Friends of the Mound House celebrate artifact preservation center at gala

May 17, 2026 1 min read

1 / 13

Leslie Frick, Roger Frick, Mark McLachlan, Kristin Westbrook and Wayne Westbrook in front of the Mound House at their gala. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

2 / 13

Mound House Museum Registrar Breanna Vaccaro. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

3 / 13

Mound House Museum Director Karina Britez. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

4 / 13

Friends of the Mound House supporters Nancy Kilmartin (left) and Gayle Crabtree-Pergoli (right) enjoy a conversation together at the Mound House. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

5 / 13

Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Rebecca Link (left) speaks with Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce President Jacki Liszak (right). Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

6 / 13

Nina King enjoys the Friends of the Mound House gala on Fort Myers Beach. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent.

7 / 13

Bob and Denise Weiler (left to right), with friends Denise and Art Monahan. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

8 / 13

Friends of the Mound House Chief Fundraiser Ellen Vaughan. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

9 / 13

Sandy Sandness with friends Carol and Joe Pugliese at the Mound House gala. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

10 / 13

Cheri Dobroski, a supporter of the Friends of the Mound House, attended the nonprofit's gala at the historic Mound House on Fort Myers Beach. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

11 / 13

The Mound House dates to 1901 and is the oldest home on Fort Myers Beach. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

12 / 13

Fort Myers Beach Friends of the Mound House President Beverley Milligan. Photo by Casey Bradley Gent

13 / 13

The Friends of the Moundhouse recently held a gala at the Mound House to celebrate the museum’s artifact preservation center and to hear a presentation from Mound House Museum Registrar Breanna Vaccaro on the museum’s artifact preservation. The artifact preservation center is the only public artifact preservation laboratory in Southwest Florida. The preservation center includes thousands of artifacts that were collected during excavations around the Mound House after the Town of Fort Myers Beach aquired the property, which is located on a shell mound constructed by the Calusa.

Photos by Casey Bradley Gent