provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Mike Mills doesn’t mind if you call or text him about work. He relishes it — especially now that he lives on Sanibel Island.
“A lot of my job is giving out my number and asking people to text or call if they see a turtle,” explained the wildlife biologist. “It’s a lot easier for me to go out there when I’m living on the island.”
Why turtles? Mills tracks various kinds of animals — including bats, rice rats, fish, and other native creatures — in his job with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
“I’ve always enjoyed wildlife. I’m lucky to get this opportunity,” he said.
That door opened for the St. Louis, Mo., native with an internship at SCCF in 2016, eventually leading to full-time work. Mills tried to get an apartment through Community Housing & Resources, but no units were available then.
He settled in Fort Myers — commuting to work and making the time-consuming drive whenever he heard of a turtle sighting. Then Hurricane Ian wiped out his apartment. He tried CHR again, and a spot at Centre Place was open this time.
“This is the nicest place I’ve lived that’s not my parents’ house,” said Mills. “The neighborhood really rocks. Everyone is so nice. We just had a great block party.”
He uses the same word to describe CHR. “They always kept me updated on the process,” Mills said. “The move-in went smoothly. I haven’t had any problems, but if I did, they’re just a block away.
“That’s great to have them embedded here in the community,” he continued. “I’m just thankful that organizations like this exist on Sanibel.”
CHR provides safe, quality, affordable housing for families and individuals who work in and serve our island communities. Learn more at sancapchr.org.
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