Member News

Note to Media: Blessings in a Backpack is partnering with McLeod Construction employees to pack 500 bags of food to feed students at Franklin Park Elementary School. State Representative Heather Fitzenhagen, Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, State Attorney Amira Fox, and former NFL player Tommy Bohanon are scheduled to take part in the packing event as well.
They’ll fill backpacks with kid-friendly, ready-to-eat items given each Friday to students in need. Students return to school on Mondays with an empty backpack, a full stomach and an eager mind.
We look forward to seeing you there.
WHAT: Corporate packing event
WHEN: Today, November 7, 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: McLeod Construction, 6360 Corporate Park Circle, Fort Myers 33966
WHY: It’s becoming increasingly difficult for parents to feed their children in Southwest Florida. Inflation, job loss and low wages are profound challenges for many parents. Blessings in a Backpack works to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children who would otherwise go hungry.
CONTACT: Josh Milton, Vice President of Media Relations at CONRIC PR & Marketing, 239-690-9840, [email protected]

Fort Myers, FL (November 6, 2019) – Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Southwest Florida announces plans for a House expansion that is scheduled to break ground in mid-November.  Through silent fundraising, the organization has raised eighty percent – in cash and pledges – toward the capital campaign target of three million dollars. A $500,000 Challenge Grant from the Clark Family Foundation will be used to encourage new donations from first-time donors and increased donations from previous donors. Campaign Co-Chairs Jim Nathan and Sandy Stilwell-Youngquist kicked-off the capital campaign at a House Expansion Launch Party at the Ronald McDonald House on Monday, October 21st.
The Ronald McDonald House provides a home-away-from-home for families with children who require medical attention. The Charities’ family centered programs make a difference by improving the clinical outcomes and experience for the children and their families. With the ever-growing medical services and advancements of Golisano Children’s Hospital, the need for additional space at the Ronald McDonald House will grow as well.
The house expansion will consist of:

• Six additional bedrooms
• Two additional offices
• One additional public restroom
• One storage closet
• Entry hallway
• Additional parking
• Structural improvements to the existing 23-year-old House, including, but not limited to:
• HVAC
• Hurricane impact windows
• Soffit/fascia repair & replacements

The community is encouraged to help Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwest Florida provide stability and resources to even more families so they can be near their children while they receive the care they need.
To donate or for more information, please go to rmhcswfl.org/house-expansion or call Amy at 239-437-0202.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida is to create, find and support programs that directly impact the health and well-being of children and their families in Southwest Florida. RMHC of Southwest supports the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program, Ronald McDonald Family Room®, as well as Grants and the RMHC U.S. Scholars Programs. To learn more, visit rmhcswfl.org OR facebook.com/RMHCswflorida/ 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 5, 2019) — MY Shower Door / D3 Glass is counting on generous hearts to make this a special holiday season for families at Golisano Children’s Hospital. From now until Dec. 6, people can bring new, unwrapped toys to any of the three MY Shower Door locations in Fort Myers and Naples; TWO39 Work in Bonita Springs; Brown and Brown Insurance in Fort Myers and Naples; Audi of Fort Myers and CONRIC PR & Marketing in Fort Myers.
MY Shower Door co-owner Bill Daubmann said his company is partnering with Lee Health to spread Christmas cheer to families whose holidays deserve a special present through the Golisano Children’s Hospital Toy Drive and the Golisano Snow Pile Room, where toys are delivered. To help people with ideas for what families might need, a Child Life Wish List is available online at myshowerdoor.com/toys.
This drive has special meaning for MY Shower Door / D3 Glass employees. The infant daughter of company controller Jared Larson and his wife, Liz, a nurse at Gulf Coast Hospital, died from a rare birth disorder called trisomy 18 or Edwards syndrome. She spent nine days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Golisano before going home. She lived for 22 days. This toy drive and a toy collection by MY Shower Door employees two years ago are in honor of Emma.
“Emma touched a lot of lives,” Jared said. “The families in the hospital are going through tough times and we want to support them. It is not only hard on mom and dad but also hard on the siblings. What impresses me was how caring (Golisano employees) were, especially the nurses. Our nurse went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed. It was like being part of the family.”
Now, Emma’s memory lives on.
“We wanted to set this up as a legacy to Emma,” Daubmann said.
Among wish list ideas are:
Infants and toddlers: Pop-up toys, light-up toys, rattles, teething toys, musical toys, toy phones.
Pre-school: Crayons, markers, Play-Doh, doctor play kits, action figures, animal figurines, balls.
School age: Lego sets, action figures, harmonicas, board games, card games, remote control cars, Barbies.
Teens: Plain t-shirts to decorate, PlayStation 4 games, over-the-door basketball hoops, advanced craft sets, gift cards for iTunes, GameStop, Walmart or Target.
Other items needed are shampoo, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, Chapstick, hair brushes and hair ties, nail care kits, deodorant and pajamas (infant to adult size).
Toys can be dropped off at:

• MY Shower Door – 14261 S. Tamiami Trail, No. 2, Fort Myers,
• MY Shower Door – 13500 N. Tamiami Trail, north Naples,
• MY Shower Door – 1200 Central Ave., No. 103, south Naples,
• TWO39 Work – 24301 Walden Center Dr Suite 300, Bonita Springs,
• Brown & Brown Insurance – 6611 Orion Dr #201, Fort Myers,
• Brown & Brown Insurance – 1421 Pine Ridge Rd #200, Naples,
• Audi of Fort Myers – 10050 Daniels Interstate Ct, Fort Myers,
• CONRIC PR & Marketing – 6216 Whiskey Creek Dr., Suite B, Fort Myers.

MY Shower Door / D3 Glass
MY Shower Door opened its first frameless shower door showroom in Naples in
2003, with manufacturing component D3 Glass starting in 2013. Since then, the company has grown to seven Florida showrooms with over 100 employees. MY Shower Door / D3 Glass is owned by the Daubmann family of Bill and Donna Daubmann along with sons Keith and Doug. The Daubmanns have been involved in the frameless shower door industry since the mid-1980s, revolutionizing the design, installation and marketing of their products and services. They have received local, regional and national recognition for their business accomplishments and products, including the “Business Ambassador” award from then-Gov. Rick Scott. MY Shower Door is a four-time recipient of the INC 5,000 “Fastest Growing Companies in the United States” distinction. For more information, call Bill Daubmann at 239-596-3255 or visit MYShowerDoor.com.

Schedule of public workshops and interactive website announced where public can participate and provide input as District works to amend a Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program rule
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) initiates a public rule-making process to support water quality improvements in the Northern Everglades, which includes the Lake Okeechobee Watershed and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee River watersheds and estuaries and announced the dates for several workshops to gather public input.
The Governing Board approved the public process last month to revise Chapter 40E-61 of the Florida Administrative Code. The rule was originally created in 1989, and in 2016, the Florida Legislature passed laws requiring SFWMD to revise the rule to support Northern Everglades restoration. The purpose of the rulemaking process is to amend Chapter 40E-61 to:

• Be consistent with the 2016 Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP or 373.4595, F.S.) and Section 403.067, F.S., including for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed.
• Develop rules for Caloosahatchee River and St. Lucie River Watersheds.
• Provide for a monitoring program for non-point source dischargers required to monitor under Section 403.067, F.S.
• Provide for a research and water quality monitoring program.

The public engagement process will include workshops and opportunities to provide input through the District’s website. An interactive web board that can be found by clicking HERE will also allow the public to submit comments online.
The scheduled public workshops for the rule-making process include:

• Nov. 5, 10 a.m. at the Indian River State College, Dixon-Hendry Campus, Williamson Conference & Education Center, Building C, Room 112, 2229 NW 9th Ave., Okeechobee, FL 34972
• Nov. 15, 10 a.m. at the Fort Myers Regional Library, 1651 Lee St., Ft. Myers, FL 33901
• Nov. 19, 10:30 a.m. at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Osceola County, 1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744-6107
• Nov. 19, 4 p.m. at the Indian River State College, Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart, FL 34997
• Nov. 20, 10 a.m. at the South Florida Water Management District Headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406.

The Nov. 20 meeting at 10 a.m. will also be broadcast online at SFWMD.gov and YouTube.com/SFWMDTV.
For more updates on SFWMD’s work:

• Visit SFWMD’s website at sfwmd.gov
• Like SFWMD on Facebook

Follow SFWMD on Twitter

FORT MYERS, FLA., November 4, 2019 – Elementary and middle school students of Veterans Park Academy for the Arts in Lehigh Acres had a rare opportunity to hear a world-class pianist October 30 when Thomas Pandolfi of Washington, D.C., performed a private concert and interactive program for the students in the school cafetorium.
Students clapped their hands, strummed along with their fingers and asked questions of Pandolfi who was brought to the school courtesy of the Fort Myers Community Concert Association as part of its outreach program for Lee County public school students.
A total of almost 700  students attended the morning middle school and afternoon elementary school programs.
“We provide seats for each of our concerts at no cost to students in Lee County public schools, but we realize that not all students have the ability to get to our weeknight performances.  To expose as many young people as possible to classical music, our Board of Directors decided to take some of our concerts to the students,” said Community Concert Association President Mary Lee Mann.
Mann said the Community Concert Association Board of Directors chose Pandolfi because of his outstanding record of working with students of all ages.
Pandolfi is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as a scholarship student.  Highlights of the last concert season include performances with the North Charleston Pops, Symphony of the Americas, Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic and Reston Orchestra as well as a coast-to-coast recital tour.  His international concerts have carried him across the globe to China and Europe as well as a Canadian debut in British Columbia.
In 2006, he released his first CD, and has recorded 10 additional ones, including ‘Language of Infinity” (Chopin), “Gypsy Passages” (Liszt), “Into the Night with Gershwin,” and the Paderewski Piano Concerto recorded in the Czech Republic with the Moravian Philharmonic.
The Fort Myers Community Concert Association is preparing for another stellar season with five classical concerts planned this winter at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, including performances by the Russian State Symphony Orchestra and the Russian National Ballet.
All five concerts are included in one ticket price, which ranges from $165 for prime orchestra and mezzanine seats to $155 for other orchestra and mezzanine seats, $85 for lower balcony seating and just $65 for upper balcony.  Most mezzanine seating already is sold out, Mann said.
For tickets, call the Barbara B. Mann Box Office at 239-481-4849. Tickets to individual performances are not available at this time.
For membership information, visit www.fortmyerscommunityconcerts.org
About the Fort Myers Community Concert Association
The Fort Myers Community Concert Association, now in its 71st concert season, is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization founded by the legendary Barbara B. Mann in 1949 to bring world-class entertainment to Southwest Florida at affordable prices.  The association consists of more than 1,700 members, underwriters and sponsors.  Performers brought to Fort Myers in the past by the association include Violinist Itzhak Perlman, The Israel Ballet, The Boston Brass, Minnesota Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir, Pianist Andre Watts, Violinist Joshua Bell with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and many others.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2019) – A new wine list selected to pair perfectly with chocolate and desserts is available at Norman Love Confections’ McGregor Chocolate Salon, 13261 McGregor Blvd., Suite 105, in Fort Myers.
In addition to offering award-winning ultra-premium, handcrafted chocolates, as well as specialty desserts, artisanal baked goods including coffees, novelty products and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love, the Fort Myers-McGregor location’s new wine selection is designed to enhance the salon experience for customers.
“Wine and chocolate have a long history together,” said Norman Love, president and founder, Norman Love Confections. “We worked closely with Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits to select new wines that will enhance our chocolate and dessert offerings and provide guests with more options for a special dessert dine-in experience.”
A selection of eight white and red wines are available by the glass and bottle. Two sparkling wines are available by the glass. Sparkling wine includes: Ruffino Prosecco, and Chandon Rosé. Whites include Barone Fini Alto Adige Pinot Grigio, Sauvion Vouvray, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay. Reds include Roscato Rosso Dolce, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Antinori Santa Cristina Chianti Superior, and Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
About Norman Love Confections
Founded in 2001 by Norman and Mary Love, Norman Love Confections creates and distributes handcrafted artisanal chocolates from its corporate headquarters at 11380 Lindbergh Blvd. in Fort Myers, Florida. The award-winning Fort Myers-based chocolatier has been lauded more than a dozen times by a leading consumer ratings magazine, including recognition six times for producing the best ultra-premium chocolates in the nation. Forbes.com included Norman Love Confections BLACK line on its list of the nation’s top 10 truffles; The Huffington Post listed it among the six best U.S. destinations in its Chocolate Lover’s Travel Guide; and USA Today named Love as one of its top 10 entrepreneurs for 2014. Love was named the inaugural inductee of Dessert Professional Magazine’s Chocolatier Hall of Fame, partnered with local chefs to present a six-course meal at the James Beard House in New York and Norman Love Confections was ranked among the top 10 shops in the world for chocolate lovers by U.K. media outlet Daily Telegraph.
Norman Love Confections has Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers, Estero and Naples, including a pastry shop and café at Whole Foods Market in Fort Myers salon. Chocolates, gift baskets, sipping chocolate and Love’s book, “Artistry in Chocolate, A Story of Love,” also can be ordered online at www.normanloveconfections.com. In addition, Norman Love Confections chocolates and desserts are offered on 18 Princess Cruises’ ships through the “Chocolate Journeys” partnership and at independent retail locations throughout the U.S. For more information visit www.normanloveconfections.com or call 239-561-7215.
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Philanthropist Susan Kyle is recognized with Luminary Award

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 1, 2019) – Florida SouthWestern (FSW) State College students shared how scholarships made their dreams possible for more than 150 attendees at the Mina Edison Society’s Focus on Excellence signature annual event Oct. 30. Busey Wealth Management was the title sponsor.

The event raised $40,425 for scholarships for academic excellence at the college. With enrollment at the college growing to more than 22,000 students, the goal of the Mina Edison Society is to triple annually the number of scholarships granted. Since its founding in 2007, the Mina Edison Society’s endowed fund has distributed $72,000.

The event at The Forest Country Club in Fort Myers with networking, a student expo and awards, featured a keynote address by Dr. Eileen DeLuca, FSW provost and vice president of student affairs highlighting the bright future of the growing home-town college.

“Mina Edison Society is a network of influential professionals providing leadership and scholarships to students,” said Victoria Stephan, director of development institutional advancement, Mina Edison Society. “We are grateful for the investments these leaders provide. They have big hearts and truly understand how education changes lives.”

Susan Kyle, a well-known philanthropist, community leader and advocate for quality education, was recognized at the luncheon with the annual Mina Edison Society’s signature Luminary Award in honor of namesake Mina Edison, a philanthropist, activist and self-titled “home executive” who was a firm believer in education. Mina was the business force behind her husband, inventor Thomas A. Edison, while raising three of his children and three of their own. The Luminary Award honors an individual or organization who has attained eminence in their field and who encourages and motivates others to do the highest good.

About Mina Edison Society

Mina Edison Society is a network of influential professionals providing leadership, mentoring and scholarships to students of Florida SouthWestern State College. Founded in 2007, the Mina Edison Society continues today, demonstrating the philanthropic and entrepreneurial values of Fort Myers’ matriarch, Mina Edison. For more information visit foundation.fsw.edu/mina-edison-society/ or call 239-489-9210.

About Florida SouthWestern State College Foundation

The Florida SouthWestern State College Foundation’s mission is to support the academic vision and priorities of FSW State College by underwriting student success, securing fundraising and honoring donor intent. The Foundation provides close to $2 million in student scholarships and program support to benefit the over 22,000 students FSW serves annually. The Foundation provides support for academic programs, new technology for classrooms and new or improved facilities. For more information, visit foundation.fsw.edu.