Member News

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 7, 2020) – SWFL Children’s Charities’ 2020 Child Artist, Eleanor “Ellie” O’Neal was born at just 23 weeks gestation, weighing only 1 pound, 3 ounces. A “micro-preemie,” Ellie was born while still inside her amniotic sac, which likely protected her during her unexpected, early arrival.

“You picture yourself holding your newborn in the hospital, but it would be 37 days until I could hold Ellie,” said her mother, Christine O’Neal. “Throughout her stay, I was at her side, and the Golisano Children’s Hospital NICU became our new normal.”

Ellie experienced complications not uncommon for a micro-preemie. She suffered a brain bleed and a diagnosis of aggressive Retinopathy of Prematurity, or ROP for short. The lower the gestational age and birthweight, the greater the risk of severe, sight-threatening disease or blindness from ROP.

This grim outlook didn’t stop Dr. Jessica Kovarik, pediatric ophthalmologist at Golisano Children’s Hospital, from doing her best to save Ellie’s sight. Without treatment, there’s a 50% chance of blindness.

“In the 80s, babies with ROP would go blind,” said Dr. Kovarik. “Now, if we catch the disease early and immediately start treatment, we can save a child’s sight.”

Ellie’s case was serious, requiring injections in both eyes to stop the “bad” blood cells from growing and causing the retina to detach. Initially, she responded well, but then it recurred, requiring a second injection and eventually, surgery.

Some form of vision impairment was expected. Once again, Ellie defied the odds and today, she enjoys full vision.

“Despite everything, her vision is normal,” said Dr. Kovarik. “And that’s a miracle, considering how early she was born.”

“The fight in this little girl is so strong – she’s a warrior,” her dad said, through tears. “Look out world, between her stubbornness and tenacity, I’m confident she will do something amazing.”

As SWFL Children’s Charities’ 2020 Child Artist, Ellie created a one-of-a-kind piece of art, a painting that reflects the beautiful colors that she now sees thanks to the care she received at Golisano Children’s Hospital. NBC-2’s morning news anchor Rachel Pierce generously donated her time and expertise as the 2020 Art Mentor, working with Ellie to create “Do You See What I See?” The vibrant painting will be featured during the 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, where auction-goers can raise their paddles in support of Ellie and her artwork. Bids for the artwork will start at $5,000, and the 2018 child art raised $150,000. Traditionally, the works are then donated back to the hospital, where they are displayed for patients, families, visitors and staff to enjoy.

The child artist program has raised more than $1.2 million over 11 years to benefit pediatric care at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, the only children’s hospital to serve the five-county region.

Celebrating its 12^th year, the 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest will take place Feb. 21-22, 2020. The two-day signature event, themed “Painting a Difference: Putting Kids First,” will feature Chef Vintner Dinners on Friday, Feb. 21, creatively hosted in private luxury venues across the region, followed The Grand Tasting and Live Auction on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. Each day, guests will experience artful cuisine created by celebrated chefs and expertly paired with vintners from some of the finest and most exclusive wineries.

To learn more about the 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, please visit www.swflwinefest.org.

About SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc.

SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc.’s annual signature fundraiser, the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, has donated nearly $23 million over the past 11 years in support of children’s health initiatives. The 2020 event will support pediatric health care services at Golisano Children’s Hospital, as well as pediatric health care educational programs at Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida SouthWestern State College. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 7, 2020) – Shell Point Retirement Community continues the Southwest Florida Symphony installation of its 2019-2020 Fine and Performing Arts Series with a performance of “Stradi-Various” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23 at The Village Church on The Island at Shell Point, 15100 Shell Point Blvd. in Fort Myers. Tickets for this event cost $25 and can be purchased online at www.shellpoint.org/concerts or by phone at 239-454-2067.

Maestro Nir Kabaretti will conduct the Southwest Florida Symphony’s Stradi-Various, along with violinist and guest artist Gilles Apap. The performance will feature a repertoire that extends far beyond classical horizons with country, bluegrass, Irish folk tunes, Gypsy-Roma melodies and much more.

In addition to Gilles Apap, this concert will proudly feature the 2018 Jillian Prescott Scholarship Competition winner, violinist Caroline Sikuta, in Bach’s “Concerto for Two Violins.”

About Shell Point Retirement Community

Shell Point Retirement Community, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers, Florida. Shell Point offers independent retirement living, assisted living, and skilled nursing for its 2,400 residents in an active, resort-style environment. Lifestyle amenities include deep-water boating access with free dockage, a championship 18-hole golf course, and other recreational and educational activities. To learn more, visit www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 3, 2020) – The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Committee will host its January networking meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at Zoomers, 17455 Summerlin Road in Fort Myers. This month’s topic will cover personal safety and awareness when in public locations.

Attendees of the January Women in Business program will have the opportunity to learn from Peggy Lince, a crime prevention specialist from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office about what to do in an active shooter situation. After the program, Zoomers invites attendees to experience the fun of its 18-acre destination, offering a game card or go-kart wristband for guests to enjoy.

Each month, Women in Business features a nonprofit spotlight and in January, AMIkids Southwest Florida will be highlighted. AMIkids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth develop into responsible and productive citizens. AMIkids’ mission is to protect public safety and positively impact as many youth as possible through the efforts of a diverse and innovative staff. AMIkids works in partnership with youth agencies, local communities and families.

Admission for the January Women in Business meeting is $10 for Chamber members and $20 for future members, and includes one complimentary drink and light appetizers. To register, call 239-332-3624 or visit www.fortmyers.org.

About the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce:
Serving Lee County and surrounding areas since 1989, the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a business organization of professionals who support and promote a progressive, sustainable community. The Chamber represents nearly 800 businesses, professionals, and individuals throughout Lee County, providing opportunities for members to participate in a variety of meaningful networking, educational and community- and business-focused programs and events. The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is located at 2310 Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers. For additional information regarding membership opportunities or events please call 239-332-2930 or visit www.fortmyers.org. For the latest news and updates, follow the Chamber on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gfmcc or Twitter at @FtMyersChamber.

About Women in Business:

Part of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business committee is dedicated to helping women achieve their fullest professional and personal potential. A variety of networking and educational programs are offered throughout the year, typically the first Wednesday of every month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 3, 2020) – Target Roofing & Sheet Metal has completed a full reroof project for The Regatta at Vanderbilt Beach, a luxury waterside high-rise community in North Naples.

Regatta is a multi-building residential community with a pair of 12-story towers that feature sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico, as well as a trio of six-story mid-rise buildings.

Target Roofing removed the existing roof system on one of the 12-story towers, which spans 15,000 square feet, and replaced it with an engineered modified bitumen designed to offer supreme drainage and insulation for large, flat roofs. Roof layers were tapered to integrate with the existing drainage system.

“This was a challenging project, but our team rose to the occasion to get the job done,” said Casey Crowther, president of Target Roofing. “At any given time, we have multiple crews working on high-rises across Southwest Florida, and I’m happy we could complete the Regatta project with little disruption to residents or the community.”

“From the beginning site survey and project bid to the finished product, the whole team was very impressive,” added Andre Laz, property manager with Sandcastle Community Management. “Everyone was very organized and professional. Workers showed up daily in uniform and were very well mannered on the job.”

About Target Roofing & Sheet Metal

Target Roofing & Sheet Metal is an experienced, locally owned commercial roofing company dedicated to proactive roof maintenance and repair services, as well as exceptional reroofing and new construction roofing services. Target Roofing is skilled at installing shingle, tile, metal and flat roofs on a variety of commercial structures, including high-rises, mid-rises, apartment buildings, condominiums, shopping plazas, churches, schools and government facilities. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a commitment to reliability and responsiveness, Target Roofing serves commercial clients along Florida’s Gulf Coast. For more information, call 239-332-5707 or visit TargetRoofers.com.

Free community health care program to address memory and brain health

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 3, 2020) – Shell Point Retirement Community kicks off its fifth annual 2020 Medical Breakthroughs & Discoveries series on Jan. 14 with a presentation by Dr. Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine.

Free and open to the public, Small’s presentation, entitled “Strategies for Improving Memory and Brain Health,” will discuss the common memory complaints associated with aging and how to differentiate them from more serious conditions. He will also highlight how exercise, diet, stress management and memory methods can compensate for cognitive challenges and even stave off future symptoms of dementia.

The program will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14 in the Village Church Auditorium on The Island at Shell Point, 15100 Shell Point Blvd. in Fort Myers. Registration is requested by calling 239-433-7936.

Small is a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, as well as a Parlow-Solomon professor on aging, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he is also director of the UCLA Longevity Center. He has authored more than 400 scientific publications, as well as the international bestseller, “The Memory Bible.” Small’s research has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, London Times, Washington Post, Time Magazine and Newsweek, in addition to numerous television programs such as NBC’s Today Show, CNN and PBS. He is the recipient of many awards and honors, including the Jack Weinberg Award from the American Psychiatric Association and the Senior Investigator Award from the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. In 2002, Scientific American magazine named Small one of the world’s top 50 innovators in science and technology.

Shell Point’s 2020 Medical Breakthroughs & Discoveries is a community speaker series designed to share updates on the latest advances in medical research and health care practice.

About Shell Point Retirement Community

Shell Point Retirement Community, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers, Florida. Shell Point offers independent retirement living, assisted living, and skilled nursing for its 2,500 residents in an active, resort-style environment. Lifestyle amenities include deep-water boating access with free dockage, a championship 18-hole golf course, and other recreational and educational activities. To learn more, visit www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131.

FORT MYERS, FLA., January 3, 2020– The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra will perform in Fort Myers January 27, as part of the Fort Myers Community Concert Association season.
“The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra is including Fort Myers on its eight-week U.S. tour,” said Fort Myers Community Concert Association President Mary Lee Mann.  “The orchestra has a reputation as one of the best orchestras in Russia.  We are so very happy to have them here to perform for us.”
Direct from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, the Siberian State Symphony will play Weinberg: Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes;  Mussorgsky: Suite Pictures at an Exhibition and
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto with violinist Pavel Milyukov, prize winner of numerous international competitions including the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition.
The orchestra was founded in 1977 and plays with the finest Russian soloists and plays the great Russian classics throughout Russia and the world.  The orchestra has made numerous recordings.
The concert will be conducted by Music Director Vladimir Lande, who also is the music director and conductor of the Washington Soloists Chamber Orchestra and the COSMIC Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets are $55 for orchestra seats, $35 for lower balcony seats and $25 for upper balcony seats. Mezzanine seats are sold out.  The one night only performance starts at 7:30 p.m.  The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers.  For tickets, call the Barbara B. Mann Hall box office at 239-481-4849.
The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra concert is the second of five classical performances to be presented this season by the Fort Myers Community Concert Association.
The three remaining concerts are:

• Teatro Lirico D’Europa performing Verdi’s “La Traviata” – February 3, 2020 
• Russian State Symphony Orchestra – February 10, 2020   .
• Russian National Ballet – March 2, 2020

The Fort Myers Community Concert Association, now in its 71st concert season, is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization founded by the legendary Barbara B. Mann in 1949 to bring world-class entertainment to Southwest Florida at affordable prices.  The association consists of more than 1,700 members, underwriters and sponsors.  Performers brought to Fort Myers in the past by the association include The Israel Ballet, Violinist Itzhak Perlman, The Boston Brass, Minnesota Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir, Pianist Andre Watts, Violinist Joshua Bell with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and many others.  For Community Concert Association membership information, visit www.fortmyerscommunityconcerts.org.

FORT MYERS, FL (December 30, 2019) — Scared Scriptless Comedy Lab returns to The Laboratory Theater of Florida! With the previous five performances completely sold out, Scared Scriptless has added a January 11th performance. Doors open at 7 pm for a night of hilarious antics, musical comedy, and on-the-spot jokes. Every facet of the uproariously improvised show is based on audience suggestions. With years of experience performing Scared Scriptless Comedy Lab delivers a side-splitting, one-of-a-kind show every time.
Formerly Bonita City Improv, this troupe of talented performers offer a unique mixture of both short and long-form improv, creating an entertaining evening of family-friendly laughter that is fast-paced, musical, and completely improvised. While no two shows are the same, they are always packed with hysterically funny songs, sketches, and jokes created instantaneously based on your suggestions. For the more adventurous, there are occasional opportunities to join the cast on stage!
Individual Tickets for the 7 pm performance on Saturday, January 11th are $15 per person and are available at www.LaboratoryTheaterFlorida.com or by calling (239)218-0481. The theater is located in the River District of Fort Myers at 1634 Woodford Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33901.
ABOUT THE LABORATORY THEATER OF FLORIDA
The Laboratory Theater of Florida, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts, through live performance, education, community outreach, experimentation, and the development of ensemble work. The company features ensemble productions, produces classic works, takes artistic risks, which both feature and challenge local performers. For more information visit www.LaboratoryTheaterFlorida.com.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 30, 2019) – For children in Southwest Florida suffering with serious eye conditions, their world is blurred or totally shrouded in darkness, impacting their education, family and social lives. Think of all the childhood experiences they are missing each day due to impaired vision.
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and Lee Physician Group provide ophthalmology services to children throughout Southwest Florida. For the last five years, they have had only one pediatric ophthalmologist operating in a 1,400-square-foot clinic with three examination rooms. This has created an access issue with the wait time for first available appointment exceeding six months. While they have recently added two additional ophthalmologists, there is still a critical need for eye care services in Southwest Florida.
“In response to the community’s dire need, SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. has pledged $3 million to establish the SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Institute at Golisano Children’s Hospital to ensure that Southwest Florida children have access to treatment close to home,” said Sandy Stilwell-Youngquist, SWFL Children’s Charities board chair and co-chair of the event with Brooke Denson. “We have seen what our Southwest Florida Wine Fest community can do to enhance children’s health care when we come together and once again, we anticipate an overwhelming response to a great need for many children and families.”
During the 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, auction-goers can raise their paddles in support of this year’s Fund-A-Cause to support the establishment of the SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Institute.
“Golisano and Lee Physician Group have a strategy to expand ophthalmology services in the area and the funding will enable us to recruit additional pediatric ophthalmologists, an optometrist, expand the clinic space and add new locations to improve access to care,” said Armando Llechu, chief administrative officer at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. “The new SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Institute will help us reach our goal of reducing access wait times by more than 80% and ensure that children and families in our region can remain close to home for the most advanced vision care available.”
For families like the Wardeins of Fort Myers, improving wait times for high-quality vision care brings hope for the future.
“When they told my husband and I that it would be 277 days before our son could see a specialist, I was shocked,” said Stephanie Wardein, mother of six children including 18-month-old Benedict, born with Down syndrome. “It was overwhelming. Children need their eyesight and other senses to reach their developmental milestones. It was important to correct his vision early. Thankfully, when there’s a gap in children’s health care, this community gets creative. We saw that with the building of Golisano, and now we are seeing that again.”
Celebrating its 12^th year, the 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest will take place Feb. 21-22, 2020. The two-day signature event, themed “Painting a Difference: Putting Kids First,” will feature Chef Vintner Dinners on Friday, Feb. 21, creatively hosted in private luxury venues across the region, followed The Grand Tasting and Live Auction on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. Each day, guests will experience artful cuisine created by celebrated chefs and expertly paired with vintners from some of the finest and most exclusive wineries.
To learn more about the 2020 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, please visit www.swflwinefest.org.
About SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc.
SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc.’s annual signature fundraiser, the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, has donated nearly $23 million over the past 11 years in support of children’s health initiatives. The 2020 event will support pediatric health care services at Golisano Children’s Hospital, as well as pediatric health care educational programs at Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida SouthWestern State College. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org.
 
 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 27, 2019) – Child Care of Southwest Florida was on the receiving end of a “pay it forward” donation involving a generous local developer and a government agency.

At this fall’s Law and Order Ball, hosted by the Rotary Club of Fort Myers South, Creighton Construction & Development Founder and CEO Dan Creighton pledged a $125,000 donation to be split equally among five local law enforcement agencies: police departments in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Sanibel, as well as the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County Port Authority. The only caveat was that the donation must be spent on charitable causes within the community.

In prior years, Creighton invited Law and Order Ball honorees and their spouses on an out-of-town trip, but instead sought an opportunity to help local organizations that are making a difference in Lee County.

“When you get great people doing great things, you want to add longevity to it,” Creighton said. “But those great programs need fuel, and money is that fuel to add longevity.”

The Lee County Port Authority has an established relationship with the Joseph H. Messina Children’s Center, one of six high-quality early learning centers operated by Child Care of Southwest Florida.

“This was the first charity that came to mind,” said Port Authority Chief Shawn Chamberlain. “They have a variety of different needs here, so we felt like it was the right place for the donation to have a great impact.”

Child Care of Southwest Florida serves many children from lower-income families in Lee and Hendry counties. Given that the donation came from a law enforcement agency, Child Care of Southwest Florida CEO Chris Hansen said the $25,000 grant will be used to enhance security at the Messina Children’s Center, as well as provide scholarship assistance for hardworking families.

“Dan is a remarkably talented businessman, but he also truly understands the critical needs of our community,” Hansen said. “His donation at the Law and Order Ball was significant in both the dollar amount and its potential impact, and we’re grateful that the Port Authority again has stepped forward to help the Messina Children’s Center.”

In addition to his support for local law enforcement agencies, Creighton has donated funds to the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County, SWFL Children’s Charities and many other charitable organizations.

About Child Care of Southwest Florida

Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc. (CCSWFL) is a nonprofit early childhood education provider with six learning centers in Lee and Hendry counties that serve more than 500 children from 6 weeks to 8 years old. Each center is accredited through the National Accreditation Commission for Early Learning Leaders and is recognized as a Gold Seal Quality Care Program through the Florida Department of Children and Families. All six CCSWFL locations have five-star ratings through the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida. CCSWFL follows the nationally recognized, research-based Creative Curriculum, with a goal of creating safe, nurturing learning environments that develop young minds, support families, strengthen the community and secure the future. Through its participation in the USDA’s Child Food Care Program, each child has access to a healthy, nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks. Sponsor, volunteer and donation opportunities are available. For more information, please visit ccswfl.org.

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FORT MYERS, Fla. (Dec. 27, 2019) – Captains For Clean Water, a grassroots nonprofit organization advocating for Florida’s water quality will host the Jan. 14 session of Leadership NEXT, a monthly program for advancing business professionals.
Captains For Clean Water was founded in 2016 by a group of fishing guides and outdoorsmen from Fort Myers that had enough of Florida’s poor water management practices. Through advancing education, awareness and advocacy, Captains For Clean Water fights to ensure that policymakers implement scientifically supported solutions to restore and protect marine ecosystems and Florida’s way of life for future generations.
Participants at Leadership NEXT will learn about the future of our local waterways from Executive Director Capt. Daniel Andrews and Program Director Capt. Chris Wittman while touring Captains For Clean Water’s new office at Collaboratory. Light appetizers and beverages will be provided by Jordan Webster Catering.
A former full-time fishing guide, Andrews saw his business decline with the rise of water quality issues. Mismanagement and lack of awareness in the outdoor community led him to co-found Captains For Clean Water. As executive director, Andrews keeps a steady pulse on Florida water policy and projects, working with elected officials and government agencies to ensure science-based solutions are implemented to restore water quality.
Wittman is a career outdoorsman with over 20 years as a fishing and hunting guide, nationally renowned tournament angler, on-camera host and TV show producer. As a fourth-generation Florida native and co-founder of Captains For Clean Water, Wittman’s professional experience has positioned Captains For Clean Water to engage leading brands and personalities across the industry, collectively mobilizing the outdoor community to take action against water quality issues like never before. As program director, Wittman identifies needs and opportunities to expand the organization’s reach and impact through initiatives, programs and partnerships.
Leadership NEXT runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at Captains For Clean Water’s office at Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson Street in Fort Myers. The January program is sponsored by Offshore Sailing School, which will also offer a prize drawing to win a $300 sailing lesson gift certificate.
Attendees of Leadership NEXT represent a variety of businesses and industries throughout Southwest Florida. Monthly sessions take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month and offer opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills, establish working relationships with colleagues and engage in valuable programs and discussions to further enhance their careers. Leadership NEXT’s annual sponsor is the Florida Gulf Coast University Alumni Association.
Leadership NEXT is free to attend for members of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and $10 for future members. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at FortMyers.org and follow “Leadership NEXT” on Facebook for more information.
About the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce:
Serving Lee County and surrounding areas since 1989, the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a business organization of professionals who support and promote a progressive, sustainable community. The Chamber represents nearly 800 businesses, professionals and individuals throughout Lee County, providing opportunities for members to participate in a variety of meaningful networking, educational and community- and business-focused programs and events. The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is located at 2310 Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers. For additional information regarding membership opportunities or events please call 239-332-2930 or visit www.fortmyers.org. For the latest news and updates, follow the Chamber on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gfmcc or Twitter at @FtMyersChamber.