TEAM Talk Newsletter

Nancy Morris, Editor November, 2017

TEAM Punta Gorda is an all-volunteer organization committed to making the greater Punta Gorda area a great place to live, work and play. Originally created after the devastation caused by Hurricane Charley in 2004, TEAM volunteers focus on wide variety of projects to enhance our friendly, quaint, historic waterside community. For more of the history of TEAM click here

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Dream TEAM Places Third

Suncoast Credit Union's Dragon Boat Races

Once again, TEAM Punta Gorda participated in the War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festivities benefitting Take Stock in Children. Eighteen paddling pirates for TEAM participated in three races (heats). The first got off to a slow start but they shaved 11 seconds off their time on the second and won that heat. The third was a wet one. Paddlers put forth all their effort in wind and rain and were neck-in-neck with the two other boats only missing second place by .02 seconds. Great job Dream TEAM and special thanks to Sue Carman for arranging our participation.

RRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Mateys boat #4 in the lead

Message from TEAM Punta Gorda CEO

Volunteers Keep Those Plates Spinning:

TEAM Punta Gorda is a unique, all volunteer service organization working to continually improve the community. Residents new and old periodically ask what it is that TEAM Punta Gorda does. TEAM is there when the City or other partners call for help, whether it is cleaning up parks after the storm or conducting a study on public opinion. TEAM's community projects and special-events have become a part of the culture of the town.

For TEAM Punta Gorda, this time of year is like a Chinese acrobat spinning plates on the end of sticks. With 20 committees and 300 volunteers, by the time all the plates are spinning, it's time to go to the front of the line and do it all again! We are fortunate to have professional talent of all ages available to us for community projects. Each year we replenish our committees with new volunteers to supplement those returning. In this way we have a continual flow of new ideas. This City has a long tradition of service, so consider sharing your talents through TEAM Punta Gorda.

Free Yellow Loaner Bikes:

Volunteers keep our fleet of forty-four yellow bikes ready to ride at all times. These bikes are used by over 5,000 riders per year. With this heavy usage, we must replace some of the bikes every two years. Businesses and individuals can sponsor a bike and have their advertising riding down the Harborwalk on a yellow bike. These sponsorships are essential to keeping the wheels rolling. You've probably seen the painted bikes around town. These are composites of recycled loaner bikes that had to be retired from service.

Veterans Park Memorial Bricks:

This March, TEAM volunteers will begin the painstaking but important task of preserving the engraved memorial pavers near the gazebo in Veterans Park. In order for the City to renovate this section of the park, the precious bricks must be carefully removed, cleaned and catalogued. They can then be stored until the renovation is almost complete, when they can be reinstalled.

Habitat House:

In March and April, TEAM volunteers will participate in a Charlotte Habitat for Humanity home build. Habitat has long been our partner in

Paint Your Heart Out (February 3^rd, 2018), where 150 volunteers paint eight houses for needy residents in one day. By participating in this build, TEAM Punta Gorda reinforces our commitment to affordable and workforce housing.

Community and School Gardens:

TEAM Punta Gorda has worked hard over the last five years to bring community gardening to the community. With three community gardens and eight school gardening programs in place, residents can grow their own healthy food, while learning about sustainability. This year the community garden team will install additional beds in the History Park Garden, offer seminars on organic gardening and support the construction of the City's new agriculture initiative.

TEAM Punta Gorda also works in the areas of harbor conservation, bicycle and pedestrian safety, and community development.

Volunteers Needed Behind the Scenes: All of this takes funding and behind the scenes support. Fundraisers such as the Golf Tournament & Pedal and Play in Paradise are looking for volunteers to plan and implement these events. The Golf Tournament (April 24^th ) at Saint Andrews South Golf Club is currently looking for a co-chair and committee members. Pedal and Play (March 9^th and 10^th) draws over 600 bicycle riders each year to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and TEAM Punta Gorda.

TEAM can also use volunteers to staff the office and provide assistance with communications. It sounds like a lot, but each year TEAM gets it all done.

Mixer:

If you'd like to meet us, please come to our next Team Mixer at Angela's Cafe Italanio on Marion Avenue on November 8^th. Also save the date for our Annual Meeting on January 28^th where the topic will be Understanding Smart Growth in Punta Gorda.