"Our club is SO amazing! These past few weeks we have given $25,000.00 to help the children of this island! That’s absolutely amazing! Thank you all for everything you do! Which included funds we presented the Beacon of HOPE in the amount of $12,000.00! (See News Story) Needless to say Casino Night was an incredible success! The community Learning Center programs will benefit so much from the funds we raised for them. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term “Community Learning Center” this program includes the SAS program as well as the Pine Island Teens Program and the GED Program and the ESOL (English As A Second Language). CLC is just the umbrella for all of these great programs. " said Scarlett Player.

Four more scholarships were awarded on Friday, June 8th, 2012 at Bert's Restaurant in Matlacha. Not available for photos were Kyle Deak, Margan Benjamin and Siara Center.

Evan Berlanti – Young Mr. Berlanti will be going to Palm Beach Atlantic. Evan will be pursuing a degree in American history, and journalism. Evan has been with us for Good Friday services the last few years playing wonderful music.

Jeb Cicoria – Jeb has chosen to attend Palm Beach Atlantic, same as Evan. He will study to become a sports trainer; he also may choose to study to become a physician’s assistant. He hopes to be able to play soccer for the school but his main concern is having fun (which Pat Burman told him Kiwanis doesn’t pay for that). For those of you who weren’t at the meeting this morning you should all know Jeb. He and his family have volunteered at many of our events.

Ronald Buckley – Ronald will be attending FGCU. He would like to study psychology, but may pursue a career as a physician’s assistant, because “they make good money”

Holly Saulsberg – Holly is going to attend Stetson University. Holly will be studying for a double major in biology and chemistry in their honors program. She will study veterinary medicine once she receives her undergraduate degrees.

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island was honored to award seven of the 14 students with 2012 scholarships Friday morning, June 1st, during the group's regular Friday morning meeting. The club will be presenting the remaining scholarship winners with their awards this Friday, June 8th, 2012 at Bert’s Restaurant in Matlacha, 7:30 AM.

Carlyn Herring, the chairperson of the scholarship committee, told the students and their parents that the club works all year long to raise money for youth programs which includes scholarships for qualifying students.

The club holds Pine Island’s biggest two-day of event, “Taste of Pine Island”, right on Pine Island. Despite the poor economy, the club decided to expand the event from the usual one-day event and the gamble was successful. This event funds the scholarship program with an average of about $1000 to each student AND helps support other community organizations.

We are proud to have given already given well over $200.000.00 in Scholarships over our many years of service. In addition to the scholarships, Taste of Pine Island also allows Kiwanis to support community programs and events such as Fire Academy Scholarships, Elementary School Junior Olympics, Student Educational Trips, Pine Island Little League, Mariner High School Project Graduation, Fellow Islanders Sending Help (F.I.S.H.) Mariner High School Band, Pine Island Elementary Outstanding Student Awards, Pine Island Bike Path Oasis, Church Youth Groups, Pine Island Beacon of HOPE and Pine Island Boy Scout Troops.

Herring said “Of all the different things I do around the island, Kiwanis is my favorite. I am not only proud of our scholarship program but EVERYTHING we do for the youth on Pine Island The scholarship program is great because we are helping young people, who have already proven themselves and we help them reach their goals no matter what those goals might be. For Pine Island youth to grow up in a community that supports them like we do is a wonderful privilege and I am proud to be a Kiwanian and supporting our youth.”

The scholarship process includes an interview with each one of the applicants, which Herring said was an honor for the full committee and this is why they ask the applicant to attend a regular breakfast meeting to meet the rest of the club members.

"You should be really proud of the young adults here today," Herring told the parents.

Those students included Caleb Davis, Dulce Castaneda, Tiffany Tolley, Nancy Cote, MaKenzie Honc, Courtney Frahm and Adrienne Smith.

Caleb Davis from Bokeelia is in his third year at Edison State College, and is in the nursing program. Upon graduation he will be looking to work in the surgery room.

Kiwanis member Lisa Benden said, “the scholarship program reaches out to the youth of Pine Island, and their families, by offering the students the opportunity to further their educational studies beyond high school. It shows the students that we value them as individuals, and see the importance of additional education for them to reach their potential - in their dreams, in the workforce, and their families. The students who receive Kiwanis scholarships in all likelihood spread the word to their friends about this opportunity.” Each applicant was called to the podium to receive their certificate and were asked to share a little about themselves, along with what they plan to study in school.

Kiwanis Member Tom Timothy said “I am no longer an active member but a strong believer in the Pine Island Kiwanis club. The first year I became a member in the early 1990's, I was put on the Scholarship committee, we gave 3 five-hundred scholarships from money mostly made up from aluminum can collections. Paula (Schutz – a member who has since passed away) came up with the fish drop idea shortly thereafter and the club started that fund raiser with the intention for the profits go to scholarships. Shortly after that Peggy Cozzad informed us that the Business Ladies Org. was going to give up running the Taste of Pine Island and the Kiwanis decided to sponsor and run the event. I know you have several new fund raisers now but look at what has happened. The number of youths that have benefited- not only to augment college fees, but to several help students with other vocational schools and opportunities. When the fishing net ban went into effect, many Pine Island commercial fishing families lost their income. We helped several students from these families and thereby created an opportunity for them to learn a new trade. There were other benefits given but these things are in my proud recollection of the Kiwanis Club, A group and Organization that I was proud to belong to (and still would belong if we had not moved). You all are great and keep up the good work for the youth and people of Pine Island. “

Dulce Castaneda from Bokeelia and is graduating from Mariner High School and plans to major in pediatric nursing because she loves working with children. She said she hopes to travel after college to help communities.

Tiffany Tolley from St. James City is graduating from North Nicholas High School, plans to work with animals. I have such a love for animals I want to

pursue a career in this field. She currently is a veterinarian assistant and is working towards obtaining her veterinarian tech certification.

Makenzie Honc, from Bokeelia and graduate of Bishop Verot High School, plans on attending Florida State University to study art history with a minor
in French. She said she hopes to live in France after college and would love to be a museum curator one day.

Kiwanis member Scarlett Player said, “It is my honor to be a member of the Pine Island Kiwanis Club. Every year we have the privilege of awarding more scholarships to our community than any other organization on the island. It's incredible to go from being the recipient of a Kiwanis scholarship as a high school graduate to now being a member of the club and getting to participate in giving scholarships to new high school graduates. We work so hard throughout the year to be able to help islanders achieve their goals of higher education. The reward of being able to see these students grow into adults, and achieve their goals is incredible. I love that we are able to do so much on a yearly basis. I love that we are able to have so much fun while we raise the money to give. I love being a member of Kiwanis almost as much as I love being an islander.”

Courtney Frahm, from Bokeelia and recent graduate of Ida Baker High School,

will be attending Florida Gulf Coast University. Her plans are to majoring in art and minor in business with the hopes of working with Nickelodeon Studios as an animation artist.

Adrenne Smith, plans to move to Massachusetts in July to study criminal justice before going to law school. She plans on working for the non-profit

organization From Cradles to Crayons, which helps families who cannot buy backpacks and school supplies.

Nancy Cote, from Bokeelia received the Kiwanis El-Don award. Nancy had to put her schooling on hold due to her husband being injured overseas. Nancy

thanked the Kiwanis for the scholarship and said this would now allow her to finish school by January with a bachelor's degree in technology management with a focus on human resources.

The editors at Pine Island News are proud of all the hard work and dedication of the Kiwanis Club and for their continued support of the youth and community.