Submitted photo

Fishing captain John Bunch, creator of Operation Open Arms, with Nicole Lauber of the Sandy Hook Restaurant in Matlacha. She gives US Troops free meals there, saying, “They put their lives on the line for us, the least we can do is buy them dinner.”

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Boffo season for Marco Movies

Marco’s four-screen movie theater set a record last month. General Manager Nick Campo says Marco Movies had the biggest and busiest January in its 14 year history.

“The major reason was ‘The Bucket List,” Nick says. The Bucket List is a hit movie starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. “The theater was full for almost every screening.”

Another recent favorite of Marco Island moviegoers was “Juno,” a sometimes quirky, something surprising and always engaging story of a young girl going through one of life’s most challenging experiences.

A new movie opening at Marco Movies today also seems headed for big hit status. It’s “Vantage Point,” a thriller with an all-star cast. The story of a US president being shot in Spain is told from the vantage points of several people at the scene. Stars include Dennis Quaid, Forrest Whitaker, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver and Matthew Fox.

The rest of the season looks good for movie fans too and the upcoming Oscars are expected to give movie-going another boost.

Some newcomers may not know that Marco Movies serves complete meals, including some satisfying wine choices, as well as regular movie fare of candy and popcorn.

Returning warriors get a “break”

One veterans-help group doing great things here in Southwest Florida is Operation Open Arms, created and supervised by a well-known, big-hearted US Marine, Capt. John “GiddyUp” Bunch.

As US Rep. Connie Mack, R-FL, wrote in a letter to area newspapers, “On Veterans Day I had the opportunity to spend my morning fishing with two soldiers who recently returned from extended tours in Iraq — majors Keith Overton and Jack Griggs. This would not have been possible were it not for the support and efforts of Capt. Bunch and his volunteers, who recognize and honor our nation’s soldiers.”

In another case, an Iraqi war veteran and his wife were in a car crash in North Fort Myers last December.

The veteran, Staff Sgt. Daniel Lee Beougher, died and his wife Lauren was seriously injured.

Capt. Bunch and Operation Open Arms stepped in when she needed a way to get back to her home in North Carolina. Because of her injuries, she could not fly. So a volunteer who saw the need drove Mrs. Beougher home.

More than 140 local sponsors are donating free lodging, fishing trips, meals, golf and other services to the troops.

If you would like to offer a hand of thanks and help to our veterans, contact Capt. Bunch at 822-888 or at either of these web sites: www.captgiddyup.net or www.operationopenarms.com.

Help is but a Web site away

Readers of my recent Naples Daily News column asked for more information about programs to help US troops, veterans and their families get vacations they otherwise might not be able to afford.

I wrote about Vacations For Veterans, which solicits timeshares and other vacation homes for wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan. If you want to donate a vacation place for a week or so, contact the organization at: chris@vacationsforveterans.org or phone 800-831-8803.

Other organizations also are trying to help veterans and their families get a break from their return to civilian life.

One is Veterans Holidays, a leisure travel benefits program by Resort Condominiums International (RCI) one of the heavy hitters in the timeshare, vacation rentals business.

It offers honorably discharged veterans a chance for affordable condo vacations, using units that owners do not use, such as off-season periods.

For more information you can visit RCI’s web designated website, www.veteransholidays.com.

Happy Birthday President Washington?

Your calendars claim that last Feb.18, the third Monday of the month, was “Presidents” day, honoring the birthdays of Presidents Washington and Lincoln. Bah humbug.

The federal government says that today, Feb 22, is Washington’s birthday (not including Lincoln) but even that’s officially not true. Washington was born Feb. 22, 1731, which originally was Feb. 11 on the old Julian calendar. It changed by 11 days when Britain and the colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752. Whew!

It’s all very complicated, but the facts, according to factmonster.com, are these:

-- Some states recognize Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s as separate holidays. Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, 1809. Washington’s is an official federal holiday; Lincoln’s is not.

-- In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, to give people long weekends to do whatever they want, which seldom involves celebrating Washington or Lincoln.

-- In spite of the facts, the concept of “Presidents Day” has entered the pubic consciousness, on calendars, in advertising (who knew George and Abe bought mattresses or used cars on their birthdays?) and is even used by some government agencies.

A few purists insist on saluting or toasting Pres. Washington on the 22 and a few even purer purists probably do so on the 11, preferring Caesar’s calendar to the upstart Gregorian bunch.

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Don Farmer has been a full-time Marco Islander for ten years and a part-time resident for more than 30 years. He says full-time is better. Farmer welcomes your ideas for column items via e-mail at don@donfarmer.com.