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a message from your publisher

A FINAL SALUTE Volume 8 Issue 1 | November 2016

O ur Naples community, specifically 3215 Gulf Shore Blvd N • Suite #112N | Naples, FL 34103
our Veterans and I have lost two of
the best friends we’ve ever had. A 239.572.0051
quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson summed lifeinnaplesreg@gmail.com
it up, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
No one embodied these words better than Jim www.lifeinnaples.net
Elson and Homer Helter.
Text Copyright 2016 all rights reserved.
Jim was involved in No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by
many Veterans organizations including Collier any electronic or mechanical means without permission from
County Veterans Council, Reserve Officers
Association and Military Officers Association. the publisher. Life in Naples regrets that no responsibility
He was a tireless worker for Veterans causes, can be accepted for unsolicited material. Opinions expressed
serving his community just as he did his country. by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the
He is remembered for putting flags on Veterans
graves and took pride in assuming responsibility publisher.
for the services at the annual Memorial Day observation in North
Naples. His dedication and involvement made certain that our publisher reg buxton
local Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies would continue into marketing consultant joel kessler
perpetuity. When I was chair of Southwest Florida Red Cross, Jim
and his fellow officers came to our aid many times in providing contributing writers mayor bill barnett
leadership in our shelters during hurricanes. He was a true Patriot dr. allen weiss
and gentleman who cared without restrictions. graphic design paula allia
jeff bohr
It’s often been said that if you looked up the diana jarrett
word patriotism in the dictionary you would sandra lee buxton
find a picture of Homer Helter. Everyone who lois bolin
knew him agreed that he personified patriotism. sue huff
Homer’s military collectibles and antique store kelly g. cooper
was fondly called “God’s waiting room” as on claudia polzin
any given day it was packed with Veterans and
their friends. They gathered together, Veterans opus studio, inc.
of all ages, from all wars to exchange stories, to offer support and
solve the world’s problems. A favorite talking point was politics at
all levels from local to the world all while enjoying the tasty food
that Homer and his wife Diane graciously prepared daily. If you
can imagine, Homer including his volunteers and the generous
Faith Lutheran Church have sent over seventy tons of supplies to
our active service members overseas since 2003. That tradition will
continue in Homer’s honor.
These Patriots, who were men of honor, loved their country
and we as a community loved them back. They will be missed and
never forgotten. Although they can never be replaced, it is now
someone else’s turn to step forward and pick up where they left off,
and maybe it’s you.

4 Life in Naples | November 2016