FORT MYERS, FLA., December 19, 2019– The NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra will start its 12-city United States tour in Fort Myers January 10, when the orchestra will perform at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall as part of the Fort Myers Community Concert Association season.
“We are thrilled that this internationally acclaimed orchestra has agreed to make Fort Myers the first stop on its U.S. tour, especially since this is the first time the orchestra has toured the U.S. since 2012,” said Fort Myers Community Concert Association President Mary Lee Mann.
NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero will conduct the orchestra. Guerrero is a six-time Grammy Award-winning conductor, Music Director of the Nashville Symphony and Principal Guest Conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon.
The orchestra will perform works of Polish composers from across generations, including Frederic Chopin, Karol Szymanowski and Witold Lutosławski, an original patron of the National Forum of Music (NFM) in Wrocław. Johannes Brahms, a composer with close ties to Wrocław will also be represented on tour along with other Central European composers Antonin Dvořák and Béla Bartók.
The NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1945 and officially became the State Orchestra of Wroclaw, Poland in 1949. The orchestra was renamed the Wroclaw Philharmonic in 2015 when the orchestra moved into its new home, the National Forum of Music, where it is has performed for nearly 100,000 attendees in its first two seasons. It is widely considered to be the premier venue of its type in Poland.
Tickets are $55 for orchestra seats, $35 for lower balcony seats and $25 for upper balcony seats. Mezzanine seats are sold out. The one night only performance starts at 7:30 p.m. The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers. For tickets, call the Barbara B. Mann Hall box office at 239-481-4849.
The NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic concert is the first of five classical performances to be presented this season by the Fort Myers Community Concert Association.
The four remaining concerts are:
● The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra – January 27, 2020
● Teatro Lirico D’Europa performing Verdi’s “La Traviata” – February 3, 2020
● Russian State Symphony Orchestra – February 10, 2020 .
● Russian National Ballet – March 2, 2020
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 The Israel Ballet, Violinist Itzhak Perlman, 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. For Community Concert Association membership information, visit www.fortmyerscommunityconcerts.org.

December 18, 2019, Fort Myers, FL: Please join The Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center, along with SWFL’s Deaf and hearing community, for an evening filled with laughter, interactive entertainment, games, prizes, and most importantly, Deaf awareness and culture! The event will take place on Saturday, January 11th, 2020 at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s Collaboratory. Selena Minogue and Casavina, the fabulous comedian duo in Deafies in Drag, have been making hilarious videos since 2015. With nearly a quarter of a million followers, their acclaimed show talks about deaf struggles, language barriers, and educating the life of the deaf community through comedy sketches. All tickets include the live comedy show, food, beer, wine, and one drink at the official after party, hosted by Millennial Brewing Company. Optional tickets include pre-show Drag King Bingo and post-show VIP meet & greet!
Get your tickets online here.

Kids Tag Art encourages creativity, benefits schools
 FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2019) – Embracing and celebrating creativity is the backdrop of the Lee County Tax Collector’s Kids Tag Art program, which is recognizing 104 fifth-grade students in the School District of Lee County for their imaginative designs that will appear on specialty license plates.
The program, now in its fifth year, is a partnership between the Tax Collector’s office and the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. The program encouraged the fifth-grade students to create artwork based on the theme “Fun in the Sun.” Approximately 3,900 designs were submitted, judged and the top two from the 52 participating Lee County elementary schools are recognized with an “Award of Distinction.” Their winning designs can be displayed on front end plates and will soon be available for public purchase at leetc.com with 100% of proceeds going to each of the schools.
In the meantime, the public can get their hands on this exciting collection of art as past Award of Distinction designs are available for purchase at each of the Lee County Tax Collector’s offices in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, South Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Lehigh Acres. The cost is $20 and payable by check made out to The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc.
“It’s heartwarming to see how Kids Tag Art inspires so many young minds in our community,” Lee County Tax Collector Larry Hart said. “The program shows students how they can apply their art in commerce, as witnessed by all the plate designs we have for sale. This is a program that recognizes the importance of arts in our schools.”
Hart also will honor a student designer with the Tax Collector Choice Award in a surprise ceremony at the student designer’s school. He will display the plate on the front of his truck for the year.
The Tax Collector’s Office also sells sponsorships for the program, raising even more money that goes to help elementary school teachers pay for art supplies. Last year’s program raised $34,400 to support arts in the schools.
Sponsorships are available by calling the Lee County Tax Collector’s Communications Department at 239-533-6060. Call Beverly Burke of The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools Inc. at 239-337-0433 for program information.
About Lee County Tax Collector
The Lee County Tax Collector (LCTC) exists to serve the citizens of Lee County. The office takes pride in organizational excellence and offering exemplary customer service and operates by the credo of “We’ve got your back.” The LCTC operates leetc.com, the official interactive website of the tax collector, which allows county residents to quickly and easily take care of motor vehicle and vessel registration, pay property taxes, make appointments for concealed weapon permits and more. The agency operates seven service centers open daily throughout the county to provide efficient, convenient services. The LCTC works to provide innovative and quality service that supports the growth and sustainability of the community. For more information, visit leetc.com or follow Lee County Tax Collector on social media.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 17, 2019) – Dress for Success SW Florida will present “A Recycled Night in Black and White” from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, 5001 Coconut Road in Bonita Springs.

As Dress for Success SW Florida celebrates 10 years, “A Recycled Night in Black and White” will highlight 10 local designers showcasing runway-ready ensembles crafted from bags of recycled clothing and accessories generously donated to Dress for Success SW Florida. A panel of judges will select first, second and third place winners along with a People’s Choice award. Winners will receive cash prizes.

Alyssa Lemay, a local entertainer who hosts regular drag queen bingo, karaoke and charitable events, will be the master of ceremonies for the fashion show.

In addition to a recycled fashion show, the evening will feature hors d’oeuvres, champagne, a three-course seated dinner, live and silent auction, dancing and cash bars.

One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit local women who are working towards economic independence through Dress for Success of SW Florida programs that include Women Empowered Through Employment Series (WETES) for unemployed and underemployed women, Professional Women’s Group (PWG) for employed women and Entrepreneurial Spirit Program (E$P) for women that want to start their own business.

Local fashion designers who are interested in participating in the recycled fashion show can call 239-689-4992 for more information.

Tickets for the event may be purchased for $125. A table (10 seats) may also be purchased at $1,200. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase tickets or a table, please visit blackandwhite2020.eventbrite.com.

About Dress for Success SW Florida

Founded in 2010, Dress for Success SW Florida is headquartered in Fort Myers. A nonprofit organization with a mission to empower women to achieve economic independence, Dress for Success SW Florida provides a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Dress for Success SW Florida serves job-ready women by referral only. For more information, visit swflorida.dressforsuccess.org or call 239-689-4992. Dress for Success SW Florida is located at 12995 S. Cleveland Ave., Suite 153, in Fort Myers.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 13, 2019) An amendment to the Fort Myers City Walk Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Rebate Agreement that severs the hotel portion of the project originally proposed was approved at the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners meeting on December 11, 2019.
The Developer, City Walk Fort Myers LLC, a part of Catalyst Asset Management, requested that the 128-key Marriott brand hotel previously proposed in the 2018 TIF rebate application be removed for this current phase of the project. Instead, the hotel site will be developed in the future as Class “A” office space. The Developer has also modified the number of residential units in the West End at City Walk apartment complex, increasing them from 302 units to 318 units.
In the original agreement from May 2018, City Walk was selected to receive $5.5 million in TIF rebate over a ten-year period once the project generates property tax. Originally, City Walk proposed to construct 302 residential units, a 128-key Marriott brand hotel, and 5,000 to 10,000 square feet of retail and commercial space. As part of the updated agreement, an additional 18 residential apartment units, 77 parking spaces, and energy efficiency enhancements have been added in response to the CRA Board of Commissioners a more desirable Downtown residential complex. Updated renderings of West End at City Walk will be available before the end of the year.
The project is located west of the Downtown Publix shopping center on McGregor Boulevard. Groundbreaking on the project has already begun, with an anticipated completion date of May 2021.

Financing Secured, Performance Schedule & Consent to Lease Approved
FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 16, 2019) McCollum Redevelopment Associates, LLC/Reva Development Corporation has secured financing to complete the restoration of historic McCollum Hall, a former dance hall and retail center in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. redevelopment area. In addition, a new Performance Schedule and a Consent to Lease was approved at the CRA Board of Commissioners meeting on December 11, 2019. The project is on schedule for a December 2020 Grand Opening.
McCollum Redevelopment Associates, LLC, through its partner Reva Development Corporation, has secured a $1.8 million funding commitment to complete the restoration of McCollum Hall. The Developer will close on this financing by December 31, 2019.
A summary of the Performance Schedule approved on December 11 by the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners is below:
November 15, 2019 Financing Commitment for Construction
December 15, 2019 Close on Financing
March 15, 2020 100% Construction Drawings to Landlord
April 25, 2020 Plans and Specifications submitted to City
of Fort Myers Building Department
April 30, 2020                 Commence Construction
December 30, 2020       Substantial Completion of all improvement

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2019) – Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida is pleased to announce the members of its 2020 Business Hall of Fame, Lee County Advisory Board. The committee will be led by chair Gail Markham, president of Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company, P.A. The 2020 Business Hall of Fame, Lee County is slated for Thursday, April 16 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs.
Other members selected to this year’s board include Jason Brewer, market president for BB&T; Talisha Faber, private client relationship manager for IBERIABANK; Elaine Hawkins, president of Private Client Insurance Services; Jan-Erik Hustrulid, business development coordinator for Owen-Ames-Kimball Company; Mark Loren, owner of Mark Loren Designs; Laurie Moore, financial advisor for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management; Sandy Stilwell-Youngquist, owner and CEO of Stilwell Enterprises & Restaurant Group; and Sharon Torregrossa, real estate agent for VIP Realty Group, Inc.
Advisory board members are responsible for selecting the laureates for the 2020 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, Lee County, which recognizes two outstanding Lee County entrepreneurs who serve as role models for youth through their professional accomplishments and commitment to the community. The laureates will be honored during the 2020 Business Hall of Fame, Lee County dinner and awards ceremony in April. For more information on the event, or to learn more about sponsorship opportunities and purchasing tickets, visit www.JASWFL.org.
About Junior Achievement:
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 4.8 million students per year in more than 107 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations over 100 other countries worldwide. Locally, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida partnered with more than 270 classroom business volunteers during the 2018-2019 school year to provide nearly 70,200 hours of instruction to nearly 12,500 students in 520 classes throughout Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. For more information on Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, visit www.JASWFL.org, call 239-225-2590 or email [email protected].
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Media Contact:
Emily Golden, Priority Marketing, [email protected], 239-267-2638 or 239-565-1595 (cell)