November-December 2021
Happy Holidays
On behalf of the TEAM board of directors, loyal sponsors and hard working volunteers, we wish you peace and happiness this holiday season. We have much planned for the New Year. This is an exciting and transformative time in our City. You can count on TEAM being a part of it.

Nancy Johnson, CEO
See Punta Gorda Blooming
More planters. More plants. More downtown beautification. The Punta Gorda in Bloom volunteers vowed that after winning the America in Bloom People’s Choice Video Award, they would not rest on their laurels. The Bloomers are again dazzling the city with new planters on Marion Avenue. And they are looking for volunteers! Pictured here are PGIB founder Richard Polk and benefactor Alan Schulman installing $2,500 of Poinsettias.

We Stock Another Pantry
November's drive through Food Drive to benefit the First Macedonia Church food bank was TEAM's fourth effort. Volunteers (pictured right) filled and delivered five pickup trucks of staples and household supplies. This pantry is one of Charlotte County's largest. They supply food to 500 families each week and have a food service kitchen that supplies a couple hundred cooked meals each week to local folks, many of whom are homeless.
Save these Important Dates
The Punta Gorda Garden Club hosts a December 3-4 fund raising tour of six spectacular home gardens. Info at www.pggc.org. The TEAM annual meeting is slated for January 27 at the Punta Gorda Isles Association. The theme is "Moving Forward Together." Presented by a panel of City and County speakers. The annual golf scramble is March 19 and Pedal & Play in Paradise returns to Laishley Park on March 26, 2022.
New Bike Station at Marriott
Bicycle Loaner Chair Bill Welsch plans a new bike station installation in December at Spring Hill Suites by Marriott. Conveniently located near the stations at Four Points by Sheraton and Laishley Marina. All three are minutes from Punta Gorda's beautiful Harborwalk. Bikes are also located at Bayfront Health.

History Garden Cleanup
A special thanks to all 25 gardeners who showed up this month at our first group workday at the Punta Gorda History Park community garden. The garden needed a good deal of weeding and general clean-up and the gardeners showed up ready to dig in. The garden now looks great!
LDR Presentation Update
Tom Cavanaugh, on behalf of TEAM's CEO Nancy Johnson, attended a November 18 City Staff presentation to Council on revisions to the city's Land Development Regulations (LDR’s), and proposed Form Based Codes for the greater downtown area.
 
The Citizens Master plan (CMP 2005) was developed following the devastation of Hurricane Charlie. The CMP and TEAM Punta Gorda have long been proponents of an articulated skyline (variable building heights) along with community benefits for the greater downtown area.

Sixteen years later the City's Consultants, Dover Kohl, have now proposed specific building heights and community benefits

within certain geographic areas in conjunction with other design criteria which will allow developers to clearly understand what the city wants to look like.
 
If these revisions are adopted by City Council, developers (with certain exceptions) will no longer have to go through the current arduous and costly approval process.
TEAM at Fishville Lighting
Volunteers Gina Silvidi Cairns, Ruth DiBene, Lori Asher, Lisa Cingolgan and Jan Koenings at the tradiional holiday lighting at Fishermens' Village this month. Gina is TEAM's outreach chair. If you would like to become involved, come volunteer with our TEAM. We have a calendar filled with initiatives and events. Check out our website for more details.

TEAM's first ever online auction in early November far exceeded expectations. Thanks to all who enthusiastically contributed and bid on many exciting items! These funds help TEAM continue its mission to help make Punta Gorda the very best place to live, work and play.

Enjoy the Holidays!
Shop Amazon this holiday season using their app or at smile.amazon.com. Select TEAM Punta Gorda as your charitable organization and Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases.
TEAM Punta Gorda is a volunteer-driven organization committed to making Punta Gorda a wonderful place to live, work, and play. We invite your time, talent, and treasure. Contact TEAM at 941-637-8326 or by email at team@teampuntagorda.org. Learn more at www.teampuntagorda.org. Please recognize and support these TEAM Platinum sponsors: