Last-minute shoppers at Miromar Outlets prepare for ChristmasMama Sonya spreads holiday cheer to hundreds of Lee County kids
ESTERO Last-minute shoppers at Miromar Outlets prepare for Christmas It’s the last Sunday before Christmas, and you know what that means: last-minute shopping is in full force.
Mama Sonya spreads holiday cheer to hundreds of Lee County kids During the holidays, the spirit of giving takes center stage, and one local woman goes above and beyond.
WINK Neighborhood Watch: Deadly DUI, fairground murder and shooting at police This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features deadly DUIs, murder at a fairground and the attempted murder of a Sanibel police officer.
FORT MYERS Man arrested after shots fired in the air, stolen gun recovered A man was arrested early Sunday in Fort Myers after police responded to a ShotSpotter alert near Maple and Meadows streets.
FORT MYERS Crash investigation underway in downtown Fort Myers The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a crash in downtown Fort Myers on Fowler Street.
Cool, comfortable Sunday in store with highs in the low 70s The Weather Authority is tracking a beautiful Sunday in store across Southwest Florida, with afternoon highs only topping out in the low 70s.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral hosts annual Holiday Boat-a-Long Families, residents, and businesses came out to enjoy Cape Coral’s annual Holiday Boat-a-Long and Christmas movie on Saturday.
FORT MYERS FGCU head volleyball coach steps down to coach UCF FGCU coach Matt Botsford announced that he is stepping down as head volleyball coach to join the University of Central Florida Knights.
FORT MYERS Top rated prospects shine in City of Palms Classic Year-after-year some of the top high school teams featuring many of the top players in the country compete in the Fort Myers Tournament.
Meals for Hope brings Southwest Florida together to fight hunger On Saturday morning, Meals for Hope held its annual Holidays Without Hunger event, aiming to ensure no one in Southwest Florida goes hungry during the holidays.
1 dead, 2 injured in four-vehicle crash on I-75 in Collier County A collision involving four vehicles on northbound Interstate 75 near mile marker 108 resulted in one fatality, minor injuries to two others, and a large paint spill.
Lee County woman’s home transforms into Santa’s Workshop for families in need One Lee County woman’s home has looked like Santa’s workshop since June.
Chilly first day of winter with plenty of sunshine overhead The Weather Authority says Saturday is the first day of the winter solstice, and it feels like it across Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Kitten recovering after surviving horrific abuse At 12 pounds and 12 weeks old, this little kitty was snatched from her home and literally dragged through the unthinkable.
Losing loved ones in the line of duty; Community offers support to Diaz family Heartbreak over Sergeant Elio Diaz’s death consumed the Charlotte County community, after the fallen hero was laid to rest Friday.
ESTERO Last-minute shoppers at Miromar Outlets prepare for Christmas It’s the last Sunday before Christmas, and you know what that means: last-minute shopping is in full force.
Mama Sonya spreads holiday cheer to hundreds of Lee County kids During the holidays, the spirit of giving takes center stage, and one local woman goes above and beyond.
WINK Neighborhood Watch: Deadly DUI, fairground murder and shooting at police This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features deadly DUIs, murder at a fairground and the attempted murder of a Sanibel police officer.
FORT MYERS Man arrested after shots fired in the air, stolen gun recovered A man was arrested early Sunday in Fort Myers after police responded to a ShotSpotter alert near Maple and Meadows streets.
FORT MYERS Crash investigation underway in downtown Fort Myers The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a crash in downtown Fort Myers on Fowler Street.
Cool, comfortable Sunday in store with highs in the low 70s The Weather Authority is tracking a beautiful Sunday in store across Southwest Florida, with afternoon highs only topping out in the low 70s.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral hosts annual Holiday Boat-a-Long Families, residents, and businesses came out to enjoy Cape Coral’s annual Holiday Boat-a-Long and Christmas movie on Saturday.
FORT MYERS FGCU head volleyball coach steps down to coach UCF FGCU coach Matt Botsford announced that he is stepping down as head volleyball coach to join the University of Central Florida Knights.
FORT MYERS Top rated prospects shine in City of Palms Classic Year-after-year some of the top high school teams featuring many of the top players in the country compete in the Fort Myers Tournament.
Meals for Hope brings Southwest Florida together to fight hunger On Saturday morning, Meals for Hope held its annual Holidays Without Hunger event, aiming to ensure no one in Southwest Florida goes hungry during the holidays.
1 dead, 2 injured in four-vehicle crash on I-75 in Collier County A collision involving four vehicles on northbound Interstate 75 near mile marker 108 resulted in one fatality, minor injuries to two others, and a large paint spill.
Lee County woman’s home transforms into Santa’s Workshop for families in need One Lee County woman’s home has looked like Santa’s workshop since June.
Chilly first day of winter with plenty of sunshine overhead The Weather Authority says Saturday is the first day of the winter solstice, and it feels like it across Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Kitten recovering after surviving horrific abuse At 12 pounds and 12 weeks old, this little kitty was snatched from her home and literally dragged through the unthinkable.
Losing loved ones in the line of duty; Community offers support to Diaz family Heartbreak over Sergeant Elio Diaz’s death consumed the Charlotte County community, after the fallen hero was laid to rest Friday.
During the holidays, the spirit of giving takes center stage, and one local woman goes above and beyond. Sonya Rodriguez, affectionately known as “Mama Sonya,” woke up early to ensure less fortunate children in Lee County have a merry Christmas. WINK News reporter Paul Dolan visited Iona to witness Mama Sonya’s generosity firsthand. Families lined up in cars outside Buffy’s Paradise Salon, eagerly waiting to receive gifts for their children. “Over 400 kids in Lee County; that ranges from Fort Myers Beach to wherever you’re from, Harlem Heights, anywhere you’re from,” Mama Sonya said. The parking lot outside Buffy’s Paradise Salon in Iona was packed with gifts, wrapped tightly and stacked high to avoid falling off the tables. “It takes a lot of people. We had at least 20 people coming to volunteer today,” said Armani Rodriguez, Sonya’s daughter. Volunteers shared their admiration for Mama Sonya and her efforts. “I’m always so touched when I see someone like Miss Sonya, who, like you said, is just, you know, regular Joe, trying to get along with everything in the world,” said volunteer Lorna Littrell. “But she’s taken all her time and effort to do this, and she’s passionate about it.” Rebecca Link echoed the sentiment, saying, “There’s something about Sonya. When you meet her, the woman is full of love and she’s full of giving, and that’s what she does, and she inspires the people around her to do the same. You can see it.” Mama Sonya explained why she dedicates herself to this labor of love. “When they come up and they just want a hug, that does something to me because that feels better than any of this,” she said, holding back tears. “That’s better than any of this material stuff,” Mama Sonya continued. “When people say, ‘I love you,’ or you say, ‘I love you,’ and they… you can reciprocate love.” Despite the exhausting effort, Mama Sonya’s love shone brightest as families received their gifts. “This is who I am, and I’m a giver. This comes from the heart, everything to the glory of God. It’s not about me. We just love doing this. We just love this. I live for this,” she said. Thanks to Mama Sonya, hundreds of children in Lee County will experience the magic of Christmas, and her community is grateful for the love she brings.