Arts for ACT Gallery is hosting an exhibit of photographs of the street children of the Dominican Republic by photographer Chip Hoffman to raise funds to benefit FGCU professor Ingrid Martinez-Rico, seriously injured in an automobile accident in February.

Martinez-Rico and her husband Craig Heller have organized spring break service learning trips with FGCU students and faculty to the Dominican Republic for the last eight years. The group works with Accion Callejera, a Dominican non-profit organization that provides services to children who work and live in the streets.

Professional photographer Chip Hoffman joined the FGCU group on their 2007 trip in an effort to introduce photography to the community’s children while documenting the experience. Hoffman’s photos portraying the conditions and surroundings in which these children live comprise the exhibit.

This exhibition and sale is an effort to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with this tragic event. A portion of all photographic sales will go to a fund established for Martinez-Rico. Contributions may also be made independent of purchases.

The exhibit opening and reception is on July 18, 7–9pm. Hoffman’s photography will be on display and available for purchase from July 18–30.

The Arts for ACT Gallery is located at 2265 First St. in the River District in downtown Fort Myers. Call 337-5050 for information.

An exhibition of botanical photographs by acclaimed photographer and Cape Coral resident, Manfred Behr, taken in the Edison & Ford Winter Estates’ Moonlight Garden, is on view in the historic Edison Caretaker’s House at the Estates.

The exhibition, ‘Flowers of the Moonlight Garden’ include close-ups of some of Edison’s favorite flowers including antique roses, iris and bougainvillea.

Admission to the exhibit and Moonlight Garden is free with an admission. The Edison & Ford Winter Estates are located at 2350 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. The Estates are open daily 9am–5:30pm. Call 334-7419 for more information.

Manfred Behr’s digital photography is also on display at the Lee County Commissioner, Tammy Hall’s office in downtown Fort Myers through July 25.

Commissioner Hall’s office is located on the first floor of the Old County Courthouse at 2120 Main St. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.

For more information, call 533-2226.

For 26 years the Southwest Florida Museum of History (SWFMH) has worked diligently to preserve and protect the history that shaped Florida. Located in historic River District in downtown Fort Myers, visitors can learn from a variety of exhibits about the Paleo, Calusa and Seminole indians as well as the Spanish explorers and other early settlers.

The city of Fort Myers purchased the Atlantic Coastline Railroad Depot, located on Peck St., in 1907, and earmarked a section of the property to build a library. The old passenger depot next door wasn’t needed, so it was neglected, and began to disintegrate.

“In 1975 a group of citizens interested in preserving Florida’s history thought the passenger depot would be a perfect place to erect a historical museum,” says marketing and public relations director, Helena Finnegan. “They formed a committee and raised over $400,000 to renovate the dilapidated building. The city accepted the remaining financial responsibility and the museum opened to the public in 1982.”

The group set out to collect items that depicted Florida’s history. The result of their efforts culminated with many interesting, permanent exhibits, including an authentic replica of a pioneer ‘cracker’ house used by early settlers in the late 1800 to early 1900s, a 1926 La France fire pumper and a 1929 private Pullman rail car. They accrued an extensive artifacts collection detailing early civilization, the cattlemen, the military, agriculture, boating and fishing industries as well as 1,200 pieces of depression and carnival glass, photo’s, maps and important historical documents.

The museum’s most recent permanent exhibit, ‘Land of Giants: Paleo Florida’ depicts animals, such as mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, giant bison, smilodons, and glyptodonts, which roamed this area about 12,000 years ago.

During the first half of the year history buffs can enjoy a traveling exhibit that comes to the museum. This exhibit always highlights the history and culture of another time and era. Earlier this year the exhibit, ‘The Roswell Exhibit’ drew record attendance and the current exhibit, ‘Lucy: The Story of Human Origins’, has been extended through July 19 due to popular demand. Previous exhibits at the to the museum include ‘King Tut’ and ‘Treasures of Eden’.

The museum also offers an archival research center with an educator/ historian available, an educational center room for historical presentations that can be rented. There is an extensive school program in place that includes a full museum tour and outside exhibits.

Since some historical sites can’t be housed in a building, the museum offers downtown walking tours (September– April) to introduce visitors to the historic buildings, local legends, lore and rivalry that built the town. Monthly day trips travel to cultural and historic sites out of the area such as Miami’s South Beach, the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, St. Petersburg’s Dali Museum and the Biltmore Hotel, to name a few. Historical presentations, special programs, escorted bus trips, plus classes, lectures, workshops, special events are offered year round.

The museum is operated under the direction of trained historian, Matt Johnson, and is partially supported by the Southwest Florida Museum of History Foundation.

“This fall,” says Finnegan, “thanks to one of our foundation members, we’ve scheduled an exhibit by award-winning black and white nature photographer, Clyde Butcher. The exhibit, ‘Visions of Florida – A Clyde Butcher Retrospective’, will be in our museum from August 23–October 31.” The exhibit will feature 30–40 pieces comprised of Giclees and original silver gelatin photographs. She adds, “Clyde has been very generous to us over the years. He will also be our Featured Author on October 8.”

‘Night at the Museum – An Author’s Evening’ was introduced Iast year as a community based fundraising program. “This monthly event (held the second Wednesday of the month) is open to the public and will begin again in the fall. The original goal was to stimulate interest in the downtown area as well as to raise funds for the museum. Everyone attending meets and greets the author, enjoys a featured presentation, participates in a Q & A session and book signing,” Finnegan explains. “All for $15.“

Finnegan says that new programs are always being developed. “One of our most recent ventures was to make the museum more accessible to the growing Hispanic population. Beginning this fall, thanks to a matching grant from Southwest Florida Community Foundation, we will offer audio tours in both English and Spanish.

A new event will be launched this November to commemorate aviation week — a USO Show Extravaganza at Page Field Hangar. Participants will have the opportunity to get up close to historic airplanes, as well as enjoy live entertainment, a silent auction, dinner and dancing.

The Southwest Florida Museum of History is located at 2300 Peck St. and is open 10am–5pm, Tuesday–Saturday. Call 332-5955 for information.

— Carol DeFrank

Abuse Counseling & Treatment will host a preview exhibit for its Arts for ACT 2008 auction on Thursday, July 10, 6–8pm, at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Edison College. The exhibit includes more than 100 artworks, ranging from oils, watercolors, collage, mixed media, sculpture and jewelry — from local artists as well as internationally acclaimed artists such as the late Robert Rauschenberg, Darryl Pottorf, Tony Bennett and more.

This year at the preview, buyers will have the opportunity of purchasing art before it goes on the auction block.

The Bob Rauschenberg gallery is located on the campus of Edison College at 8099 College Pkwy. in Fort Myers. Call 489-9313 or 337-5050 for information.

This year’s auction, it’s 20th Anniversary,is themed ‘Platinum & Diamonds. The event will again be held on August 16 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Pointe Resort in Bonita Springs. The Guest Celebrity Auctioneer will be announced soon (past guest auctioneers have been Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Sharon Stone and Joan Rivers. Only 900 tickets are available for the live art auction dinner. The goal this year is to raise more than $500,000.
For more information about the Arts for ACT auction, the art preview, and Abuse Counseling & Treatment, call 939-2553.

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Dr. David Dyer and Lynette Novelli Pritchard offer complimentary raw foods preparation classes for people interested in enjoying the benefits of a raw food diet. Class topics include: Uncooking 101, Pate’s & Dips, Salads & Entrees, and Desserts. Raw foods recipes and samples will be available after each class.

The classes will be held at 6:30pm on July 16 & 30 and August 20 & 27 at Ada’s new location in Cape Coral, located at 1242 SW Pine Island Rd.

Classes will also be held at Ada’s Fort Myers’ location at 4650 S. Cleveland Ave. at 6:30 pm on July 17 & 31 and August 21 & 28.

Dr. Dyer is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor, licensed Massage Therapist, licensed Colon Therapist, nutritional counselor, public speaker, and author of Cellfood: Vital Cellular Nutrition for the New Millennium. For more information, call 471-0255.

As the redevelopment of the Bayshore area in South Naples heads into overdrive, the vibe is quite apparent with businesses, restaurants and art galleries opening to serve the influx of residents drawn to the next cool place. And lovin’ every minute of it is your local coffeehouse, Bayshore Coffee Company. It had been open less than a year when the mother–daughter team of Donna Hall and Chris Hall-Futrell moved here from Maine and purchased it to fulfill a dream of owning a cute, quaint little coffee shop. That was just over two years ago, and their dream has been more than realized since.

Chris recalls, “The first year we opened the coffee shop, my mom and I were staring at each other wondering what did we do? We did breakfast and lunch at first. Then probably within three months we started adding entertainment. We needed something to bring the people in. “

The prospect of drinking coffee and seeing live music was enough for us to come see what was happening. My husband checked out the place before I did, texting me “We’ve found our second home.” And that’s just how it feels upon entering. If you have trouble putting it into words, the poetic ruminations adorning the walls will do it for you. Among the many eloquently written around the room: “True happiness only exists when shared.” “The more I get lost in here the more I find what I’m looking for.”

Upon entering Bayshore Coffee Company the vibe is unmistakable. The room is slightly short of its capacity 49 and the crowd represents all walks of life, from hippies to business people in suits & ties to retirees, all meshed together in one room. This particular night a mom with a baby is even swaying to the blues music of Little Eddie and the Fat Fingers, who play alternating Thursdays with another Naples-based blues band called Mud Bone.

Coffee and menu aside, it’s the live music that encapsulates the Bayshore vibe. The rest of the week’s lineup includes a bluegrass night on Fridays with The Fleas or The Bean Pickers, a sit-down dinner and jazz night on Saturdays, and the most recent addition on Sundays, Havy Rodriguez and his Latin Ensemble.

Chris explains, “Wednesday has the youngest crowd, although we have musicians well into their 70s.” In fact, Little Eddie’s band got their start on the Wednesday night stage. “He (Little Eddie) floored the place on an Open Mic night,” she remembers, “He got done and was so shy. He had a bunch of friends who talked him into playing. He met his harmonica player here. He met his drummer here too. They talked him into adding them. Now they have a keyboard player and sometimes a saxophone player.”

Chris then tells me about the 15 year old that learned how to play guitar a year ago and now plays her own music at Bayshore on Wednesday nights. For those with a sense of rhythm, Wednesdays also quite often feature a drum circle with 10 people or more joining in.

There’s even art thrown into the mix courtesy of SoNa, the gallery next door. The last Tuesday of each month Bayshore Coffee Company holds a wine tasting and art show featuring the artist currently showing his or her work at SoNa. Their paintings adorn the walls, while patrons sample seven or so wines along with imported cheese, breads and desserts. Chris explains, “We move all the tables and it’s a big social.”

On Saturday nights Bayshore offers a dinner menu served on black tablecloths and Bob Zottola’s jazz trio entertaining.

As if the music lineup weren’t enough of a recipe for success, throw in the fact that Chris’s husband Frederic happens to be a Johnson & Wales-trained executive chef with 20 years experience under his belt.

Chris points to his signature grilled Panini sandwiches as crowd favorites, alongside a full breakfast menu, healthy salads, and several vegetarian dishes. The desserts include melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes that are in such high demand that people drive in from other towns to get them. And then there’s the coffee. “The great thing about our coffees is that we go through a local roaster,” Chris boasts, “They are two brothers from a third generation Guatemalan family. They have a coffee plantation in Guatemala, and they also import from all over the world. We get Costa Rican and Columbian coffees. They roast their beans right here in town so it’s as fresh as it can get. Their coffee is called Jojoka (pronounced yo-yo-ka). “

Regular Bayshore patron Kevin Mays has been around since the early days, too, “It has everything I need to sustain my life. I like the family atmosphere.”

Chris adds that they hope to expand their space when the time is right, and the vision for the future is to open a few more locations, including one in Asheville, North Carolina. In the meantime you can go to Bayshore Coffee Company, located at 3570 Bayshore Drive in Naples. Call 775-5676 for information.

— Julie Clay

The Arts for ACT Gallery hosts a reception July 11, 6–9pm for their themed, open, juried show ‘A Peace of Art’ and the artist April Marie.

‘A Peace of Art’ features more than 50 artists from all over Southwest Florida who have conveyed what ‘peace’ means to them, the community or the world. The exhibit will be on view July 3–16.

April Marie will be exhibiting the entire month of July.

The reception is open to the public and the gallery is free.

The Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First St. in downtown Fort Myers. Call 337-5050 for information.

Mangomania Tropical Fruit Fair returns to the German-American Social Club in Cape Coral on July 12 & 13. The fair features food and recipe contests, mango games and contests, including the world’s longest mango toss, mango juggling, and the crowning of Mr. Mangohead.

There will also be live music and entertainment, arts & crafts, carnival rides and children’s activities, educational demonstrations and presentations, tropical plants and trees for sale, and mango and tropical fruit specialty foods and beverages.

Bands scheduled to perform are Joe Yambo, Wildfire, Skeeterland Bluegrass Band and Southbound.

The 12th annual MangoMania Tropical Fruit Fair will last 9am–5pm on July 12 and 9am–4pm on July 13. The German-American Social Club is located at 2101 Pine Island Rd. in Cape Coral. Call 283-4842 for schedule, contest and other information.

June 1 marks the opening of the Annual ‘Ding’ Darling Days Amateur Nature Photography Contest. The contest, sponsored by the ‘Ding’ Darling Wildlife Society (DDWS), held in conjunction with ‘Ding’ Days, October 19–26. The deadline for submission is 4pm on August 31.

Judges will consider technical excellence, originality and creativity, interest, and the ability to be reproduced for publication.

Only amateur photographers are eligible to enter and photos must have been taken during the two previous years within J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling NWR.

Photos must be 8”x10” (or full frame 8”x12”) with an 11”x14” mat to facilitate display. Frames are not permitted. Please include one 4” x6” copy of entry.

Each person may enter up to two photos, but can win only one award. Photos that have won awards in previous DDWS photo contests may not be resubmitted.

Judging will be anonymous. Please do not put your name or anything that will identify you on your photo.

Digital photos are acceptable. However, only limited image modifications are permitted. Manipulation should only be used to produce a more natural looking photograph. Cropping is allowed, but any other color modifications or the addition of any elements not existing in the original scene will not be allowed.

Entries may be delivered in person to J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling NWR or submitted by mail to ‘Ding’ Darling Wildlife Society, One Wildlife Dr., Sanibel, FL 33957. All photos will become the property of the Society and will not be returned. There is no need to include a return envelope or postage. Photos may be used by the Society in any way with appropriate credit.

For an entry form and other contest information, call 472-1100. Winners will be announced and awarded prizes during a special ‘Ding’ Darling Days presentation on October 24.

‘Ding’ Darling Wildlife Society is a non-profit organization that supports environmental education and services for J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

Robert N. Macomber, the popular Matlacha Island novelist, has just received the highest national honor in his genre — the American Library Association’s 2008 W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction, for his latest novel, A Different Kind of Honor.

The W.Y.Boyd Award recognizes the services of America’s veterans and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding military fiction.

Macomber’s reaction to the news: “I am stunned, honored, and profoundly appreciative!”

The nationwide award jury was chaired by Robert E. Schnare, of the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, who said, “Robert Macomber has written an excellent work about the assignment of Lt. Commander Peter Wake during a conflict that is little known to history, the War of the Pacific. This conflict lasted from 1879–1884, with the main players in this war being Bolivia and Peru versus Chile.” He went on to say that Macomber’s work is a genuine contribution to understanding the events that occurred in South America during the late 19th century. It also details the rivalry for influence, on sea and land, among Britain, France and the United States.

Robert Macomber, who grew up among the islands of Florida’s lower Gulf coast, is an internationally recognized maritime lecturer and television commentator, and the author of the critically acclaimed ‘Honor Series’ of historical naval novels. A Different Kind of Honor is the sixth in the series. The Honor Series begins in Southwest Florida during the Civil War, and chronicles the personal life and professional exploits around the world of Peter Wake, a fictional U.S. naval officer from 1863 to 1908.

The author’s next novel in the ‘Honor Series’, The Honored Dead, which is set in Southeast Asia in 1883, is due for release in March 2009.