Sunset Marathon: 365 evenings in a row

This sunset photo taken on Jan. 24 will appear in "Skyblue Pink: 365 Days of Sunsets From Florida's Gulf Coast," a book that details 365 days of sunsets on Bonita Beach. Photo courtesy of Jason Schwartz


Jason Schwartz is the author of "Skyblue Pink: 365 Days of Sunsets From Florida's Gulf Coast," a book that he and his wife, Kristyn, put together after taking pictures at sunset every day this year.


A photo of an Aug. 24 sunset on Bonita Beach taken for a book entitled "Skyblue Pink: 365 Days of Sunsets From Florida's Gulf Coast." Photo courtesy of Jason Schwartz


Jason Schwartz and his wife, Kristyn, have spent the last 364 evenings visiting Bonita Beach taking pictures of the sunset and talking to curious locals.

“People come up to us all the time and ask what we are doing out here every day,” said Jason Schwartz, 33, of Estero, while sitting under an umbrella waiting for the sun to set. “We’ve made a few friends.”

Beachgoers have become familiar with the couple who sit in the same spot and take pictures of every sunset — every day, rain or shine, bugs or not — as part of a bonding experience that turned into a soon-to-be published book.

“We were looking for something to do this year that we could do together,” Jason said.

The Schwartzes have taken more than 13,000 pictures on the beach, about 40 per day, and will sort through them and choose one picture for each day of the year.

Jason, who is a graphic artist, will assemble the photos and design the book titled “Skyblue Pink: 365 Days of Sunsets From Florida’s Gulf Coast.” Each photo will contain the date, time of the sunset and other atmospheric data.

They hope it will give people an idea of what it was like to be on the beach every day and find an appreciation for nature.

“It changes every day out there and it’s totally different but you get to see it all,” said Kristyn Schwartz, 32, who has been caught in several lightning storms throughout the year. “It’s just nature and you never know what you will get.”

But the Schwartzes got more than they bargained for because in the process they’ve made friends like “Stan the flute man,” a recluse who plays his flute on the beach, as well as others who collect shells.

“Some pictures have people in them because it gives it that personal touch,” said Jason, who isn’t including people doing the “Bonita bend” — his description of rear ends in the air from beachgoers collecting shells.

The couple has one more day of picture-taking on the beach and they have an agreement with Presstige Printing in Bonita Springs to start production as soon as the last photo is taken Dec. 31.

But the plan was never to put together a book until supportive family and friends suggested the couple show off their pictures.

The Schwartzes thought it was a great idea.

“Our families have been supportive because we sometimes have to leave early from birthdays so we can come take pictures,” said Jason, who uses a $300 Sony Cybershot camera and has no previous photography experience.

Kristyn agrees the sacrifice was worth it despite having to keep up with their 7-year-old son, Braden, and Kristyn’s 13-year-old daughter, Katie.

“Life gets in the way of everything but we’ve made it out there every night, at least one of us, and it has hindered dinners and birthdays but it’s been worth it,” she said about their schedules that get so busy at times that only one of them gets to the beach.

But they always know what time the sun will set by looking online and keeping up to date by cell phone.

“I’m an expert when it comes to a sunset! You know when there is a lot of clouds, you can see there will be a nice sunset. If there are no clouds, it will just sink into the water,” Kristyn said.

Her husband, on the other hand, says it’s a surprise every time.

“I’m never disappointed because not every day is a perfect sunset and everything out there is alive,” said Jason, about visiting the beach and seeing turtles hatch, birds fly and dolphins swim near the shoreline.

All photos were taken on Bonita Beach, except one.

“My close friend’s mother died and we set sail that day from Marco Island to honor her death so that day the sunset on the Gulf isn’t from Bonita,” said Jason, who will dedicate that photo to his friend’s mother in the book.

For now they will print the book themselves and hope they can donate some of the proceeds to help remove the cigarettes, bottle caps and trash the couple saw accumulate throughout the year.

“We came out here every day and nobody was picking anything up, and it’s sad to see the beach that way,” said Jason, who has placed calls to local groups but none seems interested. “The experience has been everything from great to absolutely horrible because of the traffic to get to the beach every day or the bugs and rain.”

Despite the hardships, the Schwartzes are keeping their camera pointed till the sun sets for the last time this year.
“We set out to do it and we are driven to finish,” Jason said.

Bonita Springs man receives fraternal organization honors

Gary Cepko of Bonita Springs has been named the Fraternal Most Valuable Participant by the National Fraternal Congress of America.

The group honors individuals who have donated their time and energy to helping their community.

“Gary was nominated because he does so much for everyone,” said Dean Burns, the vice president of the National Slovak Society of the USA.

The Slovak Society nominated Cepko by contacting the National Fraternal Congress of America and filling out documentation that told of Cepko’s volunteerism.

“He has put in a whole lot of hours of volunteer time with a couple different fraternals and he deserved to be nominated,” Burns said.

There are 75 fraternal benefit societies, like Cepko’s, that are members of the National Fraternal Congress of America.

The National Fraternals group chooses five winners every week to receive the award, which gives them a chance to be drawn for a trip to Washington, D.C., and meet with their congressman.

“That would be so exciting to go to Washington because it’s a good time to have them fight for us and help our community,” said Cepko, who won for the week of Dec. 18.

The award program was started in May of this year and gives volunteers a chance to be recognized.

“It’s the recognition for the unsung heroes who give back to their community. They rarely get a pat on the back for what they do,” said spokesperson Rose Riccetti of the National Fraternal Congress of America.

But Cepko doesn’t volunteer for recognition.

“You just have to make the time and just the satisfaction that I’ve helped people throughout the year is enough for me,” said Cepko, whose volunteering has raised money for the Women’s Shelter in Bonita Springs and helping local churches. “It’s all about everybody working together for one common good.”

Festival illuminates Hanukkah

¸ Mickey Bielski lights the candles at the “Menorah of Freedom” during the Hanukkah celebration at the Promenade in Bonita Springs.

The victory of light over darkness brought together members of the Bonita Springs and Estero Jewish community to celebrate the Festival of Lights at the Promenade in Bonita Springs.

Members and their families gathered together with the Chabad of Bonita Springs and Estero for a grand menorah lighting and Hanukkah festivities including crafts for kids.

“Hanukkah brings out something within us more than any other holiday,” said Rabbi Mendy Greenberg, of the Chabad. “It teaches us that just a little bit of light can bring us a lot of happiness.”

Greenberg spoke in front of more than 250 attendees about the significance of Hanukkah and the miracle that oil to light a lamp for one day kept burning for 8 days.

That’s why the menorah includes eight candles and one servant candle that is used and not gazed at.

“A little light brings the end of a lot of darkness,” said Greenberg, who has organized the event for the last three years. “The message of Hanukkah is that it’s the power of spirituality that is within us that helps us get through.”

The event marked the fourth day of the lighting of the menorah and all festivities concluded Friday with a dinner at the Trianon Hotel in the Promenade Shoppes.

“We are trying to service the Bonita Springs and Estero area and by doing this every year we remember our ancestors,” said Luba Greenberg, the rabbi’s wife.

Live music, entertainment, hot latkes and donuts and falafel were available at the festival.

“We have been celebrating (festival of lights) for more than 2,100 years and we will continue,” Greenberg said.

Directionary Group aims to help businesses

A new business has opened its doors in Bonita Springs but shoppers won’t be strolling down the aisles, or lining up at cash registers.

It will service the business owner.

The Directionary Group is offering a customized service that helps local businesses keep afloat in the ever-changing Southwest Florida market.

“I’ve seen a lot of smaller businesses struggling because of season and hurricanes,” said Hugo Arloro, Directionary’s financial adviser. “We want to help keep them in business.”

The group, which is based in Bonita Springs, wants small business to keep their focus on providing services for customers.

“Figuring out where the cash flow is going is difficult and many smaller businesses could be doing much better,” said Arloro, who has been building the consulting side of The Directionary Group for a year and a half.

They will service businesses in Bonita Springs, Naples, Estero, Fort Myers and as high as Cape Coral. The main focus, and personal passion, for Arloro is making sure smaller fish don’t drown in a sea of large businesses in Bonita Springs.

“I’ve done a lot in the mortgage field and I’ve discovered that consulting is needed,” said Arloro, who began his financial and business career in Boston 17 years ago. “Consulting services allow me to show the owners where the cash flow is and how they can put it back into their business to make more.”

But Arloro isn’t promising that businesses will make more, just spend their money more wisely.

“I’ll come in, analyze the numbers and where the cash flow management is going. I can help them decrease expenses by 20 to 30 percent,” he said.

Through the use of a close network of business associates in public relations, sales and marketing, The Directionary Group will also be able to hire help wherever businesses need it.

“We will analyze their business for free and put together a plan for growth,” said Arloro, who has connections throughout Florida and the United States. “If we can’t do it, we can hook you up with someone who can.”

The one-stop shop approach is what Arloro says separates The Directionary Group from other consulting businesses in the area.

“We want the business owner to focus on doing their business and we will take care of the rest. We want to be that one-stop shop,” he said. “I’m trying to create a niche by helping businesses that need consulting and follow-up services.”

Arloro can also help larger businesses through his work with The Directionary Group.

“Some people need money for the business so I can get it from my mortgage connections. Some just need analysis and I can do that, too, through the Directionary Group,” Arloro said. “My passion is to help the small guys and I’ve been there myself so I know what they are going through.”

Woman tries to give soldiers a piece of home

Sandy Madaffer is on a special mission this season to bring some holiday cheer to troops overseas.

She is collecting sheets sets, microwaveable popcorn, beef jerky and playing cards for soldiers who are yearning for a piece of home while at war.

“This will make it feel more like home and will make things much more comfortable for the soldiers,” Madaffer said.

Madaffer started collecting sheet sets more than six weeks ago and created “The Sheets Brigade” to get the word out about her efforts.

“I've been doing it all by word of mouth and hoping everybody helps as much as they can,” said Madaffer, of Bonita Springs.
“Soldiers are given sleeping bags but those aren't the most comfortable things to sleep on … you see the pictures and just have to help.”

As a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Bonita Springs, Madaffer is making it easy for interested donors by having them drop off items at her home.

Madaffer has collected more than 30 sheet sets.

“The sheets can have anything on them … Nascar or X-Men and then for fun they will argue about who got what,” said Madaffer, who has received two dozen flying discs and other items from local businesses. “They will take anything they can get but it's those hard candies and cards that they really want.”

This is the first Madaffer has collected for the soldiers and will send her first shipment on Jan. 1.

“The shipping isn’t cheap but I’ll send stuff as long as I get it,” said Madaffer, who is also collecting toiletry items. “This shows them that we care and it lets them know that we are thinking of them.”