Public comments:

• No public comments were made. 

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Events

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Annual Pie Day & Poker Run

Date/Time: November 26, 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Details: Hosted by The Griffith Group, Downing Frye Realty. Free pumpkin pies and a poker run at McSwain Home & Gardens with prizes, including Caribbean cruises for 2 & 4 people.

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Saving Bonita Springs Elementary School

Date/Time: November 30th, 3:00 - 4:00 PM

Details: Bonita Springs Public Library, Room A/B. This will be a community town hall where we will discuss our preservation efforts with our community. We have invited the Lee County School Board, as well as members of City Council.

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Art in the Garden - Open Air Painting Class at the Historic McSwain Home

December 3rd. 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Get your tickets here: https://www.bonitaspringshistory.org/event-details-registration/art-in-the-garden-open-air-painting-class-at-the-historic-mcswain-home

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McSwain Home Christmas Open House

Date/Time: December 3rd, 5:00 -9:00 PM

Details: Freshly baked cookies will be offered to children, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be on-site for photos.  

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Bonita Springs Christmas Boat Parade

Date/Time: December 14th. 5PM - 9:00 PM​

Details: Starting at Baywater Exclusive Boat Club & Rentals. Captains social will be hosted at the Shangri-La Springs Hotel. Learn more by visiting: https://www.bonitaspringshistory.org/event/bonita-springs-christmas-boat-parade

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Upcoming, in-season events: A full in-season's events calendar was proposed. This calendar will posted on our website and advertised throughout various channels.​​

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General Meeting​:

Preservation Efforts for Bonita Springs Elementary School:

• Bonita Springs Elementary School: A Town Hall has been scheduled for November 30th at the Bonita Springs Public Library, beginning at 3:00 PM. This event is open to the public and aims to engage the community and educate attendees on how they can support our mission to preserve the school’s historic buildings. Invitations have been extended to the Lee County School Board and staff and council members from the City of Bonita Springs. Residents can RSVP via our website. Additionally, our online petition on Change.org has reached 1,051 signatures, with the next goal set at 1,500 signatures. The discussion concluded with Derrick asking the board for their thoughts on the possibility of acquiring the historic section of the current Elementary School should the opportunity arise.

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2025 Biergarten Event at Riverside Park

• The board discussed the upcoming Food Truck Rally & Pop-Up Biergarten event, scheduled at Riverside Park from January 30th to January 1st. Efforts are underway to secure sponsors for the event. A 50/50 raffle is being considered to generate additional funds. Additionally, there is a possibility of partnering with the Estero Historical Society to provide volunteers.

 

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Committee Updates

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Landscape Committee: The board discussed the placement of the Geiger Tree and the expansion of the garden with additional plants. Several new plant species were proposed via email. It was noted that the partner nursery has generously offered to donate most plants needed for the expansion, along with the labor required for installation. This collaboration will significantly reduce costs and enhance the garden's overall design. Board members are encouraged to share plant suggestions with Maikol, who will forward the information to the landscape committee for consideration. Additionally, Chris Griffith donated and installed drip lines on both sides of the backyard—next to the Café of Life and the empty lot. Drip lines have also been added to the public Amazon wish list, intended for placement along the fence next to the SugarShack.

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Cookbook Committee: The cookbooks have arrived! They were delivered on November 19th. So far, 18 copies have been sold. Thank you to Jacque and supporting member Barbara Spitler for their efforts. The cookbooks have been added to the online gift shop. The committee would like to thank the following sponsors for helping bring this vision to life:

• Wintrust Banking Center Bonita Springs

• FineMark National Bank and Trust

• Chris Griffith Group, Downing Frye Realty, Inc.

• TLC Marketing & Creative Services

• Restore Health Center

• Rooftop

• Baywater Boat Club & Rentals

• Jacque James Interiors

• Garage Lifestyle & Closets

• Sweet Melissa’s

• Coconut Jack’s Waterfront Grille

• Lt. Col. USAF Retired Jack Spitler & Mrs. Barbara Spitler

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New Business: Noel Cancel (Member of the Piper family) was present at the meeting and expressed interest in joining the board. After discussing her interest, Derrick made a motion to approve Noel’s membership on the board. Ashley Piper seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved. Welcome to the team, Noel!

 

Mayor of Survey:

• Candidates can register online by visiting: https://www.bonitaspringshistory.org/mayor-of-survey-fundraising

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