Member News

Gulfshore Ballet & Gulf Coast Chamber Orchestra
April 3 | 7:00 PM
Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Lane, Fort Myers
The Gulfshore Ballet joins the Gulf Coast Chamber Orchestra for a delightful night of imaginative performances. All new choreography by Gulfshore Ballet Artistic Director Iliana Lopez & Franklin Gamero.

PROGRAM
“Suite from Pulcinella” by Stravinsky
“Appalachian Spring Suite” by Aaron Copland
Live stream also available!

Franklin Gamero and Iliana Lopez began their career at home in Venezuela and continued through the San Francisco Ballet, the Cleveland Ballet and as soloists with the Deutsche Opera Berlin and the Deutsche Opera am Rhein in Dusseldorf. Then in 1987 they became principal dancers with the Miami City Ballet where they remained for eighteen successful years.
 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 2, 2021) – Stevens Construction is underway with an expansion and renovation at Florida Heart Associates, announced Dan Adams, vice president/principal, Stevens Construction, Inc.

Stevens Construction is providing a complete interior renovation of the two-story, 25,374-square-foot building located at 1550 Barkley Circle in Fort Myers, which includes an upgrade of all exam rooms, nurse stations, offices, lobby and the cardiac PET equipment. Stevens Construction is also expanding the existing building with the new construction of an ambulatory surgery center.

Slated for completion in summer of 2021, the multi-phased project will be licensed by the Agency for Healthcare Administration. Florida Heart Associates will remain occupied and operational during construction, requiring daily coordination between Stevens Construction, Florida Heart Associates and subcontractors.

The Stevens Construction team worked in preconstruction for six months prior to construction starting, providing due diligence on the project site, budgeting, constructability reviews and cost-savings suggestions to ensure Florida Heart Associates’ budget, schedule and quality goals are achieved.

The Stevens Construction team includes project manager, Mike Brooks; superintendent, JJ Slaugh; project engineer, Tate Hernly; and project administrator, Sue Ziegenfus. The project was designed by PRA.

About Stevens Construction, Inc.

With offices in Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa and Orlando, Stevens Construction specializes in providing construction management, general contracting and consulting services to clients and design professionals. Other services include site and design team selection, budgeting, project scheduling, permitting, cost and quality control, and warranty service. The company builds healthcare, commercial, public and hospitality facilities. For information, visit www.stevensconstructioninc.com or call 239-936-9006.

About Florida Heart Associates, PL

With offices in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Fla, we are the leading physician owned cardiology medical group in Southwest Florida with a diverse offering of cardiac services, a highly skilled team of over 25 physicians, nurse practitioners & physician assistants and highly skilled and trained staff. We are pleased to be partnering with Stevens Construction, Inc in expanding our expertise in cardiology. 

April 2, 2021           
Suggested Tweet: Freshwater license-free #fishing Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4 https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/2caf426 @MyFWC 
Flickr set: https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/albums/72157715569129488 
Freshwater license-free fishing Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4
Try your hand at freshwater fishing this weekend on Saturday, April. 3 and Sunday, April 4, without needing a freshwater fishing license. License-free fishing days are a great way for Florida residents and visitors to get out on the water and find out why Florida is known as the Fishing Capital of the World.
“The first freshwater license-free fishing weekend of the year is an excellent opportunity to introduce someone to fishing for the first time,” said Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Director Tom Graef. “Spend this weekend with family and friends enjoying the Fishing Capital of the World as you fish from a boat or shore.”
All other rules, such as seasons, bag and size limits apply. To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/License. To renew or purchase a fishing license, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Enjoyed your trip fishing? The next freshwater license-free fishing weekend is June 12 and 13. Check out recognition program TrophyCatch and submit your 8-pound and greater largemouth bass to win prizes.
“Florida has long been known as the Fishing Capital of the World and Florida fishing helps to support many industries that impact the state’s economy, including retail, research and tourism,” said Commissioner Gary Lester. “Now is the time to get out on the water and an even better time to introduce someone you know to fishing – all you need is a rod and a reel!” 
For general waterbody information, fishing forecasts, virtual tours, plant control operation schedules and annual workplans, boat ramp information, and more, visit the “What’s Happening on My Lake” website at MyFWC.com/Lake.
For more information about the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, contact Laura Rambo Walthall at 850-488-0520 or [email protected].

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 30, 2021) – Every April, the Children’s Advocacy Center of SWFL (CAC) “goes blue” for Child Abuse Prevention Month with community activities and fundraisers. This year, CAC is happy to announce a new partnership with the Bell Tower mall throughout April.
The mall’s bell tower will be lit blue for the month and a storefront space facing center court will feature a giant blue pinwheel, one of the symbols of the month. Patrons are encouraged to take a selfie and post it on social media, tagging Bell Tower (#Bell Tower or @Bell Tower Shops). For every tagged post, Bell Tower will donate to CAC.
While there, be sure to grab a special blue drink at one of these participating restaurants who will donate a portion of the drink proceeds to CAC: Blue Pointe Oyster Bar & Grill, Cantina Laredo, Shoeless Joe’s, TGI Friday’s.
Since 1981, the Children’s Advocacy Center of SWFL, a United Way partner agency, has worked to improve the lives of children and their families through a coordinated response to child abuse and neglect, offering a safe and friendly environment in which to heal. CAC provides abuse determination services as well as therapeutic counseling, parenting education and prevention programs in Lee, Hendry, Glades and Charlotte Counties. All services are provided free of charge. For more information, please call (239) 939-2808 or visit www.cac-swfl.org. Details on CAC’s 4-star rating may be found on  www.charitynavigator.org.

(Tuesday, March 16, 2021) – The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW is excited to announce confirmed dates for the 2021-2022 Fifth Third Bank Broadway Series. The Eight-Show Series consists of:
Final Season of Love – RENT 25^th ANNIVERSARY FAREWELL TOUR: January 4-9, 2022 (8 Performances)
For a quarter of a century, Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece RENT has inspired us to choose love over fear and to live without regret. Its immeasurable emotional impact has forever changed the world of musical theatre.
RENT follows a year in the lives of a diverse group of artists and friends struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. This powerfully resonant phenomenon has become more than a musical – it’s a cultural touchstone, a rite of passage and a source of joy and strength for millions. The extraordinary RENT fan community spans every continent and every generation – including many born over a decade after the show opened on Broadway.
Whether you’ve never seen RENT or have completely lost count, you can’t miss it this time around – the 25^th Anniversary “Farewell Season of Love” is your FINAL CHANCE to experience this illustrious touring production. Come join us to celebrate 25 years of “La Vie Bohème.”  13,140,000 minutes of the one and only RENT.
SUMMER – THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL: February 1-6, 2022 (8 Performances)      
She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven, who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn’t know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through every barrier, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. From Janet Jackson to Beyoncé, they all began with Donna.
Featuring choreography from Tony Award nominee Sergio Trujillo, who won a Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show for SUMMER, and directed by Des McAnuff, the Tony Award®-winning director of Jersey Boys and The Who’s Tommy, SUMMER takes us through her tumultuous life and tempestuous loves. Including a mega-watt dream list of musical hits—including “Bad Girls,” “MacArthur Park,” “She Works Hard for the Money,” and “Last Dance”.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN: February 8-13, 2022 (8 Performances)   
WINNER OF SIX 2017 TONY® AWARDS INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL
AND THE 2018 GRAMMY® AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM.
A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including The Washington Post who says DEAR EVAN HANSEN is “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history.” The New York Times calls it “a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical.” And NBC Nightly News declares the musical “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.”
DEAR EVAN HANSEN features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

AIN’T TOO PROUD The Life and Times of THE TEMPTATIONS: February 22-27, 2022 (8 Performances)
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations is the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.
Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, Ain’t Too Proud tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, as the group’s personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America.
The unforgettable story of this legendary quintet is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and so many more.
Written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys) and featuring the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!), Ain’t Too Proud launches their first national tour to over 50 cities across America.
BLUE MAN GROUP ON TOUR: March 8-13, 2022 (8 Performances)
More than 35 million people around the world have experienced the smash hit phenomenon that is BLUE MAN GROUP and the world renowned bald and blue trio are back on the road in a new North American tour. Under the helm of visionary director Jenny Koons, in her first time collaboration with BLUE MAN GROUP, the tour features everything audiences know and love about BLUE MAN GROUP—signature drumming, colorful moments of creativity and quirky comedy—the men are still blue but the rest is all new! Including pulsing, original music, custom-made instruments, surprise audience interaction and hilarious absurdity, audiences join the Blue Men in a joyful experience that unites audiences of all ages.
Blue Man Group is the global entertainment phenomenon, known for its award-winning theatrical productions, iconic characters and multiple creative explorations. Blue Man Group performances are euphoric celebrations of human connection through art, music, comedy and non-verbal communication. Since debuting at New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to additional domestic residencies in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas and Orlando, an international residency in Berlin, and multiple North American and World tours, reaching more than 35 million people worldwide.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR – 50^TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR: March 15-20, 2022 (8 Performances)
Jesus Christ Superstar is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50^th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and award winning choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.
Featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar’.
 
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: March 29-April 3, 2022 (8 Performances)
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, based on the Oscar-winning film starring Richard Gere, is a breathtaking production that celebrates triumph over adversity and includes one of the most iconic and romantic endings ever portrayed on screen. Featuring the Grammy Award winning, #1 hit single ‘Up Where We Belong’, and a score based on the 1980’s catalogue of music that gave voice to a generation, the live stage production is a new adaptation by multiple Tony Awards nominee Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Everyday Rapture), based on the original screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart. The musical is directed by Scanlan with choreography by Patricia Wilcox (Motown, A Night with Janis Joplin).
Zack Mayo’s got smarts and a body built for US Navy pilot boot camp, but he also has too much swagger… until he meets a drill sergeant who’s determined to drill his arrogance out of him. Zack finds comfort in the arms of a local factory girl. But it isn’t until tragedy befalls a fellow candidate that Zack learns the importance of love and friendship and finds the courage to be his best self and win the heart of the woman he loves. A sweeping romance that lifts you up where you belong.
 
The Lincoln Center Theater Production of Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY: April 6-10, 2022 (8 Performances)
Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY is the winner of 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best Revival of Musical and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, 5 Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical Revival and 3 Drama League Awards including Best Musical Revival.  The production, which premiered in the spring of 2018, ended its long run at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater on July 7, 2019 after playing 548 performances.
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion, MY FAIR LADY, with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, premiered on Broadway on March 15, 1956. The legendary original production won 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical and ran for 2,717 performances making it, at the time, the longest-running musical in Broadway history.
 
2021-2022 Season Ticket prices range from $300.99 to $788.72 for the Eight-Show Series and can be purchased at the Box Office, by phone (239) 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com.
To watch video highlights, visit: https://www.bbmannpah.com/events/fifth-third-bank-broadway-series
Single tickets for the 2021-2022 Fifth Third Bank Broadway Series will be available at a later date.

Free virtual event shares available resources in region while raising funds to increase access to care
 FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 30, 2021) – Unmasking the Epidemic, a free virtual event by Kids’ Minds Matter, educated the Southwest Florida community of the alarming pediatric mental health crisis faced by children and families today, while also providing the resources currently available in the region for those seeking help. The event, which featured personal stories from parents and child advocates, testimonials from local health care leaders, and strategic plans for improving access to care in the region, inspired significant donations to expand pediatric mental health programs. As a result of the event, inspired individuals continue to make gifts, and Lee Health anticipates the event’s impact will exceed $1 million.
Since its founding in 2016 at Lee Health and Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, Kids’ Minds Matter has been dedicated to increasing awareness of the need for expanded pediatric mental and behavioral health care in the five-county region of Florida including Lee, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Charlotte counties, and has raised more than $10 million to support its mission to increase access to care to ensure children receive the right care at the right place and right time.
“The generosity and interest of our community during Unmasking the Epidemic shows that real change is possible,” said Chris Simoneau, chief foundation and development officer at Lee Health. “We are so grateful for this outpouring of support that will allow us to continue to grow our behavioral health services and dedicate ourselves to improving access to mental health care that is vital for our region’s families.”
Kids’ Minds Matter founders Scott Spiezle and Susan Goldy made appearances during the event. Calls for donations and advocacy were made by auctioneer Rick Gallo, and seven advocates were on hand to answer phone calls with donations or questions. Compelling videos about their struggles were presented from Kole Yates, who was bullied in middle school; Damini Parkhi, who struggled with self-harm and was Baker Acted four times; Cynthia Kummer, a mother who saw her children’s mental health declining during the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and moved across the country to get them into in-person schools; and Ellie Belcastro, who became a mental health advocate after seeing her peers struggle.
Advocates and mental health professionals from Lee Health also presented information about the mental health crisis along with Kids’ Minds Matter collaborators from the School District of Lee County, SalusCare Florida, and David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health. A full list of participating organizations and their services is available at KidsMindsMatter.com/Resources.
“We as a society have a responsibility to become more educated, to break the stigmas, and to effect real change,” said Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health. “Over the past year, with the isolation imposed upon our children due to the global pandemic, this partnership on services is needed now more than ever.”
The keynote speaker, Brad Hunstable, founder of Hayden’s Corner, told the heartbreaking story of his son’s tragic suicide in April 2020 four days before his 13^th birthday. Hunstable is now an advocate for suicide education and fostering conversations with children to build resilience. Hunstable encouraged parents to talk to their children about whether they have thought about hurting themselves and how to handle those feelings, noting that resilience can be taught and practiced. He shared a story about a father who talked to his daughter about suicide after hearing Hunstable speak. A month later, the father told Hunstable that his daughter had still tried to kill herself, but after taking pills came and told her father what she had done. She received treatment and survived, which the father attributed to the earlier conversation.
“My son’s a hero,” Hunstable said, wiping away tears. “His life matters, too.
Kids’ Minds Matter is dedicated to fostering partnerships that support existing services, identifying and filling gaps in the continuum of care, and innovating new treatments to meet the pediatric mental and behavioral health care needs in Southwest Florida. The goal of Kids’ Minds Matter, Golisano Children’s Hospital and Lee Health is to expand availability of mental health programs and services for area youth and their families. An estimated 46,000 Southwest Florida children are impacted by mental and behavioral health disorders including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, psychosis, substance abuse, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, all conditions that have been exacerbated by the isolation and uncertainty of the pandemic. In 2017, Golisano Children’s Hospital had more than 6,900 pediatric mental health visits. In 2020, those visits surpassed 16,000. However, the need continues to grow.
Dr. Paul Simeone, VP and medical director of behavioral health at Lee Health, outlined what is next for addressing the crisis, emphasizing continued need for community philanthropic support to implement a five-year plan that includes:

• Improving access to care with more providers, developing an intensive outpatient program for high-risk youth and autism testing and adding more Mental Health Navigators in schools.
• Building capacity in the region by partnering with Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida State University to develop the mental health workforce.
• Expanding community engagement and partnership by sponsoring regional events, programs and educations.

Support for the event included presenting sponsors Dr. Rick & Ellie Klein of Bonita Springs. Additional sponsors included Audi Fort Myers and Audi Naples, LeeSar, FineMark National Bank & Trust, Stock Development, Susan Goldy & Scott Spiezle, George and Jill Hamilton, Gillian Draper, and Jill Kushner.
To learn more about Kids’ Minds Matter, get resources for help, donate or become an advocate, visit KidsMindsMatter.com.
 
About Kids’ Minds Matter
Founded in 2016, Kids’ Minds Matter is a unified movement in Southwest Florida dedicated to advancing pediatric mental and behavioral health services. By developing clinical pathways to screen and treat patients, enhancing public awareness through education, and lobbying for systemic change and sustainable funding, Kids’ Minds Matter aims to align mental health providers, local agencies, the judicial system, law enforcement, schools and faith-based organizations. Kids’ Minds Matter is managed through the Lee Health Foundation. Please visit KidsMindsMatter.com or call 239-214-0921 for more information.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – March 30, 2021 –  The Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic is excited to welcome Joy Simpson to the team.  She will be instrumental in securing government and large foundation grants critical to moving the organization’s mission forward. The vision is to expand services to be the only full-time free pain clinic in the nation, right here in Fort Myers, and then reproduce into other cities around the country.  “It is a God-sized vision, but He is a big God, and He can do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,” said Alan Gruning, DO, Executive and Medical Director of the clinic.

The mission of the organization is to provide effective holistic medical care to people suffering from injuries or painful conditions  who are unable to afford treatment and do not have insurance, at no cost, all without the use of opioids or other drugs.

A career development professional, Ms. Simpson has experience in all aspects of development, including strategic planning, board/volunteer recruitment and training, annual campaigns, capital campaigns, planned giving, special events, public relations, database analysis, and communications. She has more than 32 years of experience in grant writing.  A resident of Charleston, SC, she has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Charleston’s Master of Public Administration Program (Non-Profit Track), teaching graduate courses in Fundraising and Marketing for Non-Profits as well as Transparency and Accountability for Non-Profits.

“The mission of the Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic is truly inspiring, as are its staff and volunteers,” Ms. Simpson states. “Their clients are an incredibly underserved population who urgently need our help.”

The Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic is working to rewrite the paradigm for low-income, uninsured pain patients. It is the only facility of its kind in Florida, and possibly the nation. Utilizing physician and chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, nutrition and lifestyle education, counseling, essential oil therapy, and modalities such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound to alleviate pain at the source, patients are able to truly begin an effective healing process. No drugs are used in treatment. In fact, through the course of care, patients are helped to wean from opioids and other substances they have become dependent upon.

To learn more about the Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic, visit www.FreePainClinic.org.

About the Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic

The Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic is a 501(c)3 organization, founded in 2010 by Alan Gruning, DO, to provide high quality holistic medical care at no charge to those without the ability to pay. The clinic is funded solely through grants, contributions, and corporate sponsorships. Services are rendered by appointment at 6831 Palisades Park Court, Unit 3 in Fort Myers. For more information about the organization’s mission, sponsorship opportunities, speaking engagements, or to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact [email protected] or call 239.201.7877. The Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic is a United Way Partner Agency.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will be holding three virtual workshops to gather public input about the short-term management of snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in southwest Florida.
Beginning in August 2018, the FWC made a series of temporary, precautionary regulation changes to help conserve snook, redfish and spotted seatrout following a prolonged red tide that occurred in late 2017 through early 2019. Ultimately, these popular inshore species were made catch-and-release only in all waters from Pasco County through Gordon Pass in Collier County through May 31, 2021.
FWC staff want to know how these fisheries are doing and your ideas for how to manage these species immediately after May 31, when the temporary catch-and-release measures expire.
These workshops will start at 6 p.m., ET. Each webinar will be tailored to a specific area:

• Charlotte Harbor area and south – April 5.
• Sarasota Bay area – April 6.
• Tampa Bay area and north – April 8.

To participate in these workshops, connect here at the time specified: FWC.adobeconnect.com/redtide.
If you can’t attend one of the virtual workshops, a virtual workshop will be posted online in the near future on the workshop page.
Submit comments online
Learn more about this any and future workshops.