BY LIZA STROUT - A  huge part of a child’s life is their education, and whether that education is a good or bad one can make a huge impact in the rest of their lives.

Emily Steffan, a teacher from New Orleans, is the daughter of Dr. Michael and Angela Steffan of Boca Grande. She is one of the four panel members that will discuss this country’s educational system in the next segment of the Friends of Boca Grande Community Center Film Forum series of movie viewings and panel discussions based upon the movies.

There was no game on Monday, Dec. 26 to allow everyone time to recover from inundations and celebrations of the holiday.  

Wednesday’s game was attended by 32 players who managed to escape from kitchens and company to enjoy an afternoon of bridge. Extra masterpoints were awarded during this club championship game.
Winners for Wednesday, Dec. 28:

First Class Petty Officer Elizabeth A. Reid, USCG, and Gunnery Sergeant Curt Lee Ratliff, USMC, met in 2008 while Elizabeth was stationed at Atlantic Beach, N.C. Sector North Carolina in Electronics Support Detachment at Ft. Macon. Curt was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Marine Air Control Squadron.

They both bought homes next door to each other. As neighbors, Liz thought it was easier to cook for two rather than one so they became fast friends, and she cooked for him almost every night. In 2011 they were both transferred to Virginia Beach. Elizabeth is currently stationed in Finance Center, Chesapeake, Va. and Curt is with the U.S. Marine Corps Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group in Virginia Beach, Va.

The two came to visit Liz's mom and dad, Peg and Dan Reid (Peg works at Parsley-Baldwin Realty on the island and Dan works at Gasparilla Marina). On Friday, Dec. 23 all four of them went for a picnic on the beach, and went out to the point by the lighthouse. Curt put on a little music and they started to dance. The next thing Elizabeth knew, he got down on one knee and the rest is history. He gave her a beautiful Vera Wang ring.

No date is set yet, as they plan to enjoy their engagement for a while.

Elizabeth’s sister Katie is also getting married this February 3. According to mom Peg, “ ... it’s gonna be a busy year.”

BY MARCY SHORTUSE - Walker Bush never questioned what he was going to do when he grew up. As a child growing up in Alexandria, Va. his whole life focused around sports. If it had anything to do with a ball, he played it.

But being a professional athlete is the stuff that pipe dreams are made of, and as Walker progressed through college he realized he might need a “Plan B” to back him up.

As he sat on his parents’ porch in Boca Grande, he looked just like the laid-back kid he had described himself as being his whole life.