Member News

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 18, 2018) – Priority Marketing, a full-service, award-winning marketing, advertising, public relations and digital marketing agency was recently honored with a resolution by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners in recognition of its 25 years serving Lee County businesses with expert marketing services and its overall positive impact on the success of the community.

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners recognized Teri Hansen, APR, president and creative director of Priority Marketing during a board meeting, presenting her with a resolution recognizing Priority Marketing for having supported the economic success of Lee County for 25 years. The resolution distinguishes Priority Marketing as having positively impacted the community with its creation of jobs and recruiting employees to the area, encouraging innovation and industry competition, and growing and mentoring young professionals, as well as giving back to the community, donating an estimated $2 million to local philanthropic organizations.

“It is an honor to receive this distinguished recognition,” Hansen said. “As a Fort Myers native, I am delighted that Priority Marketing has had a positive impact on a community that means a great deal to me. Our 25 successful years in business were made possible by our valued clients, treasured partners, hardworking team and the continued support of the community, allowing us to make a difference in the community. We look forward to continuing to serve Lee County and have a positive impact for many years to come.”

In 1992, Hansen, APR, founded the company as a home-based business, and now leads the region’s largest full-service firm with more than 30 employees serving an array of businesses locally and throughout the U.S. Throughout her career, Hansen has earned more than 150 local, state, and international honors and awards, and her company is continually recognized as the region’s top ranked agency. Recently, Hansen was honored as a Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, Lee County laureate for her forward-thinking contributions to the Southwest Florida community and her commitment to be a role model to local students, young professionals and business peers.

Established in 1992, Priority Marketing is a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations firm. Celebrating its 25^th year, the company is located at 8200 College Pkwy., Suite 201 in Fort Myers. For more information call 239-267-2638 or visit www.prioritymarketing.com. Also, follow Priority Marketing online at twitter.com/prioritymktg or on Facebook. For recent news and marketing insights, visit the blog: www.prioritymarketing.com/our-blog.

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (January 18, 2018) – GATES Construction is pleased to announce the addition of Parker Matson as Assistant Project Manager, at the firms Bonita Springs office. Matson supports efforts across a wide range of construction capacities from estimating and permitting, through to Owner occupancy. Matson recently graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a B.A. in Business Management.
 As Florida’s premiere builder, GATES Construction serves its clients from offices in Bonita Springs and Sarasota as a full service general contracting firm providing construction management and design-build services with a diversified project portfolio in all types of commercial, institutional, industrial, healthcare, and multi-family construction projects. GATES also operates in North Carolina and the Republic of Panama. For more information on GATES, please call (239) 593-3777 or visit the website at www.GATESinc.com.

New Showroom on Wheels Helps Homeowners Select Roofs
FORT MYERS, FLA., January 17, 2018 – Homeowners and businesses with storm-ravaged roofs now have a new option to select their roofing material without leaving their home or office.
CFS Roofing Services, LLC, has created a mobile showroom with dozens of samples that it is taking to neighborhoods from Port Charlotte to Marco Island.  The mobile showroom allows residents to shop for a new roof in comfort with soft music playing surrounded by more than 50 roof samples in tile, shingles or metal.
“We’re trying to make roofing convenient and friendly,” said  CFS Roofing Services President David Crowther.  “We saw so much damage on Marco Island and elsewhere after Hurricane Irma that we thought we should have a showroom.  Your time is valuable.  We walk you through the color selection and whole roofing process with our customer service department.”
It was Crowther’s wife, Karen, who came up with the idea of a showroom on wheels, which they believe is the first one of its kind in Southwest Florida..
Karen, who is director of business development for the company, developed the mobile showroom idea that also includes attic fans, upgraded materials and extended warranties.
“Why waste your time driving around looking at other people’s houses when we will come to you with everything you need,” she said.
Home and business owners are given gloves to wear during the selection process to prevent any potential cuts from handling the tile and metal samples.  If the mobile showroom does not have the color the owner is seeking, CFS Roofing Services will have the correct color sample sent to the home by UPS at no cost to the customer.
“Once you pick a sample and a color, we can show you what it will look like on your home or business, using digital technology,” she said.
They do this by using a photo of the home or office and superimposing the image of the roof desired on the photo, using an iPad Pro.
Since the mobile showroom was introduced about three weeks ago, about 150 homeowners have used the service from Lehigh Acres to Port Royal in Naples.
One of those customers is Jill Aalderink, who lives in Cape Coral.
“I really appreciated that they came to me instead of me going to them,” she said.  “I especially liked that I could see the samples in the natural light.”
Aalderink said her new delineated shingle roof has now been installed and it was earlier than she expected.
“They were excellent.  We have told others about our experience and recommend CFS Roofing highly,” she said.
David Crowther said the mobile showroom makes their job easier too.
“Our customers just love the convenience.  It makes the selection process so much quicker,” David Crowther said.  “Since you’re only replacing your roof every 15 or 20 years or even longer, you want to make the right decision.  That’s what we’re here to help you do.”
For more information about the CFS Roofing Services mobile showroom, please call 239-561-2600 or visit www.CFSRoofing.com.
 
About CFS Roofing Services
CFS Roofing Services is one of Southwest Florida’s largest roofing contractors with more than 40 years of experience and more than 100 employees.  The company is owned by David Crowther, a third generation roofing professional.  The company provides roofing services from installation to repair for residential and commercial customers in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties as well as surrounding areas.  Commercial roofing work includes office buildings, malls, manufacturing facilities, multi-unit housing, apartment buildings, churches, schools, municipal buildings, condominiums and warehouses. The corporate office is located at 12120 Amedicus Lane in Fort Myers, 239-561-2600.  www.cfsroofing.com

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2018) – Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida invites the community to support its efforts to provide key programs on work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy to local students by donating to the organization during the ‘Give Where You Live Collier’ fundraising initiative, which takes place Feb. 21-22.

Give Where You Live Collier is a county-wide movement established to celebrate increased philanthropy in Collier County through online giving. The Community Foundation of Collier County and the Richard Schulze Family Foundation are partnering with Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, along with another 37 participating nonprofit organizations, to present Give Where You Live Collier in 2018. Donations are accepted via www.GiveWhereYouLiveCollier.org.
During the 2016-2017 school year, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida provided its programs to more than 10,600 K-12 students in more than 440 classrooms in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. Funds raised for Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida through the community-wide Give Where You Live Collier initiative will play an instrumental role in supporting the organization’s continued impact across Southwest Florida, preparing students for business success through hands-on, experiential programs and learning opportunities.
“The donations we receive through Give Where You Live Collier help us do more to support the local community and ensure we can teach the key concepts of work-readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship through sequential and integrated K-12 programs,” said Angela Fisher, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida. “Our goal is to raise $25,000 this year, which will make up a portion of our annual operating budget. We also look forward to earning a share of the $500,000 matching fund.”

$500,000 Matching Fund

Give Where You Live Collier features a $400,000 matching fund from the Richard M Schulze Family Foundation, plus a $100,000 match from the Community Foundation of Collier County. Every dollar donated counts – that’s because every donation made from noon, Feb. 21, 2018 to 11:59 a.m., Feb. 22, 2018 will be enhanced by a proportionate share of the matching fund, increasing the impact of every dollar donated. The first $2,500 raised will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the Community Foundation. Beyond that, for example if Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida receives 10 percent of total Give Where You Live Collier donations, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida also receives 10 percent of the $400,000 matching fund from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation.

“Give Where You Live Collier makes it easy to participate so that everyone has the chance to make a difference in our community, whether you call Collier County home seasonally or year-round,” said Eileen Connolly-Keesler, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Collier County. “We are proud to live in an incredibly philanthropic community that believes strongly in giving back and is passionate about making a difference. We applaud the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for again sponsoring this wonderful event that benefits so many.”

For more information about Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, please visit www.jaswfl.org. For more information about Give Where You Live Collier, please visit www.GiveWhereYouLiveCollier.org.
About Junior Achievement:

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches 4.8 million students per year in more than 100 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.6 million students served by operations over 100 other countries worldwide. Locally, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida partnered with more than 280 classroom business volunteers during the 2016-2017 school year to provide more than 10,600 students with Junior Achievement programs in more than 440 classes throughout Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. For more information on Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida visit www.JASWFL.org, call 239-225-2590 or email [email protected].
About the Community Foundation of Collier County

The Community Foundation of Collier County is a tax-exempt, public, charitable organization, established in 1985 to increase and focus private philanthropy in the area. Today, the Community Foundation of Collier County manages more than 670 funds, collaborates with more than 400 nonprofits, holds nearly $157 million in assets and has distributed more than $112 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and community programs since its inception. The Community Foundation of Collier County is one of Florida’s fastest growing community foundations. For good. Forever. Learn more at cfcollier.org or call 239-649-5000.

About the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation

The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation was founded in 2004 by Best Buy founder, Dick Schulze, as a way to give back to the community. Schulze and his family believe that a good education, a supportive family and a strong work ethic prepare children for a successful future. To support that belief, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation supports education and basic human services, among other types of organizations. It is the vision of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation to connect in a meaningful way with grantees to make strategic contributions that achieve specific, measurable outcomes.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2018) — Shell Point has announced the roster for its third annual 2018 Medical Breakthroughs & Discoveries speaker series, a free community health care resource for residents in the greater Fort Myers area.
 
This educational series, sponsored by the Legacy Foundation in conjunction with Shell Point Wellness Connections, will feature prominent local and national experts who will address recent advances in the fields of global health care, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Thursday, Feb. 15, 1:30 p.m. – Trending Toward Modern: Health Care in the 21st Century, presented by Dr. Larry Antonucci, CEO and president of Lee Health
• Friday, March 2, 10 a.m. – Debunking 10 Myths That May Sabotage Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, presented by Dr. J. Eric Ahlskog, Mayo Clinic
• Monday, March 12, 7 p.m. – Super Brain: Staying Well for Life, presented by Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

FORT MYERS, FLA., January 16, 2018 – Celebrate the Edison Festival of Light and help feed the hungry by attending  Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing  Tuesday, Feb. 6, at The First Presbyterian Church in downtown Fort Myers at the corner of Second Street and Lee Street.
It’s the 29^th anniversary of the hymn sing, which is organized and sponsored by the Galloway Family of Dealerships.  Because of the overwhelming popularity of the event, three performances are planned at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.   The doors will open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Admission is free, but because of the increased need for food for the hungry, organizers are requesting that those who attend bring cans of non-perishable food and a voluntary cash donation, if possible, to benefit The Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative.
“We need to help The Soup Kitchen by donating as much canned goods and cash as we can to help families who most need it in our community,” said Sam Galloway, Jr., founder of Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing.
Community Cooperative provides 15,000 meals each month in addition to other services.  “There are even more families who need our help.  Do what God would want you to do and give what you can,” said the Rev. Dr. Paul deJong of First Presbyterian Church.
Community Cooperative was started by First Presbyterian Church along with other downtown churches in 1984 to help alleviate hunger and suffering in Lee County.  The church has continued to support its ministry there by providing volunteers in The Soup Kitchen and delivering hot meals to home-bound seniors.
Galloway, who originated the hymn sing in 1989, said he wanted to do something to honor Mrs. Mina Edison during the Edison Festival celebration.
“We hear a great deal about the wonderful work of Thomas Alva Edison, but we don’t do a lot to honor his wife who also volunteered a great deal of her time and talent to making Fort Myers what it is today.  This hymn sing is a way to honor her good work too,” Galloway said.
This year’s event will feature the First Presbyterian Sanctuary Choir and many other singers, including members of the Mastersingers, Guest Soloists, along with a Piano-Organ Combination.
In addition to Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing, the Galloway Family of Dealerships also sponsors the very popular Christmas Carol Sing in December.  Both events benefit The Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative.
For more information or directions to the church, call 334-2261 or visit www.fpcfortmyers.org.  For more information about Community Cooperative, call (239) 332-SOUP or visit www.communitycooperative.com.
 
About Community Cooperative
Community Cooperative is an innovative nonprofit organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and hunger in our community. It provides more than 15,000 meals each month through its Community Cafés and Meals on Wheels programs, distributes more than 500,000 pounds of groceries through its Mobile Food Pantries, and serves 6,500 individuals and families with homeless and comprehensive case management services through its Social & Education Resource Centers.  A proud United Way partner, Community Cooperative serves Fort Myers and the greater Lee County area, including Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers Beach.
 
About First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers
First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers, located at 2438 Second St. in downtown Fort Myers, is a community of faith, celebrating a loving God.  First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1901 and continues to be an integral part of Lee County by presenting some of the area’s most well-attended events, such as Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing in February as part of the Edison Festival of and the Christmas Carol Sing in December.  Both events benefit The Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative, which also was founded by First Presbyterian Church and other downtown churches in 1984.  Services are offered Sundays at 11 a.m. with Sunday Adult Education from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  A nursery is available from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Hearing assistive equipment also is available.

Contact:               Anna Wallace
Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida
239-334-2797   |   [email protected]
 
Todd Gates
GATES Construction
239-593-3777   | [email protected]
 
What:                    Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida Annual Address and Expansion Campaign
 
Where:                 Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida
3210 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33916
 
When:                  January 20, 2018
8:30 am – Breakfast
9:00 am – Event, Q & A and Tour Immediately Following
 
YOU’RE INVITED TO THE ANNUAL ADDRESS AND EXPANSION CAMPAIGN
Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida Annual Address and Expansion Campaign
Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida invites local community leaders, government officials, dignitaries, and the media to attend the Annual Address and Expansion & Sustainability Campaign for the new expansion on January 20, 2018. A light breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. followed by the Annual Address at 9:00 a.m. immediately following, a guided tour of the existing facility will be offered.
The Annual Address will feature an update of the 2017 fiscal year, goals for2018, and the relaunch of the expansion campaign. The expansion campaign is for $1.5 million dollar expansion to the Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida. The new addition will feature 4,000 square feet of space for a teen center, an enlarged kitchen and a multi-purpose room. There be a Q&A session and a tour of the facility at the end of the annual address for any members of the media and future beneficiaries. More information about the Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida is attached.
Quality Life Center strives to strengthen family and community through the development of programs, services and the provision of housing and property management to ultimately cultivate self-development, teach self-discipline, build confidence and promote nutritional and cultural awareness.

January 8, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – February concludes this season’s TGIM! Before the Fort Myers Film Festival in March, help judges Jeff Lindsay, Charles Runnells, and Jason Maughan, decide which films will make the 2018 showcase. Plus, enjoy the vintage sounds of Morgan Marie and Alec Prorock. Join host Eric Raddatz and Melissa DeHaven for the most fun you can have on a Monday! The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
Monday, February 5, 2018
Cocktails: 6:30pm
Show: 7pm
Tickets: $10 Adults • $8 Seniors/Students
February’s TGIM features Jeff Lindsay, the New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Dexter novels, the inspiration for the hit Showtime and CBS series Dexter. Lindsay lives in South Florida with his wife and three children. Plus, the judges panel also features Charles Runnels, an Arts & Entertainment reporter with The News Press. His features have brought Southwest Florida closer to stars like Vince Neil, Steve Martin, and Martin Short — just to name a few! Come watch cool indie short films and have a say about whether they should make final programming for the Fort Myers Film Festival in March 2018. Cocktails at 6:30 p.m. Show begins at 7 p.m.
About the Fort Myers Film Festival – The Fort Myers Film Festival is an intelligent independent filmmaker’s preferred event to create, unite and showcase the finest artistic cinematic works. The Fort Myers Film Festival is known for world-class swagger and support of local filmmakers. The festival event offers ‘the most vibrant intellectual and edgy crowd to grace Lee County in decades.’ The event has featured hundreds of local filmmakers and is a must attend for cineasts living in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties who love indie film and film festivals. That’s right, Fort Myers has a film festival, so come out for the excitement March 21st – 25th!

January 11, 2018 – Fort Myers, FL – Artistic powerhouse and provocateur Myra Roberts opens “Dream Peace” during Art Walk on February 2nd from 6pm – 10pm! Experience this eclectic exhibit, featuring  poster-style paintings of topics ranging from social injustice to Buddhism. “Dream Peace” will also feature performance art group S(he) Will Fade: A Theatrical Ethnography and a short improvisational dance by Debbie Sheme, the founder of Sanibel Dance. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
Opening: Friday, February 2nd • 6pm – 10pm
Performances by S(he) Will Fade and Debbie Sheme begin at 7:30pm
Closing: Friday, February 24th
Free to Attend
The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is pleased to announce it is again hosting an exhibition of works by renowned Sanibel-based artist Myra Roberts. “Making meaningful social statements about our human condition is important to me, and links the past and present,” explains the artist. “Crimes against humanity continue daily. We are all diminished when any person suffers because of discrimination. Our differences make life more interesting and our common humanity matters most of all. ‘Dream Peace’ inspires viewers to ponder the need for change.”
In addition to her “Dream Peace” works, Roberts will exhibit selected pieces from recent series. “Florida Retro” paintings resurrect the Sunshine State’s past, and “Endangered Species” works draw attention to future concerns. “Smokescreen: Prelude to the 1940s” is a series of collages that depict American or German middle-class domestic life combined with images of Hitler’s rise to power. “Angels on Earth” celebrates extraordinary lives. Included is 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
Roberts’ paintings are in public and private collections across the United States and Europe, including the estate of Robert Rauschenberg. Roberts received letters of endorsement for her “Faces of Anne Frank” project from Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the Jane Goodall Institute. Roberts donates funds and works (slated for sale at auction) to organizations such as the following: Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida; the Ecostudies Institute of Mount Vernon, Washington; the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife; Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, and Sanibel-Captiva Cares/Golisano Children’s Hospital of Fort Myers.
The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center hosted a retrospective exhibition of her works in January 2015. WGCU Public Media chose Roberts as one of five “2016 Makers: Women Who Make Southwest Florida.” Nominated by the public, the selection of Roberts was based on her impact in the arts and social justice in Southwest Florida.
She has lectured and exhibited throughout the United States, including in Chicago; Boothbay Harbor and Bar Harbor, Maine; the Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington, Delaware (grant-funded); the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg; the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida; the Museum of the Everglades, and in galleries around Florida.

New exhibit features artwork by five local physicians
  FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 12, 2018) – The Southwest Florida Community Foundation will launch a new art display at its Community Hub in February.
Beginning February 2,  “Art Doctors” will feature the art of five local physicians including Dr. Charlie Brown, Dr. Rich Lane, Dr. Ellen Sayet, Dr. Martin Sherman and Dr. Peter Sidell.
Local anesthesiologist Charlie Brown became interested in the folk art of gyotaku due to his love of fishing. In gyotaku, each fish is inked directly and an image is transferred onto paper. In Japan, before photography, fisherman used this method to take a “picture” of their large fish, proving the size of their catch. His images come from fish caught by him, as well as those caught by his friends and family.
Retired ear, nose and throat surgeon Rich Lane enjoys working with paint, metal and wood in his off hours. He was drawn to art at a young age being from a family of avocational artistes and an uncle who was a professional oil painter. Although never taking a formal art class, he quickly picked up impressionistic oil painting using color and effects of the old masters. He also creates metal wind sculptures and experiments with steampunk art.
Retired Oncologist Ellen Sayet has always loved sketching and painting but her art took a secondary position between her two successful careers as a medical oncologist and working with a jewelry manufacturing company in Israel. Self taught with an occasional drawing class, she enjoys painting realism with “an edge”. Her figurative paintings are classic drawings with an inventive and creative side.  Sayet produces works of realism and figurative portraitures in oil and pastel that capturing the mood, personality and inner soul of the subjects.
Pediatrician Martin Sherman started painting after his senior year of high school. He prefers acrylics but has dabbled in oils, watercolors, pen and ink, printmaking and wood sculpture. While studying premed, he also majored in a combined studio and art history concentration. He also took classes at Cornell and Skidmore in studio art. It wasn’t until a few years ago that he started working again at the coaxing of his wife who is his biggest fan and color referee due to his colorblindness.
Retired cardiothoracic surgeon Peter Sidell has always had a love of photography and cameras. His photographic focus is on his travels to various parts of the world and he also enjoys photographing birds and the natural environment in Florida. His hope is to tell the story of what he has seen and experienced through the photos he takes.
The exhibit is open to the public and will run the month of February during regular Community Foundation business hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some paintings are located in meeting rooms so those interested in seeing the exhibit are asked to call before arriving to make sure all areas are accessible. The Community Hub is located at 8771 College Parkway, Building 2, Suite 201 in Fort Myers.
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Foundation partners with individuals, families and corporations who have created more than 400 philanthropic funds. Thanks to them, the Foundation invested $5.4 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of $115 million, it has provided more than $71 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee County’s Sustainability Plan. Currently, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s regional headquarters are located off College Parkway in South Fort Myers, with satellite offices located on Sanibel Island, in LaBelle (Hendry County) and downtown Fort Myers. For more information, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.floridacommunity.com.