Games, activities enjoyed at school's fall festival

Bonita Springs Elementary School welcomed the fall season with a festival complete with a bounce house, talent show and carnival food.

Kids roamed the school’s campus with lunch bags of red tickets that parents helped purchase at one of the ticket stands manned by school staff and volunteers.

“It’s just plain fun — a good place to bring the kids,” said Saja Burgess, 51, one of the parents who brought her two daughters to experience the fun.

Students, parents and school staff members spent the afternoon “spending” their red tickets by participating in carnival games such as the dunk tank, a smaller version of a Plinko, a popular Price Is Right game, and a football toss.

Kids also bought popcorn, got their faces painted and drank island smoothies prepared by teachers.

“We even got little umbrellas for our smoothies,” said Lynda VanBibber, the secretary to Principal David Short.

The campus was decorated to resemble a miniature state fair with colorful signs directing visitors to areas like the petting zoo, the sand sculpture booth and a table where children received a free helmet and learned about bike helmet safety.

“We came to support our neighborhood school,” said Stacy Reed, whose children attend Bonita Springs Charter School. “It’s great! We came last year too.”

Short also gave kids a reason to attend the festivities by allowing them to see him get knocked into the dunk tank.

“Kids really enjoy that for some reason,” he said jokingly. “I always look forward to it.”

Bonita chamber ushers in new leader

The football rivalry between outgoing chairwoman of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Diane Lepola and incoming chairman Doug Congress will continue even now that Lepola has handed over her gavel at the Annual Chairman’s Gala at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa.

Lepola, a Louisiana State University fan, stood before more than 250 chamber members and stepped down as chairwoman of the board.

But she didn’t let Congress take over the position without a few light jabs to his beloved University of Florida football team.
He responded by pointing out his bright orange tie and blue handkerchief.

“For the record, Florida did win this year,” Congress said before the awards portion of the gala.

Lepola quickly jumped in to complete Congress’ sentence by pointing out “but LSU did win last year!” she said.

The pair have been at odds over their college football teams’ success since last year when Lepola’s Tigers pounced Congress’ Gators during the Annual Gala.

Congress attended the event with a tiny TV so he wouldn’t miss the game.

“She was trying to put on a show, and I just couldn’t miss the game,” said Congress, the vice president and co-owner of Congress Jewelers.

Now that Congress is the chairman of the chamber, he gave his first speech at the gala and told members that this year’s theme was “Take it to the Limit” based on an Eagles song he said he had on his iPod.

Taking it to the limit will mean revamping the chamber’s Web site, increasing member participation, keeping the chambers accreditation status and increasing retention rates among members.

“We need our members to get involved because the chamber can only be as good as the efforts of its member,” said Congress, who had “Hail to the Chief” played as he took the gavel from Lepola.

Lepola stared him down much as their football teams do when they face each other on the field, but Congress laughed and the two embraced in a hug to audience applause.

The night continued with awards honoring several members of the community including citizen of the year Ray Faubion and Sabra Cecil as the chamber's director of the year.

Awards also were handed out to the Schumann Law Group and Colonial Bank for being members of the year in business.

Chamber President Nancy Keefer said the gala was a night to show appreciation for Lepola and welcome Congress.

“It’s a celebration to get everyone pumped up about the upcoming year and a celebration of the business and what they can do for the community,” Keefer said.

Even Keefer knows that the rivalry between Congress and Lepola will continue and Congress made sure to remind everyone.
“This night brings it all together with the old and the new ... the past and the present,” said Congress at the conclusion to his speech while looking at Lepola. “The gators are winners during my year and it will surely stay that way.”

Citizen of year winner is stellar volunteer

Ray Faubion is the new Citizen of the Year voted on by members of the community and the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce.

The honor comes just a couple of years after he presided over the chamber and vowed to give back to the community any way he could.

“My parents, Ray and Jeannine, were both active volunteers with many organizations while I was growing up. I think their example ... has given me the direction to become involved,” said Faubion, 47, who has lived in Lee County since the age of 2.

He received the Citizen of the Year award at the Annual Chairman’s Gala at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa last Saturday but didn’t believe his name had been called until his wife, Jeanne, leaped out of her chair.

“I was in shock and I had to look over at my wife to see if I had heard correctly that they said my name. She jumped and I was totally shocked,” he said after having heard his own accomplishments announced prior to his name being called. “I absolutely wasn’t expecting it and when they were reading everything off I was wondering who they were talking about.”

But it was Faubion they were talking about and his accolades sounded impressive, even to him.

He has been a member of the Kiwanis club for 10 years, has been involved with Relay for Life, the United Way, the Bonita Springs YMCA and has worked with the Boy Scouts of America as a Den Leader, Committee Chair and Scoutmaster.

Faubion admits that he keeps a busy schedule between volunteering and raising his three sons, Addison, Collier and Hunter. But there is always time to do more. He and his wife recently gained a “daughter” in an exchange student from Switzerland whose name is Maria, 17.

“She is practically my daughter and will be here for at least a year, and possibly longer,” said Faubion, who credits his family with his success because they support him.

Faubion also works full-time as an insurance agent but in his down time enjoys spending time with his family, camping in their RV and being a Miami Dolphins fan.

“I’m just so proud of him. I can’t believe they picked him,” said Jeanne, shortly after seeing her husband on stage receiving a standing ovation from chamber members. “I’m so touched for him.”

The selection process for the award includes a nomination process which is coordinated in a joint effort through The News-Press and the Naples Daily News.

Readers submit nomination forms that are then reviewed by a committee and a winner is selected and announced at the gala.

“I’m at a loss for words still and I keep pinching myself to see if it’s real,” Faubion said. “It’s very humbling and it’s the best award I’ve ever received.”

Bonita library transforms into a painting classroom

Nancy Bryant had never picked up a paint brush until she attended the “Learn to Paint” session at the Bonita Springs Public Library.

She spent an hour learning to properly load a paint brush, mix paints and use a thin brush.

“I didn’t know I could paint!” said Bryant, 54, who brought along her mother Beulah Eby for the class that showed first time painters how to decorate a holiday card with style.

“Our mission is to spread the love of painting and these classes help people figure out if painting is for them,” said instructor Suzanne Mikulka, who teaches painting as part of the Society of Decorative Painters.

The society sponsors the classes hoping to gain more members but ultimately to show people alternative ways to paint decoratively.

“There is more to painting than picking up a paint brush ... you can paint all kinds of stuff. We teach them that they can paint boxes, frames and other things,” said Mikulka who taught her third class at the Bonita Springs library as part of a series for Lee County libraries. “Decorative painting has a lot of options.”

During the class Mikulka taught students how to properly load paint onto a brush and ways to prevent paint from smearing.

“I’m in shock! This is awesome that I can do this so well. I didn’t know I could paint,” said Bryant of Bonita Springs.

Being able to give her students a piece of art they could be proud of was Mikulka’s goal as well as increasing membership for the Society of Decorative Painters.

And to remind students that their first attempts at painting may not always be successful, she handed out name tags.

“I want everyone to write their name using the hand they aren’t used to writing with,” she said to the group of close to 20 women. “This shows you that you aren’t supposed to get painting right away, it takes practice.”

Bryant’s mother Eby created the holiday card that included a sponged border and holiday flowers with ease but says she will continue to practice what she learned at the session.

“This is very good. I’ve done it before but I think I’m pretty good at it,” said Eby, 83, of Bonita Springs.

Firefighters speak to kids about safety during show

Kindergarten students at Spring Creek Elementary got a visit from an unlikely set of puppets, including a dog with sunglasses, a smoke detector and a big frog named Frank.

The puppets were part of an educational session by the Bonita Springs Fire-Rescue Department meant to educate students about fire safety and the importance of having a plan in place in case of a fire.

“It’s fun because they learn something and they have a good time learning it,” said Debbi Redfield, spokeswoman for Bonita Springs Fire-Rescue.

Throughout the show firefighter Dana Hoenie interacts with the kids as he explains how a fire detector works, ways to escape a fire and what to do if you see matches.

The fire-rescue department has been putting on the puppet show for 10 years and has adapted the show during the years to make sure it appeals to all students.

“Every grade level gets a different version of the same lesson and we build from year to year,” said Redfield, who plays several of the characters.

The show focuses on several lessons that are taught through song and dialogue between Hoenie and a frog, a firefighter dog and a few others who crack jokes about his bald head and kids laugh.

“We do videos and discussions as they get older but with these young kids we give them what they can handle now and the puppet show gives them that,” Hoenie said.

At the conclusion of each show children are given smoke detectors and asked to talk to their parents about changing the batteries and a place to meet outside the home in case of a fire.

“Teaching young children about fire safety lessons is difficult enough just to keep their attention but if it’s a show and engaging they learn more,” Redfield said.