A boy, his pet beagle and a slew of animated characters are a few of the components students at the Evangelical Christian School melded together during their production of “Snoopy: The Musical.”
The show, which ran this week, brought the schools most talented actors before an audience to sing, dance, and keep true to the “Peanuts” comic strip characters.
“Snoopy is a challenging play on its own because they have to meld the sarcasm of an adult but also the innocence of a child,” said Tammy Madden, the musical director, noting that adult actors bring a different perspective to characters that are usually played by children.
The school’s most challenging task, Madden said, was finding a play that would appeal to all ages especially the elementary students that represent a large portion of the schools population.
“We wanted something everybody could enjoy and participate in” Madden said about the show that students auditioned for in November.
In previous years, thespians have played characters from “Beauty and the Beast” and “Seussical,” a Dr. Seuss musical.
“We have worked very hard and everytime it seems like you can’t pull it off but we still perform an excellent show,” said Gracey Hulbert, 18, a senior who was cast to play Snoopy. “People expect the Snoopy they grew up with so I worked hard to capture him as the writers intended.”
Hulbert has played the lead role in the last three spring productions but said Snoopy was as difficult to play as any other character.
“It was hard because first I’m a girl playing a dog but also a boy dog,” said Hulbert about the musical that is full of randomly placed scenes that are full of laughs and life lessons.
Being able to bring the animated characters to life before an audience kept students on a strict rehearsal schedule that included five day a week rehearsals and four script rewrites.
The 50 member cast received the final script just two weeks before opening night.
“We’ve had a large cast this year but it’s been very nice and we are all very close,” said Lauren Todd, 16, the only sophomore in the play.
Todd auditioned to play Lucy and got the role because it fit well with her personality.
“I’m not annoying but I can be bossy at times,” said Todd who admitted to having trouble re-memorizing the lines as the script changed. “It’s a great show and I’ve been really excited to do it.”
Sunday, May 04, 2008
New Salvation Army Family Store opens
South Fort Myers shoppers recently gathered at the new Family Store during the grand opening of the discounted items retailer.
The Salvation Army opened its 20,000 square foot store for customers looking for low priced items like clothing, furniture, children’s toys and knick knacks on U.S. 41 in south Fort Myers across from Jamaica Bay.
“That neighborhood is a new part of town for us and it will be good for us to reach our customers there,” said Megan Spears, the store’s spokesperson. “A family store is similar to other thrift stores but we offer more items and discounts.”
The store is two times larger than the old store in Fort Myers.
“It’s a bit more south of Fort Myers and it helps people in Estero and San Carlos and it gives us more access to them,” said Major Austruderto Flores. “It gives people an opportunity to find second hand goods at an affordable price.”
Affordable prices is the staple of family stores especially at a time when the economy isn’t at its best, Flores said.
“With economy the way it is thrift stores are always places people turn to for discounted items,” said Flores about the store that will include a children’s area and a sporting goods area.
The Salvation Army paid $3.5 million for the space that used to house a furniture store.
“The space is beautifully laid out and it gives us new ways to put out our items,” said Spears about the location that was picked because of the price. “We are very price conscious when buying space.”
The extra space will also allow the store to have more sales like a new table for knick knacks that will be priced for a quarter.
All store profits support Crossroads, a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.
“Our business will be complementary to the other area business,” said Spears referring to other thrift stores just south of the Family Store. “This gives shoppers more options and more selection.”
The Salvation Army opened its 20,000 square foot store for customers looking for low priced items like clothing, furniture, children’s toys and knick knacks on U.S. 41 in south Fort Myers across from Jamaica Bay.
“That neighborhood is a new part of town for us and it will be good for us to reach our customers there,” said Megan Spears, the store’s spokesperson. “A family store is similar to other thrift stores but we offer more items and discounts.”
The store is two times larger than the old store in Fort Myers.
“It’s a bit more south of Fort Myers and it helps people in Estero and San Carlos and it gives us more access to them,” said Major Austruderto Flores. “It gives people an opportunity to find second hand goods at an affordable price.”
Affordable prices is the staple of family stores especially at a time when the economy isn’t at its best, Flores said.
“With economy the way it is thrift stores are always places people turn to for discounted items,” said Flores about the store that will include a children’s area and a sporting goods area.
The Salvation Army paid $3.5 million for the space that used to house a furniture store.
“The space is beautifully laid out and it gives us new ways to put out our items,” said Spears about the location that was picked because of the price. “We are very price conscious when buying space.”
The extra space will also allow the store to have more sales like a new table for knick knacks that will be priced for a quarter.
All store profits support Crossroads, a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.
“Our business will be complementary to the other area business,” said Spears referring to other thrift stores just south of the Family Store. “This gives shoppers more options and more selection.”
Fire district buys brush truck
Southwest Florida hasn’t seen a busy brush fire season, but fire officials in south Fort Myers aren’t taking any chances.
The South Trail Fire Protection & Rescue District recently put a new 2008 Dodge Ram brush truck into operation in anticipation of more fires.
“We had a real bad brush fire last season and the whole county at times didn’t have any trucks available,” said Fire Chief William Lombardo, noting that the south trail area had only one brush truck. “We had expected a very bad brush season and we are glad we didn’t get it.”
The district purchased the $99,000 truck after budgeting in advance of the new fiscal year that started in October 2007.
Safety standards for the truck were taken into consideration during purchase and this one seems to fit the bill.
“The new apparatus in this one has a remote control operated nozzle that is mounted to the front of the vehicle,” he said about the standards that are set by the National Fire Protection Association.
The front-mounted nozzle allows firefighters to stay safe in the truck while fighting fires but still be able to get the job done.
“This is a beautiful feature .. it’s much safer but it still has a walk thru on the top where the firefighter can ride out on top if needed,” Lombardo said.
Firefighters will also be able to fight fires longer because the new truck carries 500 gallons of water — twice the water capacity of the older truck.
It also has a built-in foam tank that makes brush fires easier to tackle.
“Foam makes water wetter and allows it to soak down into the wood and prevents reignition,” Lombardo said. “Foam injectors have come a long way and these are just new generation tanks that make it easier for us.”
The life of a brush truck is usually 10 years, but officials rebuild the trucks to make them last longer as they fight in harsh wooden terrain or hop up on street medians.
“Sometimes they get beat up pretty bad,” he said about the truck that features traffic advisory lights on top to help move traffic and safety stripes.
The brush truck was formally dedicated at a ceremony on May 2 — a return to fire station tradition.
“In the eight years that I’ve been at South Trail, this will be the first dedication service for new apparatus that I’ve seen,” said Christie Knudsen, the district spokesperson in an e-mail.
The truck will be housed at the main headquarters station 63, 5531 Halifax Ave. It will participate in multi-agency response situations when necessary.
The South Trail Fire Protection & Rescue District recently put a new 2008 Dodge Ram brush truck into operation in anticipation of more fires.
“We had a real bad brush fire last season and the whole county at times didn’t have any trucks available,” said Fire Chief William Lombardo, noting that the south trail area had only one brush truck. “We had expected a very bad brush season and we are glad we didn’t get it.”
The district purchased the $99,000 truck after budgeting in advance of the new fiscal year that started in October 2007.
Safety standards for the truck were taken into consideration during purchase and this one seems to fit the bill.
“The new apparatus in this one has a remote control operated nozzle that is mounted to the front of the vehicle,” he said about the standards that are set by the National Fire Protection Association.
The front-mounted nozzle allows firefighters to stay safe in the truck while fighting fires but still be able to get the job done.
“This is a beautiful feature .. it’s much safer but it still has a walk thru on the top where the firefighter can ride out on top if needed,” Lombardo said.
Firefighters will also be able to fight fires longer because the new truck carries 500 gallons of water — twice the water capacity of the older truck.
It also has a built-in foam tank that makes brush fires easier to tackle.
“Foam makes water wetter and allows it to soak down into the wood and prevents reignition,” Lombardo said. “Foam injectors have come a long way and these are just new generation tanks that make it easier for us.”
The life of a brush truck is usually 10 years, but officials rebuild the trucks to make them last longer as they fight in harsh wooden terrain or hop up on street medians.
“Sometimes they get beat up pretty bad,” he said about the truck that features traffic advisory lights on top to help move traffic and safety stripes.
The brush truck was formally dedicated at a ceremony on May 2 — a return to fire station tradition.
“In the eight years that I’ve been at South Trail, this will be the first dedication service for new apparatus that I’ve seen,” said Christie Knudsen, the district spokesperson in an e-mail.
The truck will be housed at the main headquarters station 63, 5531 Halifax Ave. It will participate in multi-agency response situations when necessary.
Community offers incentives to condo buyers
Free mortgage payments for 12 months, free upgrades or a buy back option are just a few of the incentives Palmetto Cove is offering buyers in south Fort Myers.
The gated community of condominium homes located near McGregor Boulevard and Cypress Lake has put together a series of options to entice anyone willing to buy during a crunched housing market.
“Every buyer has a hot button issue that is important to them and I want to give everyone options,” said Mike Lippel, the sales manager for the homes that feature two floor plans. “We all have to have some kind of catch and in many cases, something that is important to us is different for them.”
Palmetto Cove is offering buyers different home packages that can be customized to fit their needs.
“I want people to come in and see us because it’s a condominium on the outside and customized on the inside,” said Lippel about the community that is managed McCann Development out of New York. “We are a privately owned company so we can do more than bigger builders out there.”
Marty Berger said customizing homes and offers is the only way builders can move inventory in a time when buyers are hesitant.
“We’re not waiting for the market to correct itself, we’re doing something helpful now,” said Berger, a McCann managing member. “It’s all about worry free living.”
Taking the worry away is why the company wants to pay buyers mortgages for 12 months or pay closing cost and a couple years of their $199 a month condominium fee.
“I’ve been doing this for seven years and if you are in the market to buy a home this is when to do it,” Lippel said about Southwest Florida’s housing market. “Everybody asks if it will get lower, I don’t know how much further down it can go for these builders to stay in business.”
That’s why Palmetto Cove felt it was time to rebuild buyers’ confidence in the market.
“People are still hesitant. But something like this offer says ‘why don’t you get involved, it might take away some of the stress of taking on a new home loan,’ ”Lippel said.
The homes are also priced lower.
“Our homes are now priced from the $160s, which is significant, and we’re offering golf and country club memberships,” Berger said.
For more information, call 337-2683.
The gated community of condominium homes located near McGregor Boulevard and Cypress Lake has put together a series of options to entice anyone willing to buy during a crunched housing market.
“Every buyer has a hot button issue that is important to them and I want to give everyone options,” said Mike Lippel, the sales manager for the homes that feature two floor plans. “We all have to have some kind of catch and in many cases, something that is important to us is different for them.”
Palmetto Cove is offering buyers different home packages that can be customized to fit their needs.
“I want people to come in and see us because it’s a condominium on the outside and customized on the inside,” said Lippel about the community that is managed McCann Development out of New York. “We are a privately owned company so we can do more than bigger builders out there.”
Marty Berger said customizing homes and offers is the only way builders can move inventory in a time when buyers are hesitant.
“We’re not waiting for the market to correct itself, we’re doing something helpful now,” said Berger, a McCann managing member. “It’s all about worry free living.”
Taking the worry away is why the company wants to pay buyers mortgages for 12 months or pay closing cost and a couple years of their $199 a month condominium fee.
“I’ve been doing this for seven years and if you are in the market to buy a home this is when to do it,” Lippel said about Southwest Florida’s housing market. “Everybody asks if it will get lower, I don’t know how much further down it can go for these builders to stay in business.”
That’s why Palmetto Cove felt it was time to rebuild buyers’ confidence in the market.
“People are still hesitant. But something like this offer says ‘why don’t you get involved, it might take away some of the stress of taking on a new home loan,’ ”Lippel said.
The homes are also priced lower.
“Our homes are now priced from the $160s, which is significant, and we’re offering golf and country club memberships,” Berger said.
For more information, call 337-2683.
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