Pictured above left to right: John and Sarah Sangmeister with Michael O’Toole, 2023 Heartwell Honoree. Photo courtesy of Caught In the Moment Photography.
This award is presented to someone who has gone above and beyond in adding “Service with a smile” to our Island community. They don’t look for accolades or a pat on the back. This year’s recipient has added improvements to our Island with unsolicited service for many years.
Though the award names one person this year it is actually a complete family effort and should be awarded as such. This family has roots on the Island for almost 40 years and moved onto the island as a couple more than 20 years ago. They have a massive sailing background and have an amazing connection with Disney, that can be better explained over a jug of rum at some point tonight. The recipient and his family are true Islanders that celebrate every advantage that our Island offers, right down to posting Sunrises to Sunsets from our beautiful island. Now, three sons are also involved in this service recognition, two of whom are twins.
Okay, enough of the mystery, let’s get down to brass tacks. Now this describes the honoree’s commitment to their service to the Island. Trust, loyalty, usefulness, friendly, courteous, obedient, big smiles, and thrifty! Ahh, the Boy Scout creed!
Our Service award winner and his family truly embody this creed and have brought the Cub and Boy scouts to the Island in full force. ALL THE WAY TO THE EAGLE SCOUT LEVEL I MIGHT ADD! They have been instrumental in creating trash cleanups in our busiest events from Halloween to the Boat parade and the entire Holiday season. The grass roots effort that they brought to our Island is now embedded in the community’s events from keeping our Island clean during the heavy influx of off Islanders during Halloween, parades and Veterans day events and even food drives. They were not asked to do this, they just saw the need! John Sangmeister and his wife Sarah embody the concept of SELFLESS SERVICE and have shared that standard in an immeasurable way, and, like I said, never looking for accolades or pats on the back. They and their family just do it for the Island. Not to mention the time commitment to their waterfront restaurant Gladstone’s in Long Beach and soon to be another in San Diego and Sarah’s booming law firm. How do they have time for service to our island? Well, They have training.
Where does this Service mind come from you ask. Seventeen years raising their sons in the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs might have something to do with it.
Sarah was the Pack committee chair from 2009 through 2018 and John is now troop leader for Troop 105. The projects you have created are how Scouting and Naples events have turned into great Naples traditions.
John and Sarah, our Island is so proud of the efforts you have made in this Island community and the family you have raised on it. Community members like you, make Naples Island better. A million thanks go out to our 2024 Service Award winner, and in reality, his entire family.
Thank-you John Sangmeister… and Sarah, Jack, Peter and William.
John Sangmeister, a heartfelt congratulations! STAY PREPARED!