South Florida Clean Water activist leaves post

A clean water activist, who’s collected thousands of your dollars, says he’s quitting the fight.

This comes almost two weeks after a WINK News investigation questioned if John G. Heim was qualified to accept your money.

How are people reacting? Some tell WINK News they have concerns, and others say the the money will go to the right place. Despite differing opinions, everyone is on the same page and want to end this water crisis.

In a lengthy post from Heim’s Facebook account, there’s an announcement that he’s backing away from the South Florida Clean Water Movement to spend more time with his daughter.

The post has since been taken down.

“If anybody has done more for Southwest Florida, for clean water, he has publicized the whole thing,” said North Fort Myers resident Bob Buhler.

But Fort Myers Beach residents Tim and Denise Thiel wonder where the $10,000 of donations Heim raised on Facebook will be spent?

“If you’re going to be in the public eye, then you have to be accountable for what you’re doing,” Tim said. “It’s not personal money, if it was his own money that’d be a different story.”

In another post, Heim says all the donations will go to the Harry Chapin Food Bank.

But the food bank tells WINK News they have zero partnerships with Heim and no knowledge of future donations he intends to make.

“Knowing John the right thing will happen eventually he just has the sort out he’s a regular guy he doesn’t know all the regulations that are in the place,” Buhler said.

Just two weeks ago, WINK News asked Heim about his fundraising efforts, and how the money is spent.

“I am fighting for the water as one guy who has managed to do it for 25 years on his own dime basically,” Heim said.

“Your own dime or the thousands of dollars you have been given?” asked WINK News reporter Brendon Leslie.

“… You must be out of your mind,” Heim said.

“It’s a valid question you’re not showing me the receipts so I don’t know if you’re actually using it,” Leslie said.

“You don’t have to have the receipts you’re not a legal entity,” Heim said.

Two weeks later, still no receipts. There’s no word on what Heim’s involvement with the South Florida Clean Water Movement will be moving forward, although the Thiels wonder what’s going on, many still hope he comes back.

“He has a natural way about him. He’s good, he gets to the point he says what’s on his mind, he seems to know the issues as well as anybody that I have ever met if not more,” Buhler said.

WINK News reached out to Heim to ask what will happen with the money, but have yet to receive a response.