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Friday Facts for February 4, 2022

Here are your Friday Facts.

For Our Community and All Our Members. From John Wright,
President, Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce. Here is a copy of
John’s Column printed in the newspaper on February 1, 2022.

For Our Members Only

PG Chamber radio show: Exclusively for PG Chamber members:

NOW BOOKING FOR MARCH 2022. Our monthly radio show on Seaview 104.9FM during the Bob Alexander Radio Show is on the first Wednesday and Thursday of each month. The process is very simple – no need to visit the studio. Bob will call you, set up a recording time and it’ll be done over the phone and inserted directly into the programming of this very popular show. You get the option to record two x 2.5 minute slots or else simply record one and have it aired twice during the show. Bob will be able to let you know exactly during which hour it will air. The cost is an incredible $110 (payable to the PG Chamber, not iHeart). To register for the show, simply email John Wright. The rest we’ll take care of for you. Only ten businesses per month, so don’t delay. Offering you a great way to promote your business, advertise an event or simply to show your community support.


For Our Community and All Our Members

TSA PreCheck Mobile Enrollment Returns to PGD:

Make an appointment for now through Feb. 10 at www.identogo.com/precheck

The IdentoGo TSA PreCheck Mobile RV will be at the Punta Gorda Airport through Thursday, February 10, 2022. The Mobile Enrollment Center will be located in the in the short-term parking lot across from the Snack Shack.

Dates:

  • Today from 9 a.m. – Noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Monday, February 7 through Wednesday, February 9 from 9 a.m. – Noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Thursday, February 10, from 9 a.m. – Noon.

Location: 28000 Airport Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33982. Look for the IdentoGo TSA PreCheck Mobile RV in the short-term parking lot across from the Snack Shack. Click here for more information.


SAVE THE DATE! APRIL 2, 2022

Harboritaville, Toes In the Sand, a new family-friendly event on Saturday, April 2 on the Great Lawn at the T.T. Tiki Bar at Four Points By Sheraton from 12:30-6:30 pm.

Musical guests will include Michael Hayman’s Hibiscus Band, Tropical Avenue and John Patti Group.

The party on the lawn will benefit 10 of our local non-profits that will be promoting their causes, serving their own unique Margaritas and competing in a hula skirt dance-off competition.

The winning drink of the day will be based on voting by attendees purchasing the Margarita Row tickets/wristbands. The hotel/tiki will serve the winning margarita for one year and give the non-profit $1 for every time the drink is purchased. Watch for more details shortly!

We have sponsorship opportunities available! We’d like to thank Friendly Floors, Express Employment Professionals, Gettel of Charlotte County, TIME Realty Services, and WhitCo Insurance for their sponsorships.

Interested? Contact us at 941-639-3720 or jrwright@puntagorda-chamber.com


Where’s John Now?

Take a Tour of a Local Business and Chamber Member with John. Click here to find out where he visited this week.

This video will be shared here in Friday Facts, on our Chamber website, on yoursun.com, and on our Chamber Social Media pages. If you would like to have a visit from John please contact Tara Zajas at tzajas@puntagorda-chamber.com or call the office (941) 639-3720 to schedule a date.


Chamber Calendar of Events Members ONLY

Networking Events – February 2022

**Please remember to RSVP directly to events by emailing reception@puntagorda-chamber.com, by calling us at 941-639-3720 or by paying for lunch online. We LOVE to see you but we appreciate knowing you’re coming to provide our host with an accurate count to better accommodate us. Thank you for your assistance!

February 9: Business Over Breakfast 7:15am- 8:30am. Wake up and smell the coffee with your Chamber at Tamiami Tavern located at 10361 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda and hosted by Connect Print & Promotions, LLC. Please be sure to RSVP to reception@puntagorda-chamber.com or call 941-639-3720.

February 15: Business After Hours 5:30pm. Come and join your Chamber for our Business After Hours at The Visual Arts Center located at 210 Maud St. in Punta Gorda. Don’t forget to bring a gift to promote and showcase your business! Please be sure to RSVP to reception@puntagorda-chamber.com or call 941-639-3720.

February 23: Networking Luncheon 12 Noon-1:30pm. Come and join your Chamber for our Networking Lunch at The Grille at 1951 located at 1951 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte. Reservations Required. Please be sure to RSVP to reception@puntagorda-chamber.com or call 941-639-3720. NOTE: Cancellations not accepted after 3pm on Friday before event. Cost is $20.00 per person pre-paid. We take cash, check, Mastercard, Visa, Discover & Amex

ONLINE RESERVATIONS FOR CHAMBER LUNCHEONS ARE ONCE AGAIN AVAILABLE BY CLICKING HERE


All the Following Information is for Our Community. Please Support Our Local Businesses!

Partners in Action News

Four Points by Sheraton (Platinum) Wine Down Wednesday, February 23rd. Four course meal & wine pairing dinner. Click here for menu and details.

TIME Realty Services, Inc (Gold) – Hello February! The 7 day rolling numbers for PG, PC & NP are 149 new listings, 214 pending (new contracts), & 185 sold (new closings). Have questions about your property value? Give us a call, we love to talk numbers. 239.699.4493

Downtown Farmers Market (Gold) The Saturday Punta Gorda Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8am until 1pm. January Newsletter!

Creative Window Treatments (Silver) –  is your local Hunter Douglas Showcase Dealer. We offer all types of custom window treatments for any business or commercial setting with 2 locations to serve you. Call for your FREE In-Home consultation! 941-637-0015 / 941-828-0000

Calenda Real Estate Group (Bronze) – Check out our January 2022 market update!

Gulfshore Opera (Bronze) – Taste of the Opera at the Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club, February 5th. Start the evening off with a concert in the ballroom. A trio of rising professional artists will perform some of the greatest aris, duets, and scenes from opera and classic musical theater. Kyaunnee Richardson, soprano, Derrek Stark, tenor, and Madison McIntosh, mezzo-soprano with Maestro Geoffrey Loff at the piano. The concert is followed by an elegant dinner in the Harbor Room. The menu includes a refreshing Pear Arugula Salad with a choice of Trout Almondine or Filet Mignon paired with a glass of wine and a dessert of Wild Berry Trifle. Cash bar is available throughout the night.

C.A.R.E. (Support)C.A.R.E. is looking for volunteers! Give back to our local community by helping survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and other violent crimes. Seeking hotline advocates, outreach event volunteers, retail associates, and many more. For more information visit https://carefl.org/giving/volunteer/

Drug Free Punta Gorda (Support) – Tuesday, Feb. 8th 11:30am – 1:00pm Bringing a Story of Hope! A presentation by Dan & Jan Stuckey of the Archway Institute.

Frank Desguin Family (Support) – Copy of Frank’s Column in the newspaper. Did you know that in addition to seven sons of a well-known Punta Gorda family serving their country in several branches of the armed forces during World War II and the Korean War, two were at the vanguard of aviation history?

Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens (Support) – ZimSculpt, running today through April 18th in which curators from Zimbabwe will bring in over 2,000 hand-carved stone sculptures. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from Charlotte County Schools wanting to bring 1,400 students to attend this exhibit and experience live demonstrations. This exhibit gives our students a rare opportunity to observe the finest Zimbabwean sculptors demonstrating their artistry, while they observe and learn about this art and culture. We need your help to meet the requests from our schools. Please join us and other community organizations to help support these field trips. The cost per student is $7.00. Please click here for more information on how you can help! 


Member Information

Valerie’s House – Valerie’s House is a nonprofit organization that helps grieving families who have lost a loved one in Charlotte, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier County. Contact Christine Carey to volunteer, mentor, refer families, fundraising opportunities, and/or donate (christine@valerieshouse.org or 239-841-0382). We can also schedule Valerie’s House Tours. Valerie’s House’s website: www.valerieshouse.org

Punta Gorda Short Film FestivalThe 8th Annual Punta Short Film Festival will be March 2nd at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center (Doors open at 6pm). Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Online tickets can be purchased at 8pgsff.bpt.me or you can purchase tickets at the Punta Gorda Chamber during normal business hours (Cash or check please).

Gator Wilderness Camp School – Thursday, February 24th – Banquet 2022! Turner Center in Arcadia. Silent Auction and more.

Suncoast Humane Society – This year we will break ground on our new state of the art facility that is the FUTURE of animal welfare. With innovative design and animal care spaces that support the health and well-being of those in our care, we will revolutionize the modern approach in animal sheltering. To find out more click here.

Charlotte County Habitat For Humanity – The next $10,000 that is donated to Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity through April 2nd Annual Home Build Campaign will be matched up to $10,000! Click here to find out more or to find out how your donation can be matched!

Punta Gorda Symphony – Don’t just listen to the music – hear its story! Behind the Notes takes you inside the music on the February 6 concert program and deconstructs the genius of composers Aaron Copland, Florence Price, and Rimsky-Korsakov, through engaging conversation, and complete with a live demonstration by celebrated violinist and Concertmaster Ming Gao.

Punta Gorda Chocolate and Wine – We are open Monday Through Friday from 10am till 6pm and 9:30AM till 4pm on Saturdays. Handcrafted Baskets, Valentine’s Day Hearts, Molded Chocolates, Heart Box’s, Wine, Beer, Gift Certificates, all available for pickup. Let us have everything ready for you for this beautiful holiday. For everyone convenience we will be open Sunday February 13th starting at 10AM for your Valentine’s Day needs.

Punta Gorda Coffee and Tea – Come down and try our Limited Frappe of the Month….drum roll please….HHC Strawberry Cheesecake!!! This delicious ganache is made with the perfect blend of fresh strawberries and our HHC Cheesecake ganache. This can be added to a Latte, Cold Brew, Cappuccino, Brewed Coffee, Pour-Over, and more!

The Punta Gorda Women’s Club – The Punta Gorda Women’s Club is having a Bunco Game Day fundraiser on Friday, February 18th at 12:00 noon in our clubhouse at 118 Sullivan Street. Italian sub sandwiches, chips, cookies and beverages will be served. There will also be prizes for winners and losers! The cost is $20 per person. All funds raised will go toward our local charities. Call Ellen Say for tickets – 941-505-9605.

Unwined Wine and Beer Bar Happy Hour! Tuesday – Saturday 3pm – 6pm House Wine $5 Craft Beer $3.50 525 E Olympia Ave. Suite 3 Punta Gorda.

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center – February 1st through March 31st is our annual Brakes for Kids Charity event. That means you get FREE brake pads with and brake repair. Even better, 10% of the total repair costs will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Research Hospital. Click here for more details.

Charlotte County Concert Band: The Charlotte County Concert Band, under the direction of Bob Miller, presents “Dance With Me” on Friday, February 11th in the Charlotte Performing Arts Center. Everyone’s feet will be tapping as the band presents a wide variety of dance music from the classics to some ever-popular dance forms. Soprano Doreen Curp will be the featured soloist. We hope that you will join the Charlotte County Concert Band for their concert on Friday night, February 11th at 7:30 at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center at Charlotte High School, 701 Carmalita Street, Punta Gorda. Tickets are available online at www.charlottecountyconcertband.com or at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center the night of the concert.

Punta Gorda Pub Crawl The Punta Pub Crawl presents The Punta Gorda Food Drive February 26th! The Ice House Pub at 10:30am until 1:00pm. Anyone who brings a non-perishable can of food will receive one raffle ticket per can, up to 24 cans per person for a chance to win a grand prize!

Burnt Store Presbyterian Church – The Boys of D63, featuring the music that defined the generation of the 60s, will take center stage on Feb. 14. This phenomenal show features four powerful vocalists whose voices, moves and wit will capture the audience with everything from Billy Joel to Earth Wind and Fire and more, with just a little Frankie Valli thrown in for good measure. The series finale, on Mar. 14, will put the spotlight on the Everly Set. All performances will start at 7:15 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. There is no reserved seating. Click here for more details.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida – Charlotte County Small Business Class Starts February 28. Individuals who are thinking about starting their own business but need some mentoring are invited to apply to the Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute, scheduled for Feb. 28 – April 7, 2022. Click here for more information.

Team Punta Gorda – 17th Annual Gold Scramble March 19th at St. Andrews South Golf Club. Click here for details.  Pedal and Play in Paradise March 26th. Punta Gorda’s Premier Bicycle event is back! Pedal and Play in Paradise features 15, 30 & 60 mile rides and the ever popular “Mystery Ride!” Includes a light breakfast, tasty box lunch, live entertainment & t-shirts for first 400 riders. Registration $50. Proceeds benefit TEAM Punta Gorda’s Bicycle-Friendly and other initiatives. Click here for more information.

Punta Gorda Civic Association – Let’s Go Fishing!  An introductory course in Florida Fishing is being offered at the PGI Civic Association on Shreve Street in Punta Gorda. Topics to be covered include fishing techniques, tackle selection, rigging, knot tying, lures, baits, cast nets, fish identification, tides, and fishing regulations for fishing in fresh and salt waters of Southwest Florida. Rods, reels, lures, nets and other fishing equipment will be demonstrated during the class and there will be a number of useful handouts issued to students. The class is geared towards beginning anglers, but more experienced fishermen may pick up helpful tips as well. The instructor is long time local fishing guide Capt. Ralph Allen who might even reveal the locations of a few local hotspots! The course is open to all members of the public and is held on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for six weeks beginning on Wednesday February 23, 2022. The cost for the class is $50 and advance registration is recommended by calling 941-637-1655.

Connect Print & Promotions, LLC. – February, a Super Football month for getting together & spreading the love — we’re here to make your marketing shine Punta Gorda! Commercial printing, logo/graphic design, next-level promotional swag, branded apparel, signs & graphics. (888) 978-3437  info@connectpromo.netwww.connectpromo.net … it’s ALWAYS about the people! #fortheloveofprinting

Guardian Ad Litem Foundation – The Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit, will host its newest fundraising event, “What’s your Superpower 5K Walk/Run & Kids Fun Run,” on Feb. 19 in Fort Myers. The event will be held on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College and feature a traditional 5K race for runners of all ages, as well as a children’s run and a virtual run for those unable to join the race in person.

Punta Gorda Symphony – Punta Gorda Symphony proudly presents the music of the great ballets ‘Appalachian Spring & Scheherazade’ on Sunday, February 6 at 7:30PM, held at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center in Punta Gorda, 701 Carmalita Street, Punta Gorda, FL. The exciting array of pieces on the program will be conducted by Maestro Raffaele Livio Ponti, Music Director of Punta Gorda Symphony, and features an audience favorite, Concertmaster Ming Gao on violin, in the hauntingly beautiful violin melodies of Scheherazade.

Edison and Ford Winter Estates – On Friday, February 18, Neil Zirconia, a Neil Diamond tribute entertainer will perform at the next Edison and Ford Winter Estates’ Rhythm on the River celebration. Zirconia, dubbed the ultimate “Faux Diamond,” will perform Neil Diamond hits on the historic Ford lawn along the Caloosahatchee River. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 6.

The Grille at 1951Savor this Valentine’s Day! We’re preparing a special menu just for you and that special someone. Come enjoy our sweetheart specials!

Copperfish Books – Breanna Thummler, author and illustrator of graphic novels for ages 10 and Up In-Person Book Talk. Wednesday, February 9, 5:30pm

Punta Gorda Historical Society – The Punta Gorda Historical Society will be hosting a variety of musicians in the Park on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, through May 2022 from 4 to 6 p.m. Bring your own chair and beverage of choice, peruse the Food Trucks for your dining pleasure.

Kays-Ponger & Uselton Funeral Home and Cremation Services: March 2nd from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Kays-Ponger & Uselton Funeral Home and Cremation Services invites you to a complimentary Wine & Cheese Reception. Stop by and support our local arts and humanities and meet our local artist of the month.

Sea Grape Gallery – From February 3 to March 3, 2022, Sea Grape Gallery will be featuring two of their artists, Kitt Moran, oil painter, and Nancy Giffin, Nantucket, and Shaker style basketry artist.

Fishermen’s VillageFebruary calendar of events.

Peace River Shopper Latest Edition.


COMMUNITY NEWS

The Construction Industry Licensing Board is seeking a volunteer to represent the general contractor category. Volunteer must be a resident of Charlotte County for at least two years and be a licensed general contractor. Length of term is four years. Contact Diane Whidden at 941-743-1298 or email Diane.Whidden@CharlotteCountyFL.gov for an application.  The following MSBU/TU Advisory Boards are seeking volunteers who must be both a property owner within and reside within the unit. Submit applications to Public Works Department, 7000 Florida Street, Punta Gorda, FL 33950; call 941-575-3600 or e-mail MSBU-TU@CharlotteCountyFL.gov.

Click here for more information.


APPLAUSE

Charlotte County Airport – Raymond A. Laroche, A.A.E., Promoted to Director of Operations & Maintenance
The Charlotte County Airport Authority announces that Raymond A. Laroche, A.A.E has been promoted to Director of Operations & Maintenance at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD). He will continue to oversee security, safety, and maintenance and will now oversee the airside and landside operations departments as well. 


Newsletters

ARCHway Institute – Newsletter

Animal Welfare League –Pawsitive News

C.A.R.E. – February Newsletter

Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity – Newsletter

Cooperfish BooksFebruary Newsletter

Loveland Center – February Newsletter

Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens – Gardens at a Glance News

Punta Gorda Mural SocietyNewsletter

SandStarNewsletter

The Yoga Sanctuary – January Newsletter


Sincerely,
John Wright
President
Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Animal Welfare League

Calenda Real Estate Group

Centennial Bank

Charlotte Community Foundation

Charlotte Players

Denise Henry –ReMax Anchor Realty

Farr, Farr, Emerich,Hackett, Carr, and Holmes Law Firm

HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital

Granny Nannies Home Care

Gulfshore Opera

Hoff’s Air Authority

Pickleplex of Punta Gorda

State Farm Agency -Mike Martin

Superior Carpet & Upholestry Cleaning

Wotitzky, Wotitzky, Ross, & Young, PA

Port Charlotte Florist (In Kind)

Support Partners