Dianne Moffat, a Boca Grande resident and manager at The Pink Elephant, has a personal connection with The Haven Drop-In Center in Port Charlotte, and she has several ideas how to help the facility thrive. She will be holding a drive to collect items for a fund-raising yard sale on Sunday, March 4, on Banyan Street next to the Community Center. They will be collecting from 4 to 6 p.m.

BY LIZA STROUT - The Historical Society and the Johann Fust Community Library saw the biggest crowd yet for their February 22 History Bytes presentation. More than 75 people gathered in the loggia and on the grounds of the library to hear the story of the Whidden family on Gasparilla Island.

Dave Arner, President of the Board of the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum, which is housed inside the grounds of Whidden’s Marina, spoke before the packed house.

Students from The Island School got a bit of a treat on Friday, Feb. 17 when an old classmate, Charlie Vanover, came to read his book to them.

Charlie authored and illustrated his book, titled “Fred the Giant,” in 2011. Dr. Frank Downing, a visiting poetry teacher to The Island School, was his inspiration.

Charlie, who is now a sixth grader at Punta Gorda Middle School, had his book published through Nationwide Learning, LLC. The company can be found at nationwide-learning.com.

Charlie thanked the teachers and Mrs. Rosa Ramos for giving him a solid learning foundation when he was a student there.

“Charlie explained how they could be published, too. ,” Dr. D. said. “What more motivation could there be than to see your own words and art in print? Isn’t that a wonderful thing?”

The Hughes Gallery will be presenting the 2012 Invitational Group Show on Feb. 27 and 28. This year’s selected artists are all masters at the representation of light.

Lois Griffel has a long history as both an artist and an art teacher. The former Director of the Cape Cod School of Art has continued to teach through a series of lectures and books highlighting her own Impressionist style and how it relates to other styles.

Joining her are landscape and nautical artists Val Sandell and Michael Budden.

Sandell, who lives in Florida, works in a mix of Impressionism and Naturalism. Her work has been seen in shows across the country, and she has an impressive list of awards to her honor.

Michael Budden, a New Jersey artist, once painted wildlife but has now turned to landscapes from across the country. Mr. Budden has won many awards for his paintings, and among his work is the 2006 White House Easter Egg for New Jersey.

Join Hughes Gallery and the artists from noon until 5 p.m. on both Monday and Tuesday and enjoy the light that each brings to the show.