Upcoming Events Sun, April 21- Party in the Park with Deb and the Dynamics 12- 4 pm. Saint James City Civic Center 3300 Fourth Ave in Saint James City. Volunteers needed. See details below. Wed, April 24- Shoes With Heart Pick Up and Sorting 9- 11 am. 24/7 Storage, 5111 Doug Taylor Circle in Saint James City. Volunteers needed. See details below. Sun, April 28- Pirate's Seafood Fest 11 am- 5 pm. Jug Creek Marina and Fish House 16498 Tortuga St in Bokeelia. Volunteers needed. See details below. Wed, May 1- Shoes With Heart Pick Up and Sorting 9- 11 am. 24/7 Storage, 5111 Doug Taylor Circle in Saint James City. Volunteers needed. See details below. Sat, May 4 - Adopt-A-Road 8:30 am in Matlacha. Volunteers needed. See details below! Mon, May 6- May Board Meeting starting at 6 pm. Deb Syring's House 5224 SW 19th Ave in Cape Coral. Wed, May 8- Shoes With Heart Pick Up and Sorting 9- 11 am. 24/7 Storage, 5111 Doug Taylor Circle in Saint James City. Volunteers needed. See details below. Sat, May 11- Blood Drive 10 am- 3 pm Winn-Dixie parking lot, 9864 Stringfellow Rd in Saint James City. Mon, May 13- May General Membership Meeting starting at 6:30 pm. American Legion Post 136, 4106 Stringfellow Rd in Saint James City. See details below. Wed, May 15- Shoes With Heart Pick Up and Sorting 9- 11 am. 24/7 Storage, 5111 Doug Taylor Circle in Saint James City. Volunteers needed. See details below. Mon, May 22- Shoes With Heart Pick Up and Sorting 9- 11 am. 24/7 Storage, 5111 Doug Taylor Circle in Saint James City. Volunteers needed. See details below. Members are encouraged to visit the website for up to date news, meeting minutes, financials, merchandise and committee event forms. |
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PLEASE make sure you're loading this entire edition of The Herald! Depending on your device, The Herald may be getting "clipped" and not fully loading. The very last things you should see are the P.O. Box address and "Visit the Website" link at the bottom. If you're not seeing this, there are two things you can try. At the very top of the Herald, click on the option to View in a Browser. If that doesn't work, look for "View Entire Message" where it looks to be the end/bottom of The Herald. You should be able to click and load the rest of The Herald. Hopefully this helps some of our members, who haven't been able to hear about all of the awesome things that the Matlacha Hookers have going on! |
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April 20th is Volunteer Recognition Day! This day recognizes those selfless individuals who volunteer their time and energy to help others and promote good causes. Thank you to the volunteers who worked Bag 'n Tag and Pancake Breakfast. Raising funds for student scholarships would not happen without these ladies and gentlemen. Pancake Breakfast Kudos go to Tania Watkins, Stacy Sims, Tammey Lynch, Savahna Flint, Keith Wainright, Robby Hall, Natalie Gazda, Julia Gaylor, Sandy Reynolds, and John Panse, who opened up kitchen for us at 5:30 am. Bag 'n Tag Kudos go to DJ Ruscik, Bonnie DeGroote, Tracy Andrews, Gwen Galpin, Beth Sowers, Heidi Lutz, Kim Graves, Bonnie Gunnoe, Anita Jannotti, Shirley Noble, Debbie Riggio, Jeannie Glenn, Nancy Carlson, Karleen Canas, Kimmy Rasmussen, Vicki Janda, Roberta Erickson, Marie Kocher, Tammey Lynch, Cookie Rigsby, Jill Filgut, Anna VanKirk, Darcy Conner, Beth Hart, and Carol Zaremba. If we have missed any volunteer, please accept our apology and come to the May general meeting be recognized. It was a great day and I, for one, was delighted to see so many new Hookers help out. Madam LindaBo |
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Celebration of Life for Tom Ruscik ~ April 27 |
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There will be a Celebration of Life for Tom Ruscik on Saturday, April 27th, beginning promptly at 11:00 am at the American Legion Post #136, 4106 Stringfellow Road in Saint James City. DJ welcomes everyone to attend. She is thankful for all the cards and love. |
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Last Party in the Park of the Season! Pirate's Seafood Fest at Jug Creek Marina and Fish House! Help Out Our Matlacha Hookers Merchandise Team! |
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The Matlacha Hookers Merchandise Team is still working hard, and really needs some helping hands! Come out and shop, and volunteer! Party in the Park with Deb and the Dynamics Sunday, April 21, 12 pm- 4 pm Saint James City Civic Center 3300 Fourth Ave, Saint James City Shift available: 11 am-1:30 pm (Please plan on arriving 15 minutes early for your shift.) Pirate's Seafood Fest Saturday, April 28, 11 am - 5 pm Jug Creek Marina and Fish House 16498 Tortuga Street, Bokeelia Shifts available: 11 am- 1 pm, 1- 3 pm, 3- 5 pm. (Please plan on arriving 15 minutes early for your shift.) The Matlacha Merchandise Team needs volunteers at these fun island events! Please contact Linda Bohacek 715-579-5009 |
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Matlacha Hookers Mix and Mingle! April 24 |
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Paint and Sip (see image below of the design we'll be painting!) Wednesday, April 24th at 6:00 p.m. Eagles Nest in Bokeelia $35.00 To reserve your spot please send payment to Kellie via Venmo: @sallygoinsouth7 Questions? Contact Tracy Chapple 317-501-9930 |
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We have collected 425 of the 4000 pairs of gently used shoes we need to meet our May 25th goal. We are well on our way and need everyone to clean out their shoe closets and share the information with friends and family! We are collecting and sorting shoes weekly on Wednesdays at 9:00 am. Please meet outside the storage unit on Doug Taylor Circle in Saint James City, located across from the Beacon of Hope, if you can help. sign up is available on Signup Genius as well, just click the button below! Questions? Contact Kimmy Rasmussen 612-309-1194 mrtoadsras@gmail.com |
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We're ready to tackle our Adopt A Road clean up! Please meet us at 8:30 am on Saturday, May 4, at Blue Dog Bar and Grill, to clean up the Matlacha Hookers segment of Pine Island road from Miceli's to Yucatan. We will NOT be doing the construction area, so when we get closer to May 4, additional guidance will be provided. We may divide into 2 teams - one going west from Micelli's to the bridge, and one from the other side of the construction zone (past Bert's Gallery) west to Yucatan. Afterwards, all teams are invited back to Traders Hitching Post (Thank you, Cindee!) for munchies, and beverages to wash it down with. We'll provide high-styling safety vests, pickers, gloves, trash bags, along with bug spray and water. The more that participate, the quicker the task goes. Thanks to our experienced trashy Hookers, we're usually done in less than 2 hours. Feel free to come solo or bring your spouse, significant other, neighbors, and kids. We may have a few Girl Scouts pitching in also. It's a great way to get a little fresh air and exercise, as well as get to know your fellow Matlacha Hookers members. Also it provides immediate results and fulfills our mission of providing a positive difference in our community. Hope to see many of you on Saturday, May 4! Thanks - Lorie Tidwell and Shirley Noble Co-chairs, Matlacha Hookers Adopt-A-Road |
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Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive |
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Sharing information from this year's coordinator: The Letter Carrier’s Food Drive is a remarkable effort by the United States Postal Service to raise nonperishable food items for local pantries to help feed the hungry across America. This year it will be happening here on the Island on Saturday, May 11th, 2024. It is the largest single-day food drive in our country. We are very proud that due to our volunteer efforts to help OUR POSTAL carrier’s collect donations, all the food collected continues to stay on our island. Last year, the drive raised 920lbs. of food to benefit our fellow islanders. Due to hurricane Ian this was a lot less than our prior year which raised over 6000lbs. We are certainly hoping for a better outcome this year. Please be on the lookout in your mailbox close to May 11th for a post card with directions for your donations. In order to achieve full coverage and assistance across the carrier routes for all Pine Island and Matlacha Post Offices the Food Pantry is working with them and many other organizations on the island to recruit volunteers for that day. We plan to Have volunteers going out in advance of the carrier’s Saturday morning between 8:30 -9:00am to lighten their load. Volunteers will take the collected donations back to the Pine Island Food Pantry where it will be weighed and categorized. Island neighbors who would like to help by collecting food in their neighborhood or on their street should give Guy D’Alessio a call at 917-774-7397. Individual residents can also help by either dropping of nonperishable food items at their local SJC, Bokeelia or Matlacha post offices or at one of the other Food Pantry locations, which include Winn-Dixie, V.F.W, American Legion, Moose, or Centennial Bank, the week of May 6Th or leave them near their mailboxes on the morning of May 11th before 8:30 am for volunteer pick up. On Saturday May 11th, people should not get alarmed if they do not see someone in an official postal vehicle picking up their donations. All volunteers will have a poster on their dashboard vehicle identifying them. Some letter carriers may also be picking up donations left at individual mailboxes on their route. In terms of what’s needed, we can really use any type of food donation as long as it’s nonperishable. Think about what your family typically eats and then look for BOGO type sales which might make it easier to donate the free item. A complete list of foods we distribute can be found on our website https://pineislandfoodpantry.org/. Monetary donations can also be made online or by check, payable to the Pine Island Food Pantry. We greatly appreciate the support of the community to help with both donations and collection of donations on Saturday, May 11th. Pine Island is one of the few locations in SWFL where donations stay within the local community and every little bit helps us help your neighbors. This is such an important event for us. The Pine Island Food Pantry, which is a 501c3 nonprofit, serves the Pine Island and the greater Matlacha area and is operated by an all-volunteer staff in the life Center of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church on Stringfellow Road in Bokeelia. The goal of the Pantry is to ensure “No one goes Hungry” on the island. Visit our website to learn more. |
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General Membership Meeting |
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Monday, May 13, 2024 American Legion Post 136 4106 Stringfellow Rd in Saint James City Doors open at 5 pm to start ordering food and beverages. Reminder: the American Legion only accepts cash! The meeting begins promptly at 6:30 pm. As always, please don't forget to bring food pantry donations! |
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Hooked on Education Scholarships |
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The 2024 scholarship committee has been created, chaired by Carolyn Ryzanych. Despite a late start, we are determined to offer scholarship opportunities to those that meet the criteria. This year we will offer a First Responder Scholarship in addition to the regular scholarships. This candidate will pursue an education toward a First Responder career. The application has been updated and can be found on the Hooker website as well as hard copies at the Pine Island Library. An announcement was printed in the Pine Island Eagle on Tuesday, April 3rd. Please encourage those that you know who meet the criteria to apply. Deadline to apply is May 17, 2024. |
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WE ARE WORKING THE POLES! |
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We are excited to kick off our “2024 Matlacha Hookers Working the Poles” campaign, in conjunction with LCEC and the Chamber of Commerce, to beautify electric poles on Pine Island. We are launching our 2024 pole design contest for at least three poles along Stringfellow Road from Saint James City to Bokeelia. We will not be limited to just Stringfellow Road; it is only a starting point. As Hookers, we need to show our community the beauty and wonder of Pine Island through our creativity and passion. We are dynamic, we are united, we need to represent!! We are asking our designers to submit their drawings and ideas, using these design guidelines for approval: -Only exterior grade paint can be used. (Nothing can be attached to the pole.)
-Paintings should be designed to be 6 feet tall, starting 24 inches above grade level. -Artwork will not be of a commercial or political nature and will not include any words. -Artwork should be indicative of the Pine Island community.
-Artwork should include a hook in the design, large or small.
-Can’t draw? Give us an idea and we will get it on paper with your approval. Drawings can be submitted in person to Donna Trusik, via email dcray25@gmail.com, or via text 314-560-5074. Please attach contact information with submissions. Once the Chamber of Commerce and LCEC approves the winning designs, the painting and fun will begin!!! We have not forgotten about our Snowbird Hookers. We will have a fall painting schedule waiting for you! Throughout the painting process, photos will be taken, and once the pole is complete, the painters will be photographed and celebrated!!! We will be collecting new and used exterior paint and supplies for our painters. Please contact Donna Trusik at 314-560-5074 with any questions. Come on ladies, this is our time to shine!!! |
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Working the poles this summer are these fine painted ladies: DJ Ruscik, Donna Trusik, Donna Andre, Linda Bessette, Kathy Tenbrink and Nancy Carlson. |
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Join our Members-Only Facebook Group! |
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Join us in the exclusive Matlacha Hooker Facebook Group! This private page is your ultimate destination for all things Matlacha Hookers. Stay tuned for event announcements, community news, and stories of how we're making an impact together. Plus, enjoy a glimpse into the fun and camaraderie that define our group. |
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Pine Island Food Pantry News |
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The Pine Island Food Pantry is in need of the following items: feminine hygiene products, dry cereal, canned soup (NO cream soup), diced tomatoes, instant mashed potatoes, elbow macaroni, penne or ziti pasta, egg noodles, dried beans, saltines, crackers, and individually wrapped kids' snacks. Please bring donations to the next General Meeting or drop off at one of the following locations: Winn-Dixie, V.F.W., American Legion, Moose, Centennial Bank, the Matlacha Post Office or at the pantry when it is open on Monday and Thursdays, 9 am - 11 am. Visit pineislandfoodpantry.org to learn more. Thank you! |
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The password for our website has been updated! Members Only Area Password: HookM24 |
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Herald and website content submissions, along with questions or concerns, should be sent to Christy Rau at MHwebmistress@gmail.com. Please do not email Christy by replying to, or forwarding a Herald publication. Since we use the free version of WIX for both our website and emails, the Herald emails actually go out under a different email address, which she does not have access to. |
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