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From left, Sanibel City Councilmember John Henshaw, Vice Mayor Holly Smith, Mayor Mike Miller, and Councilmembers Laura DeBruce and Richard Johnson.
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City Manager Dana Souza addresses the crowd at the Sanibel Time Capsule: Honoring Our Past, Charting Our Future on Jan. 10 at City Hall.
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The city of Sanibel and sponsor Bank of the Islands presented the Sanibel Time Capsule: Honoring Our Past, Charting Our Future on Jan. 10 at City Hall, followed by the Lunch & Legacy: Together At The Table.
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FISH of Sanibel-Captiva Executive Director Maria Espinoza speaks as a founding member of the Sanibel Captiva Young Professionals at the city’s Sanibel Time Capsule: Honoring Our Past, Charting Our Future.
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The BIG ARTS Community Chorus performs the national anthem at the Sanibel Time Capsule: Honoring Our Past, Charting Our Future on Jan. 10 at City Hall.
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From left, SanCap Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai and the Rev. William “Bill” Van Oss, rector for Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church.
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Bank of the Islands President Robbie Roepstorff commended community members for their legacy of caring for one another in her closing remarks at the Sanibel Time Capsule: Honoring Our Past, Charting Our Future on Jan. 10 at City Hall.
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From left, Boy Scouts Wesley Harris, Liam Nuckolls, Evan Nuckolls and Charles Harris.
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On Saturday, January 10, 2026, the city of Sanibel installed the new Sanibel Time Capsule. The commemorative event took place in front of city hall, where city leaders gathered with the community to seal the time capsule and emphasize the importance of community traditions. City Manager Dana Souza encouraged the community to participate in a lasting legacy, declaring, “Save the date! Meet us back here in front of city hall on November 5, 2049.” This invitation served as a call, to a new generation of islanders, to return in 25 years and honor Sanibel’s enduring traditions of strength and resiliency. Souza sought out the youngsters in the crowd — those 18 and under — to whom he handed 50th Anniversary gold and green shell-shaped commemorative coins The current time capsule was officially sealed by Mayor Mike Miller, Vice Mayor Holly Smith and Councilmembers Laura DeBruce, John Henshaw, and Richard Johnson.
Souza began the program of events with a reminder. He said it is important to honor Sanibel’s founding mothers and fathers — those who established the city in 1974, “to save it from the type of overdevelopment that was happening across Florida in Lee County at the time.” Sanibel is a barrier island where people and nature live together in balance. During the morning’s ceremony, leaders repeatedly referred to the resilience, compassion and determination of Sanibel’s residents. Reverend Bill Van Oss offered the program’s invocation. He referenced the wind and water; that their irreplaceable value sometimes exists along with loss and uncertainty. The hurricanes of the last three and half-years carried loss to many of Sanibel’s home and business owners. However, under cloud-free blue skies during Sanibel’s commemorative time capsule ceremony, Van Oss prayed, “We look forward to a future of promise. . .Here, beauty and life are braided together.” Van Oss added his hope — upon the inevitable opening of the new Sanibel Time Capsule — that in it people will discover a testimony of love.
Councilman John Henshaw told the gathering that Sanibel is proof: “You can preserve paradise.” He emphasized the city’s commitment to young families and to the continued efforts of conservation. “Now is the time,” Henshaw said, “to build on the vision of a diverse multi-generational community.” He predicted, over the next 25 years, that Sanibel will become a community thriving with tele-workers. And, in 2050, that the beach will remain Sanibel’s most defining feature.
Saturday’s program reached across generations and beyond the spoken word. Andrea Miller led the group of citizens who formed Sanibel’s 50th Anniversary Work Group. In designing the program around sealing the new Sanibel Time Capsule, Miller’s group included BIG ARTS Chorus singing The National Anthem, Sanibel School NJHS-vice president Charles Harris representing the island’s next generation, a performance in movement carried-out by preschoolers from the Children’s Education Center of the Islands, forward-focused addresses from Kendall Lutheringer and Maria Espinoza of the SanCap Young Professionals group and a final address on gratitude from Robbie Roepstorff. Roepstorff is president of Bank of the Islands. Bank of the Islands was the main sponsor of the event. In conclusion of the sealing ceremony, Roepstorff thanked Andrea Miller for being a dynamic chairwoman, adding, “The people of Sanibel show up. They care deeply and give generously.”
Following the morning’s formalities, Lunch & Legacy: Together At The Table, began behind city hall. An abundant offering of tacos, hotdogs and brats, iced cookies, tea and lemonade, and ice-cream were available. Tacos LA ISLA, A Bit of Bailey’s and Pinocchios Original Italian Ice Cream provided the food. Musician Danny Morgan provided the island sounds. Community attendees provided the smiles.