Family Initiative, Inc., a Florida-based nonprofit organization serving children and families living with autism spectrum disorder, has announced the establishment of the Pat Webster Scholarship fund to provide opportunities for children, teens and young adults to succeed. “The scholarship fund is in honor of co-founder Eileen Webster’s mother, Pat Webster, and the force of good [...]
The Bobby Nichols - Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation has established a Junior Board of Directors, consisting of high school students who live in Fiddlesticks Country Club with a demonstrated commitment to volunteering and fundraising. The founding Junior Board members include Ava Aloia, Mikey Bevins, Lorelai DiSanto, Gracie Mitchell, and Berklie Simmering. Additional high school volunteer committee [...]
The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are bringing back Party at the Park, a family-friendly postgame concert on May 14 that will feature country music artists Joe Nichols and Parmalee. Party at the Park highlights a six-game homestand against the Palm Beach Cardinals that runs May 10-15 at Hammond Stadium. “Joe Nichols and Parmalee have brought [...]
In celebration of Emancipation Day in Florida May 20, the Lee County Black History Society is offering free screenings of “Invisible History: Middle Florida’s Hidden Roots.” The movie will be shown at Roberto Clemente Park and Dunbar Community School. On Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m., the movie will be shown in the park and [...]
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce has announced Dianna Ryan as the organization’s interim president and CEO following the recent announcement that Colleen DePasquale is relocating to accept a new chamber position in Colorado. “We are tremendously grateful for Colleen’s 11 years of dedicated service to the Chamber and the betterment of our local [...]
Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families in crisis and preventing the need for foster care, is hosting Parents’ Night Out events on Friday, May 13 in Naples and Friday, June 10 in Lehigh Acres. The program offers parents, grandparents and other caregivers access to a couple of hours of no-cost care for children [...]
Leadership NEXT, a monthly program for advancing business professionals, will host a networking program on Tuesday, May 10, that will spotlight what business and property owners need to know to protect their properties during storm season. The program will be hosted from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Library Pizza & Pub, located at 9909 [...]
A fundraiser on April 4 at Bruno’s of Brooklyn raised $18,000 for Community Cooperative. The ticketed dinner featured a live auction and the premiere of chef-owner Cal Bruno’s Plate It Up Challenge. For the video series, Community Cooperative challenged chef-owner Cal Bruno to create a dish in 30 minutes using surprise ingredients donated to the [...]
Family Initiative’s 2022 Autism Acceptance Awards Gala raised over $300,000, far surpassing the goal of $200,000, to provide family-centered compassionate support, innovative programs and evidence-based therapies to children, teens and young adults impacted by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The annual celebration was held at the culmination of Autism Acceptance Month on April 30 at the [...]
Elite DNA Therapy Services, a comprehensive mental and behavioral health service provider, is hosting a food collection drive May 16-31 to support area food banks in their efforts to feed local families during the summer. According to pre-pandemic data from Feeding Florida, 3.1 million Floridians lack access to healthy food, 800,000 of which are children. [...]
Lee Health awarded four “Heart of Caring” scholarships to Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) at Lee Health April 29, putting them on the path to getting their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Hunter Fields, Jennifer Guevara, Amber Newborn and Ana Vieira received full scholarships to pursue and obtain their nursing degrees. Mark and Carolyn Ain [...]
Malibu Wellness donated over 10,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to the Gifts in Kind program of United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades, which distributes millions of items to nonprofits and community partners at no cost, allowing agencies to spend donations for programming. “Our Gifts in Kind program distributes $5 million worth of physical goods [...]
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Committee will offer valuable insight on mentoring opportunities in the Greater Fort Myers area during its networking event on Wednesday, May 4 at Busey Bank in Fort Myers. Welcoming five organizations from across Southwest Florida, the May program will showcase several opportunities for mentorships within [...]
Stevens Construction has started construction of Orthopedic Specialists of SW Florida, announced Dan Adams, vice president/principal, Stevens Construction, Inc. Slated for completion in summer 2023, Orthopedic Specialists is expanding operations with the construction of a new 60,000-square-foot, two-story medical office building and corporate headquarters. Orthopedic Specialists of SW Florida will house 60 exam rooms, two [...]
BSSW Architects is designing a major renovation to the South County Regional Library in Estero, which opened in 1996 as Lee County’s first regional library. The renovations include design, mechanical and technological upgrades to the one-story, 32,343-square foot facility. BSSW is providing complete architectural, engineering and interior design services for the project. Interior renovations will [...]
Stevens Construction’s special projects division has completed an expansion of Trilogy Laboratories, announced Dan Adams, executive vice president/partner. Located at 10060 Amberwood Road, Suites 5-8, Stevens Construction provided a 7,800-square-foot interior renovation, which serves as the expanded Trilogy Laboratories, a manufacturer of premium skincare products founded by Dr. Kristen Flaharty. Trilogy Laboratories features a welcoming [...]
United Way of Lee County has extended the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Intent to Apply, Risk Assessment and Application deadlines to 5 p.m. May 6. The extension allows applicants an additional two weeks to complete the Intent to Apply and Risk Assessment, and an additional week for the programmatic application. During this time, United [...]
The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels will return to Hammond Stadium on April 26 for a six-game series against the Clearwater Threshers. Homestand highlights include a celebrity appearance by Brian Baumgartner, an actor from The Office, the first of five Beerfest events this season and two games where fans are encouraged to dress in costumes – [...]
Fort Myers Brewing Company is celebrating Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day with two events held Thursday, May 5 and Sunday, May 8. On May 5, the brewery’s Cinco de Mayo celebration from 2 to 10 p.m. will feature a limited-edition beer release, food truck rally and live music. Fort Myers Brewing is releasing No [...]
The 45th Annual Patty Berg Pro-Am Golf Tournament, held at Cypress Lake Golf Club, raised $29,000 to support scholarship programs for young golfers in Southwest Florida. This year’s tournament attracted a sold-out field of 72 members and 24 professional golfers to Cypress Lake Golf Club, a pristine private course in Fort Myers that offers subtle [...]
The Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit, raised $85,766 at its second annual Voices of Hope Gala to support programs benefiting children in the foster care system. The foundation also presented philanthropist Jerry Galeana with its prestigious HOPE Award. Held March 3, the gala was a virtual event livestreamed into supporters’ homes and watch [...]
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce will feature a nonprofit expo during its monthly luncheon on April 21, providing an opportunity for business professionals to learn more about nonprofit organizations that are members of the Chamber. Some of the organizations that will be showcased include Archway Institute, Family Initiative, Home Base Southwest Florida, Hope [...]
Hole Montes has designated six key team members as associates, a leadership role recognizing their commitment to the company, profession and community. Associates are employees who, over a period of several years, demonstrate a high level of technical competence, excellent project skills, leadership qualities and the ability to work effectively with co-workers. Hole Montes associates [...]
An appearance by Carole Baskin, postgame fireworks, guaranteed wins and an Easter egg hunt highlight the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels’ opening homestand of the 2022 baseball season. The Mighty Mussels play a six-game series against the Jupiter Hammerheads from April 12-17 at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. The team’s first celebrity appearance this season is [...]
BSSW Architects has completed the design for Marco Island Fire & Rescue Station 50, a multi-use facility that also will serve as the community’s Emergency Operations Center. The 24,000-square-foot complex is designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and has a hardened “safe room,” an emergency power generator with 48 hours of running capacity, independent [...]
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida hosts a free Earth Day Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23. The event will include live animal encounters, Kid Zone activities, electric boat tours, food trucks, BioBlitz Nature Walks, the new Learning Adventures Bus, local exhibitors and more. “The Conservancy is happy to welcome visitors back, particularly [...]
Pull the Cork, an intimate evening of wine and giving, has raised $170,000 to support Lee BIA Builders Care in granting lifechanging projects for local families in need of emergency home repairs. An exclusive event held on March 12 at Florida Gulf Coast University, Pull the Cork brought the “best of the best” boutique wines [...]
Award-winning architecture and design firm Studio+ has acquired TDM Architects, Inc., a full-service architectural and planning company founded in Los Angeles in 1994. Recently rebranded as Studio+, the firm has 30 years of expertise in education, including K-12 schools, higher education, religious, athletic, school modernization, child development centers, multifamily, senior housing modernization and aerospace. [...]
Lee BIA Builders Care’s popular BBQ, Bands & Brew fundraising event is returning on April 2 to Centennial Park in Fort Myers, featuring a lineup of live performances, food vendors and fun-filled activities for all ages. Four headliners will take the stage throughout the day, including The Collective at 11 a.m., Deb & The Dynamics [...]
Renowned chocolatier Norman Love and his award-winning culinary team at Norman Love Confections will be offering a delectable lineup of chocolate classes this spring and summer for a hands-on chocolate lovers’ experience. Ideal for individuals and groups of friends looking for a unique social experience, “Cooking with Love” features 10 classes centered on artisan chocolates [...]
Community Cooperative raised more than $1 million with a record turnout of more than 770 people to help thousands of men, women and children in our county who struggle every day with hunger and homelessness at the 19th annual soup kitchen benefit. “We have veterans sleeping in the woods and families sleeping in cars [...]
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce will host its Cornhole Tournament and Halfway to SWFL Craft Beer Week celebration on Friday, April 1 at Alliance for the Arts, located at 10091 McGregor Blvd., in Fort Myers. Presented by First Horizon Bank, the third annual Business as Unusual Cornhole Tournament will be held from 1 [...]
Fort Myers Brewing Company earned two gold medals and one silver at the 2022 Best Florida Beer Professional Championships, a statewide competition held in Tampa. Fort Myers Brewing earned a gold medal in the American Wheat category for its Fort Myers Wheat as well as a gold medal in the Chocolate Beer category for its [...]
The 6th Annual Kids’ Minds Matter Gala: Navigating the Journey took place March 9 at the Innovation Hotel in Naples. Combined with pre-event gatherings of mental health advocates, the event inspired long-time supporters as well as significant contributions from new donors to raise more than $951,000. Kids’ Minds Matter, an initiative of Lee Health and [...]
Vibe Yoga is offering outdoor full moon yoga monthly through June. The hour-long sessions are from 7 to 8 p.m. on March 18, April 15, May 16 and June 14 and limited to 20 participants. In the event of inclement weather, the sessions will move inside to the studio. Sessions are $20 per person and [...]
Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families in crisis and preventing the need for foster care, is hosting Better Luncheon events for parents on March 19 in Fort Myers and March 26 in Port Charlotte. Better Together organizes a luncheon program at various locations each month to bring parents together for community, to support [...]
Fort Myers Brewing Company is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a food truck rally from noon to 11 p.m. on Thursday, March 17 featuring specialty beer releases, food and live music. Fort Myers Brewing is releasing two specialty brews to celebrate the occasion, an Irish Red Ale and Turn the Lights Stout. The Irish Red [...]
The School District of Lee County is hosting Social Lee: Careers & Conversations, an informational event that will provide insight on teaching and non-instructional positions within the District, on Thursday, March 31 in Fort Myers. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet District representatives, learn about the variety of career paths available and walk through [...]
The Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit, is hosting its fifth annual March Madness Bracket Challenge to benefit programs serving Southwest Florida children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. The cost to participate is a $30 minimum donation per bracket, or $100 for four brackets. After completing an online registration form, participants will [...]
In recognition of the Daylight Savings Time change and World Sleep Day, Vibe Yoga is offering a Yoga and Better Sleep Workshop March 13 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the studio in Fort Myers. The 90-minute workshop will include techniques of Yoga Nidra, meditation and breathwork designed to enhance and improve the quality of [...]
Vibe Yoga is offering a two-hour Spring Rebirth Yoga & Meditation Workshop: Plant New Beginnings from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 19. The workshop will include revitalizing breathwork, yoga, chakra renewing meditation and manifesting visualization, journaling and other intention setting activities. “Spring is about returning to the light and letting the soul blossom [...]
Leadership NEXT, a monthly program for advancing business professionals, will host a networking program from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, highlighting Southwest Florida’s housing market. The Leadership NEXT program will feature a panel discussion with Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell, joined by Bill Steinke, local realtor and president of the Royal [...]
For its fourth consecutive year, Better Together is breaking down employment barriers by hosting a series of background-friendly job fairs in March as part of the nonprofit’s Nationwide Day of Second Chances. To support job seekers who are faced with challenges to re-entering the workforce, Better Together’s Day of Second Chances brings churches, volunteers, businesses [...]
NOTE TO MEDIA: Please note this event has been canceled. If possible, please refrain from including in any upcoming features or calendar listings. Thank you. Tickets are available for the 25th Annual Dinner on the Diamond, which will be held March 15 at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Each year, the event has allowed attendees to [...]
Pace Center for Girls, Lee has named Ellie Fox, Susan Kyle and Linda Taylor as the honorees of its 2022 Grande Dames Tea, to be recognized for their significant impact on the community during a sold-out event on March 17. Pace’s annual Grande Dames Tea honors women who exemplify the organization’s guiding principles and have [...]
Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation donated $1 million with an additional $1.5 million community challenge grant to expand cancer services at Lee Health Bonita Health Center. In recognition of this generosity, the facility will be named Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Cancer Clinic. To provide state-of-the-art care closer to home for residents and visitors in [...]
Tickets are available for the 25th Annual Dinner on the Diamond, which will be held March 15 at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Each year, the event has allowed attendees to have dinner on the ballfield with appearances and autographs from Boston Red Sox celebrities, a silent auction of sports memorabilia and entertainment. VIP packages [...]
The Bobby Nichols - Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation wrapped up its 20th annual Pro-Am golf and tennis tournaments, and auction gala at Fiddlesticks Country Club on Monday, Feb. 21, raising a record $1.7 million in net revenue and counting, bringing the 20-year total to more than $15 million in donations to serve abused and at-risk children [...]
Nearly 100 runners and walkers, some sporting superhero costumes, participated in The Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit’s inaugural “What’s your Superpower 5K Walk/Run & Kids Fun Run.” Held Feb. 19 on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College, the superhero-themed fundraising event featured a traditional 5K race timed by Lin-Mark Sports and a [...]
Vibe Yoga is offering a free Intro to Yoga Community Class Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. for anyone interested in learning about yoga. The hour-long class includes a tour of the studio, description of yoga, common questions, the mind/body/breath connection, common poses, introduction to classes available and closes with a short introduction to meditation. The class [...]
