Calusa Blueway photo contest winners announced

FORT MYERS – Three Lee County amateur photographers have been selected as first place winners in the 2012 Calusa Blueway Photo Contest, which included more than 120 submissions. Sue Masters of Bonita Springs won first with her photo, “Caitlyn Loves Kayaking,” in the People on the Blueway Trail category. Cape Coral resident Dennis Von Linden took home first with “Bringing Home the Bacon” in Wildlife. Fort Myers’ Keely Smith nabbed first place with “Blueway Sign” in the Signs on the Blueway Trail category.

The public is invited to see winning photographs at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, at the conference room of the Residence Inn by Marriot Fort Myers-Sanibel, 20371 Summerlin Road, Fort Myers. The free event will be in the hotel conference room. Come swap photography information with the judges, local artists, photographers, and local vendors and enjoy a slide show presentation of all entries. First-place winners’ pictures will be framed and on display courtesy of sponsors Harmon Photography and ABC Framing. All nine people who placed will be recognized at 6 p.m.

Second place winners include Fred Capparelli of Bonita Springs in the People category, Don McMullen of Fort Myers for Wildlife and Estero’s Peggy Egan for Signs on the Blueway Trail. The contest’s third place winners were Steve Wohnoutka of Highland Village, Texas, for his submission in the People category, Fort Myers’ Cheryl Black for Wildlife and Don McMullen again in the Signs category. Judges were Mark Renz of Lehigh Acres, Rod Clarke of Cape Coral and Josh Manring of Naples.

The Nov. 1 photo reception, which also features West Marine as a sponsor, will run on the same night and just down the hall from the Fort Myers Toyota Kickoff Reception for the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival, coordinated by Lee County Parks & Recreation. That event starts at 6 p.m., and requires a $15 ticket that can be purchased at the door or a pre-paid 4-day admission pass.

The kickoff reception will feature a raffle with prizes supplied by Suspenz, food and drink provided by Fort Myers Toyota and a meet and greet with VIPs, vendors, sponsors, exhibitors and any paddlers who wish to mingle. Check out the rest of the 2012 Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival’s events at CalusaBlueWayPaddlingFestival.com.