2021 EIGC Holiday Luncheon and Floral Demonstration

On December 7, 2021, members of the Estero Island Garden Club met at Cathy Turner’s  house on Fort Myers Beach. The meeting was very well-attended, maybe because our snowbird members are back in Florida, and also, there is less apprehension about Covid. The mood was festive, as we all celebrated being able to get back together again. Cathy’s house sits on a canal and members sat on the patio under sun umbrellas. The weather was beautiful, in the mid 80s.  

 Carol, Jean & Cheryl in Cathy Turner’s backyard on the canal

Marianne & Carol

Bobbi & Anne

Ginny, Bonnie & Katie

Carol

Rose, Anita & Randa

Becky, Cindy, Jean & Gertraud

Carol, Marianne & Judy

Ann & Carol

Ginny, Katie & Carol

Diane & Vicki

Ann and hostess Cathy

Just off the patio, an elaborate lunch buffet was set up indoors. We had our choice of fruit, tossed salad with vinaigrette, Island scrambled eggs (scrambled eggs with shrimp--unusual combo, but very good), carrot sloppy Joes, pulled pork on buns, and chicken salad croissants. For dessert, we had a beautiful chocolate cake with peanut butter filling.

Buffet line

Annette, Nina & Katie in the buffet line

Christmas cake

As outgoing president of the club, Paula was given a succulent wreath.

The succulent wreath

Katelyn, Cathy’s daughter, with Daisy Mae, her blue-eyed mini-Husky dog

“A Very Fairy Christmas,” our club entry for the Women’s Club tree festival auction

Laura's Arrangement

Laura Tonar, Garden Club member and NGC Master Flower Show Judge, presented  a floral demonstration focused on “Christmas Emotions”. She used locally sourced materials suitable for our living spaces. The arrangements were auctioned off following the luncheon. 

Locally-sourced plant materials

Laura working on her first arrangement, using these readily available materials

Randa with finished arrangement

Paula with blue vase arrangement

Tiny arrangement

Laura at work

Paula with finished arrangement

Randa with Christmas arrangement

Finished Christmas arrangement

On the table are all the arrangements that Laura Tonar did. They were auctioned off to our members at a very nice profit for our club. Thank you, Laura.  

 

Estero Island Garden Club visits Lovers Key

On May 4, 2021, members of the Estero Island Garden Club had a private viewing of the new Welcome and Discovery Center at Lovers Key State Park in Bonita Springs, Florida. Lovers Key is a 712-acre Florida State Park located on Lover's Key and three other barrier islands—Black Island, Inner and Long Key. Lovers Key State Park has it all: 

--swimming in the Gulf of Mexico along the 2 ½ miles of sugar-sand beaches; 

--bicycling or hiking on the 5 miles of wooded trails; 

--kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding in the 2 ½ mile estuary; 

--fishing from the bridges inside the park or from the shoreline of the beach; 

--reserving a campsite for an overnight or extended stay; 

--getting married in a picturesque setting of natural beauty.

Welcome Center

From the outside, the Welcome Center is drop-dead gorgeous. It is very sleek and modern, but the delicate pillars, meant to represent mangroves,  belie the capacity of the center to withstand the winds of a category 5 hurricane. The center was ten years plus in the developmental stages.  Throughout inception to realization, the driving force of the park has always been stewardship of our natural resources

Welcome Center

Welcome Center

Underneath the building are an outdoor classroom, a picnic area and gardens.

Outdoor classroom, where members of our group assembled before the tour

Bonnie in the outdoor classroom

Our docent for the Garden Club visit was volunteer Louise Kowitch, Education Coordinator for Friends of Lovers Key. The official opening of the Welcome Center is May 15, but our club was given the opportunity for a sneak peek beforehand.

Garden with botanical plant names displayed beside each plant

Garden with trellises for climbing plants

Our group observing the garden

Carol and Ethel on the garden path

Ethel and wooden tortoise sculpture

Alligator at the foot of the up ramp to the Welcome Center

Alligator sculpture in front of the graceful pillars

The up ramp continues around three tall pillars

The up ramp continues with the parking lot in the background

The up ramp rounds the corner

 

Louise welcomes our members to become Friends of Lovers Key, which is the organization responsible for supporting and preserving the park, as well as for bringing the Welcome Center to fruition. 

There are also programs offered at the center which promote environmental education and stewardship. During the summer,  Lovers Key offers day camps exploring Florida’s coastal ecology for youngsters ages 6-17. 

Members of our group in the community room

The interior of the Welcome Center has a community room, restrooms and an interactive education room, containing exhibits showcasing the park’s flora and fauna. 

Paula and Bernadette in front of artwork

Crocodile partially submerged

Katie, Ethel and Margaret in the community room

Interactive map of the state park in the education room

Ginny in front of a future exhibit

Beach critters display

Shell display

Bobbi and Sienna

Gift shop artwork

Egret photo in gift shop

Gift shop pictures of sea life

Wooden sculpture in the gift shop

Panoramic view from a corner of the education room

For more information on program offerings or to become a volunteer,  visit: www.friendsofloverskey.org