Shop caters to those with need for beads

Robert Rough wanted to put his car into the garage but tons of storage boxes blocked the entry way.

Connie D'Attilio was feeling the same pain when she tried to park her car in the garage and the boxes full of her precious beads from around the world were taking up space.

It was then that the pair knew it was time to get creative and open a shop that would show off their passion.

From that, the bright pink Bonita Bead shop on Old 41 was born.

"I just had to get my car in the garage but the boxes were everywhere," said Rough, of Bonita Springs, who got into beading after working at a jewelry repair kiosk at the Flamingo Island Flea Market. "We had so many beads in our garage that we just had to come up with something."

The idea to open a shop in 1998 worked after Rough and D'Attilio realized that their spot at the flea market wasn't big enough for the millions of colorful beads.

"I used to repair jewelry for people and they would ask me to add things so I started to buy beads by the trays," said D'Attilio, of Bonita Springs. "People always wanted things bigger or smaller and we had so many so we said 'why not open a bead shop.'"

After opening their first shop the demand for beads and bead classes grew but the building didn't so it was time to move again and that's when the spot on Old 41 became available.

"We outgrew the location because it only had one classroom but now we have three and people come from all over to visit us," said Rough, who now offers 40 classes from basic beading techniques to wire wrapping jewelry.

The classes the shop offers are just a slice of what customers can expect at the store that boasts beads from Africa, Hong Kong, Austria and even Afghanistan.

"We have pretty much everything people could want in beads, even some items that are bone and what we call 'bead soup,'" said Rough, pointing at rows of beads hanging on the wall and sitting in small bowls throughout the store. "We have different things for those that want ethnic beads, yellow beads or green beads."

The store specializes in unique finds but if a customer is looking for something specific a custom order can be placed.

"The Swarovski crystals are one of our top sellers but it all depends what is in style at the moment," said Rough, who was never into beading until he fell into it because of repairing jewelry.

The influx of tourists and locals interested in shelling has led to an increase in Bonita Springs.

"It's popular all over but it's good for retirees and people who don't play golf, or tennis," D'Attilio said. "It's a hobby that is small, transportable and that people can take with them and it's just fun."

Organization seeks mentors for children

Learning to mind your manners, listen to your teacher and keep up those grades are lessons kids learn as they age but a mentor can have a huge impact on just how fast those lessons are learned and to what degree.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida are looking for volunteers willing to spend a few hours a month with a child who needs a little extra encouragement.

"It's a rewarding experience because it helps the child grow mentally and everybody has time that they can make available for such an important reason," said Jodi Slais of Bonita Springs. She has volunteered her time for the last three years and has mentored two children in that time.

Slais got involved with the organization that began in Lee County in 1974 after working in child care for almost 10 years.

"It's important to be someone in a child's life that they can count on and a lot of kids need that apart from their families," said Slais, who moved to Florida and realized she missed the opportunity to work with kids.

The mentorship program has few requirements other than a year's commitment and spending a 10 hours a month with a child.

"The volunteer gets to pick what they want to do with the child. They can go to movies, bowling or other activities we set up for them," said Julie Digby, the director of marketing for the program.

She organizes many of the events such as the bowling night on Sept. 9 in which kids will be able to compete and socialize with other "bigs" and "littles."

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the largest provider of one-to-one youth mentoring services in the United States and Digby said their track record proves mentoring relationships work.

"Ninety-six percent of kids are promoted to higher grades, there is a reduction in drug use and they stay in school," she said.

Pairing a mentor with a child requires applicants to fill out a questionnaire with interests, preferred location, and preferred age of the child.

"We take all the information and use that match makeup to ensure that it's going to be a quality relationship that will hopefully last," said Digby, who offers mentors a chance to meet with the child before a "contract" is signed.

"We like to make sure they hit it off and everybody is comfortable."

Currently, there are more than 300 kids awaiting matches but their aren't enough mentors to fill demand.

"Littles can sign themselves up from age 5 and we support them until they are 15 but some relationships continue through high school until they are 18," said Digby, who offers two types of mentorship programs.

One focuses on academic work in school or spending time in the community doing different activities.

"We pair up with local businesses for discounts to encourage mentors to take kids out or we also give tickets to baseball games and such," she said.

Mentors who also want to socialize with other "bigs" can attend little-free events like the "Bigs after 5" happy hours held in Fort Myers and Naples.

"There is a commitment there when you sign up but it's not an overwhelming type of thing and it's between you and the child," Slais said. "It's just a matter of making time for it and when you give of your time like this, it's a very rewarding experience."

Parents find productive ways to wait for kids

Parents with children at Bonita Springs Charter school are spending an average of eight days of their lives sitting outside of the school waiting for the final bell to ring.

The average wait time is one hour if you arrive at the school at exactly 2 p.m. Any later and parents warn that picking up your child could feel like an eternity.

"You have to get here early or you'll get stuck out way in the back," said Beth Meinholdt, of Fort Myers, who picks up her 3-year-old every school day.

In an average school year, parents like Meinholdt will spend close to three weeks of eight-hour workdays sitting in the hot sun listening to the humming of their air conditioners working overtime to cool their cars.

"Most years it's not this bad after the first two or three weeks but for some reason this year, it just isn't getting any better," Meinholdt said referring to the more than 150 cars that encircle the school and spill on to Old 41. "It's dangerous if you get stuck back there (Old 41) with traffic whizzing by you so I come early even if I have to wait."

But for some waiting an hour or more each day has become an art form.

Countless parents, guardians, and even grandparents catch up on bills, talk on their cell phones or play games on their children's handheld games.

"It's my chance to read the newspaper and my own hour without the kids," said D Neff, of Estero. She was parked at the start of the line at 2:05 p.m., which cuts her wait time down by 15 minutes. "I don't want to have to wait this long because I'm out here sweatin' but I have to for my kids."

Not all parents are pleased to have an hour to themselves though.

Ron Temple has been trying to secure a bus ride for his two kids for some time but no one is returning his calls.
"I've called three times and they don't return my call so I have to sit here," said Temple, of San Carlos Park. He usually arrives at the school after 2:10 p.m. and waits an average of 45 minutes for his children. "Last year they were on a bus but the stop was a mile from the house so I have to see if I can get them on a bus this year."

School officials are aware of the idle parents but say it's getting better.

"The situation has gotten much better since the start of school and we are almost down to a half hour until we are completely done with parent pick-up," said Principal Deborah Tracy.

"It says a lot of the parents to wait out there and it's all about parent cooperation and keeping the students safety in mind."

Terry Hitchcock is one parent who prefers to pick up her 5-year-old everyday and checks off a few things from her to-do-list while she waits.

"I read the mail and pay my bills. I wait about an hour but that's OK. I don't mind sitting here waiting," said Hitchcock, who works on her tan by keeping the windows down so the sun comes in from the west.

Parents blame part of the reason for the congestion along Old 41 on the fire lane that officials decided to close for safety reasons.

"It's a pain. There should be another system but with the fire lane closed this year, cars back up onto Old 41," said Evelyn Butler, 38, of Bonita Springs. She was parked at the back of the line at 3 p.m. and expected to wait a half hour.

Although the school has two exits that lead to Old 41, one is blocked off for buses that leave partially empty and that frustrates Chrystal Whitlock.

"It's takes about three weeks to get my kids on to the same bus they used last year and I don't know why I have to register them each time," said Whitlock, 27, of Estero.

"It's moving along but it just takes forever and some days I just can't take it."