Every week we mail to every home and business on Sanibel and Captiva, subscribers throughout the United States, and... Arnold Schwarzenegger Santa Monica, CA EXCLUSIVE "Ding" Darling Cartoon page 3 Courtesy of J N "Ding" Darling Foundation VOL 1, NO. 18 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS, FLORIDA OCTOBER 29, 1999 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER SUNRISE/SUNSET: 29 07:35 18:49 30 06:35 17:48 31 06:36 17:47 1 06:36 17:46 2 06:37 17:46 % 06:38 17:45 4 06:38 17:44 Part I of II Screwball Dracula Bares His Dedication Of The "Ding" Fangs At The Old Schoolhouse Darling Center For Education Held October 21, 1999 By Kip Koss ' Ding" Darling first came to these islands in 1935 Although I first came have been asked to give you a bit of two years later, in 1937, my first mem- the history of this National Wildlife ories are from the early '40s Coming IRefuge I remember from my school to the islands in those days was an days that history can be a bore, guaran- arduous journey One saw the last teed to make the listener's seat feel piece of paved road as they passed the southernmost Royal Palm on McGregor Boulevard From that point to the ferry landing at Punta Rassa was essentially a sand road Once on Sanibel, road conditions went downhill The County sent over a grader upon rare occasions to knock down the ruts, but most often the road resembled an old-fashioned washbo"ard The trip down what is now Periwinkle Way and San-Cap Road was virtually unimpeded by traffic of any kind There were no businesses, in fact nothing but palms, palmetto, and Minta Fairchild Mullins as Mina and Eric Schark as Count Dracula Australian pine within sight of the road proper Bailey's General Store was still by Pamela Gilbert Wortzel and you have all the ingredients for a located on the bay, just a little way wild evening of laughter and lunacy. here's mayhem afoot at Dr. Sam Opening the 1999-2000 season at Kip Koss from the ferry landing Seward's Sanitarium But vuhen There was a rickety old wood bridge the Old Schoolhouse Theater is quite a little harder and giving one a Tyou have a house full of screw- Dracula, an utterly hilarious musical connecting Sanibel and Captiva islands compelling need to check their balls and Count Dracula for a neighbor, comedy send up of horror cliches This As a car drove over, the individual what else can you expect? Throw in a watch perhaps even to hold it up planks would bend down in the middle is a side of the legendary Hungarian against their ear to see if the darn thing collection of eccentric, over-the-top count that you've never seen before. and up at the ends, giving the fisher- characters like a bug eating madman, a is still running I hope to entertain you men standing at the railing a very firm And I'll bet all rny trick or treat candy man crazy southern belle and the most that it will leave you laughing Once more than that by telling you a good deadly serious vampire hunter ever, story Continued on page 2 Continued on page 23 Sanibel Police Department gerous thing when crossing streets and going up/down stairs). Halloween 1 Make sure children wear light col- ors or put reflective tape on cos- tumes. Safety 1 Tnck-or-treaters always should be by Lewis L. Phillips, Jr. in groups so they aren't a tempt- Chief Of Police ing target for real-life goblins Parents should accompany young Make Sure Your children. Children Dress Up Safely Continued on page 44 • Check that the costumes are flame-retardant so little ones aren't in danger near burning jack-o- Ianterns and other fire hazards • Keep costumes short to prevent trips or falls • Try make-up instead of a mask - DflYLIOIT SflVinOS Tlrtf masks can be hot and uncomfort- Turn Your Clocks Back able and more importantly they Saturday Night October 30th can obstruct a child's vision (a dan- Island Sun - October 29, 1999 Page 3 Page 2 Island Sun-October 29, 1999 v\ Ding" Days Celebrated \\ Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Connection it I > ' , *»• i "... / •Zr>< Clockwise from top- John Michaol Hodgo, Nick, Ztich and Gabo Alvarcv watch David and Emily Bell and Ian Arthur an educational video Ribbon cutting Bob Janes, Linda Kelsey, Kip Koss, Doug Staller and Lou Hinds Dedication At "Ding" Darling Days by Brian Johnson he big day finally came After years of planning, months of construction, and one unexpected hurricane, the Center for Education got its official opening THurricane Irene pushed back the Dedication of the Center for Education back one week While island residents felt fortunate that the storm missed Sanibel, it did cost "Ding" Darling Days some of its biggest names: Bruce Babbit (the Secretary of the Interior), Jim Hautman (the 1999-2000 Federal Duck Stamp Contest winner), and the Orlando Peabody Ducks Nevertheless, the mood was buoyant out at the "Ding" Darling refuge Saturday morning as the Dedication ceremony got underway "It was kind of amazing," said Pete Ingham, President of the Wildlife Society "We we're hoping for years it would happen When it does it's hard to believe. The building itself exceeded expectations It came out beautifully ' Cartoonist Doug MacGregor and photographer Clyde Butcher exchange auto- Wildlife Society's Marilyn Kloosterman points to all rh© names of donors written on The speeches for the Dedication began at 9 a m in a tent next to the new graphs scrolls Center The sun shone in a blue autumn sky Visitors quickly filled up the seats "It couldn't have been anymore perfect," said Lou Hinds, the refuge manager. I mm page 1 in question held each othei m mutual |iK»|i(n Im't'dini) quMuid lot fi'ih ' "It was absolutely wonderful to have that many people coming out. The communi- respect I )atliinj died in 1%? Although he ty outpouring was excellent " Dedication Of The Darling needed those allies When it hail teci'ivi'(! liii mole llian liissliatcot The numbers delighted the Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Society Close to "Ding" Dariing Center For Education became cleai thai he was puttinq pn sliqioii. aw.mK ami a< i omplished 400 people rode on the tram by 2 p.m on Saturday More than 1,200 people 1 crossed through the door at the Center for Education N together a transaction that would pie miu h in hi lift'limi , I .mi confident Courtesy o) the J N Din,g" Darling Foundation , i push upwards enough to nearly buck- acre To add insult to miury, this land empt the developets those developeis thai he n< Iticvt'tl qtcat p< tsoMcil satis "That's a day during Christmas!" said Hinds of the 1,200 1 le their knees When I was a kid fishing had previously been designated as a raised then bid to $2 SO, ten limes fci< tmu fiuin the establishment of the During the Dedication ceremony Ingham made the announcement that the ing" Darling drew this cartoon following Lindbergh's successful cross- 'iom the bridge the passing of a car State of Florida Wildlife Refuge their 01 lginaloffet A publu auction Center for Education would receive a grant of $750,000 from the Department of ! Sanibel Nulion.il WiMlile R< fuqe ing of the Atlantic in 1927 The event added to the challenge of moth- vas an eageily awaited event At the time Ding' Darling was was thpn announced thai would •.oil the When Dailinq <llt<l hi. .itlmiieis the Interior for the exhibits "Dering young boys ©Christopher D. Koss Theie were a few rottages on the President of a local group that called land to the highest biddct Jus! t iqhl fnimnl Iho,I N Diuq UHIIIK| It is a matching grant, meaning the Wildlife Society must raise $750,000 to iip or Sdnibel near Blind Pass, but once itself The Sanibel & Captiva days before the auction, Uwemoi I ouiulalioii I lie qn.il of the receive the federal monies. on Cdptiva there was no habitation evi- Conseivation Association That is not Holland announced an aqiwincni lo 1 omul it inn w.i. lo { miMiiiK Dadinqs The grant gives the Wildlife Society's fundraismg campaign a big lift Now J N "Ding" Darling dent until you came to the big bend in to be confused with our piesent lease the land lo the Unilt-cl Slates I isli donors can have the satisfaction of knowing that each dollar given will bring in Wildlife Society woil' In i mi eiv ilh >n II. Ixiaid ol Fundraising Drive National Wildlife Refuge, the mad that brings the road along side Sanibel-Captiva Conservation &: Wildlife Set vice The t) S 1 isli & duet lot nit Indi'd fninn i 1'iesident1 double. One Wildlife Drive the Gulf of Mexico There on the nar- Foundation which was founded fwen- Wildlife Service in tuin announced that A super lineup of speakers set the tone for the day The Reverend Randall $ 1 lain/ S I iinnaii and Dwiqhl David 1 8 '3 million (off San-Cap Road) iow strip of land sepaiating the Gulf ty-tive years later but the same ethic it would establish a National Wildlife Niehoff of the United Congregational Church called the refuge "a truly blessed and million and in a leal sense the same Darling Lisenliowei 1 lien duet tor positions favored place " Sanibel, FL I'ora the Bay one began to see a few Refuge containing the sidle lands and weif, alln it, t eieinntiial and the woik '2 million tusidencei and Tween Wateis Inn, all leadership was to guide both organiza- an additional 1,000 acres that the fed Mayor Bob Janes spoke as did "Ding" Darling's grandson, Kip Koss Two rep- been 941-472-1100 >.