duty.

Current hours are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m.-5 p.m. For additional information, call 239-213-3040.

(451 11th St. North, Naples) Free Summer Jazz Concert Join the tradition of the once-a-month summer lawn parties that the whole city loves as the Naples Beach Club Hotel hosts its Summer Jazz Series from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 24. You can bring folding chairs for your family, but you likely won’t be sitting much as you boogie to the dynamic music from the Tampa band Late Night Brass! Food and beverages available for purchase from the hotel. Overflow parking is available at Lowdermilk Park. For additional information, call 239-435-4345. (851 Gulf Shore Blvd. North, Naples) the things he sees are not just remembered, they form a part of his soul.

Maria Montessori

inspiring the love of learning since 1984 NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Salt Warriors Teams Up With Local Charities to Host Beach Bash and Buddy Walk

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alt Warriors is a nonprofit organization founded by three friends with “a passion for fitness and helping our local community,” according to the group’s website. Salt Warriors partners with local charities and non-profit companies to create and operate unique events with all proceeds the charities.

These events inspire people to get involved in supporting local charities and local non-profits, raising money and awareness for each of their specific missions.

These events can range from fun runs and adventure races, to stand up paddle boarding events and dodgeball tournaments on the beach.

Upcoming events include Kaikoa’s Beach Bash on September 10 at Lovers Key State Park. It’s a family friendly event featuring food, live music, craft beer, beginning paddle board lessons, paddle

board yoga, a kids zone with sand castle building, and painting on the beach. All proceeds go to Caleb’s Crusade and The Kira Foundation, two non-profits who are advocates for childhood cancer.

Strolling 4 Lily’s will take place on October 8 at Lakes Regional Park in Fort Myers. Participants choose between a one-mile or 2.1-mile course. It’s a buddy walk and fun for the entire family.

All proceeds go to Lily’s Playhouse of SWFL, a non-profit whose mission is to bring awareness to Down Syndrome.

For more information, visit www.saltwarriors.org.

Love That Dress! and Help Pace Center for Girls-Collier

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he Sixth Annual Love That Dress! event benefiting PACE Center for Girls-Collier will take place Thursday, September 1st, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., at Naples Grande Beach Resort, followed by the After Party at Burn by Rocky Patel at Mercato.

Tickets are $30 per person and are available online only at www.

LoveThatDress.org.

More than 500 fashionistas and a few brave men will stake their claim on thousands of new or gently loved dresses and handbags, bid in the lavish silent auctions, and enjoy camaraderie and cocktails with friends. Guests can shop over 3,000 dresses priced between $10 and $40 dollars. Love That Dress! is expected to raise over $100,000 to help abused, neglected, and abandoned teenage girls served by PACE.

Dance Classes

for all Ages!

Why choose us?

1. Facilities - Our professional sprung dance floors reduce fatigue and prevent injuries.

2. No Fund Raisers - Students or parents

are never required to fund raise for studio events.

3. Family Plans - We make dancing

oo t t o ll n ster! i t s It’s o regi t late visit us at

www.bdaNaples.com

affordable for families with more than one child.

4. Family Friendly - We are very sensitive to age appropriate music, costumes and dances.

5385 Jaeger Rd Naples, FL 34109

239.566.3535 NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Now booking

Character Parties design rev 3a

All designs, prints, and prototypes belong to Rocco Creative and are copyright.

They are not to be used for any other purposes other than those approved by RoccoCreative, LLC.

Make your event special with a visit from your favorite Princess or Superhero!

We offer spa services for kids including haircuts, manicures, pedicures, birthday parties and much more!

13040 Livingston Rd #16, Naples, FL 34105

(239) 287-4066 • lollipopskidsspa.com

(239)

597-2343

Announcing The Opening Of

The Whole Child Learning Center Florida virtual or Homeschool students!

We are a team of clinicians and educators offering a safe environment for your FL virtual or homeschool student to learn executive functioning, social, and coping skills. In the right environment, your child can exceed his/her current output and learn the skills needed to be highly successful. We will follow your IEP or 504 plan! Your child can stay after school for remediation (private pay) with your staff or ours, if needed.

Sessions Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 9am-3pm • $600 Monthly • Social skills • Weekly individual session • Executive functioning • Weekly social/emotional report card • Emotional regulation • Weekly OT consult (sensory and motor) • YMCA trips twice a week to practice sportsmanship (membership required)

5495 Bryson Dr., Suite 423 Naples, 34109 (behind the YMCA) Audra Boxma LMHC, NCC, CCMHC,CART Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Supervisor Julie Mckenzie OTR/L Licensed Occupational Therapist • Kathleen Meyerson MS

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David Lawrence Center Expands Children’s Art Therapy Program; Launches Positive Choices Group

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he David Lawrence Center is expanding its current art therapy program in its Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit with a $2,500 grant from the Naples United Church of Christ. The program will be held three times a week rather than just twice a month, nearly quadrupling the number of children able to participate in this program, offered on the inpatient mental health unit where children experiencing a psychiatric crisis receive brief voluntary and involuntary evaluation and treatment. Children stay an average of three days on the unit.

Art therapy sessions are conducted by an independent registered art therapist and mental health counselor and utilize the therapeutic use of art to help children who experience emotional difficulties, mental illness, trauma, or life challenges. The creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps children resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, achieve insight, elevate mood, and increase self-esteem and self-awareness.

The goal of the art therapy program is to improve the child’s ability to communicate emotional distress, rebuild a sense of trust, decrease sense of isolation, increase self-expression, provide and reinforce emotional regulation skills, and increase the child’s sense of well-being while on the unit.

David Lawrence Center CEO Scott Burgess adds, “We are very pleased to partner with Naples United Church of Christ on the expansion this holistic art therapy program. Their support will help advance our strategic priorities to enhance community collaborations and partnerships; grow child and adolescent services; expand development efforts and financial resources as well as utilize innovative clinical programming to help more children in need. We are truly blessed to have their organization’s continued investment in our mission.”

Naples United Church of Christ raises grant funding through its Bargain Box Resale Shop and donations from its congregation and volunteers. For additional information, visit www.naplesucc. org.

The Center also currently is accepting registrations for its Making Positive Choices Youth Prevention Group, a psycho-educational series that helps adolescents (14-18) who are experiencing difficulties making choices that support a healthy lifestyle to take their lives in the right direction.

The program educates participants on the value of good health, positive decision making, recognizing risk-taking and substance abuse, understanding how the media impacts personal health, improving family communication, building healthy relationships, and managing stress, anger, and other emotions.

Eight biweekly sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30-5:00 p.m., starting September 6 at 2806 Horseshoe Drive. The cost is $75. For additional information, please call 239-263-4013.

NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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CCPS Providing Dinner for Students at 14 Schools in District

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chool children attending afterschool programs at 14 schools in Collier County are receiving a free hot evening meal, courtesy of the Afterschool Meals Program sponsored by Collier County Public Schools (CCPS).

Principals at these schools recognized the need for such a program last year, according to Dawn Houser, director of Nutrition Services at CCPS. Children in the afterschool programs already were receiving a free snack, but “the principals felt the children would do better if they were offered a hot dinner, not just a light snack,” she says.

To qualify for the program, a school must offer an afterschool educational program and have a certain percentage of needy families, Houser says. However, children do not have to be enrolled in the afterschool program to receive a free meal.

“We’re hoping that it will encourage families to enroll their

children in the educational opportunities we are providing,” she says.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this program. It really meets a need,” Houser adds. “The principals are happy, the children are happy, and the parents are happy.”

The CCPS schools participating in the Afterschool Meals Program are: Avalon Elementary School Big Cypress Elementary School Calusa Park Elementary School Corkscrew Elementary School Estates Elementary School Golden Gate Elementary School Lely Elementary School

Girls on the Run is a curriculum based, after-school character development program designed for 3rd – 5th grade girls of ALL fitness and ability levels. The 10-week curriculum inspires each girl to find and stay true to her REAL self. Groups of 8 to 12 girls meet twice a week with their trained, volunteer coaches to discuss important life lessons while playing fun running games. Girls on the Run emphasizes independent thinking, making healthy choices, positive group dynamics and problem solving. Every girl is encouraged to be her best self.

The program finishes with the girls running or walking in a 5k. Some lessons include finding what makes them unique, active listening skills, assertiveness skills, teamwork, how to deal with peer pressure and bullying, and how to give back to their community through a service project.

Naples Park Elementary School Parkside Elementary School Poinciana Elementary School Sabal Palm Elementary School Golden Gate Middle School Manatee Middle School Golden Gate High School

Join the fun, sign up for the Fall Season!

Program Dates: 2x/week, September 26th – December 17th Online registration opens August 29th • Registration Fee $150 – Scholarships Available CURRENT FALL SITES: Avalon Elem: T/TH 3-4:30 ** • Boys & Girls Club: M/W 3:45-5:15 Corkscrew Elem: T/TH 3-4:30 • Lake Park Elem: Days: T/Th 3-4:30 Laurel Oak Elem: T/TH 3-4:30 ** • Osceola Elem: T/TH 3-4:30 Palmetto Elem: T/TH 3-4:30 • Parkside Elem: M/T 3-4:30 Pelican Marsh Elem: M/W 3-4:30 ** • Sea Gate Elem: T/TH 3-4:30 ** Shadowlawn Elem: M/TH 3-4:30 • Vineyards Elem. Days: M/W 3-4:30 ** Tommie Barfield Elem: T/TH, 3-4:30 ** Community School of Naples: M/W 3:15-4:45 **Coaches still needed for some sites. Coaches do not need to be runners, just positive mentors. Volunteer hours available for high school students.

Please contact christine.mcconnelee@girlsontherun.org.

For more information vi

For more information visit: www.GOTRCC.org or call (239) 777-3720 NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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EDUCATION

By Stacy Nicolau

Sunshine State Books:

Encouraging Kids to Read for Fun

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ibrary advocate and author of The New Librarianship Field Guide, R. David Lankes describes librarians or media specialists as being “change agents” in a community rather than being just neutral curators. Florida school librarians, in conjunction with the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) and the Florida Department of Education, strive each year to engage and open the minds of students by encouraging them to read from the list of Sunshine State Young Readers Awards (SSYRA). If your children go to school in Florida, chances are they participate in this program.

Facilitated through the schools, the purpose of the SSYRA Program is to encourage a love of reading for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, while improving fluency. According to FAME, the Sunshine State books are chosen for their wide appeal, literary value, varied genres, curriculum connections, and multicultural representa-

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tion. In order to be considered, the book must have been copyrighted in the past three years. No more than three books on the list are available only as hard bound to keep the cost of reading low, and the content must be age appropriate. Students, parents, teachers, and librarians can nominate books, which are then voted on by the SSYRA Committee of 20 librarians.

Giving students a choice “Our students read for many reasons in school, and often read books that are assigned to them,” explains SSYRA Committee Chairperson Jenn Underhill.

“SSYRA encourages students to choose what they want to read. They only need to read three of the 15 books in order to vote for their favorite in the spring. As a committee, we try to create a list that has something for every reader. We hope that no matter what a student’s interests are, they will find at least three books on the SSYRA list that excite them,” she says.

Last year, the SSYRA Jr. Program was added to engage Florida’s youngest readers.

This year’s Chairperson and Sea Gate Elementary School’s Media Specialist Laurie Arnez says that she is excited about the 10 picture books and five beginning chapter books that were chosen.

Arnez reads the picture books aloud to all of the kindergarten and first graders during their library story time, and she purchases copies of the chapter books for the more independent readers to enjoy at home. Her favorite “read aloud” book this year is I Yam a

Donkey, by CeCe Bell. “I laugh every time I read this one,” she says. It’s a “great way to play with grammar.”

Getting the vote While the ultimate reward for reading at least three books is the opportunity to vote on one winner, school media specialists can offer students other incentives to reach their goals. Arnez gives out charms for the students to collect as they complete each book and they can attend a party at the end of the school year. If a student finishes all 15 books, he or she is invited to speak about their favorite book on the school’s morning news.

What the students really enjoy, she says, is getting to vote for their favorite in real election booths provided by Collier County election officials. Arnez also keeps older SSYRA titles on display in her library for avid readers to discover.

Pine Ridge Middle School Media Specialist Beth Lindenmeyer points out that several of this year’s middle school selections are part of a series and encourages students to start with the first book in that series. While the middle school doesn’t offer a reward system based on completion of the list, they do encourage students to read at least three titles so they can participate in the vote in March.

Regarding the genres of this year’s nominated books, Lindenmeyer likes that many of the selections are realistic fiction, offering mystery and suspense rather than the dystopian themes in years past.

While students are encouraged to read as many of the SSYRA books as possible, students may want to start off with the selections that closely match their interests.

Here are some recommendations: SSYRA Grades 3-5 The student who loves pets and animals may want to start off with The Pet War, by Allen Woodrow, which is about a family’s competition to determine what NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books Grades 3-5

Grades 6-8:

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

*All Fall Down by Ally Carter

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman

*Bot Wars by J.V. Kade

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Dinosaur Boy by Cory Putman Oakes

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile by Marcia Wells

Frenzy by Robert Lettrick

Fish Finelli: Seagulls Don’t Eat Pickles by E.S. Farber

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

*Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

Gabby Duran and the Unsittables by Daryle Conners and Elise Allen

The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

The Pet War by Allen Woodrow

Nickel Bay Nick by Dean Pitchford

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures

by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood

The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days

by Michele Weber Hurwitz

Serafina’s Promise by Ann Burg

*The Tapper Twins Go To War (With Each Other) by Geoff Rodkey

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John

Turn Left at the Cow by Lisa Bullard

The Worm Whisperer by Betty Hicks

*The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry

*These books are part of a series. For more information about the books and the SSYRA programs go to www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra.html

type of pet they will be allowed to have.

Fantasy fiction fans will enjoy reading about a clinic for magical creatures in Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures, by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater, or take an intergalactic journey while babysitting the galaxy’s toughest extraterrestrials in Gabby Duran and the Unsittables by Daryle Conners and Elise Allen.

Life lessons about bullies and empowerment are themes explored by Dinosaur Boy by Cory Putman Oakes, Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff, and Fish Finelli: Seagulls Don’t Eat Pickles by E.S. Farber.

Who doesn’t love a great mystery?

Wannabe sleuths can dig into Eddie Red

NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile

by Marcia Wells.

Learning to fit into a new culture while dealing with adversity are the challenges faced in Serafina’s Promise by Ann Burg and Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood.

The unique challenges of dyslexia combined with a talent for art and math are explored in Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt explores .

SSYRA Grades 6-8 Historical fiction fans can be taken back in time to experience the impact of World War II on three different boys in Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan or fast forward to a fictional World War III with Tom,

a space-age warrior, in Insignia, by S. J. Kincaid.

Teens embarking on life-changing journeys are a common theme this year in Turn Left at the Cow by Lisa Bullard, The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry, and The Honest Truth by Dan Geminhart.

Basketball, hip-hop, jazz and poetry are woven together in The Crossover, by J.V. Kade.

Teens love to challenge authority, and there are plenty of conspiracy theories and good versus evil themes in selections such as The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke, The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin, and Frenzy by Robert Lettrick.

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THE ARTS

By Lynn M. Dean

Help Your Family Embrace the Arts 18 Tips for Bringing Home Art, Music, Dance & Theater

T

he arts add so much to our everyday lives, both aesthetically and intellectually. Studies have shown that children who participate and experience the arts have improved reading, writing, and math skills.

Our job, as parents, is to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to us, cocoon our family in the arts, and make the arts a part of our everyday lives. Here are some ways you can do just that.

Music and Dance • Fill your home with all types of music, from classical to opera to jazz to pop.

•

•

Enjoy music as you dust, clean the bathrooms, or pick up toys. Feel the music through dance. Whirl your toddlers around the room to your favorite pop songs. Play movement games.

Open a music box now and then.

Provide various types of musical instruments for your children to play with – kazoos, harmonicas, keyboards, and recorders. Help them create “instruments” of their own: oatmeal-box

wall spaces in your children’s rooms provide. Remember to hang their artwork, too.

drums, tissue-box guitars, paper-plate tambourines, pot-lid cymbals, and water-glass bells.

•

Attend a variety of musical performances from concerts to recitals, the symphony to a barbershop quartet.

Take advantage of the many free opportunities available locally.

•

Support your children’s desire to formally study music if it appeals to them. Consider piano or violin lessons. Encourage them to try out for the church or school choir.

•

•

Look for art in the world around you.

It’s everywhere – in the books you read to your children, on posters hanging in the doctor’s office, on the walls of your place of worship. Point out these examples and discuss them with your children.

•

Indulge in a deluge of sensory images by visiting art museums and galleries.

Show your children the different styles of artistic expression and how each has come into vogue during different eras in history. Compare, for example Renoir and Picasso. Don’t forget that you can visit museums and galleries around the world virtually.

•

Buy books about art. Read about famous and not-so-famous artists. Explore art through the ages. Introduce your children to art and artists from around the world.

•

Encourage your children to produce their own works of art. Provide crayons, markers, colored pencils, paints, chalks, paper, and canvas. Don’t forget play dough and craft clays. Help them “think outside the lines.”

•

Enroll your children in arts activities available at local museums and other venues listed in Neapolitan Family.

Include dance in your selections. From ballet to tap dancing, ballroom dancing to square dancing, hip hop to the two-step, all help children develop skills important for future learning.

The Visual Arts • Surround your family with art. Hang paintings, pictures, photos, and sculptures on the walls of your home.

Don’t overlook the opportunities the

The Theater • Bring the theater home. Together with your children, make a puppet theater using sheet hung on a tension rod in a doorway. Encourage them to “write” and then produce plays using their stuffed animals as the star performers.

• Act out children’s books. As you read, change your voice with each character or ask your children to read the other character’s “parts.” Look for published 22

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plays designed to be “put on” by kids such as those available in the American Girls series.

•

Dress up as favorite characters from children’s books. Act out the scenes and stories you remember.

•

Tell stories. Storytelling is the first step before writing in the play writing process. Talk about things that happened to you as a child. Encourage your children to share their favorite family stories, too.

•

Support your children’s theatrical efforts at school. Assure them that all roles are important to the outcome of the play – not everybody can be the star. Volunteer to help.

•

Select a few theatrical events to attend with your children during the year.

Discuss upcoming shows together and decide which sound the most interesting. Look for those productions designed to entertain children.

•

Encourage young actors to try out for

plays. There are many opportunities for children in our community. Look for them in the arts listings on page 38.

The arts are everywhere. Once we recognize them, it’s easier for us to embrace

them and make them an inherent part of our everyday lives.

Lynn M. Dean, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist, writer, and mother of three.

8:30am - 2:30pm Extended Hours Available 2535 Northbrooke Plaza Dr. Naples, FL 34119 (Across from Super Target)

(239) 593-6668 www.childmont.com License # C20CO0018

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sunday

5

4

8:00 a.m. Farmer’s Market. Fresh and local goods including seafood, flowers, honey, vanilla, coffee & teas, hot crepes, artisan breads, produce, handmade crafts and more. Located at Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Road, Naples. Call 239-992-0311 or visit www.floridastateparks.org.

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10:30 a.m. Family Open House. Join us for a Family Open House following our 10:30 a.m. service. Located at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Great Naples, 6340 Napa Wood Way, Naples.

Call 239-455-6553 or visit www.uunaples.org for more information.

2:00 p.m. Early Release Day Make and

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1 0 : 0 0 a . m . B a b y 6:15 p.m. Skin Care 5:00 p.m. Teen Book 5:30 p.m. First Day Parent Rhyme Time. a n d M a k e u p f o r Crew. Where have all the of Autumn at Head-

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6:00 p.m. Roald Dahl Day at Headquarters Library. Celebrate the 100th birthday of Roald Dahl with a craft, activities, and a treat. Ages 5-11 years.

Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Drive, Naples. Call 239593-0870 or check public. collier-lib.org for additional information.

9:00 a.m. Munchkin Monday. Special playtime for babies and toddlers two years and under to enjoy our play areas all to themselves. $10 for one child, $5 for siblings. No children over two years permitted until 10:00 a.m. Located at Whiz Kids Play Zone and Tutoring Center, 1050 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples.

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6:00 p.m. Parents Night Out. Kids will enjoy a variety of games and activities in a safe environment. Dinner will be provided. $20. Located at Vineyards Community Park, 6231 Arbor Rd., Naples.

Call 239-363-9669 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

3:30 p.m. Trouper the Raccoon at Golden Gate Library. Meet Trouper, the blind raccoon, and Miss Dot, Trouper’s caregiver. Learn about Trouper’s survival from animal cruelty.

Located at Golden Gate Library, 2432 Lucerne Road, Naples. Call 239-252-4542 or check public.collier-lib. org for details.

3:30 p.m. Bits and Bots at South Regional Library. Find out when technology and creativity. Grades 3-5. Registration limited and required.

Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples. Call 239252-7542 or check public. collier-lib.org for more information.

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6:00 p.m. 4th and 5th Grade Video Dance.

Dance the night away at our elementary school dance.

Tickets on sale two weeks prior to dance. $10. Located at East Naples Community Park, 3500 Thomasson Drive, Naples. Call 239-2524414 or check colliergov.net for more information.

10:00 a.m. Little Explorers Program. Explore nature and discover amazing animals through multi-sensory, interactive activities, stories, and animal themed crafts. Located at the Conservancy, 1495 Smith Preserve Way. Call 239-2620304 or check www.conservancy.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Art for Mom & Me. A one-hour workshop for children and adults at all levels of creative talent. Registration fee ($25) includes one adult, one child, and supplies.

Located at Rookery Bay, 300 Tower Road, Naples.

Call 239-417-6310 or check www.rookerybay.org for additional information.

4:30 p.m. Meals of Hope Mobile Food Pantry. The Meals of Hope Mobile Pantry will be in the parking lot giving away frozen food, fresh produce, and canned goods.

Located at Greater Naples YMCA, 5450 YMCA Road, Naples. Call 239-597-3148 or check greaternaplesymca. org for details.

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12:00 p.m. Labor Day Pool Party Bash.

Enjoy some sun and fun at the IMSC pool party. Music and refreshments available. $5. Located at Immokalee Sports Complex, 505 Escambia Street, Immokalee.

Call 239-657-1951 for additional information.

6:00 p.m. Love That Dress Event to Benefit PACE Collier County.

Tickets for Love That Dress!, benefiting PACE Center for Girls-Collier are $30 per person online only at www.

LoveThatDress.org. Located at The Naples Grande Beach Resort, 475 Seagate Drive, Naples.

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6:30 p.m. Films for Film Lovers. Join our lively and entertaining film discussion after each film.

Located at Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs, 26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. Call 239-495-8989 or check artcenterbonita.org for additional information.

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tuesday

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9:00 a.m. National Public Lands Day

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10:00 a.m. The BFG at Marco Island Library. Come have some huge fun with gigantic games and dreamy crafts. Ages 5 years and older. Registration required. Located at Marco Island Branch Library, 210 S. Heathwood Drive, Marco Island. Call 239-394-3272 or check public.collier-lib. org for details.

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10:00 a.m. Magic Carpet Series. Magic Carpet Concerts provide children ages 3-9 with the opportunity to hear small ensembles from the Naples Phil demonstrate instruments in a fun and informative program. Located at Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd. Call 239-597-1111 or check artisnaples.org.

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10:00 a.m. Kids Cruise Free. Pure Florida is offering free cruises for children every Saturday when accompanied by a paying adult. Enjoy a 1.5 hour cruise that provides an entertaining atmosphere. Located at Tin City, 1200 Fifth Ave S, Naples. Call 239-262-4200 or check www.tin-city.com for more information.

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Best Bets

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5:00 p.m. Teen Book Crew. Where have all the bees gone? If bees die out, then nature will die. Could life as we know it exist? Do you believe romance belongs in a dystopia society? Located at Vanderbilt Beach Library, 788 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples. Call 239-597-8444 or check public.collier-lib. org for details.

9:00 a.m. Ancient Forest Boardwalk Tour. Join a 2.25-mile tour on our boardwalk highlighting history, ecology, storytelling, and landmark cypress trees. Located at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 375 Sanctuary Road W., Naples. Call 239-348-9151 or check www.corkscrew. audubon.org.

6:15 p.m. Skin Care and Makeup for Teens at South County Regional Library.

One of the toughest things for teens to deal with is acne, and good skin care is vital.

Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero.

Call 239-479-4636 for more information.

5:00 p.m. Sensory Night at C’MON. For children on the autism spectrum and or with other sensory integration disorders.

Limited participation to minimize crowds, and registration is required. Located at C’MON, 15080 Livingston Road, Naples. Call 239-5140084 or check www.cmon. org for details.

10:00 a.m. Baby Parent Rhyme Time.

You and your baby will learn new nursery rhymes and fingerplays, interact with puppets, sing, read books and dance. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for more information.

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9:00 a.m. Banned Books Week. Support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. Read a challenged or banned book.

Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero.

Call 239-479-4636 for more information.

2:00 p.m. Free Concerts at the Bandshell. Bring a blanket for the whole family and enjoy free jazz concerts.

Located at Cambier Park, 755 8th Ave. S., Naples.

Call 239-213-3058 or check www.naplesgov.com/index. aspx?NID=576 for additional information.

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21 6:00 p.m. Basketball Dance Night. Groove

to upbeat music while playing basketball and dancing. Ages 4-60.

Free. Located at Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. Call 239252-4180 or check colliergov.net.

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4:00 p.m. Sock Hop on the Beach. Join us at

the gazebo on the beach for a fun-filled evening of 50’s and 60’s music, dancing, and contests.

Located at Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd, Estero. Call 239463-4588 for additional information.

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2:00 p.m. Early Release Day Make and Take Crazy Painting.

Bring a purse, shoes, wallet, or something else to paint.

We will supply the brushes and paint. Grades 3 and higher. Registration is not required. Located at Naples Regional Central Avenue, 650 Central Ave. Central Library, Naples.

5:30 p.m. First Day of Autumn at Headquarters Library.

Come celebrate the Autumnal Equinox with an autumn craft that garners the power of the sun. Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Drive, Naples. Call 239-593-0870 or check public.collier-lib. org for details.

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information.

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or check public.collier-lib. org for details.

Braces & Invisalign® FREE Consultations

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collier-lib.org for more information.

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collier-lib.org for additional information.

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Center, 1050 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples.

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9:00 a.m. National Public Lands Day at Lover’s Key. Help maintain the park’s trails, remove exotic invasive species of plants, and pick up litter along the trails. Located at Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd, Estero.

Call 239-463-4588 for more information.

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or check public.collier-lib. org for details.

YOUR COMMUNITY September EVENTS CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS:

1 THURSDAY

To submit your event for both our online and print calendars go to the Calendar at www. neafamily.com and follow the instructions for inputting event info.

9:30 a.m. Free Admission Days at the Conservancy. Free admission for First Responders with valid ID. Located at Conservancy of Southwest Florida Nature Center, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. Call 239-262-0304 or check www.conservancy.org for additional information.

The deadline for print calendar events is the 12th of the month preceding publication. You can submit events anytime for the online calendar.

Registration required for most library events.

10:00 a.m. Tai Chi in the Garden. Instructor Karen McNeil hosts this energy-flow exercise in the South Grove of the Botanical Garden every Thursday. Located at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr., Naples. Call 239-643-7275 or check www.naplesgarden.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Toddler Tales at South County Regional Library. This interactive time for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their caregiver will include storytelling, wordplay, fingerplays, and music-making designed to advance pre-reading skills every Thursday. Registration is required.

Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

4:00 p.m. Technology Thursdays at Naples Regional Library. Join us after school for a fun hour dedicated to STEM technology. Participate in

hands-on activities. View the Young Adult bulletin board for more information. Grades 6 through 12.

Registration is not required. Located at Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Avenue, Naples.

Call 239-262-6853 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

6:00 p.m. Love That Dress! Event to Benefit PACE Collier County. Tickets for Love That Dress!, benefiting PACE Center for Girls-Collier, are $30 per person online only at www.LoveThatDress.org. Located at The Naples Grande Beach Resort, 475 Seagate Dr., Naples.

6:00 p.m. Mercato Nights Music Series.

Featuring Roots Almighty. Located at Mercato, 9128 Strada Place, Naples. Call 239-594-9400 or check www.mercatoshops.com for additional information.

2 FRIDAY 9:00 a.m. Scavenger Hunt at Everglades Wonder Gardens. Enjoy a scavenger hunt for children of all ages every Friday. Located at Everglades Wonder Gardens, 27180 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. Call 239-992-2591 or check www.evergladeswondergardens.com for additional information.

AFTER SCHOOL Program Camps

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Classes

Where: St. John the Evangelist 625 111th Ave N, Naples, FL 34108

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Music Lessons

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Makerspace

Science. Technology. Engineering. Ar ts. Music. Enrichment

When: M-F 3:00-6:30

Only 48 spots available!

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Included: STEM class/Arts class, homework time, snack time, directed indoor and outdoor play

start date: August 15, 2016

price: $22/day or $99/week

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S.T.E.A.M. Lab

Class options: Minecraft, 3D Printing, S.T.E.A.M. Makerspace, Robotics Piano, Guitar/Ukulele, Voice, Art & Science

Free Transportation Provided from: Osceola, Pelican Marsh, Veterans Memorial, Sea Gate, Naples Park

www.fullsteamaheadFL.com info@fullsteamaheadFL.com

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Call to Sign-up Soon!

239-451-3142

@fullsteamahd facebook.com/fullsteamaheadFL NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

8/22/16 1:14 PM

9:00 a.m. Baby Boot Camp at Miromar Outlets. Certified fitness professionals instruct exercise classes for pregnant, post-natal, and ultra-fit moms.

Classes are weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at MundoMax Playland. Located at Miromar Outlets, 10801 Corkscrew Rd., Estero. Call 239-948-3766 or check www.miromaroutlets.com for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Beachcombing and Shelling Talk. What do wrack lines, jellies, blue buttons, beachhoppers, ghosts, sea pork, and beans have in common?

Come find out at this lecture on Beachcombing & Shelling every Monday and Friday. Located at Barefoot Beach Preserve, 505 Barefoot Beach Blvd., Bonita Springs. Call (239) 252-4000 or check www.friendsofbarefootbeach.org for additional information.

12:00 p.m. Labor Day Pool Party Bash. Enjoy some sun and fun at the IMSC pool party. Music and refreshments available. $5. Located at Immokalee Sports Complex, 505 Escambia St., Immokalee. Call (239) 657-1951 for additional information.

5:00 p.m. First Fridays Art for Art Lovers. Gourmet food, fine wine, and art demonstrations. Located at Shoppes of Old Marco, 258 Royal Palm Dr., Marco Island. Call 239-394-2787 for additional information.

6:00 p.m. Wine Tasting & Live Music. Join us the first Friday of every month in the cafe and Lifestyle Center for wine-tasting and live music. This month enjoy over 25 wines from around the world. Proceeds benefit a local charity.

Payment is accepted in the cafe, upon arrival. Located at Whole Foods, 9101 Strada Place, Naples. Call 239-552-5100 or check www.wholefoodsmarket. com/stores/naples for additional information.

3 SATURDAY 7:30 a.m. Third Street South Farmer’s Market. Parking lot behind Tommy Bahama every Saturday. Located at Third Street S., Naples. Call 239-434-6533 or check www.napleschamber.org for additional information.

8:00 a.m. Farmer’s Market. Open every Saturday (June to October) indoors at the Shoppes at Vanderbilt, Unit 190-196. Located at Shoppes at Vanderbilt, 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples. Call 239-273-2350 or check www.facebook.com/pages/Shoppes-at-Vanderbilt-Farmers-Market/130258607139935 for additional information.

8:00 a.m. Community Yard Sale. Find yard sale bargains with the convenience of having all the sales in one location. If you are interested in reserving a spot to sell used items please call the respective park to reserve a spot. Located at Immokalee Community Park, 321 North 1st Street, Immokalee. Call (239) 657-4449 for additional information.

9:00 a.m. GreenMarket. Join us on our 10-acre campus every Saturday to find an exclusive selection of locally grown, caught and cultivated foods and other products available to sample and purchase. Located at Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Call 239-939-2787 or check www. artinlee.org for additional information.

9:30 a.m. W.O.N.D.E.R. Kids at Botanical Gardens. Drop in anytime from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday to the Smith Children’s Garden for fun activities. Located at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr., Naples. Call 239-643-7275 or check www.naplesgarden.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Artists@Work at GreenMarket. Members of the SWFL Florida Fine Craft Guild demonstrate their specialties during this free, family friendly demo day that takes place during our weekly GreenMarket every Saturday.

Located at Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Call 239-939-2787 or check www.artinlee.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Free Kids Fishing at Bass Pro Shops. We provide the rod, reel, and the bait. All you need to provide is the kid who wants to have a fun time fishing. Hope to see you on the first Saturday of each month. Located at Bass Pro Shops, 10040 Gulf Center Dr., Fort Myers. Call 239-461-7800 for additional information.

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Experienced Licensed Psychologist is bringing her practice back to Naples.

Christine Borelli, Ph.D

Areas of expertise include: • Learning disabilities, brain injury, behavioral disorders, ADHD, Autism, dementia • Treatment modalities include psychotherapy, cognitive remediation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy • Consultation with schools, best fit school consultation • Work with Individualized Behavior plans (IEP) and 504 Accommodations

Services include: • Psychological assessment • Accommodation testing for standardized testing including the ACT, SAT

Call for free consultation 631-903-7886 Home and office visits available

10:00 a.m. Kids Cruise Free with Pure Florida in Naples. Pure Florida is offering free cruises for children every Saturday at 10 a.m. when accompanied by a paying adult. You and your children can enjoy a 1.5 hour cruise that provides an entertaining atmosphere. Located at Tin City, 1200 Fifth Ave S., Naples.

Call 239-262-4200 or check www.tin-city.com for additional information.

10:30 a.m. Little Chef’s Pizza Class at Naples Grande Beach Resort. Open to all kids ages 5-12, even if you’re not staying at the resort. Every Saturday.

Reservations are required by 2:00 p.m. the Friday prior. Please call 239-5946058 for reservations and information. Located at The Naples Grande Beach Resort, 475 Seagate Dr., Naples.

11:00 a.m. Barnes and Noble Storytime. Storytime every Saturday. Located at Barnes & Noble, 5377 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. Call 239-597-2040 or check bn.com for additional information.

12:00 p.m. Hometown Festival at Bass Pro Shops. There are family activities planned including a free photo download, casting buckets, a ring toss game, duck pond (for prizes), and face painting. Free food samples to be handed out during the day include fruit cobbler and funnel cake. The festival will be held Saturday and Sunday. Located at Bass Pro Shops, 10040 Gulf Center Dr., Fort Myers. Call 239-461-7800 for additional information.

2:00 p.m. Alligator Fishing at Everglades Wonder Gardens. Every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. join us for alligator fishing. For $5 (plus admission) you get a cane pool with a hot dog on the end of it to feed our 37 gators. Located at Everglades Wonder Gardens, 27180 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. Call 239-992-2591 or check www.evergladeswondergardens.com for additional information.

4:00 p.m. Improv Cafe. Make Saturday afternoon the best time of the week when you bring your family out to “Little Shop of Improv”, the first Saturday of every month. Located at Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. Call 239-495-8989 or check artcenterbonita.org for additional information.

4 SUNDAY

Miguel Argumosa, DMD., Erin M. Taylor, DMD, Nicole Eastham, DMD Board Certified Pediatric Dentists

7:00 a.m. Yoga at Koreshan State Park. Join us every Sunday for a gentle, all-levels yoga class (slow vinyasa/hatha) in the historic, utopian settlement of the Koreshan’s. $5 donation, free park admission. Located at Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Road, Naples. Call 239-992-0311 or check www.floridastateparks.org for additional information.

8:00 a.m. Farmer’s Market at Koreshan State Park. Experience a unique Farmer’s Market in the historic settlement of the Koreshans every Sunday. Fresh and local goods including seafood, flowers, honey, vanilla, Key Lime goodies, coffee & teas, hot crepes, artisan breads, produce, handmade crafts, and more.

Located at Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Road, Naples. Call 239-992-0311 or check www.floridastateparks.org for additional information.

9:00 a.m. Ikebana Naples Chapter. Attendees are invited to bring all materials to make an arrangement. They will be able to shop at a full Ginza or Japanese marketplace. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month. Located at Moss Hall of Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr., Naples.

10:00 a.m. Historical Tours at Koreshan State Park. Walk the grounds of the utopian community that helped establish Estero. Located at Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Road, Naples. Call 239-992-0311 or check www.floridastateparks.org for additional information.

11:15 a.m. Spanish Church Service. St. Monica’s Church, in support of the Latino community, will hold a Spanish speaking service every Sunday. Located at St. Monica’s Church, 7070 Immokalee Road, Naples. Call 239-591-4550 or check www.stmonicasnaples.org for additional information.

MCNA and CMS insurance accepted.

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2:00 p.m. Free Concerts at the Bandshell. Bring a blanket for the whole family and enjoy free jazz concerts every Sunday in Cambier Park. Located at Cambier Park, 755 8th Ave. S., Naples. Call 239-213-3058 or check www. naplesgov.com/index.aspx?NID=576 for additional information.

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3:00 p.m. Meet the Composers Classical Music Series. Join international artist and lecturer Dr. Anne McLean the first Sunday of each month as she performs in a multi-media presentation highlighting a great composer’s music, fascinating historical insights and visual images of that unique era. Located at Center for Performing Arts – Hinman Auditorium, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd., Bonita Springs. Call (239) 495-8989 or check www.artcenterbonita.org for additional information.

5 MONDAY 6:30 p.m. Films for Film Lovers. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and films begin at 7:00 p.m. every Monday. Be sure to join our lively and entertaining film discussion after each film, led by a Film Society Chairman and a Film Society Member. Located at Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs, 26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. Call 239-495-8989 or check artcenterbonita.org for additional information.

6 TUESDAY 9:00 a.m. Beading at Marco Island Library. Beading kits will be available at the circulation desk with instructions and all the supplies you need to make an inspirational bracelet. Ages 11-17 years. Registration is not required. Located at Marco Island Branch Library, 210 S. Heathwood Dr., Marco Island.

Call 239-394-3272 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

9:00 a.m. Beading at South Regional Library. Beading kits will be available at the circulation desk with instructions and all the supplies you need to make an inspirational bracelet. Ages 11-17 years. Registration is not required. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-2527542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Moms and Tots Storytime with Miss Jessica and Miss Mary Ellen. A toddler favorite, the girls read, sing, dance and color, creating a fun atmosphere of learning and lots of laughter every Tuesday. Come and ask about the little green frog song. All ages are welcome. Located at Barnes & Noble, 5377 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. Call 239-597-2040 or check bn.com for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Family Story Time at South County Regional Library. Your whole family is invited to this enjoyable, all-ages storytime that encourages the development of pre-reading skills through songs, rhymes, fingerplays and stories every Tuesday. All children attending must be registered. Please be on time. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

3:30 p.m. Crazy Eights Math Club at South County Regional Library.

Children in grades K-2 are invited to join us every Tuesday for hands-on games and activities that will have them fired up about math. Kids will build, run and jump, make music and participate in other over-the-top fun. Registration is required. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

Our regular beginner classes are 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at St. John the Evangelist or Thursdays at Temple Shalom.

Visit us online at www.tirnanogdance.com or call 239-455-7225 Call Us to Schedule Your First Class FREE!

Naples Preschool Academy Top Early Learning Center

• Indoor And Outdoor Playground • Safe And Secure •Spacious Rooms •VPK Certified •Experienced Staff • Newborn to 5 Years old • Security System 1275 Airport Pulling Road S., Naples

(conveniently located near Collier County Courthouse)

(239) 403-7977

www.NaplesPreschoolAcademy.com

4:30 p.m. Meals of Hope Mobile Food Pantry. The Meals of Hope Mobile Pantry will be on our campus in the parking lot every Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Frozen food, fresh produce and canned goods will all be given away to families in need. Everyone is welcome. Located at Greater Naples YMCA, 5450 YMCA Road, Naples. Call 239-597-3148 or check greaternaplesymca. org for additional information.

7 WEDNESDAY 9:00 a.m. Whole Foods Farmer’s Market. Every Wednesday on the front patio. Located at Whole Foods, 9101 Strada Place, Naples. Call 239-5525100 or check www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/naples for additional information.

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9:30 a.m. Historical Walking Tours. Come enjoy this very popular 2-to2.5 hour walking tour every Wednesday through parts of the Naples Historic District including alleys and the Naples Pier. Located at Historic Palm Cottage, 137 12th Avenue S., Naples. Call 239-261-8164 for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Exploring Coastal Estuaries. Explore the Coastal Estuaries every Wednesday with a naturalist guided walk to the estuary and along a sandy trail to the beach. Explore one of the most productive ecosystems in nature and the unique coastal habitats at the Preserve. Located at Barefoot Beach Preserve, 505 Barefoot Beach Blvd., Bonita Springs. Call 239-252-4000 or check www. friendsofbarefootbeach.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Free Kids Crafts at Miromar Outlets. Kids from toddlers to 12 are invited to participate in fun activities every Wednesday. Located at Miromar Outlets, 10801 Corkscrew Rd., Estero. Call 239-948-3766 or check www. miromaroutlets.com for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Art for Mom & Me at Rookery Bay. Local artist Marjorie Pesek will lead this one-hour workshop every Wednesday for children and adults at all levels of creative talent. She will share her unique art technique of Layered Imagery. Registration fee ($25) includes one adult, one child, and supplies.

Located at Rookery Bay, 300 Tower Road, Naples. Call 239-417-6310 or check www.rookerybay.org for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Preschool Story Time at South County Regional Library.

Parents and caregivers encourage independence by waiting nearby in the library for this program every Wednesday. The stories and activities may be longer but just as fun. Please note, you must register for each week of the six-week session. Please be on time. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

We buy & sell gently used kids stuff

• Clothing (newborn to size 16), toys, baby furniture, equipment and more.

8 THURSDAY

• No appointment nessesary, clothes must be freshly laundered and brought in a plastic container.

Call for times. The Rockin 50’s and Groovin’ 60’s. Call for tickets. A fun-filled trip back in time with this musical comedy revue. Runs through October 8. Located at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. Call 239-278-4422 or check www.BroadwayPalm.com for additional information.

• We pay cash on the spot!

13560 Tamiami Trail N #4, Naples,

239-596-6096

Also in: Fort Myers at 239-274-0039 Port Charlotte at 941-764-8121

www.onceuponachildnaples.com Check out our schedule at www.CollierAdultEd.com

Call 239.377.1234 with questions 3 Ar t Cla sses 3 Fo re Lang ign Clas uage ses 3 Co mpu te Clas ses r

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10:30 a.m. Family Story Time at Bonita Springs Library. This program is for the whole family and lasts about 30 minutes every Wednesday. Located at Bonita Springs Public Library, 26876 Pine Avenue, Bonita Springs. Call 239-992-0101 or check library.Lee-county.com/services/locations/BN/pages/ default.aspx for additional information.

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10:00 a.m. Little Explorers Program at Conservancy. Explore nature and discover amazing animals through multi-sensory, interactive activities, stories, and animal-themed crafts. No registration is required. Located at Conservancy of Southwest Florida Nature Center, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. Call 239-262-0304 or check www.conservancy.org for additional information.

12:00 p.m. Celebrate International Literacy Day at South County Regional Library. Join us in the meeting room for good reads and refreshments as we celebrate International Literacy Day. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

3:30 p.m. Bits and Bots at Marco Island Library. What happens when you combine your favorite little robot, the Ozobot, with Little Bits electronic circuits? Find out when technology and creativity meet in this challenging (and fun) program. For grades 3 through 5. Registration is limited and required. Located at Marco Island Branch Library, 210 South Heathwood Dr., Marco Island.

Call 239-394-3272 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

9 FRIDAY 6:00 p.m. 4th and 5th Grade Video Dance. Dance the night away at our elementary school dance for fourth and fifth graders. Tickets on sale two

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weeks prior to dance. $10. Located at East Naples Community Park, 3500 Thomasson Dr., Naples. Call 239-252-4414 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

10 SATURDAY Call for times. The Galloway Captiva Triathlon. The Captiva Triathlon is a family, fun, and fitness weekend at South Seas Island Resort centered around a children’s race on Saturday morning and an adult sprint-length race on Sunday morning. Located at South Seas Island Resort, 5400 Plantation Road, Captiva. Call (239) 472-5111 or check www.southseas.com for additional information.

7:30 a.m. Tunnel to Towers Run and Walk. Honor all of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and support our first responders and military who make extraordinary sacrifices in the line of duty. Located at Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Pkwy., Fort Myers.

10:00 a.m. Twinkle Outreach. Any local families in need are welcome to come by and receive free children’s clothing or baby equipment. Families simply show up and apply for the items they may require, and will be able to select and receive things that day based on their needs. Located at Twinkle Twinkle Little Store LLC, 4172 Tamiami Trail N., Naples.

10:00 a.m. Magic Carpet Series. A long-standing Naples tradition, Magic Carpet Concerts provide children ages 3-9 with the opportunity to hear small ensembles from the Naples Philharmonic demonstrate instruments in a fun and informative 45-minute program. Located at Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Call 239-597-1111 or check artisnaples.org for additional information.

GREAT things are happening at Temple Shalom Religious School!

NEW curriculum with experiential learning, family & intergenerational programs NEW class hours: Sundays 9-11:30 AM NEW online Hebrew practice & Hebrew School hours: Sundays 12-1 PM & Wednesdays 4:45-6 PM Classes begin August 28 for K-10th grade

Living Judaism, loving Judaism and sharing Judaism Contact Dr. Anna Salomon, Director of Congregational Education (239) 455-2233 asalomon@naplestemple.org 4630 Pine Ridge Rd Naples, FL 34119

2:00 p.m. Kaikoa’s Beach Bash. All proceeds benefit The Kira Foundation and Caleb’s Crusade Against Childhood Cancer. For tickets go to www. eventbrite.com/e/kaikoa-beach-bash-tickets-26316477292?aff=es2. Located at Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Estero. Call 239-463-4588 for additional information.

3:00 p.m. Bell Tower Shops Craft Beer and Music Festival. Join Bell Tower Shops as it hosts its Craft Beer and Music Festival. This year’s festival will be bigger than ever with a wine stroll with selections from all over the globe, along with great music. Located at Bell Tower Shops, Daniels Pkwy. and US 41, Fort Myers. Call 239-489-1221 or checkthebelltowershops.com for additional information.

WHERE SOMETHING IS ALWAYS HAPPENING

11 SUNDAY 8:30 a.m. September 11th Remembrance Ceremony. It’s been 15 years since the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Please join the Lee County Sheriff ’s Office for a remembrance ceremony. Located at Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe Street, Fort Myers. Call 239-321-8110 or check www.harborsideevents.com for additional information.

10:30 a.m. Family Open House. Join us for a Family Open House following our 10:30 a.m. service. Bring the whole family! Located at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Great Naples, 6340 Napa Wood Way, Naples. Call 239-4556553 or visit www.uunaples.org for additional information.

Glow Bowling Family Special Group Functions

2:00 p.m. Bluegrass Concert. The September concert features Captain Joe & the Bottom Feeders and the Bugtussle Ramblers. Tickets are $10 and available online at www.ArtInLee.org/tickets or at the door. Seating is open and first come, first serve. Children 12 and under are free. Located at Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Call 239-939-2787 or check www. artinlee.org for additional information.

2:00 p.m. Free Concerts at the Bandshell. Bring a blanket for the whole family and enjoy free jazz concerts in Cambier Park. Located at Cambier Park, 755 8th Ave. S., Naples. Call 239-213-3058 or check www.naplesgov.com/ index.aspx?NID=576 for additional information.

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Birthday Parties Great Menu So Much More!

Sundays 5-9PM

2 Hours of Bowling 14”Pizza (1 topping) & Pitcher of Soda

Plus

Shoe Rental too!

Up to 4 bowlers per lane

$37.00 + tx Your favorite sports always on.

Nemo’s awesome menu!

Located inside all Bowland Centers.

*Reservations Accepted Woodside Lanes 8525 Radio Ln. Naples, 455-3755

Beacon Bowl N. Tamiami Tr. Naples 597-3452

www.bowlandcenters.com

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• • • •

INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION FOR STRUGGLING READERS

Certified Reading Specialist • 25 Years experience All Ages • Children with Dyslexia, ADD Naples Location by arrangement and other challenges Methods: Orton-Gillingham & • Approved service provider for Reading Recovery the Gardiner Scholarship

Additional Services for Homeschool Families: Annual Certification of Progress and Curriculum & Instruction Guidance

Reading Rescue of Naples, Florida

239-233-9400

info@ReadingRescueCenters.com www.ReadingRescueCenters.com

9:00 a.m. Munchkin Monday. Special playtime for babies and toddlers two years and under to enjoy our play areas all to themselves. September 12, 19, and 26. $10 for one child, $5 for siblings. No children over 2 years permitted until 10:00 a.m. Regular admission applies at 10:00 a.m. Located at Whiz Kids Play Zone and Tutoring Center, 1050 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples.

10:00 a.m. Baby Parent Rhyme Time at South County Regional Library.

During this special storytime, you and your baby will learn new nursery rhymes and fingerplays, interact with puppets, sing, read books, and dance. For ages up to 17 months. Registration is required. Please be on time. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

13 TUESDAY

Accepting New Patients • • • • •

12 MONDAY

Specializing in Infants, Children and Teens.

Over 15 years experience.

After-school and Saturday appointments available.

Most insurance accepted.

In-network provider for Cigna, MetLife, Principal and more.

6:00 p.m. Roald Dahl Day at Headquarters Library. Come celebrate the 100th birthday of Roald Dahl, author of such titles Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The celebration will include a craft, activities, and a treat. Ages 5-11 years. Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Dr., Naples. Call 239-593-0870 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

6:15 p.m. 3D Printer: Intro and Design at South County Regional Library.

This introduction to a 3D printer and software will allow teens to design an item for 3D printing. Creations will be available for pickup within the week.

Technology provided by Southwest Florida Library Network. For grades 6-12.

Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero.

Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

14 WEDNESDAY Located near Veterans Park Dr. Jennifer B. Hughes, DMD Pediatric Dentist 1879 Veterans Park Dr. Suite 1203 Naples, FL 34109

Phone: 239-260-7672

info@pediatricdentistryofnaples.com

PediatricDentistryofNaples.com

LITTLE PEOPLE’S SCHOOL • For 2-5 year olds 868 94th Ave. N, Naples (239) 597-5064

• Top Rated VPK • Preschool Classes • Summer Camp www.LittlePeoplesSchool.info 32

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3:30 p.m. Bits and Bots at South Regional Library. Find out when technology and creativity meet in this challenging program. Grades 3 through 5.

Registration limited and required. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-252-7542 or check public.collier-lib. org for additional information.

4:00 p.m. LEGO Club at Estates Branch Library. Share ideas, be creative, make new friends and have fun. LEGO® bricks will be provided. Your LEGO® creation will be put on display at the library. Ages 5-11 years. Registration is not required. Located at Estates Branch Library, 1266 Golden Gate Blvd.

W., Naples. Call 239-455-8088 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

15 THURSDAY 3:30 p.m. Trouper the Raccoon at Golden Gate Library. Come and meet Trouper, the blind raccoon, and Miss Dot. We will learn about Trouper’s survival from animal cruelty and discover ways to respect and protect all animals. Ages 5 years and older. Located at Golden Gate Library, 2432 Lucerne Road, Naples.

Call 239-252-4542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

4:00 p.m. LEGO Club at Marco Island Library. Join the club and share ideas, be creative, make new friends, and have fun. LEGO® bricks will be provided.

Ages 5-11 years. Registration is not required. Located at Marco Island Branch Library, 210 S. Heathwood Dr., Marco Island. Call 239-394-3272 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

5:30 p.m. Pups ‘n’ Books at East Naples Branch Library. Stop by to read to a dog or just to pet one. Dogs are provided by PAWS Assistance and Therapy Dogs. All ages. Registration is not required. Located at East Naples Library, 8787 Tamiami Trail E., Naples. Call 239-775-5592 or check public.collier-lib. org for additional information.

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6:00 p.m. Third Thursday on Third Street South. Live music in the Fleischmann Courtyard. Located at Third Street South, Naples. Call 239-434-6533 or check info@napleschamber.org for additional information.

7:00 p.m. PFLAG Support Group Meeting. The Naples chapter of PFLAG (Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meets on the third Thursday of each month. Call 239-513-4568 for location.

16 FRIDAY 6:00 p.m. Beer Tasting and Live Music at Whole Foods. Drop by Whole Foods for beer tastings in the Café and Lifestyle Center the third Friday of every month. This month, sample tons of different beers, including select seasonal beers. Vendors will be on-site to answer questions and offer recommendations.

Located at Whole Foods, 9101 Strada Place, Naples. Call 239-552-5100 or check www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/naples for additional information.

6:00 p.m. Parents Night Out. Parents, enjoy the night out without your kids.

Kids will enjoy a variety of games and activities in a safe environment. Dinner will be provided. $20. Located at Vineyards Community Park, 6231 Arbor Rd., Naples. Call 239-363-9669 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

6:00 p.m. 4th and 5th Grade Dance. Dance the night away at our elementary school dance. Tickets on sale two weeks prior to dance. $10. Located at Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-2524180 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

6:00 p.m. 5th Grade Dance. Dance the night away at our elementary school dance. Tickets on sale two weeks prior to dance. $10. Located at Max A. Hasse Jr. Community Park, 3390 Golden Gate Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-348-7500 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

17 SATURDAY 9:00 a.m. Welcoming Week at South County Regional Library. Welcoming Week is a time to demonstrate how in communities large and small, rural and urban, people of all backgrounds are coming together to create stronger communities. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Democratic Women’s Club of Collier County. Join us to discuss issues important to all progressive Democrats through the eyes of the Democratic Women of Collier County and their supporters. Located at Walden Oaks, 6710 Lone Oak Boulevard, Naples. Call 239-434-7754 for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Slide the City on Edison Bridge. There will be music, food, drinks, and of course the biggest Slip-N-Slide ever to hit asphalt. There will be a 900-foot-long slippery surface on the southbound side of the Edison Bridge which will allow for the biggest slide of your life. Located at Edison Bridge, Fort Myers.

10:00 a.m. The BFG at Marco Island Library. Come have some huge fun with gigantic games and dreamy crafts. Ages 5 years and older. Registration required. Located at Marco Island Branch Library, 210 S. Heathwood Dr., Marco Island. Call 239-394-3272 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

11:00 a.m. Free Kids Archery at Bass Pro Shops. This free event requires nothing more than a child willing to give archery a try. Just show up to the range located on the second floor in the hunting department and be ready for a fun learning experience. Located at Bass Pro Shops, 10040 Gulf Center Dr., Fort Myers. Call 239-461-7800 for additional information.

11:00 a.m. Annual Batman Day at Headquarters Library. Join in the fun by dressing up as your favorite superhero and engaging in bat-centric activities.

Join us at the “Bat Cave” for a batty good time. Ages 5-12 years. Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Dr., Naples. Call 239-593-0870 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

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1:30 p.m. Pups ‘n’ Books at Headquarters Library. Stop by to read to a dog or just to pet one. Dogs are provided by PAWS Assistance and Therapy Dogs.

All ages. Registration is not required. Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Dr., Naples. Call 239-593-0870 or check public.collier-lib. org for additional information.

9:30 a.m. Music Together at South County Regional Library. A highly interactive musical experience designed for young children and their caregivers, presented by Family Music Time. Please register all children who will be attending. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

2:00 p.m. Teen Book to Movie Club at South Regional Library. Teens are invited to join the Movie Club featuring primarily book-to-movie adaptations. Bring your friends, chow down, and let us know if the movie lived up to the book. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-252-7542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

20 TUESDAY

2:00 p.m. Batman Day. Join us for the third annual Batman Day celebrating the Dark Knight’s endearing legacy. The event will include activities, trivia, coloring, and much more. Cosplay welcome. Located at Barnes & Noble, 5377 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. Call 239-597-2040 or check bn.com for additional information.

18 SUNDAY 2:00 p.m. Free Concerts at the Bandshell. Bring a blanket for the whole family and enjoy free jazz concerts in Cambier Park. Located at Cambier Park, 755 8th Ave. S., Naples. Call 239-213-3058 or check www.naplesgov.com/ index.aspx?NID=576 for additional information.

19 MONDAY 9:00 a.m. Welcoming Week at South County Regional Library. Welcoming Week is a time to demonstrate how in communities large and small, rural and urban, people of all backgrounds are coming together to create stronger communities. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

4:00 p.m. LEGO Club at South Regional Library. Join this new club and share ideas, be creative, make new friends and have fun. LEGO® bricks will be provided. Your LEGO® creations will be put on display at the library. Ages 5-11 years. Registration is not required. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-252-7542 or check public.collierlib.org for additional information.

6:15 p.m. Skin Care and Makeup for Teens at South County Regional Library. One of the toughest things for teens to deal with is acne, and good skin care is vital. Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero. Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

7:00 p.m. Movies on the Lawn. Watch the movie E.T. at dusk. Located at Mercato, 9128 Strada Place, Naples. Call 239-594-9400 or check www. mercatoshops.com for additional information.

21 WEDNESDAY 4:00 p.m. Trouper the Raccoon at South Regional Library. Come meet Trouper, the blind raccoon, and Miss Dot, Trouper’s caregiver. We will learn about Trouper’s survival from animal cruelty, discover ways to respect and protect all animals, and have a picture taken with Trouper and Miss Dot. Ages 5 and older. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples. Call 239-252-7542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

Happy kids. Sparkly smiles.

Try it at our office!

ZOOBY

Exclusively marketed by Denticator™

Dr. Marilyn C. Sandor, DDS, MS, PA

34

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Naples Pediatric Dentistry www.goodcheckup.com

239.592.0800

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5:00 p.m. Teen Book Crew at Vanderbilt Beach Library. Where have all the bees gone? If bees die out, then nature will die. Right? Could life as we know it exist? Do you believe romance really belongs in a dystopia society?

Located at Vanderbilt Beach Library, 788 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples.

Call 239-597-8444 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

22 THURSDAY 4:00 p.m. Trouper the Raccoon at Marco Island Library. Come meet Trouper, the blind raccoon, and Miss Dot, Trouper’s caregiver. We will learn about Trouper’s survival from animal cruelty, discover ways to respect and protect all animals and have a picture taken with Trouper and Miss Dot. Ages 5 and older. Located at Marco Island Branch Library, 210 S. Heathwood Dr., Marco Island. Call 239-394-3272 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

Join Us for Family Open House, Sept. 11 at the Church of OPEN minds, HELPING Hands, and LOVING Hearts.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Naples 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples Close to 75 & Pine Ridge Rd 239.784.4580

uunaples.org or UUA.org

5:30 p.m. First Day of Autumn at Headquarters Library. Come celebrate the Autumnal Equinox with an autumn craft that garners the power of the sun.

Watch as science merges with art. Grades 2 through 5. Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Dr., Naples. Call 239-593-0870 or check public. collier-lib.org for additional information.

23 FRIDAY 12:00 p.m. Early Release Pool Party. Enjoy some sun and fun at the IMSC pool party. Music and refreshments available. $5. Located at Immokalee Sports Complex, 505 Escambia Street, Immokalee. Call 239-657-1951 for additional information.

2:00 p.m. Make and Take Family Workshop. Make-and-Take workshops present opportunities for kids and adults alike to learn about a featured museum exhibition and then create their own artwork inspired by the exhibition.

Located at Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Call 239-597-1111 or check artisnaples.org for additional information.

2:00 p.m. Early Release Day Make and Take Crazy Painting at Naples Regional Library. Bring a purse, shoes, wallet, or something else you would like to paint. We will supply the brushes and paint. Grades 3 and higher.

Registration is not required. Located at Naples Regional Central Avenue, 650 Central Ave. Central Library, Naples.

24 SATURDAY 7:00 a.m. Hispanic Heritage Festival and 5K. A day full of the Hispanic Culture to enjoy and share with family and friends. Located at Centennial Park, 2000 West First Street, Fort Myers. Check www.fortmyersmusicwalk for additional information.

8:00 a.m. Community Yard Sale. Find yard sale bargains with the convenience of having all the sales in one location. If you are interested in reserving a spot to sell used items please call the respective park to reserve a spot. Located at Max A. Hasse Jr. Community Park, 3390 Golden Gate Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-348-7500 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

9:00 a.m. National Estuaries Day. Rookery Bay Reserve’s day-long event includes staff-narrated boat tours of the estuary, introductory 30-minute kayaking trips, paddle boarding on Henderson Creek, marine critter touch tank, and other live animal presentations. There will be games and crafts for children, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of the science labs, films, food for purchase, and more. Admission to the event is free, and tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Located at Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Road, Naples.

9:00 a.m. National Public Lands Day at Lovers Key. Join Lovers Key State Park Rangers and volunteers to help maintain the park’s trails, remove exotic invasive species of plants, and pick up litter along the trails. Located at

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Bring the entire family!

Temple Shalom Preschool

Planting the Seeds in the Minds of our Future Exceptional Education for ages 2 - 5

i NOW REGISTERING i for 2016-2017 school year

the

TSP

experience

TempleShalomPreschool.org

239-455-3227

4630 Pine Ridge Road

i

Naples, FL 34119

ABC Swim School Survival Swimming for Babies & Toddlers in Naples 6 months old to 4 years old • One-on-one instruction

239-272-0529

www.abcswimschoolnaples.com PediaSwim & CPR certified neafamily.com

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Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Estero. Call 239-463-4588 additional information.

10:00 a.m. Lighthouse of Collier C’MON Museum and Ice Cream Outing. Join us for a fun-filled outing to Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples for children with visual impairments and their families! We will spend the day at C’MON and, if time permits, go out for ice cream afterwards. Located at C’MON Livingston Road 15080 Livingston Road, Naples, Florida 10:00 a.m. Chicken and Chili Challenge Expo. There will be food vendors, merchandise vendors, and much more. Located at Lee Civic Center, 11831 Bayshore Rd., Fort Myers. Call 239-543-8368 or check www.Leeciviccenter. com/‎ for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Salute to the Brave. The event will include live entertainment, demos from the Lee County Sheriff ’s Office, vendors, a kids’ area and TouchA-Truck brought to us by Lee County Sheriff ’s Office and South Trail Fire & Rescue. Located at Six Bends Harley Davidson, 9501 Thunder Road, Fort Myers. Check sixbends.com for additional information.

10:00 a.m. Kidz World Expo. The event will host a variety of businesses with products and services geared to families with children on this “One Day Get Away for the Entire Family.” Located at Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers. Call 239-321-8110 or check harborsideevents.com for more information.

10:00 a.m. The BFG at South Regional Library. Come have some huge fun with gigantic games and dreamy crafts. Ages 5 years and older. Registration required. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples.

Call 239-252-7542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

11:00 a.m. Museum Day Live. Enjoy a special day out with the family at the Naples Depot Museum, as guests of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Day Live. Located at Naples Depot Museum, 1051 Fifth Ave S., Naples. Call 239-262-6525 or check colliermusems.com for additional information.

2:00 p.m. Movie: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at Head-

quarters Library. Take an unforgettable, uniquely magical, musical journey through the deliciously delightful, whimsically wonderful world of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. All ages. Registration is not required. Located at Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Dr., Naples. Call 239-593-0870 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

26 MONDAY 9:00 a.m. Banned Books Week at South County Regional Library. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. Visit the library display and read a challenged or banned book.

Located at South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy., Estero.

Call 239-479-4636 for additional information.

3:00 p.m. Crafty Mondays at South Regional Library. Drop-in the Children’s Department to make a fun craft. There will be recycled crafts, useful crafts and holiday crafts. All ages. Registration is not required. Located at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-252-7542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

5:30 p.m. Bits and Bots at East Naples Library. What happens when you combine your favorite little robot, the Ozobot, with Little Bits electronic circuits? Find out when technology and creativity meet in this challenging program. Ages 9-14 years. Located at East Naples Library, 8787 Tamiami Trail E., Naples. Call 239-775-5592 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

27 TUESDAY 3:30 p.m. Fun with Words at Golden Gate Library. Do you know Word Girl from PBS Kids? She uses her vocabulary like a super power, and you can,

Collier County Parks & Recreation Fall Programs After School • Camps • VPK • Flag Football Youth Soccer • Youth & Teen Basketball Flag Football • Arts & Music • Education Dance • Fitness • Adaptive Inclusive Recreation Extreme & Water Sports • Social • Special Events Register online for FREE at www.collierparks.com or Download our mobile app 36

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too. We’ll take a look at the program and exercise our vocabulary muscles with word games. Grades 1-5. Located at Golden Gate Library, 2432 Lucerne Road, Naples. Call 239-252-4542 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

4:00 p.m. LEGO Challenge Redux at Vanderbilt Library. New challenges await in this fun relay race using LEGOS. Entering grades K-5. Registration required. Located at Vanderbilt Beach Library, 788 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples. Call 239-597-8444 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

5:00 p.m. Sensory Night at C’MON. C’MON provides Sensory Nights for children on the autism spectrum and or with other sensory integration disorders.

Sensory Nights have limited participation in order to minimize crowds, and registration is required. Located at Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, 15080 Livingston Road, Naples. Call 239-514-0084 or check www.cmon.org for additional information.

5:30 p.m. Prehistoric Pottery at Estates Branch Library. How did ancient Floridians make pottery? Find out by creating your own Native Floridianstyle clay pot. Presented by the Florida Public Archaeology Network. Grades K through 5. Located at Estates Branch Library, 1266 Golden Gate Blvd.

W., Naples. Call 239-455-8088 or check public.collier-lib.org for additional information.

28 WEDNESDAY Call for times. Cirque Du Soleil Ovo. Ticket prices for these shows range from $37 to $152. Located at Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero.

Call 239-335-0457 or check www.germainarena.com for specific pricing and additional information.

9:00 a.m. Ancient Forest Boardwalk Tour. Join a special 2.25-mile tour on our boardwalk of the ancient forest highlighting ecology, storytelling, and landmark cypress trees. Located at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 375 Sanctuary Road W., Naples. Call 239-348-9151 or visit corkscrew.audubon.org for additional information.

6:00 p.m. Free Admission to The Baker Museum. Enjoy free admission to The Baker Museum the last Wednesday of each month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A local band offers musical entertainment and audiences of all ages are welcome to view the galleries and learn from our docents. Located at ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Call 239-597-1900 or check thephil. org for additional information.

29 THURSDAY 4:00 p.m. Sock Hop on the Beach. Come join us at the gazebo on the beach for a fun-filled evening of 50’s and 60’s music, dancing and contests. Located at Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Estero. Call 239-463-4588 for additional information.

5:00 p.m. Walk at the Promenade. Located at Promenade at Bonita Bay, 26795-27911 South Bay Dr., Bonita Springs. Call 800-799-0178 or check www.promenadeshops.com for additional information.

5:30 p.m. Art Gallery Exhibition and Reception. The Friends of Rookery Bay and the United Arts Council of Collier County present Summer II: Water.

Enjoy works by local artists Muffy Clark Gill, Lynda Fay Braun, and John Brady. Located at Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Road, Naples.

30 FRIDAY 6:00 p.m. Basketball Dance Night. Groove to upbeat music while playing basketball and dancing. Ages 4-60. Free. Located at GG Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy., Naples. Call 239-252-4180 or check colliergov.net for additional information.

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Dance Arts by Maria

THE ARTS DIRECTORY

DANCE Teaching love and appreciation for the art of dance.

Offering classes for ages 2-18 in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, Pointe, Technique and Improv

www.NaplesDanceArts.com

239-513-6999

naplesdancearts@hotmail.com Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @naplesdancearts

SWFL READERS CHOICE “BEST DANCE STUDIO” 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014

Backstage Dance Academy • (239) 566-3535 Backstage Dance Academy offers a professional dance education for girls and boys ages 2 to 18. Students can stretch their imaginations in our Children’s Division or nurture their skill and artistry in our Academy Division. Whether you’re enrolled in one of our ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, or lyrical classes our professional instructors will teach a challenging and engaging class designed to inspire and transform each student. If you’re interested in joining our dedicated dance family centered around a common love of dance, please stop by and visit our friendly staff at 5385 Jaeger Road, Unit 102, or call us for more information on how you can bring the joy of dance into your child’s life. We look forward to meeting you.

Collier County Parks & Rec • (239) 252-4000

PREMIER YOUTH THEATRE PROGRAM Fall classes in Acting, Voice, Dance and Production, leading up to our winter classic, The Nutcracker Goes Pop! Providing exceptional youth theatre for over 20 years

Register Today!

Call 239-434-7340 Ext. 100 YOUTH THEATRE OF THE NAPLES PLAYERS

Class schedules at naplesplayers.org.

Located at The Naples Players, 701 5th Avenue South 38

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The Collier County Parks & Recreation Division offers a variety of programs involving the Arts. Dance classes currently are offered at our community centers at affordable prices. This enables children and adults from all economic and cultural backgrounds to fully participate in the study of dance. Our class schedule is updated three times a year (fall, winter/spring, summer) so please check back toward the beginning of each session for updates. The basics of ballet, jazz, tap, and dance technique are stressed for all students. The opportunity to participate in recreational social and cultural outlets is critical to the quality of life in any community. The Collier County Parks & Recreation Division provides programming for all ages and abilities, including sports leagues/camps/competitions, aquatics, arts, dance, community classes, senior, kids’ out-of-school programs, adaptive programs, special events, and more. Register online for free at www. collierparks.com or download our mobile app to play, connect, and discover with Collier County Parks & Recreation.

Dance Arts by Maria • (239) 513-6999 Dance Arts by Maria, Inc., teaches a love and appreciation for the art of dance to all ages and levels of students. Dancers between the ages of 2-18 can learn ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and lyrical. In addition to recreational classes the studio offers multiple performance team opportunities and an award-winning competitive team. New this fall is a Mommy and Me class for toddlers and their parents. The studio participates in charitable events throughout Naples so keep an eye out for our dancers. For more information please contact the studio at 239-513-6999 or visit www.naplesdancearts.com. To keep up-to-date check out our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages @naplesdancearts.

Tir Na Nog Academy of Irish Dance • (239) 455-7225 Tir Na Nog Academy of Irish Dance was founded to continue the beauty and grace of Irish dance, to continue the heritage and tradition of the Irish Culture, and to share the camaraderie that has so greatly enriched the lives of the Oxx

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family. Classes are held on Tuesdays at St. John the Evangelist, 625 111th Avenue North, Naples, and on Thursdays at Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples. Beginners’s classes are held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Your first session is free. For more information, contact Patricia Oxx at 239-455-7225 or visit www.facebook.com/TirNaNogNaples or www.tirnanogdance.com.

Outside the Box PROGRAMS

Multimedia Art, Yoga & More

MUSIC & THEATRE Gulfshore Playhouse • (239) 261-7529 Gulfshore Playhouse Education serves Southwest Florida through a wide variety of unique educational opportunities. The Playhouse’s educational programming provides people from the diverse community accessibility to the art of theatre.

Program offerings for youth grades pre-K to 12 range from STAR (Student Theatre Artist in Residence) theatre classes, summer camps, and productions to ThinkTheatre in-school and classroom programs. Gulfshore Playhouse also provides a variety of educational opportunities for adults, from Synergy Series audience enrichment programs to professional internships.

KidzAct Youth Theatre of The Naples Players (239) 434-7340, Ext. 127 KidzAct programs are offered year round in three sessions: Summer, Fall, and Winter/Spring for students 5-18 years of age. Six levels of skill/showcase classes are offered in singing, dancing, and acting. Teen programs in song, dance, and acting are also offered. KidzAct production classes present six full productions for advanced students, including musicals and “Shakespeare on the Plaza.”

Located at 701 5th Avenue South, Naples, Florida, 34102.

Piano by Jo Ann • (239) 293-6819 Jo Ann Kravitz offers piano lessons in the convenience of your own home for all ages. Jo Ann has a degree in music and is able to offer flexible hours with reasonable rates. For more information email joannpiano@gmail.com.

We Offer: Multimedia Art, Fashion, Theater, Film, Spanish, Yoga, Karate Register now! Fall classes begin September 19 Classes for adults and children 3 months to 16 years old Plus: BIRTHDAY

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ART/PHOTOGRAPHY My Gym • (239) 431-6499 My Gym offers a “Learn, Create and Explore Art” class for children ages 3-6.

Much more than just art, children learn something new about the arts, an artist, a foreign country, an animal, and the world as they create a work of art to express themselves. My Gym is located at 13020 Livingston Road, Suite 17 in Naples.

House of Gaia • (239) 272-6152 Get ready for some wonderful leadership programs this fall at House of Gaia!

We have a wide variety of unique classes. Our programs teach art, yoga, drama, language, karate, music, well-being, culture, global citizenship, and service learning. We have programs and experiences for all ages here at House of Gaia: babies to teens and adults, too. For creative minds, we bring the world to you. Let’s CARE and learn about peace and love, and let’s share life as a community. Our leadership programs are unique! More than just a class. We treat our members with respect and allow them to explore their creativity in a safe, colorful space.

Before you get your children’s schedules too busy with other activities, take time to visit our website and register for fall classes now. Register at www.houseofgaia. org. Classes begin September 19 at 1660 Trade Center Way, Naples.

Understand Photography (239) 263-7001 Understand Photography provides photography lessons to photographers who prefer step-by-step, easy to understand instructions. The school’s mission and motto is “We Simplify the Technical.” Students can learn at their own pace, at the studio in Naples, on location or in the privacy of their own home via online classes. Workshops for teens as well as adults are offered.

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THE ARTS

By Leigh Ann Newman

Irish Dancers Keep Celtic Traditions Alive I

rish dancing is one of the oldest forms of dance, with some historians dating its beginnings from as far back as 1600 BC, and yet it is more popular today than ever, especially here in Southwest Florida. For many local families, Irish dance is more than just another afterschool activity. It’s their way of celebrating centuries’ old traditions and maintaining a connection to the past while forging new, lifelong friendships.

“When I started to dance, I danced to honor my grandmother,” says Patricia Oxx, who runs Tir Na Nog Academy of Irish Dance in Naples. “She was from Ireland and born on St. Patrick’s Day. As I got older, I began to understand the history of Ireland and the sacrifices that Irish Americans made to come here. Irish dance is part of that culture and something that needs to be continued for my generation and for future generations.”

“When I started Irish dance, it was just what you did as an Irish American,” says Michael O’Hare, director of Flanagan-O’Hare School of Irish Dance in Naples.

“All four of my grandparents were from Ireland.

On Saturday mornings, you went to the Irish club, and you learned the penny whistle and you learned to Irish dance. It was strictly a cultural thing.”

Says Claire Gorman, co-owner (along with sister Catherine Gorman) of Celtic Spirit School of Irish Dance in Naples, “You are carrying on a tradition. There are dance steps that have been passed down from generation to generation to generation.”

But you don’t need to be Irish to learn how to Irish dance. Even the oldest traditions change in time.

“Over the years, it’s evolved,” O’Hare says.

“I have kids from every cultural and ethnic group taking lessons from me.”

Riverdance The more modern version of Irish dance is what started Catherine and Claire Gorman, as well as many other boys and girls across the globe, on their dance careers.

According to Claire, her sister saw “Riverdance” on television when the Catherine was seven and Claire was five, and said “I want to do that!” The younger sister, of course, wanted to do the 40

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same as her older sister, and now, “We’ve been dancing our whole lives,” Claire says.

March madness The traditional dance form of Ireland, Irish dancing is characterized by quick feet and leg movements, with the arms and body usually kept straight and stationary. There are varying accounts of how this style developed. Some point to a belief among Catholic priests that hand movements in dance were evil, while others maintain that the small spaces available for dancing in Irish homes necessitated the limited upper body movements.

Children as young as four years old can start Irish dance lessons (the minimum age varies among schools). Dancers wear soft shoes, called ghillies, which are soft leather (somewhat similar to ballet shoes) and progress to wearing hard shoes. Students learn both individual and group dances.

All of the Irish dance schools perform throughout the year — at festivals, weddings, assisted living facilities, etc. — but the busiest day of the year is, of course, St. Patrick’s Day. To meet the large demand from the community, schools divide students into teams, and tackle several performances on the day. “It’s hard work for those young kids, some who only five years old, to start at 5 p.m. and finish at 10 p.m. But they are loving every minute of it. It has become a competitive sport, and they train and practice as if they were doing any other sport,” O’Hare says. “St. Patrick’s Day is when you can relax and have fun with it.” His school is nearly booked up for next year.

“It’s a fun bonding time because there’s so much going on,” says Julia Lupu of Naples. Her daughter, Mina, is 10 years old and has been dancing for four years with Tir Na Nog, while her six-year-old son Taurin has been dancing for the past year.

“You really get to know people during St. Patrick’s Day performances because you spend so much time together. You carpool together, help everyone into their dresses, eat together,” she says.

“It’s also fun to see everyone in the community and their attachment to their Irish roots.”

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Left: Chloe Durek dances at Flanagan-O’Hare School of Irish Dance.

Kimberly Knaub, artistic director and co-owner, along with sister Jami Knaub, of Kellyn Celtic Arts Irish Dance Academy refers to the St. Patrick’s dance season as “March Madness.” Rightly so, as her school tackles more than 10 performances on the day, and nearly 50 during the weeks leading up to and after March 17.

“The kids love it,” she says. “It’s a bonding experience. It’s not like anything else, and we talk about it forever—the crazy things that happen as we go from fine dining establishments to dancing on grass to a pub and everything in between. It’s exhausting. It’s who we are, it’s what we do.”

Dancing toward the dress When Pat Oxx started Tir Na Nog in 1998, she was the only Irish dance school in Collier County. Celtic Arts Irish Dance Academy followed in 2003, and in 2009, Celtic Spirit opened its doors.

The most recent addition is Flanagan-O’Hare, which is starting its fourth year in Naples. With four schools in our community, families can decide if a performance-based school or competitionbased school is the best fit for their children.

Tir Na Nog dancers focus on group performances, so rather than striving for medals, the (female) students’ goal is “the dress”.

After progressing from soft shoes to hard, the female students know that the next step is being presented with one of the coveted purple velvet dresses to wear during performances. “The dresses are a rite of passage—and they are beautiful and traditional. It means a lot to the girls,” says Lupu.

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Photographs by Rachel Durek/Savor Photography

The progression of individual students at Tir Na Nog “totally depends on whether they have taken other dance lessons, their age, their motor skill levels, and their determination and willingness to take on the challenge,” Oxx says. “Some students progress faster than others — we don’t hold back kids back who are moving at a faster pace. One of the benefits of having a performance-based school is moving at your own pace. The individual dances don’t have to be as strong but you can still feel successful.”

Kellyn Celtic Arts also is performance-based, “because we are more interested in the art form of the dance,” Knaub explains “But some dancers do compete. It’s a facet of the dance, but it’s just one of many facets, and I don’t think it should be exalted above the others.

Competitions and performances are options, not requirements.”

What is a feis?

Flanagan-O’Hare students often can be found on weekends at an Irish dance competition, or feis (pronounced fesh), although O’Hare notes that some students choose not to compete. There are around 200 feiseanna (the plural of feis) held in the country each year. “People will travel extensively to the competitions,” he says. “Families tie a vacation to a feis or turn a feis into a vacation.”

Beginners often start with Flanagan-O’Hare in the fall, and progress to their first feis the following Memorial Day weekend.

The top dancers compete at various qualifiers for the chance to go to the World Championships. One Flanagan-O’Hare dancer has continued on page 42 neafamily.com

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continued from page 41

already qualified for 2017 Worlds, and O’Hare expects several of his Naples dancers to qualify for the event.

“Although our school is young and new in Naples, we’ve really taken off and we really have a high standard,” O’Hare says.

Celtic Spirit students also compete (although some also choose not to). A feis is “a great life experience,” says Claire Gorman. “You typically compete on your own, but there is this wonderful camaraderie among the girls. Everyone is cheering for you. You build a dance family, without question. It’s great to have that support.”

Not just for girls O’Hare notes that television shows such as Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance have boosted interest in all types of dance, especially among boys. “The stigma isn’t there with boy dancers any more,” he says.

“Irish dance has an athleticism that other types of dance doesn’t necessarily have,” explains Oxx. “If you watch a dance-off between two male dancers, you realize that it’s not something that just girls do. (Male dancers) have an ease about them — they make it look effortless and they make it look easy, and I know it’s not.”

Knaub notes, “It’s a very strong dance. It’s a very masculine dance. It provides that foot motion, that agility, that quickness that is essential for any sport. I would pit an Irish dancer against any athlete.”

Besides, she adds, “Girls like men who can dance. It’s good for the soul.”

Lifelong friendships Traditions and heritage aside, why are kids and parents in Southwest Florida turning Irish dance? A common thread is friendship, and the strong bonds that develop among dancers, as well as the dancers’ families.

“There is a sense of community amongst the parents, and a sense of something valuable being built through time. It means something when I see the older girls doing their dances, and how great they are. There’s continuity and a path to something great, and you can see it every time you are there. There’s a sense of family, caring, and community, and everyone is contributing to something worthwhile,” says Lupu.

“Irish dancing creates this bond that continues to hold through adulthood,” says Oxx. “I still have friends from Irish dancing that I grew up with. I thought it was an experience unique to me. But it’s not.” She notes that Tir Na Nog dancers who have gone off to college make a point of getting together when in Naples on breaks, and also often come back to visit rehearsals, or even perform with the group.

“The dancers form lifelong friendships,” O’Hare says. “Our kids come from Cape Coral, Marco Island, Miami—they are having sleepovers and taking trips together. The camaraderie is so important.

It’s not all about winning a medal at a feis.”

And then there is the most basic reason of all for choosing Irish dance. As O’Hare points out, “Kids have lots of energy, and where else can you jump around, make lots of noise, and exercise all at the same time?”

For more information on Irish Dance in Naples:

Celtic Spirit (239) 272-8791 celticspiritschool.com Flanagan O’Hare (239) 961-0610 irishdanceflorida.com Kellyn Celtic Arts (239) 410-4528 kellyncelticarts.com Tir Na Nog (239) 455-7225 tirnanogdance.com

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THE ARTS

By Anna Snyder

Want to Try Your Hand at Art? Here are two great options for adult beginners looking for classes!

A

re you searching for ways to learn more about visual arts? Do you want to start a new hobby, such as drawing or painting? Have you always wondered if maybe you could become an artist or show your work in a community gallery? I have great news for you! The possibilities in Southwest Florida are almost endless. Our community has great resources related to community art, and there are so many opportunities for adults.

For many of us, time is of the essence.

Our time is precious, and we can’t imagine what it would look like to take out time and expend energy to learn a new skills or dust off talents we cultivated during a different time of our lives. However, two organizations in our community are encouraging Southwest Florida residents to rethink their notion of what’s important.

“Art feeds the soul. It often encompasses some of our happiest memories,” John Paul Buchanon says, marketing director at Center for the Arts Bonita Springs.

“We all remember happy art-related experiences we had as children, and we remember

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the emotions surrounding creating that art.” Art and creativity are worth pursuing for the sake of our own individual satisfaction; by investing our time in art and learning how to create, we learn more about who we are, and how we see the world.

I visited two locations that offer Southwest Florida residents visual arts educational opportunities. Both centers value hiring experienced, expert instructors who want to create a valuable experience for their students.

Center for the Arts Bonita Springs The Center for the Arts Bonita Springs (CABS) is a beautiful, peaceful place where local culture and art are celebrated and community members are encouraged to pursue their passions and learn new things.

I met with Buchanon and Donna Delseni, the adult education director, to find out more about the ways in which adults can learn new skills and become involved in the arts in Southwest Florida.

CABS offers many opportunities for beginning artists, while also providing

classes for all levels in the areas of painting, drawing, pottery, photography, stone carving, and a range of other media. Delseni enjoys creating the class schedule, designing unique experiences for the community, and bringing together passionate, experienced teachers with eager, positive students.

“I love meeting artists! And I love connecting individuals with an art form that makes them come alive,” Delseni says. “We’re not all professionals, but we are all artists who want to learn about ourselves.” She recommends starting with a one-evening class or mini-workshop. The one-evening classes include wine, food, and materials, and they run the gamut from printmaking to painting to techniques in glass. Mini-workshops allow students to “stick their toes in the water,” Delseni says.

Another option for beginning students is a new five-week artist sampler course. Over the course of the class, students learn five different mediums and get to experience each one without committing to one medium purchasing Bill(which Baggsoften Capeinvolves Park Lighthouse expensive supplies). The $25 supply fee NEAPOLITANfamily • September 2016

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allows students to discover which medium they might want to invest further time, energy, and money.

Nina Bergman, a Center for the Arts Bonita Springs student, has taken six classes, all taught by the same teacher, Laurent Dareau. Each class is unique, but are all titled “It’s About the Art.” Students of any level are welcomed, and a beginner will leave with a finished painting.

For Bergman, the classes provide her with an opportunity to express herself. “I am motivated to go deeper into who I am, what I want to express, and how to accomplish it. I have an opportunity to grow, learn, and develop skills in a very nurturing environment. I have always loved art, and now I have a vehicle to express it.”

Nina Landen has been taking classes for about three years. “I will always be taking classes,” she says. Her most recent class involved metal working. “I ended up with four pieces of work, and I had not expected to get even one piece!” Landen advises beginning adult artists, “For those who might be nervous, don’t worry about it! The instructors are very low key, patient, and have excellent teaching skills.”

Naples Art Association Located adjacent to Cambier Park in downtown Naples, Naples Art Association (NAA) offers classes for residents to experience new mediums, learn new techniques, and discover more of who they are in relation to their community.

Classes are offered throughout the year, but there are a wider range of opportunities during season here in Naples.

“Teachers return year after year, and many of our teachers have a following,” says Lynn Borzumato, the adult education director at NAA. “Our goals for this season are to continue to expand what we are doing. This means new instructors, new mediums, and new classes.”

For beginners, Borzumato suggests the Intro to Art Sampler course. All supplies are included in the course fee, and for four weeks, students get to experience four different mediums. Students often go on to

specialize in one of those mediums after figuring out which they enjoy the most.

The Naples Art Association’s galleries are filled with work done by contributing members, as well as art students. “I love seeing works of art in our galleries done by students who have taken a class,” comments Borzumato. “We have a welcoming environment,” she says, “and teachers want

to share the excitement of art and the excitement of the process. Our goal is that students learn new skills and foster their unique artistic spirit. We want people in our community to live longer, better lives.

Art feeds your spirit. We want students to get in the moment, love what they’re doing. We want students to learn and to have fun!”

For more information on Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs, visit www.artcenterbonita.org.

For more information on classes offered at Naples Art Association, go to www.naplesart.org or visit campus to pick up a course catalogue.

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