Member News

FORT MYERS, Fla., (April 2, 2018) – PACE Center for Girls, Lee County will celebrate the launch of its next “Love That Dress!” collection with an April 10 fashion show in Bonita Springs.

“Fashion meets Passion” will feature 15 well-known community leaders donning the latest fashion trends and styles on the runway, highlighting new looks from White House | Black Market and retailers from Miromar Outlets, as well as favorite Love That Dress! finds. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10 at the Center for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road SE in Bonita Springs.

PACE Center for Girls, Lee County is celebrating its 10^th season of Love That Dress!, an annual campaign that solicits donations of new and gently loved dresses, handbags, shoes and accessories. Thousands of items then are resold at discounted prices, with all proceeds benefiting PACE Center programs and services.

“‘Fashion meets Passion’ will be a fantastic event as we kick off another season of Love That Dress!, and I can’t wait to check out some of our favorite Love That Dress! styles,” said Christin Collins, co-founder of Love That Dress! “As we celebrate the 10th year of Love That Dress!, it is also exciting to showcase the designer clothing and accessories of Miromar Outlets and White House | Black Market, two phenomenal supporters who have been with us since the very beginning.”

Collins will be joined on the runway by fellow models Bryan Avery, Theresa Ayers, Mark Blust, Melissa Cofta, Alyssa DeLora, Jonathan Gabel, Meg Geltner, Teri Lamaine, Trish Leonard, Gail Markham, Robert McDonald, Amy Sanford, Barb Stevens and Sandy Stilwell-Youngquist.

The Center for the Performing Arts is the presenting sponsor for “Fashion meets Passion,” and White House | Black Market is the title sponsor. Additional sponsors include 96.9 WINK-FM, ABC7, California Closets, Fort Myers Infiniti, Gulfshore Life, Miromar Outlets, New Beginnings Events, Priority Marketing, Services by Jordan and TLC Marketing & Creative Services.

“We’ve been blessed to have amazing support from the community and our business partners for the past decade, and we’re off to a great start this year,” said Trish Leonard, co-founder of Love That Dress! “All of the money we raise at these events ultimately benefits the PACE Center, which has now served more than 600 girls during the past 10 years.”

PACE Center assists girls ages 11 to 18 who have multiple risk factors impacting their academic achievement, including family income, substance abuse, domestic violence, foster home placement, neglect, grief, incarceration of a family member and physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

Tickets for “Fashion meets Passion” are $30, or $25 with the donation of a gently loved dress. Complimentary light bites and beverages will be available, along with amazing raffle baskets. For more information, please call 239-425-2366 or visit PaceCenter.org/locations/lee.

About PACE Center for Girls, Inc.

PACE Center for Girls, Inc., is a non-residential delinquency prevention program targeting the unique needs of girls, ages 11 to 18 years old, facing challenges such as academic failure and truancy, physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, and family history of incarceration.

PACE is a Florida-based, not for profit organization, and the only statewide prevention program for adolescent at-risk girls in the nation.  In the past year, the Lee County program provided 117 girls with education, counseling, training and advocacy resulting in 95 percent having no involvement with juvenile justice within one year of leaving PACE, 96 percent improving their academic performance and 93 percent remaining in school or obtaining employment three years after leaving PACE. As a result, PACE reduces the significant long-term costs associated with teen pregnancy, substance abuse, unemployment and long term economic dependency.

PACE accepts referrals from the juvenile justice system, the Department of Children & Families, school personnel, community services agencies, parents, family members, friends and self-referrals.

FORT MYERS, Fla., (April 2, 2018) – Owen-Ames-Kimball Company (O-A-K) has begun construction on a new high-efficiency HVAC system at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts that will reduce energy usage and maintenance costs.
Two new, 400-ton magnetic-bearing centrifugal water chillers will be installed at the school along with two new chiller towers and a 792-square-foot chiller plant building. The project also includes renovation of the school’s existing pump room with new pumps and new piping. Additionally, O-A-K is adding a new air handler unit to the school’s gymnasium along with new piping and a new fire sprinkler network.
During construction, O-A-K is relocating the school’s existing chillers to provide temporary cooling for classrooms, offices and hallways.
The total project cost is estimated at $2.39 million with a targeted completion date of August 2018.
Mario Andre is O-A-K’s project superintendent and Alesha Watchowski is the project manager.
About Owen-Ames-Kimball
Owen-Ames-Kimball Company has provided premier general contracting, design-build and construction management services in Southwest Florida since 1982. O-A-K’s Florida operation is an affiliate of its parent company located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Florida operation has offices in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. Its Lee County office is located at 11941 Fairway Lakes Drive in Fort Myers. Learn more about O-A-K at www.owen-ames-kimball.com.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 30, 2018) – Stevens Construction has completed an expansion of Specialized Veterinary Services, announced Dan Adams, vice president, south Florida.
 
Stevens Construction completed a two-story 13,589-square-feet addition and remodel of the existing 5,000-square-foot, 24-hour emergency animal hospital. The project included construction of 10 exam rooms, three surgical suites, physical therapy, conference room, lobby, locker rooms, offices and an expanded treatment area. Stevens Construction also added diagnostic services such as MRI and CT scan and a generator, allowing the hospital to remain completely operational in the event of a power loss.
 
Located at 9500 Marketplace Road in Fort Myers, Specialized Veterinary Services remained in operation while construction occurred. The Stevens Construction team very carefully coordinated all construction activities with staff so they could continue surgery and treatment of their patients throughout the project.
 
The Stevens Construction team included Dan Adams as project executive, Jamie Butdorf as superintendent and Angie Sugg as project administrator. Specialized Veterinary Services was designed by GMA Architects.
 
With offices in Tampa, Fort Myers and Orlando, Stevens Construction specializes in providing construction management, general contracting, and consulting services to clients and design professionals. Other services include site and design team selection, budgeting, project scheduling, permitting, cost and quality control, and warranty service. The company builds healthcare, commercial, public and hospitality facilities throughout Florida. For information, visit www.stevensconstructioninc.com or call 239-936-9006.
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Ft. Myers FL (March 28, 2018) — IBERIABANK, a 131-year-old subsidiary of IBERIABANK Corporation, is pleased to announce that Florida Community Association Journal magazine has named IBERIABANK as a Silver Choice Award winner. The FLCAJ Reader’s Choice Award is a unique recognition program that shines a spotlight on community association service providers across Florida. The annual recognition is awarded to companies that demonstrate exemplary levels of proficiency, reliability, fairness and integrity to the community association industry. IBERIABANK has earned this recognition in the financial services category for the past four years.
In 2018, more than 7,500 votes were cast for 390 service providers throughout the state of Florida. There is no fee to enter the nomination process, and winners are chosen based solely on votes received. For more information, visit fcapgroup.com.
About IBERIABANK Corporation
IBERIABANK Corporation is a financial holding company with 320 combined offices, including 216 bank branch offices and one loan production office in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, 30 title insurance offices in Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana, and mortgage representatives in 63 locations in 10 states.  The Company has 14 locations with representatives of IBERIA Wealth Advisors in four states. The Company’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “IBKC.”  Follow the company on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Fort Myers – Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., is pleased to announce that Attorney Amanda Ross has joined the firm’s Tort & Insurance Litigation Division.
Ross focuses her litigation practice in the areas of automobile and trucking liability, premises liability, construction defect, professional liability, insurance coverage defense, products liability, negligent security and wrongful death. Prior to joining Henderson Franklin, she worked in the Miami area and handled maritime and admiralty defense, as well as vessel and yacht purchase and sale transactions and continues her work in the field of maritime/admiralty defense. During law school, Ross worked with the University of Miami Athletic Department, as well as the Miami Dolphins Legal Department.  She is also fluent in both English and Spanish.
Ross has received much recognition over her legal career, including being named by Florida Trend Legal Elite as a “Best Up and Coming” attorney (2008), by Florida Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” (2011, 2014-2017), and by the South Florida Legal Guide as a “Top Up & Comer” (2014-2017). She is a member of the Stetson University Alumni Board.
Ross received her undergraduate degree from Stetson University (B.A., 1999) and her law degree from the University of Miami Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2002). She may be reached at 239-344-1249 or by email at [email protected].
Henderson Franklin is the largest, locally-based law firm between Tampa and Miami with over 55 attorneys dedicated to providing a wide range of legal services in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, business and civil litigation, eminent domain, intellectual property, workers’ compensation, employment law, real estate, and land use and environmental law. Since 1924, Henderson Franklin has been assisting clients to build their homes, businesses, and communities in Southwest Florida. Henderson Franklin operates offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and Sanibel Island. For more information on Ross or Henderson Franklin, please visit www.henlaw.com.

Colonial Service Center uses existing infrastructure to reduce costs
 FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 29, 2018) – Lee County Tax Collector Larry Hart just found a new way to save money and make life easier for people at the same time. The Colonial Service Center has opened in the AAA Auto Club South office at 2516 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers, giving the citizens of Lee County another place they can visit to take care of business.
The new center is designed to help shorten wait times at the other six Lee County Tax Collector locations and give nearby residents a more convenient option. It accomplishes that without the major capital expense of a new building.
“The facility already exists. We’re not asking taxpayers to build a new facility,” Hart says. “We’re taking advantage of an existing opportunity to better serve our citizens.”
The new center handles vehicle registration, property tax payments, license plate renewals, parking permits, birth certificates, Class E driver licenses and ID cards, plus vehicle and vessel titles, excluding those issued to dealers. The services are more limited than those found at other Lee County Tax Collector locations, but Hart is confident they’ll make a significant difference for the thousands of people who visit the centers each year.
“No one has time to waste these days,” Hart says. “We understand that. We’re doing everything we can to get you in and get you out, and the Colonial Service Center will make that happen faster for more people.”
The seeds for the center were planted in May 2017, when the tax collector’s office began searching for additional space. The goal all along was to partner with another agency or organization to cut down on costs.
“We went looking for a win-win situation, and that’s exactly what we got,” Hart says.
Visit leetc.com to learn more about Lee County Tax Collector services and online payment options that allow Lee County residents to skip the lines altogether.
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.

March 29, 2018 – FORT MYERS, FL – Florida SouthWestern State College’s Troops and Students Connect (TaSC) student club is hosting a special Memorial Day event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 19 on the Fort Myers campus, Building J-117. It is free and open to the public.
“As military veterans who proudly served this country, and now as FSW students, this event is especially meaningful to us,” said Alyssa Candelmo, president, TaSC. “It’s important for all of us to always remember the sacrifice our armed forces make.”
Speakers include:
Dr. Jeff Allbritten, president, FSW
Mark Lee, Afghanistan veteran
David Sounders, American Military Veterans foundation
Dale Mullin, President (Collier), Wounded Warriors Project
Kim Hayes, Gold Star Moms Charity
Gen Jim Dozier (ret), West Point graduate
In addition to the speakers, groups expected to attend include Korean War Veterans, Rolling Thunder, American Military Veterans Foundation, Gold Star Moms Charity and Wounded Warriors Project.
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.

Saturday, May 5,  2018

Guardian ad Litem Foundation’s Annual Fundraiser
Viva La Derby | 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Colonial Country Club
9181 Independence Way
Fort Myers, FL 33913
Tickets: $100 P/Person
http://www.voicesforkids.org/events/viva-la-derby
239-533-1435
About Guardian ad Litem Foundation  
The Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit, Inc. (GALF) was founded in 1983 as a 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to identify and administer community resources in support of Southwest Florida’s Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program. The GAL program serves the counties of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry. GAL, a state-mandated Program, provides trained, court-certified independent volunteer advocates to represent and promote the best interests (social, health, and educational) of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment and placed under court supervision. The Program works toward a plan to secure a safe permanent home for the children.  
 
 

FORT MYERS, FLA., March 29, 2018 – Five physicians with Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida have been named “Top Doctors” by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. in New York.
Family Medicine physician Charles Curtis, M.D., Pediatrician Georgia Rocha-Rodriguez, M.D., and Obstetrician/Gynecologists Paul Joslyn, M.D., Blaise Kovaz, M.D., and Sarah Krauss, M.D., will be featured in the June issue of Gulfshore Life magazine.  Dr. Curtis, Dr. Joslyn and Dr. Kovaz are repeat winners from 2013 – 2017.  Dr. Krauss and Dr. Rocha-Rodriguez were honored in 2016 and 2017.
Selections are made through a national survey of physicians and hospital administrators conducted by Castle Connolly, an independent research and information company that is the nation’s leading provider of information on top physicians.  After the votes are tallied, Castle Connolly ensures that the physicians meet the company’s criteria, which include board certification, years of experience in their specialties, and a clean disciplinary record.
“Castle Connolly is widely recognized for its extensive research of the medical profession.  This demonstrates to our patients that we have been evaluated and meet their highest standards,” said Dr. Mary Yankaskas,  managing physician of Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida.
The physicians will be honored by Gulfshore Life magazine at an awards banquet.
Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida, a physician-owned and operated medical practice, was formed in 1996 by many long practicing local physicians and has grown to become the largest independent multi-specialty primary care practice in Southwest Florida.
Medical specialties include family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics.  PPC’s offices are conveniently located in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres.

We are happy to announce that on April 7th FRLS will be participating in a fundraiser with the Florida Everblades in Fort Myers!
For every ticket sold we will receive $5.00. We are hopeful that you can join us for this awesome event and pass it along to those that might be interested in coming out to support us for the final game of the season.
Link: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/everblades/EN/link/promotion/home/a306c2eb94ab04c8aea5e498afd007e5dc6a862b