Upcoming Events 

Mon., Jun 20 - 11th Annual Island Luau Start-Up Meeting at SJCCC starting at 6:30 pm.

Thu., Jun 23 - Join the 4th of July Parade Float Committee Meeting starting at 2pm at Goldy’s.  Hope to see you there!  Anita and DJ

Sat., Jun 25 - Adopt a Road.  Meet at the Olde Fish House at 8:30 am.

Mon., Jun 27 - Board Meeting at Fire Station #4 starting at 6 pm.

Mon., Jul 4 - Pine Island Parade.  The Matlacha Hookers will have a float.  More details to follow.

Mon., Jul 11 - General Meeting at Berts Bar and Grill.  Doors open at 5 pm and meeting starts at 6:30 pm.  Personal Care and School Supply donations are welcome.

Sat., Jul 16 - Mini MangoMania - will be held at OLMM Catholic Church where it all began.  

Members are encouraged to visit the website for up to date news, meeting minutes, financials, merchandise and committee event forms.   The new Merchandise Catalog is now available.

Island Luau Planning Meeting

Tonight, Monday, June 20th- 6:30 @ SJCCC

Next Island Luau meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Feb 26, 2023 @ the SJCCC.  

Please come and offer your skills. What are your talents or interests? Are they in Food Prep? Decorating? Collecting items? Making phone calls? Helping with set-up? Helping with Tear down? There are many areas that could use you. We need you to volunteer. Let's make this event even better.

Board of Directors Letter

Next month I will celebrate my first year as being a Matlacha Hooker and I’m so grateful to find a wonderful group of women making a difference. I originally purchased my house in Saint James City in 2019 as an investment and ultimately my retirement home but Covid helped accelerate our move.

Born and raised in Minnesota and facing another winter my two teenage boys and I decided in November 2020 we would go stay in the Florida house at least through the winter, if not through the school year, but with no plans to stay. This was made possible at the time because they were remote learning for school and my job had become remote as well. We packed a few bags, put our cat Annika into her carrier and got in the car, 27 straight hours later we made it.

We settled in quickly, buying a fishing boat, spent Friday nights at Froggy’s and I was blessed to meet Joel about a month after we moved. I read frequently about the Matlacha Hookers in the Pine Island Eagle and my first event was the 2021 Bag N Tag where I learned about membership.

Ultimately, we decided to make the move permanent, and my boys just finished their first year of school in Florida. This fall all will be at Ida Baker High School, with Jordan in 11th grade, Flynn in 9th grade and Joel’s daughter Maryn in 10th grade.

My role on the board as Treasurer is a joy and plays to my strengths.  Plus working with Julia and Monica on the PIE Derby helps me learn more about the organization and all the moving pieces that go into hosting such a fun event.

If I haven’t met you yet, hope to do so soon.  Debra Syring

We'll equip everyone with trash pickers, safety vests, gloves, trash bags, bug spray and plenty of water.  The more people that show up the faster the clean-up goes. We're usually done in less than 90 minutes.  We team up in pairs and head out with half going on one side of Pine Island towards the Yucatan and the other half towards Micelli's.  

A signup sheet will be available at the June 13 meeting - but feel free to show up with or without signing up.  Thanks in advance for your participation.  We're looking forward to seeing your smiling faces on Saturday June 25th.

Grab your hubby, neighbor, best friend - this is an activity that nets immediate results.  Afterwards you can proudly drive through Matlacha knowing that you have made an amazing difference in our community.  Plus - a little fresh air and exercise is a great way to kick off the weekend.

Lorie Tidwell and Shirley Noble, Adopt A Road co-chairs

THE JULY GENERAL MEETING

Monday, July 11

Bert's Bar and Grill

4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha

Doors open at 5 pm. Food will be available to purchase.  The meeting starts at 6:30 pm.  Please bring Personal Care donations for the Food Pantry and School Supply donations.  

Go To Meeting Link for the July General Meeting 

Mon, Jul 11, 2022 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (EDT)

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/476759781

You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (872) 240-3212

Access Code: 476-759-781

Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install

Click on the button to see the list of supplies requested by teachers for the next school year.

Starting this week, school supplies may be dropped off at the following participating businesses through July 23rd: in Matlacha at the Post Office, The Perfect Cup, Blue Dog Restaurant, Trader's Hitching Post, Yucatan Bar and Grill, CW Fudge, the Old Fish House Marina Restaurant, Bert’s Bar and Grill and Miceli’s Restaurant.  At the Center, bring supplies to Pine Island Community Church, Nick B’s Artisan Food Market, Cutting Ties Salon, Pine Island First Baptist Church, Winn Dixie, First Horizon Bank, Island Grill, Centennial Bank, Pine Island United Methodist Church, the Pine Island Elks Lodge or the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church. In Bokeelia, you may donate your items at the Pine Island Library or Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church. In St. James City, donation bins can be found at the Pine Island Auto Care, the Moose Lodge, Ragged Ass Salon and Pine Island First Baptist Church.

The drive will culminate with a fundraising event on Saturday, July 23rd led by DJ, at which time we will collect all of the bins as well.  Event details to come.  We will then drop off all of the supplies to the school by July 28th for backpack assembly. 

Thank you to Hookers Cindee Tolliver, Lori Tidwell, Beth Nelson, Cindy Walton, Gail Landis and Christy Rau for stepping up to place the bins, monitor and collect donations during the month of July.   For more information or questions, please text or call Karen at 513-265-7123.      Thank you!

Pine Island FISH Basket Brigade

Clothing for Kids Update

Registration is underway, so kid's names and sizes will be available soon.  Businesses, churches, service organizations and individuals on the island have been approached about adopting one or more kids.  Plans are progressing on an expanded program concept to include other resources and services to help our kids be better prepared for the start of school. 

The Distribution event at PIUMC will have a fair type atmosphere mostly held outside, with families required to park and walk-through stations. So far we have commitments from Lee Health for vaccines, health resources and a scheduler and they are working with partners on possible vision, hearing and dental screenings.  The Fire Department will be there and may do blood glucose tests, check car seats and provide other safety programs and information. The Sheriff’s Outreach Response Unit plans to attend with school safety information. Riverside Dental has committed to being there and we are in touch with several hairdressers regarding providing haircuts.  Hygiene and grooming products, as well as school resource information, will be included in their bags. 

Distribution will be Saturday, July 30 from 10-12, followed by the Kiwanis Pool Party at Phillips Park from 12-2 pm.   If interested in helping, need more information or have a lead on a business service to follow up on, text Karen at 513-265-7123. Thank you!

Pine Island Food Pantry

Personal Care Drive Continues

The Food Pantry is requesting that we continue with collection of personal care products, such as feminine hygiene (tampons and pads), toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, and razors for their clients.  These items help them maintain their dignity and respect, nourishing the soul. 

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, Elks, Centennial Bank, the Matlacha Post Office or at the pantry when it is open on Monday and Thursdays, 8:30 am - 10:30 am. Visit pineislandfoodpantry.org to learn more. Thank you!

Summer Food Programs Continue

Please help spread the word!

Florida’s Summer BreakSpot breakfast and lunch program continues. 

Breakfast at Matlacha Community Center, 4577 Pine Island Rd, NW, Matlacha.  June 13 – July 29 – 9:30-10:00 am, each weekday, Monday through Friday, except for July 4th.

Lunch at Phillips Park Community Pool, 5675 Sesame Dr, Bokeelia.  

June 7 – July 29 – 11:45 am -12:15 pm, each weekday, Monday through Friday, except for July 4th.

**IMPORTANT WEBSITE ACCESS INFORMATION**

The website Members ONLY pages have been updated and are accessible on the HOME page in two sections. The 2022 Password is 20HMP22 and only needs to be entered one time on the Members only page. Members need to email the Secretary at 

matlachahookers@matlachahookers.org to have their membership verified before receiving the new password.  Questions?  Contact Vice Madam Julia

Don’t forget that 0.5% of all of your purchases will be automatically donated to the Matlacha Hookers if  you,

1. Select Matlacha Hookers as your charity and then,
2. Enter Amazon through the Amazon Smile each time you shop.

Thank you for supporting us all year long!

Herald and website content submissions, along with questions or concerns should be sent to Karen Durand at MHwebmistress@gmail.com.  Please do not email to Karen by 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.