Member News

February 6, 2018 – Fort Myers, FLA – Florida SouthWestern State College now has an official college flag. The new design was unveiled Friday, Feb. 2 at a college-wide event for faculty and staff.
“The flag showcases our college colors, purple and aqua, plus our official college seal. It was designed with four blocks which represent the four locations we have in southwest Florida,” said Dr. Jeff Allbritten, FSW President. “Along with our college colors and seal, the flag also has our FSW letters, and a wavy pattern in the aqua block. The overall design is eye-catching.”
In the coming weeks, the college flag will be installed on FSW’s campuses and regional education center. The college flag will fly next to the American flag in front of Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers; the Grand Lely Drive entrance on the Naples campus; in the center of the Punta Gorda campus; and off Cowboy Way on the LaBelle regional education center.
Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Annually serving nearly 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees, and professional certifications. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW debuted its intercollegiate athletics program in the fall 2015. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Pro Rodeo returns to Fort Myers March 23rd and 24th. Fort Myers will host the event at the Lee County Posse Arena located at 17401 Palm Creek Drive. On both Friday and Saturday the gates will open at 5:00pm and the rodeo will officially start at 7:00 pm.
The rodeo includes: Bronco Riding, Steer Wrestling, Tie-Down Roping, Team Roping, Girls Barrel Race & the most dangerous Bull Riding! Audiences will be entertained by the amazing professional Rodeo Clowns! This Pro Rodeo counts to qualify the winners for advancement to the Southeastern Circuit Championship.
For more information and tickets, visit www.fortmyersprorodeo.com. A complete schedule and event map is located on the website and we will continue to update the information as it becomes available. Tickets are available on our website and will also be available at the Fort Myers and Cape Coral Hooters locations and Sweet Cypress Ranch.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the Fort Myers Pro Rodeo!
Check us out on Facebook and Instagram!

 https://www.facebook.com/FortMyersProRodeo #ftmyersprorodeo

Cost: Adults $20

Children $10 (Children 4 and younger are free)

VIP $75

February 14, 2018 – Fort Myers FL – Fort Myers’ favorite fashion show is back for its 7th year at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center! Hosted by Melissa DeHaven, Art Walks the Runway takes place from March 8th – 10th. See international Couture fashion from Vivre Couture, Marmar Halim, Diana Couture, and Usama Ishtay! Plus, enjoy runway-ready local boutique styles from Forema, Saratoga Sundress, Hollie’s Boutique, and get a look at Frankie Colt’s new line, Cobra Empire. Enjoy live entertainment, including a performance art piece from Elements of Body Art. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
Art Walks the Runway’s three dazzling days of fashion begins on Thursday, March 8th at the Opening Night Celebration, featuring Vivre Couture. Vivre Couture is an organic partnership between a designer and an artist.They came together with a vision for an inspired line of wearable original paintings with the highest quality elements of art, design, and construction.
Sarah LaPierre is the artist who painted the Palm Beach Collection featured at this season’s Art Walks the Runway. Palette knives and heavy bodied acrylic paints provide the full textures and vibrant colors that are characteristics of her style. Thursday night’s Opening Celebration also features a contortionist performance by Katarina Danks, and a musical performance by singer-songwriter Emma Arnold, accompanied by cellist John Davis.
Then on Friday, March 9th, experience the best in local fashion from Forema, Saratoga Sundress, and Hollie’s Boutique. Forema is known for their inviting, happy, boho atmosphere, specializing in chic, affordable clothing. They own three Florida locations, one of which is located in Gulf Coast Town Center. Saratoga Sundress located in the Bell Tower Shops carries a large variety of merchandise, including a range of boho chic summer and winter apparel. Hollie’s Boutique boast two location in SWFL on Sanibel Island and Fort Myers. They’re widely known for trendy, everyday fashion that works for the busy yet stylish woman. Friday also features the debut of locally loved musician Frankie Colt’s new line, Cobra Empire. Enjoy a musical performance from Frankie as her fashion takes the runway for the first time!
Saturday’s finale runway brings international Couture designers to Fort Myers. Take in awe-inspiring Haute Couture from Marmar Halim, Diana Couture, and Usama Ishtay. The designer label of Marmar Halim incontestably yields and creates elite fashion blends that are flanked by a fusion of Eastern and Western Couture with a sheek and lavish flair. Diana Couture has grown to being one of the most successful couture brands in Surabaya, Indonesia. The brand is a fabulous platform fueled by prayers and dreams. A-list socialites from all over Indonesia, as well as iconic Indonesian celebrities, have been common clients to the brand. Usama Ishtay is young designer of Arab descent raised in Venezuela. His eye for fashion and living in Couture-centric Los Angeles lead him to work with Fashion Hearts at L.A. Fashion Week. The final evening also features a burlesque-style performance piece from Elements of Body Art, and a contortionist performance by Katarina Danks.
7th Annual Art Walks the Runway Fashion Show
March 8th – 10th 2018
All Nights: Runway • 8pm | Cocktails • 7pm
For tickets and info, visit www.sbdac.com.
Runway music for all three nights provided by Sol Productions’ DJ Tommy Giaime.
Thursday and Friday night’s hair: Scene 826 | http://scene826hairstudio.com/
Saturday night’s hair: Red Salon & Spa. | http://redsalonandspa.com/.
All nights’ makeup: Sunstate Academy | http://www.sunstateftm.com/.
All evenings co-decorated by Planned Perfection. Visit http://www.plannedperfectioninc.com/ for more info.
Sponsored by BMW Fort Myers, All About Closets, and Planned Perfection.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (February 2, 2018) — The Edison & Ford Winter Estates board of trustees and executive search committee has selected Michael A. Flanders as the organization’s new President and CEO. Flanders has a long history with Edison Ford and has strategic planning and historic preservation experience. He has lived in Southwest Florida most of his life and has built important relationships with community and public officials that will be beneficial to Edison Ford. He will officially start his new position on February 12.
“Mr. Flanders is talented and experienced in science, horticulture, government, art, architecture and master site planning,” said Lee Golden, chairman of the board of trustees. “His experience and trusted relationships will be valuable to the Estates for moving forward with the organization’s immediate goals and long-range master plan.”
Flanders has 30 years of master site planning experience and was instrumental in the revitalization of the downtown Fort Myers historic district with the design and construction of the downtown streetscape. He also has 33 years of experience  designing architecture compatible with the Southwest Florida environment and experience working with preserving historic designations.
“I am proud to accept the honor of becoming the new President and CEO of such an important organization in our community,” said Flanders. “I look forward to working with the staff to create partnerships and collaborate in many ways with the community.”
Flanders graduated from Fort Myers High School, he has a Bachelor of Design degree from the University of Florida and a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He has owned an architectural firm in historic downtown Fort Myers since 1984.
Edison & Ford Winter Estates is the internationally known winter home site of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. More than 250,000 visitors walk through the site each year from all around the globe. The organization has received many awards, including the National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Garden Clubs’ Historic Preservation Award. The site is an official project of “Save America’s Treasures,” a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site. The Edison Botanic Laboratory is a National Historic Chemical Landmark. The site is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and until 9 p.m. during the month of December.

February 15, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Experience the grand finale of the 2018 Chamber Series at the American Virtuosi Concert! On Friday, March 30th, experience world-class chamber music from violinist Peter Winograd, violist Jim Griffith, cellist Andres Díaz, and pianist Wendy Chen. This unique engagement will also include a performance by a very special guests violinists Anton Miller and Rita Porfiris, and French horn player Ryan Little. Enjoy an unforgettable evening of live classical music from some the world’s leading concert artists! The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
Now in its 10th season, the American Virtuosi concert presents Southwest Florida with a memorable evening of chamber music. American Virtuosi is the final concert in the Chamber Music Series at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Each season, renowned chamber musicians perform in the outstanding first floor Grand Atrium. In addition to the American Virtuosi Concert, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center also hosts the American Virtuosi Gala, an exquisite chamber performance featuring the Virtuosi ensemble and a four-course meal prepared by G3 Catering. The American Virtuosi Gala is a fundraiser benefiting the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center’s Eclectic Education programs. Take part in the American Virtuosi Concert on Friday, March 30th, and the American Virtuosi Gala on Saturday, March 31st.
American Virtuosi Concert
Friday, March 30, 2018
Performance: 8pm | Cocktails: 7pm
Tickets: GA – $35 in Advance | $40 Day of Concert
For tickets and info, visit www.sbdac.com
The American Virtuosi
Peter Winograd joined the American String Quartet as the first violinist in 1990. He gave his first solo public performance at the age of 11, and at age 17 he was accepted as a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School. Recognized early as an exceptionally promising young artist, Winograd was a top prizewinner in the 1988 Naumburg International Violin Competition. He then made his New York debut to critical acclaim and has since appeared as a guest soloist with numerous orchestras and in recital across the country and abroad.  Peter holds bach­e­lor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School and has been a mem­ber of the violin and chamber music faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and the Aspen Music School (where the American is Quartet-in-Residence) since 1990. For more information, visit http://www.americanstringquartet.com/winograd.htm.
Jim Griffith received his M.M. degree from the Juilliard School. He also received his undergraduate degree from the Manhattan School of Music and attended Florida State University. He is a former member of the Hudson String Quartet in New York, faculty member of Point-Counterpoint Chamber Music Camp in Vermont and founding member of the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival. He formerly served as principal violist of the New York Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and the New York Virtuosi. Currently, he is enjoying his twenty-ninth season as violist in the Naples Philharmonic. Mr. Griffith is also the Executive Director of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. For more information, visit http://artisnaples.org/naples-philharmonic/musicians/james-griffith.
Andres Díaz has exhilarated both critics and audiences with his intense and charismatic performances since winning the First Prize in the 1986 Naumburg International Cello Competition. He was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and was nominated for a 2009 Latin Grammy. His numerous orchestral appearances have included performances with the American Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Rochester Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, and the Atlanta Symphony under Robert Shaw. Highlights of his recent seasons are tours of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Hawaii, and Canada; and appearances in Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. His debut solo recording on MusicMasters with pianist Samuel Sanders was acclaimed by the Boston Globe as “strong and subtle; everything Díaz does has personality and, better than that, character.” His most recent release features the six Bach Suites on the Azica Records label. His summer festival appearances include the Banff Centre, Santa Fe, La Jolla, Marlboro, Ravinia, Bravo! Vail, Spoleto, Music@Menlo, Saratoga, and Tanglewood festivals. Mr. Díaz graduated from the New England Conservatory, where he worked with Laurence Lesser and Colin Carr. He is a professor at Southern Methodist University and holds the Koerner Chair in Cello at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.. For more information, visit https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/AreasOfStudy/Music/Faculty/DiazAndres.
Wendy Chen debuted at the age of 15 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under conductor André Previn. In 1990 she became the youngest winner ever of the National Chopin Competition, was one of the inaugural recipients of the Irving S. Gilmore Young Artists Award, and was named a Presidential Scholar by the National Foundation for the Arts.  Since then, her career has flourished, adding Young Concert Artists International Auditions and Washington International Competition to her numerous awards. For more information, visit http://wendy-chen.com/Site/biography.html.
Special Guest Performers
Anton Miller has appeared throughout the United States and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, and pedagogue. He has performed over fifty violin concertos with a number of orchestras on four continents. His world premiere performance of Xiogang Ye’s “Last Paradise” for violin and orchestra in Beijing, China with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra was recorded for broadcast throughout Asia and released on CD. Mr. Miller has also been concertmaster for a number of orchestras including almost thirty years with Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey Festival Orchestra. He was also concertmaster for an Argentinian tour of the American Ballet Theatre. He has made a number of recital and chamber music tours to Europe with performances in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Greece and England. A long time resident of the East Coast, Anton has performed more than a hundred chamber music concerts and recitals in the New York City area. For more info, visit http://www.antonmiller.com/.
Rita Porfiris has been the subject of articles and interviews in media across the globe including the New York Times, Chamber Music America, International Symphony Musician, the NBC Nightly News, NPR, PBS, and the BBC. She has performed in major concert halls and music festivals worldwide and as a soloist has appeared with numerous orchestras including the Orquesta Filarmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico, the New World Symphony, and was a featured soloist in the Houston Symphony’s Baroque Festival. Currently the Associate Professor of Viola at The Hartt School, she has also been on the faculties of New York University, the University of Houston Moores’ School of Music, Florida International University, and the Harlem School for the Arts in New York. Ms. Porfiris is a member of the Hartt String Quartet and the Miller-Porfiris Duo. As a founding member of the Plymouth Quartet, she was in-residence at the Ojai Festival, Mainly Mozart, Point Counterpoint, and the Internationale Quartettakademie Prag-Wien-Budapest. For more info, visit http://ritaporfiris.com.
Ryan Little is the new principal horn in the Naples Philharmonic. He currently serves as assistant principal/utility horn of the Britt Music & Arts Festival in Jacksonville, Oregon. Little received his Master of Music degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in 2017 where he studied with William VerMeulen of the Houston Symphony. In 2015, he received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University where he studied with Gail Williams and Jonathan Boen. For more info, visit http://artisnaples.org/naples-philharmonic/musicians/ryan-little.

March 2018 Special Events
The Oak Ridge Boys to Perform at Seminole Casino Hotel
Saturday, March 3
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment presents An Evening with country music legends The Oak Ridge Boys live in concert at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, March 3 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. The performance is part of The Oak Ridge Boys’ Shine the Light Tour. The Oak Ridge Boys bring four decades of charted singles, and 50 years of tradition, to a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere. Their string of hits includes the country-pop chart-topper “Elvira,” as well as “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On,” “Thank God For Kids,” “American Made,” “I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes,” “Fancy Free,” “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” “Sail Away,” “It Takes A Little Rain,” and many others. Tickets are $69 and are available at the casino, on jaytv.com or by calling 800-218-0007. Attendees must be 21 years of age.
 
Seminole Casino Hotel Welcomes The Platters and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters
Saturday, March 10
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment & IT$ NOT OBER YET Productions present legendary musical groups The Platters and The Coasters in concert. The Platters and The Coasters will perform their iconic music at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, March 10 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. In 1955, The Platters became the first African-American vocal group to reach international super stardom. The group’s debut single, “Only You (and You Alone),” launched the vocal group on the world stage. The Platters’ follow-up single, “The Great Pretender,” propelled the group to the number one position on the pop charts, providing the launch pad for their meteoric rise as crossover artists. The Platters timeless hits also include “Only You,” “Magic Touch,” “My Prayer Heaven on Earth” “I’m Sorry,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” “Harbor Lights” Red Sails in the Sunset,” “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “You’ll Never Know” and “Twilight Time.” This year marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of Cornell Gunter’s Coasters out of the ashes of the surprising breakup of the original Coaster group several months earlier. Over the years, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters have continually built up a new market for their approach to 1950s music. The Coasters’ enduring hits include “Charlie Brown,” “Along Came Jones,” “Poison Ivy,” “Love Potion #9,” “Love Potion #10,” “Little Egypt,” “Young Blood,” “Yakety Yak,” “Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart,” “Searchin’,” “Shoppin’ For Clothes” and “Smokey Joe’s Café.” Tickets are $59 and can be purchased online at www.jaytv.com, at the casino or by phone at 800-514-ETIX(3849).
Lee Greenwood to Perform at Seminole Casino Hotel
Friday, March 16
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment & IT$ NOT OBER YET Productions present country music icon Lee Greenwood in concert. Greenwood will perform at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA” has been voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America. The song has been in the top five on the country singles charts three times, giving it the distinction of being the only song in any genre of music to achieve that feat. With seven Number One songs and 25 charted singles, Greenwood’s hits also include “It Turns Me Inside Out,” “Ring On Her Finger Time On Her Hands,” “She’s Lyin,” “I Don’t Mind the Thorns if You’re the Rose,” “Dixie Road,” “Somebody’s Gonna Love You,” “Going Going Gone,” “You Got A Good Love Comin,” “Fools Gold,” and “Morning Ride.”  His latest CD is “I Want to be in Your World,” for which he wrote three of the seven songs and plays saxophone on the original track, “Here Comes Love, There Goes My Heart.” Tickets are $60 and can be purchased online at www.jaytv.com, at the casino or by phone at 800-514-ETIX(3849).
 
Seminole Casino Hotel Welcomes Entertainment Legend Tony Orlando
Saturday, March 24
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment presents An Evening with entertainment legend Tony Orlando live in concert at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, March 24 at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Orlando is one of America’s most endearing and enduring iconic stars. His performance at Seminole Casino Hotel is part of his tour of live concert shows across the nation as he celebrates more than five decades as a beloved entertainer. Few entertainers have excelled in so many realms as Orlando has: a top selling recording artist, songwriter, concert headliner, network television star, motion picture actor, Broadway performer and author. A Grammy nominee, Orlando has sold millions of records, including five number one hits: “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree,” “Knock Three Times,” “Candida,” “My Sweet Gypsy Rose” and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).” “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” was the number one Billboard song of 1973, became Orlando’s theme song, and grew into an American anthem of hope and homecoming, reunion and renewal. Tickets are $65 and are available at the casino, on jaytv.com or by calling 800-218-0007. Attendees must be 21 years of age.
 
 
 
March 2018 Live Music Schedule
At Zig Zag Lounge
 
Performances are at the Zig Zag Lounge. No cover for live entertainment. TVs throughout the Zig Zag bar air sporting events and other entertainment. Zig Zag Lounge is Southwest Florida’s premier destination to catch your favorite teams during the NFL season. Entertainment is subject to change. For complete details, visit moreinparadise.com.
 

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, including Tarzan, Wheel of Fortune and Crazy Money, 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 EE-TO-LEET-KE (“The Camp”) Grill. Nightly entertainment 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 designed by Technomedia Solutions. 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 adjacent private Seminole Chickee cabana huts, 24-hour fitness studio, free Wi-Fi, and desk concierge services.
 
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 Immokalee 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 https://www.facebook.com/SeminoleCasinoHotel/

FORT MYERS, FL (February 13, 2018) – Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., P.A. (MNMW) welcomes Nancy O. Gaffney as a Forensic Accountant to the firm’s Litigation, Forensic Accounting, and Mediation Services Team.  In this position, Gaffney provides financial analysis and forensic examination services in matters involving fraud investigation, shareholder/partner disputes, personal injury and wrongful death damages, and family law litigation support, among others.
“We are so lucky to have Nancy on our team; she has been such an asset,” said Gail Markham, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE, CFP, Founding Partner at MNMW.  “Since joining the firm, she has not hesitated to dive into all projects with the Litigation and Forensic team, and has provided so much to the team already.”
Gaffney has 15 years of experience with Family Law Litigation Support, and prior to that, she worked in the private sector for 20 years, after starting her career at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from McDaniel College in Westminster Maryland.  Following that, she earned her Master of Management degree in Accounting and Finance from Northwestern University.   She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA).
Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., P.A. is a public accounting and consulting firm with offices in both Fort Myers and Naples.  The firm offers a wide range of services including business consulting, human resources consulting, technology consulting and support, tax planning and preparation, litigation support, mediation, forensic accounting, and elder services.  For more information, call (239) 433-5554 or visit www.markham-norton.com

Fort Myers, FL – The Board of Directors of LARC, Inc., (Lee Association for Remarkable Citizens) announced its new elected officers for 2018.  They are:  president, Linda Rand; vice-president, Blake Hampton; treasurer, Gordon Davis; secretary, Charlotte Santiago; past president, Pete D’Alessandro; and at-large board members: Lorriane Barker, Ron Campbell, Martha Clemons, Austin Clinton, Ty Cobb, Ian Keith, Steve McBane, Dave Plonski, Ross Webb, and Rob Wilson.
LARC Board members represent the community, oversee operations and assist LARC’s Executive Director, Kevin Lewis to carry out the work needed to help individuals and families with intellectual and development disabilities to achieve their highest level of independence and life satisfaction through community-based services and work opportunities.
.LARC has been providing a range of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families since 1954 and receives support from Lee County and the United Way in addition to state and federal funding.  The agency serves over 300 clients at two sites in Lee County, along with two residential homes and a variety of community-based services.
ABOUT LARC
Since 1954, LARC’s mission is to promote and provide opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to live, work and participate in their communities to the fullest extent their capabilities allow.  LARC, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization that has served thousands of local residents and families since inception, and serves over 300 individuals annually.  LARC offers vocational training, community residential services, community-based services and an array of other state-of-the-art community inclusion services on a full-time, year-round basis.  For more information about LARC, visit www.larcleecounty.org or call 239-334-6285.

February 5, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Celebrate the 100th birthday of inspiring musician and composer Leonard Bernstein with “Happy Birthday, Bernstein.” On Saturday, March 17th, experience Bernstein’s music performed by Zora String Quartet, Jiacheng Xiong, and David Shifrin from the Curtis Institute of Music. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
 
Happy Birthday, Bernstein
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Performance: 8pm | Cocktails: 7pm
Tickets: GA – $35 in Advance | $40 Day of Concert
 
In 2018, Curtis on Tour celebrates the legacy of Curtis alumnus Leonard Bernstein by touring programs that feature Bernstein’s music. In spring 2018, Curtis on Tour is offering a chamber ensemble including Curtis alumnus and renowned clarinetist David Shifrin, performing alongside Curtis students. The program will include Bernstein’s lively and jazz-influenced Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, as well as other chamber music works for clarinet, strings, and piano. The evening’s music will be performed by the Zora String Quartet, Jiacheng Xiong, and David Shifrin. For more info, visit http://www.curtis.edu/performances/curtis-on-tour/.
 
Leonard Bernstein was one of the world’s greatest maestros and composers, but he was also an educator, an activist, and a humanitarian. Bernstein was a traditionalist who was never afraid to take risks. Best known for composing the original score to West Side Story, he was also known for his avant-garde takes on classical and chamber music. His pieces and performances have endured the test of time, making him one of the most important artists in modern music composition and conducting.
 
Drawing upon 90 years of artistry, the Curtis Institute of Music pairs tradition and innovation, educating exceptionally gifted young musicians as artist-citizens who engage a local and global community through music-making of the highest caliber.
Each year 175 students come to Curtis,”one of the world’s finest music academies” (BBC Culture), drawn by a tuition-free, performance-inspired learning culture. In this intimate environment, they are nurtured by a celebrated faculty and inspired by the school’s distinctive “learn by doing” approach, offering more than 200 concerts each year in Philadelphia, as well as performances around the world through Curtis on Tour.
The extraordinary young musicians of Curtis graduate to join 4,000 alumni who have long made music history. Each season leading orchestras, opera houses, and chamber music series around the world feature Curtis alumni. They are in the front rank of soloists, composers, and conductors and hold principal chairs in every major American orchestra. Curtis graduates are musical leaders, making a profound impact on music onstage and in their communities.
 
 
 
 

February 14, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Think ink! On Thursday, March 15th, Tattoo Tales presents real-life tattoo stories from SWFL locals ranging in age from 20s – 60s, including The Young Dead frontwoman and Love Your Rebellion founder Angela Page. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
 
Our growth and evolution as individuals and as a society hinge on learning from our experiences. Join news-press.com and The News-Press for a night of stories about lessons learned the easy way and the adventurous way. In this edition of Storytellers, audiences will be invited into the subcultural world of tattooing. Experience getting a tattoo without ever putting a needle to your skin!
 
Getting a tattoo is trendy again, and behind every tattoo there’s a good story, whether it was the experience of getting one for the first time, reflecting on the meaning behind the art, the place on the body the tattoo ended up, or how Mom and Dad reacted the first time they saw that skull and bones tattoo. In this Southwest Florida Storytellers, participants will paint a picture of the tattoo scene.
 
Each storyteller will offer their own accounts of being a person with tattoos. One storyteller, Angela Page, is the frontwoman of local punk band, the Young Dead, and the founder of the arts and activist collective, Love Your Rebellion. Angela Page and other special guest storytellers will give audiences a glimpse at their tattoo tale.
 
Southwest Florida Storyteller’s Tattoo Tales
Thursday, March 15, 2018 • 7pm – 9pm
Tickets: GA – $15 • Students – $10
For tickets and info, visit https://tickets.news-press.com/.
 
IMAGES ATTACHED: AngelaPage_photoby_JesiCasonPhotography.jpg; Angela Page2_photo by_Jesi Cason Photography.jpg; Austin Trenholm Photography Buildingshot.jpg
 
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About the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center: Founded in 1997 by Jim Griffith as Florida Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center provides programming to Southwest Florida, which includes concerts, theatrical performances, art exhibits, dance, independent film, cotillion, and arts education. The Art Center regularly recruits award-winning artists who have performed worldwide at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Its mission is to nurture innovation and excellence in the visual and performing arts through these events and community outreach programs.
Angela Page