Lew Hastings, the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce’s executive director, appeared at the second Coastal Cities Summit in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, May 1 to speak on behalf of Boca Grande.

The summit, which brought together experts in the fields of ecotourism, finance, planning and policy, among others, was convened so that community leaders could discuss concerns and solutions to many of the common problems that all coastal cities share.

Relay For Life of Boca Grande exceeded their net goal of $65,000 and is poised to finish at $72,500.

These funds will support the mission of the American Cancer Society and their efforts in continued research, advocacy, education and patient services.

Plans for the 2013 event are underway, with Kris Boyden as event chair for 2013. They are hoping to add new teams and sponsors.

Many thanks to this year’s sponsors Italiano Insurance, Hager Companies and Gulf to Bay/Sotheby’s.

For more information contact American Cancer Society at (941) 627-3000.

BY LIZA STROUT - The 80-acre Wildflower Preserve used to be a golf course, but you would never know it without someone to point out the former fairways and greens. Years of growth have begun to reclaim the land, and the Lemon Bay Conservancy is there to lend a hand.

At a recent open house, volunteeer Phil Dakin escorted a group of interested visitors through the park. Thouroughbred Golf Carts provided a golf cart so that everyone could travel along the trails. The group saw butterflies, native plants, an area that has been planted specifically to attract the endangered gopher tortoise and one of the two orchid trees that grow inside the preserve.

Bonnie Sexton Townsend, 91, of Port Charlotte passed away on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.

She is survived by her four sons, William “Willy” (Cindy), Barry, Robert and Richard (Janet); as well as her grandchildren, Brandon (Kelsy), Grant, Barry Jr., Jade, Jena and Willy Girl; and lastly, her great-grandson, Braden.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2012, at the First Methodist Church of Punda Gorda, with a celebration of life to follow the service at the church.

She will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Richard, at Indian Springs Cemetery.