Remember, It Takes a Village! And with volunteers and staff working hard over more than 20 hours to make sure the Village looks its best, that’s exactly what happened.

“There is a lot of work to be done to make our nine historical buildings shine as we open our doors and our first guests of the season begin to appear,” said Executive Director Emilie Alfino. “We are so lucky to have such dedicated volunteers and staff that don’t mind getting dirty for this good cause! They put in a lot of hours of hard work, and we are so grateful.”

This year, volunteers who helped out included Andrew Jacob and Dave Borgetti; Sally Borgetti, Ginny Darby, and Sherry Halleran in the Old Bailey Store; and Kay McDonald in Shore Haven.

Staff members Sandy Nering and Kathy Choquette chipped in their many hours of labor as well!

“We’re looking forward to a busy, happy season this year,” Alfino said. “And we’re starting off in good shape!”

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In accordance with the city of Sanibel’s regulations, masks are required inside the buildings. Full guided tours are available only if reserved in advance for groups of between six and 10 people, depending on docent availability. This precautionary measure is due to COVID-19. “We hope to be able to resume our regular tours, at 10:30 and 1:30, as soon as possible and within safety guidelines,” executive director Emilie Alfino said.

 

The Rutland House is temporarily closed for repairs. “We hope to re-open Rutland House, which was the first building to be brought to the Village in 1984, as soon as we possibly can,” Alfino added.

 

The Sanibel Historical Village is located at 950 Dunlop Road (next to BIG ARTS) and there is handicap access. Admission is $10 for adults over 18. Members and children are free. The village has handicap access to all but one building, the tiny Post Office. For more information, call (239) 472-4648 during museum hours or visit www.sanibelmuseum.org.