Member News

 FORT MYERS, FLA., May 1, 2018 – SalusCare’s Center for Growth, a dedicated and comprehensive practice for the behavioral healthcare needs of children and families, will hold a grand opening event on May 31, 2018 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am at 2789 Ortiz Ave. in Fort Myers.
The all-inclusive center will include two full-time child psychiatrists, outpatient therapy for children and families, children’s case management, the Community Action Team (CAT), and Therapeutic Behavioral On-Site Services (TBOS).  A sliding-fee scale is offered, and most insurance plans are accepted.
“SalusCare heard from our Southwest Florida community that children’s behavioral healthcare services needed to be expanded and consolidated into one family-friendly, supportive and comfortable environment,” said Stacey Cook-Hawk, President & CEO of SalusCare.  “Parents bringing children to SalusCare for services asked for a dedicated building housing all children’s behavioral healthcare services.  SalusCare not only heard the community, but we have listened and acted upon their request by opening the Center for Growth.”
Located in Building G on the Ortiz Campus, the new Center for Growth is in a re-purposed former adult residential facility.  “SalusCare was fortunate to possess some restricted funding available for children’s services, so this became the seed money we needed to initiate this project,” said Todd Cordisco, Vice President of Public Relations & Development.  “There are still items on our wish list and opportunities for donors to support this new comprehensive center for children and families.”
The community is invited and encouraged to attend the event on May 31.  Please RSVP your attendance to tcordisco@saluscareflorida.org.
 ABOUT SALUSCARE:  SalusCare, Inc. is a Fort Myers, Florida based not-for-profit mental health and substance abuse service provider incorporated in 2013 after the merger of Lee Mental Health Center and Southwest Florida Addiction Services (SWFAS).  SalusCare has seven locations throughout Southwest Florida and serves 16,000 people each year.  Our fees are affordable and may be adjusted to the means of our patients based on household income.  SalusCare accepts Medicaid, Medicare, Visa, MasterCard and some major health insurance providers.  SalusCare provides services for all regardless of disability or handicap. All substance abuse programs and most mental health services are accredited by CARF International, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services. For more information, visit www.saluscareflorida.org

APRIL 30, 2018 – FORT MYERS, FLA. – Four Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) faculty and staff members have been named winners of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Award for 2018.
NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize college faculty, staff and administrators each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues. FSW students and employees submit nominations for their professors and colleagues for this award based on teaching and learning practices that encourage student achievement.
Dr. Katie Paschall, professor of speech at the FSW Collier Campus, has received the NISOD Excellence Award for Professional Development and Scholarship; Don Ransford, professor of mathematics at the FSW Thomas Edison Campus, has received the NISOD Excellence Award for Service to the College and Community; and Sandra Seifert, professor of mathematics at the FSW Hendry/Glades Curtis Center, has received the NISOD Excellence Award for Teaching and Instruction. This year’s recipient of the NISOD Staff Excellence Award is Amy English, Academic Support Center specialist at the FSW Hendry /Glades Curtis Center.
“The NISOD Excellence Awards gives our students, faculty and staff the opportunity to recognize those college employees that go above and beyond their everyday duties in guiding our students to the ultimate goal of graduation,” said Dr. Jeff Stewart, FSW provost and vice president, Academic Affairs. “We are proud of the dedication and commitment these staff and faculty members have provided to ensure our students reach their greatest potential.”
In 1989, in connection with a University of Texas at Austin national study of teaching excellence, NISOD hosted its first ceremony honoring NISOD Excellence Award recipients. It has since become the largest and most inspiring gathering that recognizes the contributions and achievements of community and technical college faculty, administrators and staff. This year’s recipients will be recognized during NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in May.
About NISOD:
For community and technical colleges that want to make the most of their professional development dollars, NISOD provides budget-friendly, high-quality, and faculty-focused programs and resources. For nearly 40 years, NISOD’s customer-focused approach has helped align our wide array of benefits with the needs of our members. For more information about NISOD, visit www.nisod.org.

FORT MYERS, FLA., April 30, 2018 –  Dr. Manolis Kyriacou has joined Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida as a family medicine physician.
Dr. Kyriacou has more than 10 years experience as a primary care physician in Michigan, where he also served as an assistant professor of family medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.and as medical director of the Wilmar Convalescent Center in Utica, Mich.
Dr. Kyriacou earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Spartan Health Science University in the West Indies.
His residency was completed at Bon Secours Cottage Health Services in Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Dr. Kyriacou will see patients at the Cape Coral Family Medicine office at 1255 Viscaya Parkway.
Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida, a physician-owned and operated medical practice, was formed in 1996 by many local physicians and has grown to become the largest independent multi-specialty primary care practice in Southwest Florida.
Medical specialties include family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.  Offices are conveniently located in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Lehigh Acres.  For more information, visit www.ppcswfl.com.
 
 
 

Fort Myers, FL. —On Friday, May 11^th, the ‘Pinta’ and the ‘Nina’, replicas of Columbus’ Ships, will open in Fort Myers.  The ships will be docked at Pinchers Restaurant, Ford Edison Marina, 2360 West 1^st Street, until their departure early Monday morning, May 21^st.
The ‘Nina’ was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools.  Archaeology magazine called the ship “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.”  In 2005, the ‘Pinta’, also a caravel, was launched in Brazil and was the first ship to sight land in the New World.    Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century.
Both ships tour together as a new and enhanced ‘sailing museum’ for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the ‘caravel’, a Portuguese ship used by Columbus   and many early explorers to discover the world. Before him, the Old World and the New remained separate and distinct continents and ever since their fates have been bound together for better or for worse.
While in port, the general public is invited to visit the ships for a walk-aboard, self-guided tour.  Admission charges are $8.50 for adults, $7.50 for seniors, and $6.50 for students 5 – 16.   Children 4 and under are Free.  The ships are open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.    No reservations necessary.
Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30 minute guided tour with a crew member should call 1 787 672 2152 or email ninapintatour@gmail.com .  Minimum of 15.  $5.00 per person.  No Maximum. Visit our website at www.ninapinta.org.
The ships arrive on Thursday, May 10^th and there will be a private viewing of the ships for the media after docking.
                 COLUMBUS  FOUNDATION, INC., BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS,

1. 787-672-2152

EMAIL  NINAPINTATOUR@GMAIL.COM
Visit our website: www.ninapinta.org.   ​Friend us on Facebook: ColumbusShips   
Twitter: @ColumbusShips

For moms who are wild about shoes too, Norman Love offers a Leopard-print chocolate stiletto
FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 26, 2018) – Norman Love Confections introduces its limited-edition Mother’s Day Collection featuring ten heart-shaped, handcrafted chocolates filled with some of mom’s favorite flavors including cupcake, mimosa, pink lemonade, special dark, cookies and cream cheesecake, hazelnut coffee, strawberry shortcake, carrot cake, peanut butter marshmallow and pecan turtle.
And for moms who are as wild about shoes as they are about chocolate, Norman Love Confections is offering a milk chocolate high-heel shoe in Leopard print. This designer chocolate stiletto stands 5.5″ tall, showing off a shiny black finish and a beautiful red sole. Packaged in a Norman Love Confections’ custom-designed purse for fashionable presentation, it’s a must-have for chocolate and fashion aficionados alike.
Online pre-orders began Monday, April 23 at NormanLoveConfections.com, and the collection will be available in Norman Love Confections’ Chocolate Salons beginning Monday, April 30 through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13. Norman Love Confections operates four chocolate salons in Southwest Florida, including two in Fort Myers, one in Naples and at Miromar Outlets in Estero. Additionally, online orders can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. The price for a 10-piece chocolate gift box is $24, a 15-piece box is $34 and a 25-piece box is $50. The chocolate stiletto is available for $35.
“Every year, Norman Love Confections offers a beautiful way to treat mom with ‘love,’ and this year’s Mother’s Day Collection features handcrafted, heart-shaped chocolates filled with flavors that moms love best,” said Norman Love, founder and owner of Norman Love Confections. “And the chocolate shoes are wildly popular, as well as additional gift options including gift baskets, subscription boxes, chocolate specialties and more.”
For more information, please visit www.normanloveconfections.com or call 239-561-7215 or 866-515-2121.
Full descriptions: Norman Love Confections’ 2018 Mother’s Day Collection
Cupcake
White Chocolate
Bourbon vanilla and silky white chocolate, carefully blended and encased in a white chocolate shell
Mimosa
White Chocolate
A white chocolate shell filled with an intoxicating orange ganache, infused with champagne
Pink Lemonade
White Chocolate
Tart ripe lemons and fresh sweet raspberries folded into a creamy white chocolate ganache
Special Dark
Dark Chocolate
A satisfying blend of creamy dark chocolate inside an equally rich dark chocolate shell
Cookies and Cream Cheesecake
Dark Chocolate
A rich cheesecake ganache sprinkled with ground cookies and cream fills this dark chocolate delight
Hazelnut Coffee
Dark Chocolate
Coffee-infused hazelnut Gianduja energizes this decadent dark chocolate confection
Strawberry Shortcake
White Chocolate
A classic treat that combines freshly baked shortcake, strawberry jam and white chocolate
Carrot Cake
Milk Chocolate
A carrot cake ganache topped with cream cheese and covered in milk chocolate
Peanut Butter Marshmallow
Milk Chocolate
A delicious confection filled with a creamy marshmallow and peanut butter ganache
Pecan Turtle
Milk Chocolate
A creamy sea salt caramel center, dusted with cinnamon roasted pecans, in a milk chocolate shell
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 has recently been named as 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 four Chocolate Salons in Southwest Florida, and 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.

School of Health Science to host three sessions
NAPLES, Fla. – April 26, 2018 – As the demand for qualified nursing professionals continues to grow in Southwest Florida, Hodges University is meeting that demand with its Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program. The university’s School of Health Sciences invites aspiring nurses to attend one of its three upcoming BSN informational sessions.
Hospitals and health care facilities are looking for qualified nurses to fill vacancies throughout the area, specifically those with a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Jessica Palumbo, director of nursing at Hodges University, explains, “These informational sessions will enable prospective students to meet the Hodges nursing faculty who will discuss the program’s curriculum and format, which allows students to enter the workforce one semester earlier than other traditional programs. Students will also have the opportunity to tour our state-of-the-art nursing simulation laboratory.”
Hodges’ nursing program consists of two parts:

• Earning an Associate in Science degree in biomedical sciences, which consists of four semesters of full-time study in the nursing track.
• Earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing, which consists of four full-time, consecutive semesters focused on the art and science of nursing.

Students receive a strong foundation to continue their education, and graduates of the program are able to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, a requirement for licensure as a registered nurse.
The sessions will be held from 5:00-6:00 p.m. May 8, June 13 and July 25, on the Naples campus in the Stock Building Nursing Lab, which is located at 2647 Professional Circle, Naples, FL 34119.
To learn more about Hodges’ BSN program, visit the School of Health Sciences at www.hodges.edu/soah/. For more information about the upcoming informational sessions, contact Maria Vacca at mvacca@hodges.edu or (239) 598-6285.
About the School of Health Sciences:
The School of Health Sciences at Hodges University provides a number of high-quality undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificate programs to prepare students for entry into the exciting professional world of healthcare.
 
 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 25, 2017) – Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of the country’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. National Small Business Week will be held April 29 – May 5, 2018.

The Florida SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University will join the celebration by hosting the Distinguished Entrepreneur of Southwest Florida Awards. The annual presentation will take place on Thursday, May 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bonita Bay Club.
The awards recognize three outstanding Southwest Florida business owners for their success, innovative technology, and business advocacy.

“We celebrate the business owners that took an idea, grew that idea into a business and created a positive impact on the economy in the Southwest Florida community,” said FSBDC Regional Director Lois Knox.
This year’s nominees are:
DwayneBergmann, Dwayne Bergmann Interiors ● Reema Bhatia, Stickboy Creative ● Michelle Borders, Naples Network Services ● Scott Fischer, Scott Fischer Enterprises ● Javier Fuller, Fuller Online Solutions ● George P Garner, Next Plumbing ● Rochelle  Graham-Campbell, Black Onyx World ● Jennifer Gratz-Whyte, Fort Myers Brewing ● Jim Henderson, Willam C Huff Company ● Gary Israel, Estero Life Magazine ● Amanda Jaron, A.JARON Fine Jewelry ● Misty Kinzel, Misty’s Sunshine Cleaning ● Batya Maman, Social Connect ● Lora Mccann, Peace of Mind Patient Advocacy ● Beverley Milligan, Myerside, LLC ● Jesse Morgan, Morgan Manufacturing ● James Nolte, Nolte Wealth Management Group Wells Fargo Advisors ● Dan Puleio, Cape Cleaners ● Connie Ramos-Williams, CONRIC PR & Marketing ● Jeff Poirier, AXI International ● Bjorn Rosinus, Endeavor Innovative Workspaces ●Curtis Sheard, Big Boi’s BBQ ●Jim Wheeler, Argo Trak

Cindy McCurry Ross, Executive Editor & Vice President of Content at The News-Press (Fort Myers and Cape Coral) is this year’s Mistress of Ceremonies. In 2018 she was named Florida editor for the USA TODAY NETWORK, which includes the Naples Daily News. She is in the 28th year of her career with the network.

 The award descriptions are as follows:
The “Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year” is a business owner who demonstrates “innovative and cutting edge approaches to corporate culture, employee programs, and integrated new technologies.”

The “Small Business Advocate of the Year” is a business owner who “actively volunteers their time and resources throughout the Southwest Florida community to inspire, encourage and mentor other small business owners in helping them grow their business.”

The “Distinguished Innovator of the Year” is a business owner who has “adopted or created their own technologies or cutting-edge approaches resulting in accelerated business growth and profits.”
As part of National Small Business Week, the SBA annually recognizes small business owners, entrepreneurs, and advocates from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Clients and nominees of the Florida SBDC Network recognized as national, regional, state, and district-level award winners.

Dr. Aurora Badia, Chief Medical Officer and Owner – Florida Skin Center, a client of the Florida SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University, will be honored as the SBA’s Small Business Person of the Year, South Florida District Winner. The award will be present by SBA Interim District Director, Lynn Douthett.

The event provides an opportunity for the local business community to celebrate their achievements. The Hallmark sponsor for the seventh year is Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co, P.A.
Other sponsors include: Fifth Third Bank, Florida Skin Center, Minaya Learning Global Solutions, Storm Smart, Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, Bank United, Suncoast Credit Union, Brennan Manna Diamond (BMD) Law Firm, Florida First Integrity Bank, Gulfshore Business and Southwest Florida Business Today, The Path of Being, Spada Salon and Day Spa, Corioliss, Old Florida Soap Company, Michelina’s Salon Spa Boutique and Naturie Shea Butter Apotheca.
Previous winners of the three awards include Norman Love of Norman Love Confections in 2012, Pam Oakes of Pam’s Motor City in 2013, Felix Lluberes of Position Logic in 2013, Gary K. Mart of Global Tech LED in 2015, Chris Spiro of Spiro and Associates in 2016 and Dr. Aurora Badia of Florida Skin Center in 2017.
Individual tickets for the Distinguished Entrepreneur Awards are $75 per person. Tickets can be purchased online at www.fsbdcswfl.org, by calling the FSBDC office at (239) 745-3700 or by emailing sbdc@fgcu.edu.

circumstances.
 
Harry is 84 years young and has been fighting stage 4 cancer since 2011.  Along with traditional treatments, Harry has benefited from comedy improv and the help of palliative care. Palliative care is the medical specialty that addresses the pain, stress and other symptoms of a serious illness. It helps the patient, family and caregiver navigate the health care system by creating a supportive team of medical professionals. Harry’s Senior Moment is sure to have the audience laughing and be an inspirational and educational performance for theatregoers of all ages!
 
Harry’s Senior Moment is playing in the Off Broadway Palm, located inside Broadway Palm, for five performances only from May 3 through May 6, 2018. Performances are Thursday through Sunday evening with a matinee on Saturday. Ticket prices range from $25 to $45. Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, by visiting BroadwayPalm.com or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.
 
 
 

New support group to meet growing number of community losses through overdose
 
FORT MYERS, Fla.–-Valerie’s House, Inc., a Southwest Florida nonprofit helping grieving children work through the loss of a loved one, announces a new support group for children and families who have had a family member die due to the growing opioid crisis in Southwest Florida. The Opioid Family Grief Support Group will run 12 sessions long, held every other Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., starting April 29, at Valerie’s House located at 1762 Fowler Street in Fort Myers, Florida.
 
Guest speakers representing the Lee County Sheriff’s Office as well as those in the Addiction Treatment field will participate. In addition, a national speaker who has had a loved one die from a drug overdose will meet with the children. Area social workers will lead the sessions while volunteer ‘buddies” will assist where needed and provide care and compassion to the Valerie’s House children.
 
“The greatest fear for these families is that their children will also be drawn to drugs, either by way of coping or because they are curious as to what they witnessed when their loved one was addicted,” said Angela Melvin, CEO and founder of Valerie’s House.  “The curriculum we use for this group will discuss those fears and work with children and their caregivers so they don’t follow in the footsteps of their deceased loved one.”
 
The Valerie’s House Opioid Grief Support Group is open to anyone in the community who is raising a child after the loss of a loved one due to drug abuse.  The group is one of several different support groups Valerie’s House offers to help children grieving.
 
Families interested in participating in the Opioid Grief Support Group or if you wish to volunteer, please contact Laura Romig, Director of Care and Compassion, at (239) 841-9186 or laura@valerieshouseswfl.org.
 
ABOUT VALERIE’S HOUSE
Since 2015, Valerie’s House has provided grief services to over 300 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties at its Fort Myers and Naples locations.  As the first program of its kind in Southwest Florida focusing only on children, Valerie’s House provides a safe, comfortable place for children to bond, grieve and heal following death of a close family member. The organization’s vision is that no child will grieve alone.  Valerie’s House is a United Way Partner Agency and is fully supported through generous donations from the community. For more information, visit www.valerieshouseswfl.org.