Melissa Heinemann is currently painting murals of island scenes on the walls at South Beach Restaurant. She has just completed the first section behind the stage, and will eventually cover more of the walls in the restaurant.       

The Barrier Island Parks Society invites you to join them for the 16th annual Green Gala at Caesar’s Palace on Friday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Boca Bay Pass Club.

Members of the Lemon Bay Rotary are returning to play the part of croupiers who will be working the craps and blackjack tables, as well as the roulette wheel. The Saint Tone Band will play, and savory foods will be served, courtesy of Chef James Searle. A live and silent auction and a full bar, as well as a wine bar (cash only) will round out the night.

It will be a night fit for any toga-clad emperor or empress. Tickets are $100 per person, look for “Rat Pack” cards hidden around town beginning February 27 to obtain free prizes.

Call 964-0060 for more information.

The Strawberry Festival is right around the corner, and here is another item up for silent auction. Dinner for six at the Boca Grande Club, anyone? The item was donated by Bob and Carolyn Frederick.

The festival will be held on Saturday, March 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature the annual boutique and bargain sale, children’s activities, a wine grab and, of course, strawberry shortcake.                  

Patrick Chapin, the brother of islander Roger Chapin, returned to Central Florida recently after spending a week climbing, and then descending, 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. More than 25,000 people climb the mountain, Africa's highest point, each year.

During the 20 minutes or so that Chapin’s group was at the top of Kilimanjaro, he held aloft a flag with the name of Roger’s daughter, 10-year-old Blair, and several other children who have Sanfilippo syndrome, an enzyme deficiency that causes developmental problems and ultimately results in dementia.

The flag featured the word “courage.”

As the 3rd Annual Gasparilla Island Tennis entered its second and final week, there were a few surprises.

Ingrid Yonkers and Doris Richards, partners in the ladies’ mixed doubles, pulled off a victory after an exciting and grueling match against Kristin Levanovich and Susannah Coe.

“It was an amazing match, and I can’t believe that age prevailed, but it did after two-and-a-half hours,” said Yonkers.

Cecilia Jonsson-Bisset won Best of Show at the Visual Art Center’s bi-annual exhibit on Thursday, Feb. 9. It was very exciting for her as this was a national, juried show. Out of more than 500 entered works of two-dimensional art from 38 states, about 165 were accepted and will be on display through March 11. The V.A.C. is located on Maud Street in Punta Gorda, across from Fishermen's Village.