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Local marine institute receives boat donation

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BOB PETCHER PHOTO Boat donators John and Nancy Sampson (seated) are joined by SFMI Board Chairman Erik Jorgensen, Marvin Metheny, Captain John Ingraham, Windye McNeal (executive director of SFMI) and Chris Jorgensen.
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BOB PETCHER PHOTO The students at Southwest Florida Marine Institute show their appreciation of a donated boat by chanting and clapping recently.

The Southwest Florida Marine Institute recently received a generous contribution from two local residents.

Nancy and John Sampson of Fort Myers donated a boat called September Song to the non-profit alternative education program for at-risk kids ages 14-18. SFMI is an affiliate of Associated Marine Institutes.

“We appreciate the donation from Nancy and John Sampson greatly,” said SWF Marine Institute Board Chairman Erik Jorgensen. “We’re taking the boat up to our boatyard in Tampa where it will be sold or leased. The donations come back to our school.”

Jorgenson added that the institute does not “get enough money incurred from juvenile justice.”

“This is an important element, getting boat or car donations,” said Jorgensen. “We actually get dollar donations from Cabbage Key when they fall off the walls. We depend on the local community to keep the school going.”

The students at SFMI attended the Sampson’s plaque ceremony and participated in their spirited chant-and-clap tradition that served as a thank you to the Sampsons.

SFMI’s goals include a reduction of juvenile crimes; an increase in academic gains; an increase in employability skills; and an increase in community services. The students are exposed to a wide range of educational opportunities as well as experiential education (i.e. water safety, boating, other hands-on programs) and behavior modification for their actions.