ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Leigh hugs one of the customers whose layaway her company paid off. (WINK News) We’re getting closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas and while we love this time of year, we know the season can be hard on your wallet. For some families, getting gifts under the tree is tough. But among the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, there’s someone really special: An “angel in the aisles” surprising people by paying off their layaways. We were only in Walmart for a few minutes when a mom came to pay her layaway, but the people at the register stopped her. “So is this for this darling girl here,” asked Leigh Clark, founder of Kindleigh. “It’s for her, a foster brother and my biological son,” said mom Stephanie. Stephanie is a new foster mom with more kids to care for this Christmas. On top of that, today is her birthday. “Bet you didn’t expect this when you walked into Walmart today,” asked WINK News’ Amanda Hall. “No. Actually I didn’t even plan on coming to Walmart. I had a little time free before picking up my son, so this was totally unexpected,” said Stephanie. Leigh Clark and Walmart employee Frank high five. (WINK News) The clerk rang up her treasures. Her bill? Cleared! Then, it was time to find another layaway to pay away. “I was just calling to inform you that your layaway balance has been paid off,” Walmart employee Frank said on the phone to another lucky customer. Leigh and Frank high fived and with that, shoppers rushed to the store to pick up their gifts. But, there was an extra surprise. “Here’s another $50 for you guys to spend at Walmart today, so happy to help,” said Leigh. “I’m glad they have organizations like this,” said Deanna. Kindleigh was started by Leigh as a way for other people to help pay off layaways. She said she learned years ago, you get joy by giving it. “In ’08 during the recession, I lost a really great job as a director of marketing and it was a really, a crossroads as a human: ‘Where is my purpose beyond my profession,’ said Leigh. “I heard about people who paid off layaways like the Tyler Perry and the Oprah and I’m not, like, NFL rich, but let me go pay one. It was like $40. It’s all I had at the time and I was like, I want to do more of this.” “Tell me why you have tears in your eyes,” Hall asked another customer, Kathy. “Becuase I was trying to figure out, just by coincidence, on the phone, when the phone rang, how I was going to pay what I needed to by the 15th, because I’m on disability and I couldn’t really afford it, but that’s what my granddaughter wanted, so I am so grateful, so grateful,” she said. Leigh hugs one of the customers whose layaway her company paid off. (WINK News) And that’s just it. What makes this mission of kindness so special is the people Leigh helps are so grateful, not because they’re getting a gift. Their gift is being able to give their kids or grandkids a Christmas morning with something special to open. “I appreciate this from all my heart, I really do,” said another customer touched by Leigh’s kindness. “We’re so happy to help you,” Leigh said. “Give me another hug.” It’s a reminder for all of us to be kind and help others, and it just might make you feel good too. Leigh says the organization pays off between 30 and 70 layaways every year, depending on the fundraising. If you’d like to help pay off someone’s layaway, you can donate by clicking here or texting “GIVE” to 917-781-1791. All donations are tax-deductible.