Member News

Registration for the Spring 2023 semester has started. Space is limited. Register today to make sure you have a seat in a class. Class registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Spring 2023 Classes

Registration Links

Morning Locations
CareerSource SWFL: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/classes-at-careersource-southwest-florida-morning-spring-2023-registration-474280233947

Cape Coral Technical College (Morning): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-cape-coral-technical-college-am-spring-2023-registration-474281658207

Dunbar Community School (Morning): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-dcs-morning-spring-2023-registration-474283573937

Lee County Public Education Center – East Entrance: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-lcpec-east-entrance-spring-2023-registration-474284917957

Night Locations
Bonita Springs High School: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-bonita-springs-high-school-night-spring-2023-registration-474260825897

Cape Coral High School: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-cape-coral-high-school-night-spring-2023-registration-474264466787

Cape Coral Technical College (Night): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/esol-classes-at-cape-coral-technical-college-night-spring-2023-registration-474265901077

Cypress Lake High School: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-cypress-lake-high-school-night-spring-2023-registration-474269973257

Dunbar Community School (Night): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-dcs-night-spring-2023-registration-474272661297

Lehigh Senior High School: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ged-and-esol-classes-at-lehigh-senior-high-school-night-spring-2023-registration-474278278097

Online Classes
Online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/online-classes-ged-and-esol-spring-2023-registration-474287886837

Questions? Please call 239-939-6310

Celebrate the spirit of the season with this annual holiday tradition!

This feel good musical will bring a smile to your face and have you swaying in your seat as we get into the Holiday mood.

“Deck the Halls” December 2nd, 7:30pm, Gulf Coast Symphony

“Snowbird Follies” World Premier December 3rd-18th, MACC

“The Nutcracker” December 10th, 3pm and 8pm 

A treasured classic for the whole family to enjoy!

This show brings hot jazz to Christmas standards!

“Jazz at the MACC” Swinging Holidays December 15th, 7pm Music & Arts Community Center

Preview the music from upcoming December programs at Gulf Coast Symphony on Spotify

239.277.1700 | GulfCoastSymphony.org

Gulf Coast Symphony, PO Box 60878, Fort Myers, FL 33906, United States

FWC approves rules establishing livery permit requirements and new boating safety education topics, requirements

At its Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Commission Meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved rules creating a no-cost livery permit and adding new topics and requirements for boating safety education. The changes align FWC rules with recent legislative changes, will improve public safety and increase accountability related to liveries. New boating safety education topics will encourage safer operation by boaters.

Rule amendments will prohibit liveries from offering a vessel for lease or rent without a livery permit, and create the framework for requesting, receiving and renewing the no-cost livery permit. The rules also establish consequences for violation of the new rules.

New topics being covered in the livery pre-rental and pre-ride instruction include:

• The dangers of passengers sitting in or on areas of the vessel not designed or designated for seating.
• Proper use of an engine cutoff switch.
• Operation of a vessel with people in the water nearby.

No-cost livery permits will expire on the birthday of the official agent of the livery requesting the permit.

In addition to changes regarding liveries and pre-rental and pre-ride instruction, new components were also added to the required course curriculum for FWC-approved boating safety education courses.

“These changes are yet another positive step in our efforts to foster a safe and responsible environment for everyone to enjoy the world-class boating Florida has to offer,” said FWC Boating and Waterways Section Leader Maj. Rob Beaton.

Similar to other boating regulation changes, FWC law enforcement officers will take an educational approach for affected stakeholders for approximately six months after the rules go into effect.

For more information on liveries, visit MyFWC.com/Boating and click on “Boating Regulations” and then open the “Liveries (Boat/Rental Facilities)” and click on “Frequently Asked Questions.”

For more information on boating safety, visit MyFWC.com/Boating and choose “Boating Safety and Education.

FWC approves rule enabling grant-funded removal of at risk/public nuisance vessels

At its Nov. 30-Dec. 1 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a rule amendment allowing local governments to apply for and use grant funding from the Derelict Vessel Removal Grant Program for removal of at-risk/public nuisance vessels. Currently, the FWC’s Derelict Vessel Removal Grant Program allows local governments to apply for and use grant funding to remove, destroy and dispose of only derelict vessels.

A vessel is considered at risk of becoming derelict if any of the following conditions exist:

• The vessel is taking on or has taken on water without an effective means to dewater.
• Spaces on the vessel that are designed to be enclosed are incapable of being sealed off or remain open to the elements for extended periods of time.
• The vessel has broken loose or is in danger of breaking loose from its anchor.
• The vessel is left or stored aground unattended in such a state that would prevent the vessel from getting underway, is listing due to water intrusion, or is sunk or partially sunk.

Recent changes to Florida law provide that if a vessel owner is issued three citations within 18 months for the same at-risk condition, the vessel could be declared a public nuisance and may be removed using processes similar to the removal processes for derelict vessels.

“The FWC takes the quality and safety of our waterways very seriously. This change provides a means for vessels to be removed from the water before they become a danger to our public and our environment,” said FWC Boating and Waterways Section Leader Maj. Rob Beaton.

Removing at-risk/public nuisance vessels before they become derelict will save Florida taxpayers money. Removal costs for vessels still floating are significantly lower than costs for removing sunken derelict vessels. It will help protect Florida’s environment and the boating public. Derelict vessels can cause the destruction of valuable seagrass resources, endanger marine life and pose navigational hazards.

For more information regarding derelict and at-risk vessels, visit MyFWC.com/Boating and click on “Waterway Management” and “Derelict Vessel Removal Program.”

Decorate Christmas Cookies at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 30, 2022) – Visitors are invited to decorate Christmas cookies at Edison and Ford Winter Estates. This new event provides families with a chance to decorate cookies and see the holiday lights all in one night. Cookie decorating class nights are December 19, 20, 21, and 22 and run from 6-8 p.m. each night.

Tickets are priced to include a family of four; however, up to two additional family members may attend with advance registration. Space is limited to 12 families per class and each family will have a reserved table in the river pavilion. Cookies are un-frosted sugar cookies that are pre-cut in various Christmas-themed shapes.

The ticket cost includes a do-it-yourself cookie bundle kit with 12 cookies, four different icing options, and three types of sprinkle toppings. A hot cocoa bar and admission to Holiday Nights is included. The river pavilion will be festively decorated and holiday music will be played in the background.

Tickets must be purchased in advance, online at EdisonFord.org. A family ticket is $125 (for four people) for non-members, or $115 for Edison Ford members. Up to two additional family member tickets can be purchased for $30 each and includes additional cookies.

FWC Commissioners approve the first Springs Protection Zone in Florida at Nichols Spring           

At its Nov. 30-Dec. 1 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a rule establishing a Springs Protection Zone for Nichols Spring and its associated spring run in Sumter County. 

The Spring Protection Zone for Nichols Spring will be the first created in Florida. Anchoring, mooring, beaching and grounding of vessels was determined to have caused harm to bank vegetation, cypress trees and aquatic grasses in and around the spring. These activities will be prohibited within the Springs Protection Zone. 

At its December 2021 meeting, the Commission established the criteria and process used to create Springs Protection Zones. FWC staff coordinated with Sumter County officials, the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Department of Environmental Protection to review whether Nichols Spring met the criteria for the creation of a Springs Protection Zone and held a public meeting for interested parties before approval. 

The public will still be able to visit Nichols Spring but will be prohibited from anchoring, mooring, beaching or grounding a vessel within the spring or along the spring’s shoreline. The public will be able to anchor a vessel outside the protection zone and swim through the small spring run and into the spring. Tubes and rafts are not considered vessels in Florida and may still be used in the spring.

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HEALTHY LEE DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

December is National Give the Gift of Sight Month
The Holiday season brings together families,
friends and festivities. During the month of
December, Prevent Blindness encourages
everyone to reflect on the joys of healthy
vision and support sight-saving services.

Find Resources Here

Youth Suicide Awareness

Do you know the warning signs of youth suicide?
• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for ages 10-24. (CDC WISQARS).
• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for college-age youth ages 12-18. (CDC WISQARS).
• More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, congenital disabilities, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED.
• Each day in our nation, there are an average of over 3,703 attempts by young people in grades 9-12. If these percentages are additionally applied to grades 7 & 8, the numbers would be higher.
• Four out of Five individuals considering suicide give some sign of their intentions, either verbally or behaviorally.
Join this one-hour webinar that will enable participants to recognize/respond to at-risk individuals and better understand available resources.

Register

Community Partner Happenings

Breakfast with Santa!
Health and Wellness
Free Health Screenings and breakfast for the whole family.
Visits with Santa and toys for the Children.
Read More

Diabetes Boot Camp
Health and Wellness
Survival Skills for Success
Join us for our 1.5-hour Diabetes Boot Camp led by Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists to learn the survival skills needed for success!
Register

School Garden Leadership Training
Health and Wellness
The Healthy Living Collaboration is to improve overall health and increase food security for School District of Lee County students and families.
Register

Women in Healthcare Toy Drive
Health and Wellness
Join us for this networking event to recognize our frontline healthcare personnel. We are accepting donations of new unwrapped toys to benefit the Golisano Children’s Hospital staff.
Read More

Free Chronic Disease Self-Management Course
Health and Wellness
A free six-week workshop. If you have a chronic health condition or love someone who does, then this workshop is for you.
Register

Pedal with a Purpose
Health & Wellness
Spin with us as we raise funds to benefit the expansion of the Lee Health Regional Cancer Center and Wellness Funds!
Read More

Chronic Pain Management
Health & Wellness
When you have chronic pain, you face challenges every day. This workshop helps you discover strategies and skills that allow you to self-manage your pain, and it’s free!
Read More

Healthy Life Center Classes

View and RSVP for Classes

Important Information

December is Eye Safety Awareness Month
Thousands of people in the United States sustain eye injuries on a daily basis.

Read More

This year, make a New Year’s Resolution
to quit smoking! Quitting isn’t easy, but 50
a million ex-smokers in the United States are
proof that it’s possible.

Read More

Saturday, January 14
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
All supplies are provided for free. Water and snacks are provided. Bring a yoga mat. Meeting outside.

More Information

Highlights from Healthy Lee

Hurricane Ian Disaster Donations
Food Scarcity
Castle Comfort Home Care, a valued member of Healthy Lee, has organized and co-sponsored Hurricane Ian Relief events for the past two months since the Hurricane hit our area.
Charles MacKelvie said that it’s been a privilege to support and serve our community in this way.

Read More

The Healthy Lee movement was created to empower and inspire visitors and the people of SWFL to live a life of optimal health and well-being by making healthy lifestyle choices through education and action. This newsletter gives you access to our valuable resources and news. Please feel free to submit your organization’s events to www.HealthyLee.com under the Events tab. If you require assistance, please email [email protected].

Read More

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FWC approves state listing of striped newt as threatened 

At its Nov 30-Dec. 1 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) gave final approval to add the striped newt to the state’s threatened species list. New Species Conservation Measures and Permitting Guidelines, the Species Action Plan and updates to the Imperiled Species Management Plan were all approved as part of the listing process.

Significant population declines have been documented throughout the range of this native salamander since 2000. Striped newts face a variety of threats, including:

• Habitat loss and alteration,
• Disease,
• Off-road vehicle impacts,
• Land use changes and
• Changes in climate.

The FWC received the most recent request to evaluate the striped newt in 2019 and staff completed the Biological Status Review Report in 2021 with the recommendation to list the species as threatened, per Rule 68A-27.0012 F.A.C. Commissioners approved the initial staff recommendation at their May 2021 Commission meeting, pending development of a management plan.

Found primarily in southern Georgia and northern Florida, striped newts use  both wetlands and dry upland habitats that surround their breeding ponds. Fire is essential for maintaining habitat conditions for striped newts within breeding ponds and surrounding uplands. These breeding ponds lack predatory fish and allow the eggs and larvae to develop into their later life stages.

Efforts have been made to boost the population of these salamanders with repatriation research and restoration of documented breeding ponds.

You can improve the health of striped newt populations by reporting the presence of disease. Report sick or dead striped newts or other amphibians by contacting your FWC Regional Office. If you suspect that someone is illegally capturing or selling wild striped newts, or to report off-road vehicle damage to breeding ponds, contact the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

For an overview of how Florida conserves imperiled species, visit MyFWC.com/Imperiled.

Updates to permitting guidelines benefit Florida gopher tortoises
Today, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved staff’s recommendation to update Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines.

The goal of the update is to better protect gopher tortoises by incentivizing relocations to protected recipient sites, clearly defining roles and responsibilities in the relocation process, and clarifying other provisions in the guidelines.

Key revisions and information included in the guidelines were presented at two public webinars where FWC staff collected feedback from participants. Staff reviewed feedback and incorporated edits as necessary before bringing an updated version to the FWC Commissioners for approval.

The permitting guidelines support the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan, which was created by the FWC with the ultimate goal of restoring and maintaining secure, viable populations of gopher tortoises throughout Florida, so the species no longer warrants state listing.

The Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and associated Guidelines provide the management framework for gopher tortoise conservation in Florida. Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines clarify protections, outline activities where permits are needed, provide methods and qualifications for individuals conducting gopher tortoise relocation, and outline requirements for sites that receive gopher tortoises. The initial Guidelines were approved in 2008 and several revisions over the years have allowed for continued improvement in the permitting process and in conservation for the species.

In Florida, the gopher tortoise is state-listed as Threatened. Both the tortoise and its burrow are protected under state law. Property owners must obtain permits from the FWC before land clearing or development takes place, and tortoises must be captured and relocated to FWC-authorized recipient areas.

In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the decision to maintain the current federal status of the gopher tortoise and not federally list this species in the eastern portion of its range, including in Florida. This decision was directly related to the FWC and partners’ successful conservation efforts, including establishing important protections for this species and collecting valuable population and life history information.
The gopher tortoise occurs in parts of all 67 Florida counties and in neighboring states. The tortoise is known as a keystone species, and its burrows serve as important refuges for hundreds of native animals including imperiled species such as the Eastern indigo snake and the Florida burrowing owl. To learn more about gopher tortoises and the FWC’s Gopher Tortoise Program, visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise

Bromeliad Sale at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 29, 2022) — On December 3 and 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Edison and Ford Winter Estates is hosting the annual Bromeliad sale in partnership with the Caloosahatchee Bromeliad Society. Bromeliad growers will have tents under the oak trees, near the historic Banyan and will offer hundreds of different species for sale. Several experts will be on hand from the Society to answer questions about Bromeliads.

The Bromeliad Society was formed more than 30 years ago and has held an annual sale since 1984. This event is the largest Bromeliad sale in the state of Florida. Growers from other areas, including Miami, Sarasota and Venice will be participating.

Parking and admission to the sale is free (does not include tours or admission to the museum, lab or riverside of the property). The Garden Shoppe will also be open and is stocked with a variety of plants and trees. A limited number of garden carts will be available; guests are encouraged to bring their own. Refreshments will be available for purchase.