April 6, 2022 / Issue #2022-14

 Friends of the Mound House live auction, strolling supper fundraiser this Friday, April 8

Friends of the Mound House, a nonprofit organization that supports educational programs and events at Mound House, invites the public to its upcoming live auction and strolling supper fundraiser on Friday, April 8.

 “Artful Intersection 3.0” will be from 7 to 9 p.m. outside on the grounds of Mound House at 451 Connecticut Street in Fort Myers Beach. Tickets are $75 a person and can be purchased online.

The live auction will include unique items such as material carved out of the Mound House Strangler Fig from the Caloosa Carvers, original artwork, and more.

Mound House is the oldest standing structure on Fort Myers Beach dating back to the 1920s. It is a property of the Town of Fort Myers Beach with the mission to preserve, interpret, and share 2,000 years of cultural and environmental history of Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida.

Mound House sits atop a 2,000 year old Calusa Indian shell mound and opened in 2015 as a museum and cultural experience after undergoing restoration. The grounds include an observation pier over Estero Bay, a kayak launch, and historic gardens with a variety of native plants, birds, trees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Tours of the House are conducted Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A shop with unique gift items is also open during museum hours.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt is April 16 at Bay Oaks

Mound House’s Second Annual Earth Day Beach and Bay Clean-Up is Friday, April 22

Save the date and the time - 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
More details will be shared next week.

This month at Mound House

April 7 through April 16, 2022

April 2022  
Outdoor Nature & Education Events

May 2022 Calendar

Caloosa Carvers at The Mound House host free public carving demonstrations on the first and third Tuesday of each month through tourism season from 9 a.m. to Noon. 

Last sessions of Caloosa Carvers Mound House program is on Tuesday,  April 19.

In addition to their free public demonstrations, these talented woodcarvers provide the Mound House with hands-on educational tools for school groups and the general public.

www.moundhouse.org

Commissioners enact burn ban

The Lee County Commissioners have enacted a burn ban for unincorporated Lee County and municipalities effective immediately due to increasingly dry conditions throughout Southwest Florida.

The county’s ordinance bans “outdoor burning ignition sources” including campfires, bonfires and trash burning. Grilling food and backyard fire rings are not included. Officials ask all county residents to be mindful of dry conditions and to use good judgment to mitigate potential for significant wildfires.

The Florida Forest Service offers residents information and tips at:

Be Wildfire Ready 
 https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Wildland-Fire/Fire-Prevention/Be-Wildfire-Ready

Ready, Set, Go! Resources 

 https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Wildland-Fire/Fire-Safety/Ready-Set-Go!-Resources

Serve on one of the Town's advisory boards or committees

Community members interested in serving as volunteers to advise and support the work of Town government are encouraged to apply for current openings on four of the Town’s 10 advisory boards and committees.

The Town’s boards and committees exist to advise Town Council about Bay Oaks Recreational Campus, the Mooring Field, Mound House, Newton Beach Park, finances, island preservation and history, marine resources, nuisance abatement, and public safety.

Available openings:

• Audit Committee (3)
• Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board (BORCAB) (1)
• Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC) (2)
• Public Safety Committee (2) 

Lee County Solid Waste’s fourth annual Donated not Wasted campaign starts soon to encourage seasonal residents and visitors to donate unopened pantry items before returning North.

Drop off unopened canned or dry goods between Monday, April 4, and Monday, April 18, at any library or Lee County Recreation Center. The Fort Myers Beach drop off location is the FMB Library at 2755 Estero Boulevard.

Since the program’s inception, more than 15,000 pounds of food has been diverted from potential disposal and sent to the Harry Chapin Food Bank. This is enough food to provide 12,660 meals.

For more information, visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste or call 239-533-8000.

Lee County has launched a new internet resource for property owners and potential property owners

This resource provides information about utility providers, public safety agencies, evacuation zones, flood zones, school zones, and more. 

It’s a resident information tool, accessible on the leegov.com homepage or by visiting leegov.com/tools. Once there, enter the home's address to search. 

Put "IF FOUND" stickers on your personal watercraft

If you have a kayak, canoe, or paddle board of any kind, the Coast Guard and other public safety agencies want you to secure them properly and add an
IF FOUND sticker to them.

This sticker can quickly help first responders to "loose watercraft" calls determine that you are safely on shore and avoid an unnecessary rescue effort. 

Flotilla 91 D7
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Serving the areas in and around Ft. Myers Beach, Fort Myers & Sanibel Island

Ground-clearing continues

for construction of the new entrance
off Estero Boulevard to Bay Oaks Recreational Campus

It’s archaeology month in Florida
Read more on the WGCU website

The Town's Mound House is an important archaeological and historic site as well as a great place to visit.

The history of the Mound House Museum and Cultural Environmental Learning Center is connected to Southwest Florida's first inhabitants - the Calusa Indians. The house sits atop their 2,000 year old shell mound surrounded by beautiful gardens and Estero Bay.

Estero Bay also has the distinction of being the  first aquatic preserve  in Florida.

Sign up now  for summer camp at Mound House 

Two sessions will be held during the weeks of July 11 and July 18. From guided tours and beach walks to kayak eco-tours and a unique archaeological experience, explore the history of the 2,000 year old Calusa Indian Shell Mound and the surrounding natural environment while having great summer fun.

Bay Oaks Social Seniors Upcoming Events 

Environmental education booth schedule

Representatives from the Marine Resources Task Force (MRTF) are hosting a pop-up educational booth at various locations around Town

Keep up on the schedule of Town Council and advisory committee meetings

View the meeting calendar on the Town's website

Upcoming meetings

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has partnered with DemandStar which is open and accessible to all businesses and gives instant access to RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs 

Read more about bids and proposals