FMB Woman’s Club donates to Beach school
The Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club is the latest non-profit organization to contribute to the well being of our island children with a recent monetary donation for the purchase of a new wheelchair for Beach Elementary School.
The Beach Woman’s Club raised the funds for the contribution through its annual Tour of Homes event in February 2011. Tour of Homes co-chairpersons Barbara Keene and Jean-Ann Walker were instrumental in the worthy gift.
“We wanted to support the school, and we asked Principal Larry Wood what they needed,” said Walker. “He said, ‘It sounds kind of funny, but we really need a wheelchair. We feel we can make real good use of that.'”
The Beach Woman’s Club members stated they had a “very successful” Tour of Homes this past year. Although other significant contributions from it went to the Bay Oaks After School Program, LARC, Gabriel House, Ronald McDonald House and ACT (Abuse Counseling and Treatment), giving to the Beach school ranks high among the list.
“It’s probably the best,” said Keene, a member for more than 20 years.
Principal Wood knows the importance of having a wheelchair for the school campus, but hopes this donation collects dust instead of transporting students and/or staff.
“From time to time, kids either twist an ankle or knee in physical education class or recess, and we need to be able to transport them to the office. We really don’t have a way to do that unless we put them in a wheelchair,” he said. “The problem was the old one didn’t have a foot rest, so the child’s feet were touching the ground, which is problematic.
“It doesn’t happen all that often. But, when it does, we have to find a way to get them up here. The other way is for me to carry the child, and some of our kids in fifth grade are pretty big. This could also be used for adults. To me, it’s a real important piece of equipment.”
Wood said the wheelchair could also be used for children who come to school with a cast on their leg.
“It’s difficult to get around the campus with crutches. Now, we have a way to get them back and forth to classes,” he said. “We love the support that the Beach Woman’s Club gives us and the support that we get from all of the people on the island.”
The FMB Woman’s Club is one of the oldest nonprofit organizations on Estero Island, having celebrated their 60th anniversary last year. In fact, before the club took residence at its current home at 175 Sterling Ave, the building served as the island’s public school.
If anyone is interested in offering to feature their particular home for the 2012 Tour of Homes or any group who needs a place to hold meetings for a donation rental fee, call Walker, the vice-president of the club, at 463-3755. The number also applies to those seeking membership.
“We are now open to men and have several on our roster. We are perhaps considering changing our name a bit,” said Keene.
The FMB Woman’s Club welcomes all card players to the group.
“Our main activity is to play cards,” said Walker. “Our most popular game is bridge. We have a lot of bridge players, but we have others who play rummy and other games. We’d like to have new members from the community on Fort Myers Beach and the surrounding area.”