Palmira Golf Club’s eatery debuts new menu item

Cesar Montano, the manager at Pronto Gourmet Cafe, grills up a Palmira Quattroformaggi, a style of pizza with swiss, mozzarella, cheddar and provolone cheese with applewood smoked bacon and tomato on thick sliced grilled white bread.

A new menu has made its debut at the Palmira Golf Club’s Pronto Gourmet Cafe.

Members of the community and residents of Palmira can now enjoy new panini sandwiches, salads and fresh homemade ice cream.

“We wanted to give something to the community and the members,” said Brenda Ericson of Palmira. She works in the Sales Center next to the cafe, which is open to the community.

“There are communities beyond us. And, on this side of the interstate there is little else to eat,” Ericson said of the almost 550-acre property on Bonita Beach Road, just west of I-75.

Giving everyone a unique eatery and food option is why the restaurant is outside the gate, adjacent to a park. There is also an eatery called “The Village Grille” where patrons can enjoy lunch.

“This is a place for residents (and public) to come up and start their day here or have lunch,” said Ericson about the restaurant.

The residents at Palmira are mostly in their late 40s up to 65 and that age group gives the property a livelier feel.

“They like to go out, have a good time and enjoy life,” said Bob Reither, the food and beverage director at Palmira. “We have a warm, friendly feel and our members just have a lot of energy because of their ages.”

The restaurant serves breakfast in the morning as well as coffee and juice. Lunch is also served until 3 p.m.

“A lot of people are limited with their time so they can get dinner here too,” said Reither about the restaurant that offers frozen entrees made by the resident chef. “It’s always changing so one day we have six soups and chicken parmigiana or lasagna.”

The changing menu was done during the summer in preparation for seasonal residents to return.

“They are an active group that likes to be involved ... that’s why our new menu just came out and we are offering specials too,” said Ericson.

The Pronto cafe is also a WI-FI hot spot as well for the more technologically savvy.

“The majority of people are very happy and they really enjoy being here,” Reither said.

Chamber welcomes teachers

Trish Leonard of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce hands a giveaway new teachers package to Annmarie Ferry, left.

The business community showed its appreciation for new teachers at a special reception at the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber honored new Lee County teachers beginning the school year on Aug. 20 with gifts, school supplies and other school-related goodies.

“Being a teacher nowadays is not as easy as it once was and the business community wanted to recognize that,” said Nancy Keefer, the president of the chamber, during the event.

Teachers enjoyed food and participated in a raffle in which gift certificates were handed out for popular school supply stores and weekend hotel getaways.

“This is really delightful and it’s nice to be embarrassed by the community because many places just don’t show support,” said Maggie Krams, who will be teaching eighth graders at Bonita Springs Charter school.

Krams moved to Bonita Springs from Miami-Dade County and was looking forward to smaller class sizes.

“This area isn’t as overdeveloped and it’s great to have a supportive administration and small students,” she said.

Having new teachers in the area is an important cause for the chamber, which hosts the reception annually to show their appreciation.

“Our members were very generous and this is a way to prepare students and teachers,” said Keefer about the school supplies chamber members donated for the reception.

Members also donated more supplies for the school supply drive that coincides with the teachers party.

“This gives you the warm and fuzzies,” said Dana Cook, who will be teaching sixth grade at Bonita Springs Charter.

Freebies and giveaways aside though, most teachers were just grateful to be welcomed to the area.

Ashley Schoelen came to the area from Maryland and will be teaching sixth-graders for the first time at Bonita Springs Middle.

“It was awesome to be accepted by the community and get all the supplies,” said Schoelen, who accepted the job because it was near the beach. “It’s nice that the people in the community care so much.”