Mound House “Friends” add $10,000 to fund
Old Florida received new funds through a recent benefit luncheon and other fundraising efforts.
The Friends of the Mound House, Inc. presented a check in the amount of $10,000 to the Fort Myers Beach Town Council on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The hard earned ‘Friends” funds will be used to aid in the final stages of fully opening up the Mound House property to the public.
Mound House is Estero Island’s oldest standing structure and sits on an ancient Calusa Indian burial mound. Town officials are hoping to open that structure this year to expand the archaeological education and further reveal 2,000 years of island life through extended tours and programs.
This is the third $10,000 pledge made by the Friends of the Mound House in recent years. The jubilant group, led by President Carrie Hill, hopes this large contribution supports the property’s lighting project for program pathways at dusk.
“As you are aware, this amount brings our effort to a total of $30,000, as our last monies went to the underground exhibit which is now open,” Hill said to Council members. “Your endorsement of the Mound House vision statement and support of our efforts in fund raising by modeling so willingly and brilliantly at a recent luncheon helps make all of this possible. We all our most appreciative of your support.”
The “Friends” raised $6,000 at a special benefit luncheon at DiamondHead Resort in December. More than 125 people attended the event’s social cocktail hour, lunch, auction and fashion show (led by the five Beach Council members). Local Color and Palmetto’s Apparel -two Beach businesses- provided the outfits for the show and many local sponsors helped financially.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach acquired the Mound House property with funds from Florida Communities Trust in 2000. High quality educational programs have been offered to the public while Town officials continue to meet site development needs.
The grounds are open to pedestrian traffic, the Walk-In Shell Mound Exhibit is also open for tours and the kayak launching area is available for access to the Back Bay waters. Limited parking is onsite and more parking in a nearby lot is being looked into. Proposals are also out to restore the William H. Case House to its 1921 grandeur.
The Friends of the Mound House is a 501c3 non-profit organization that raises money to help the sustainability of the Town-owned property at the end of Connecticut Street, so all donations are tax deductible.
“We are so passionate about this project,” said “Friends” member Ceel Spuhler. “We really think we are contributing something.”