Member News

Ft. Myers, FL – Bring the whole family out to Wheel Fun Rentals’ Annual Pumpkin Patch October 12^th – 14^th & October 19^th – 28^th at Lakes Regional Park. Enjoy carnival-style games and activities, and weave through the Pumpkin Patch on one of Wheel Fun Rentals’ iconic four-wheeled Surreys.
Activities include incredible inflatables, a Halloween Express Train Ride, hayrides, scarecrow contest displays, and much more! Families will enjoy sorting through farm-grown pumpkins of all shapes and sizes to find the perfect jack-o’-lantern.  After working up an appetite, choose from a full menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream and soft drinks. Bike, specialty cycle, and watercraft rentals are available to explore Lakes Regional Park, including mountain bikes, tandem bikes, classic cruiser bikes, kids bikes, Wheel Fun Rentals’ unique four-wheeled Surreys, kayaks, pedal boats, and more.
Wheel Fun Rentals’ Annual Pumpkin Patch will be open to the public October 12^th – 14^th & October 19^th -28^th: Monday-Friday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and on Saturdays & Sundays from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Admission to the patch is free! The cost of activities ranges from $3 to $9, and there is a fee for parking.
Get a head start on the Fall festivities by heading out to Wheel Fun Rentals at Lakes Regional Park for the Annual Pumpkin Patch, located at 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33908. Play carnival-style games, bike around the park, and have a great Fall weekend with your family. For more information, please visit www.fortmyerspumpkinpatch.com.
 

Note to Media: The Cape Coral Community Foundation is excited to bring together the finest nonprofit organizations, leaders, volunteers, staff and business partners in the community to celebrate their amazing accomplishments at the second annual Excellence in Nonprofit Performance Yearly Awards, the ENPYs.
Ten awards will be handed out including: Nonprofit Board Leader of the Year, Nonprofit Organization of the Year, Nonprofit Executive of the Year, Nonprofit Employee of the Year, Business Partner of the Year, Nonprofit Volunteer of the Year, Nonprofit Rising Organization of the Year, the Paul Sanborn Service Above Self Award, the Elmer Tabor Generosity Award and the Community Impact Award.
The ENPYs award luncheon will host a sell-out crowd of community leaders from across Southwest Florida.
WHAT: 2018 Excellence in Nonprofit Performance Yearly Awards, the ENPYs
WHEN: Tuesday, October 9, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Crowne Plaza Fort Myers at Bell Tower at 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers
WHY: To honor the finest nonprofit organizations, leaders, volunteers, staff and business partners in Southwest Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 8, 2018) –  Excellence has become the expectation at the Lee County Tax Collector’s office. Lee County Tax Collector Larry Hart and his team have once again won the Legacy Award for excellence in the field of financial operations from the Florida Tax Collectors Association.
“Larry Hart has continually proven that he operates his office in an exemplary and award-winning manner,” Florida Tax Collectors Association President Ben Anderson said.
It’s the ninth time Hart’s office has won a Legacy Award, having won eight previous years in a row from fiscal years 2010 through 2017, and now in 2018.
“We’re honored to receive this award again as it’s a reflection of our dedication and commitment to serving the needs of our community,” Hart said. “We have a responsibility to provide the best public service that we possibly can, and we strive to ensure that Lee County residents understand and utilize our services.”
A five-person judging panel made up of government financial executives from across the state selected the Lee County Tax Collector’s Office for the award after examining its financial records, practices and use of technology. The judges looked for proficiencies in budgeting, innovation and automation, as well as a perfect annual audit report and a focus on customers.
They found the Lee County Tax Collector’s Office had enhanced its financial operations beyond the levels it demonstrated from 2010-17 by implementing new technology to streamline processes and partnering with companies to save time and money.
Visit leetc.com to see how Hart and his staff are using technology to make the customer experience faster and more convenient.
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 six 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.
 

NAPLES, Fla. (Oct. 5, 2018) – The Naples Area Board of REALTORS is proud to announce a South Florida Water Quality Roundtable that will include expert stakeholders to inform the citizens of Southwest Florida about all the issues and solutions associated with blue-green algae and red tide. The event will be held on October 9 at 7pm.
 
Panelists include Eric Eikenberg, Chief Executive Officer of the Everglades Foundation, and Gaston Cantes, Vice President of Corporate Relations for Florida Crystals Corporation. The discussion will be moderated by Drew Steele, host of “Daybreak with Drew Steele” on 92.5 Fox News.
 
The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, 5001 Coconut Rd., Bonita Springs, FL. Doors open at 6pm. The forum will begin promptly at 7pm. Register for this FREE event at www.nabor.com/waterrountable. Seating is limited.
 
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IMMOKALEE, Fla. (Oct. 5, 2018) – Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment presents an evening with Don McLean live in concert at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Thursday, Jan. 31  at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale now for $62.50 and are available by phone at 1-800-514-ETIX or online at www.moreinparadise.com or www.jaytv.com/florida. Attendees must be 21 years of age.
McLean’s transition to international stardom began in 1971 with the release of “American Pie.” “American Pie” was recorded on 26th May 1971 and a month later received its first radio airplay on New York’s WNEW-FM and WPLJ-FM to mark the closing of The Fillmore East, the famous New York concert hall.
Thirty years later, “American Pie” was voted number 5 in a poll of the 365 “Songs of the Century” compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“American Pie” was issued as a double A-side single in November 1971 and charted within a month. Interest from the media and public sent the single to #1 in the USA and Don to international superstardom.
The second single “Vincent” charted on 18th March 1972 going on to reach US#12, UK#1. The “American Pie” album remained at #1 in the UK for seven weeks in 1972, and in the UK charts for 53 consecutive weeks. In the wake of “American Pie”, McLean became a major concert attraction. He continues to tour the world and release new material.
About Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee
Open 24/7; 365 days a year, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is Southwest Florida’s premier gaming and entertainment destination. The 51,000-square-foot plus casino offers 1,300 slots, and 38 live table games including Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow, Let It Ride, Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, Blackjack Switch and Spanish 21. Dining options include the award-winning 1^st Street Deli, Asian fusion restaurant Lucky Mi Noodle House, and the recently renovated EE-TO-LEET-KE (“The Camp”) Grill. Seminole Casino Hotel’s nightlife is highlighted by the Zig Zag lounge, home of the Zig Zag Girlz, “where the party never ends” featuring nightly live entertainment and no last call. Additional entertainment and events are held at the Seminole Center, an indoor/outdoor special event center featuring state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. The new Seminole Casino Hotel is the first upscale hotel to open in or near Immokalee and offers suites and deluxe guestrooms with modern décor and features, plus amenities including a swimming pool with private cabanas, 24-hour fitness studio and free Wi-Fi.
Located at 506 South 1^st Street in Immokalee, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is easily accessible to all of Southwest Florida via I-75 and Southwest Florida International Airport is only a 45-minute drive from the casino. Located between Miami and Naples, north of Alligator Alley on Highway 846, it is five blocks south of Highway 29. Approximately 30 minutes from Naples and Fort Myers, the casino is a 90-minute drive from Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Seminole Casino Hotel participates in the Seminole Players Club Wild Card Rewards Program whereby players earn and redeem comp dollars at all Seminole Casinos in Florida. For more information, call toll-free (800) 218-0007 or visit moreinparadise.com  or facebook.com/SeminoleCasinoHotel/.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will provide an enhanced, interactive map updated daily of water samples to inform the public on the status of naturally-occurring red tide throughout the state.
The online Daily Sampling Map will be offered in addition to FWC’s current Wednesday and Friday updates on the status of Florida’s red tide blooms. This will provide the public with more immediate and accurate red tide data, as researchers process the many water samples from across the state.
“We are pushing out all we can, when we can, in the spirit of providing the most timely and beneficial information to the public and partners,” said FWC Executive Director Eric Sutton. “We will continually expand efforts to assist during this difficult event.”
The FWC works with a large network of partners, including private organizations, local governments and citizen volunteers, to continue research and sampling efforts and has conducted meetings and phone calls to develop a course of action for affected areas. This strong collaboration is critical to response efforts in coastal communities throughout the state.
The map is available here and additional information is at MyFWC.com/RedTide.