The Boca Banner: Building a Better Community Together

"I love dogs. I think the world is a better place because of dogs." Charlie Brown, Peanuts.

The Internet Edition- Vol. 2 Issue 4 February 3, 2006

Charlotte Co Fire Department assisted. Lee Co EMS set up a "rehab" station to aid in case of injuries.

Eight Marina Village condos were involved in an early morning fire Saturday, Feb 4. Although some residents suffered minor injuries none appears to have been seriously injured. One resident lowered his wife to the ground and then jumped, landing on his back.

Several units were gutted by the fire and others had to be evacuated because of smoke and water damage. Units 25-32 were involved.

Resident Jim McMillan spotted the blaze in a

storage room at about 4:45 am and "laid on the horn," to alert the occupants.

Another resident was attempting to control the fire with a small hose. The remains of a golf cart can be seen in the lower right corner of the photo. The fire had spread across the front of the building and was through the soffit when Boca Grande engine no. 1 arrived.

A complete story will appear in The Boca Banner Friday, Feb. 10.


Florita and Charlie Field greet the Rev. Jerome Carosella and Pat Chapman before the dedication service last Thursday. Florita and Charlie have been volunteers for nearly seven years. Pat and Roy Chapman helped provide matching funds to purchase the new equipment. See more photos on page 19.	Seven-year-old Matiel Ceja takes advantage of the new playground equipment that has been installed to replace that which was destroyed by Hurricane Charley. The new equipment will be able to withstand high winds and plenty of kids on the grounds of Catholic Charities in Arcadia.

Index...
FP&L Repair...................pg 3 (Printed Edition)

Ron Hart..........................pg 6

Harm De Blij....................pg 7

Cookin' with Lee.............pg 8

Italian Job IV...................pg 9

Art Alliance..................pg 12

Island School................pg 13

God is Love...................pg 14

Tennis Auction............pg 18

Playground pics...........pg 19

Diaz Day........................pg 20

2005 Archive Editions

Boca Banner Website

The Boca Banner is on the internet. There are new links to weather and tide charts. Current news and photos. Links to Boca Grande's Real Estate leaders. Keep watching the site grow.

Its www.thebocabanner.com . The redesigned site is maintained by JD Web Design. of Port Charlotte Florida

The new colorful playground equipment welcomed children of the after school study program on the grounds of Catholic Charities in Arcadia last Thursday when a contingency of Boca Grande residents and long-time volunteers for the program traveled there for a dedication led by the Rev. Jerome Carosella of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.

Nearly seven years ago, a playground was constructed by Boca Grande volunteers who were also mentors and tutors for the children of the farm

workers who attended the program. They used wood as a base for swings, slides and other intriguing nooks for kids to play on. Hurricane Charley destroyed what they had built but the paved area where they erected a basketball hoop still stands.

"What the ants didn't get, Charley finished," said Sister Ann DeNicolo, director of the Arcadia office of Catholic Charities that served some 13,000 clients in 2004-05. As a result of Charley, the organization has had to expand its staff to include a housing

coordinator to work with the many homeless resulting from the storm. It
has also expanded its programs to include a new housing project to
build homes for farm workers. The charity also provided food, much of which came from the Harry Chapin
Food Bank of Fort Myers.

"We are so grateful to the people of Boca Grande who have been so generous over the years," said
DeNicolo, "and they have been so generous in terms of their time and
love."
Continued on Page 19

By Linda Fudala-Tucker
“We the grateful dog lovers (and dogs), hereby proclaim this day, January 31, 2006 to be Leslie Diaz Day at the Boca Grande Dog Park and wish him and his family the very best life has to offer..."

Affectionate sentiments were conveyed Tuesday afternoon when a party was held at the Boca Grande Dog park to honor Leslie and Marcellyn Diaz who recently sold Hudson's Grocery. The date also happened to be the closing day for the sale.

The event was organized by Valerie

Walch, a fellow dog owner and regular Hudson customer who supplied the cake and champagne. Others who regularly use the park to give their pooches a place to run and play brought their favorite drinks and goodies to pass around, including goodies for the canine guests.

The new owners are Howard and Emily Wise,

Continue On Page 8

Some 50 dogs and their owners showed up Tuesday afternoon at the Dog Park to fete Leslie and
Marcellyn Diaz who closed on the sale of Hudson's Grocery that day. The event was organized by
Valerie Walch, owner of "Bob." Leslie Diaz, center, accepts a plaque from Walch. See more photos on page 20.

Kevin Cocco was accused last Thursday in an arrest warrant of burglarizing the Boca Grande Branch of Wachovia Bank July 6, 2005. His troubles did not end there.

Sunday, in Port Charlotte, Cocco apparently got into a fight with another youth who was described as his best friend in sheriff’s reports. His best friend has now been arrested and

charged with "aggravated battery
that causes bodily harm or disability,
a felony." Cocco’s best friend, Jacob Tyler Lowe, age 20, reportedly said
he

Continued On Page 8

The Wini Smart Gallery - Boca Grande

Karen and Richard Hugger, Buyer's Resource,
941-964-1299 (Office and fax), 941-964-2727 (Home),
Upstairs in the Historic Depot Downtown Boca Grande