Member News

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Sept. 27, 2018) – Two upcoming seminars will show business leaders how to shepherd their companies through difficult times and tough choices. The Above Board Chamber of Florida will address the Southwest Florida water crisis at a luncheon meeting in Fort Myers and demonstrate how to identify the right sales opportunities at another forum in Naples.
 
Chad Gillis, environmental reporter for The News-Press Media Group, will serve as master of ceremonies for the Fort Myers meeting on the impact of the water crisis on business. He’ll lead a panel of the following experts who’ll explore solutions and give support:
 

• John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper.
• Suzanne Specht, assistant director and full-time certified business consultant for the Florida Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University.
• Capt. Chris Whitman, program director of Captains for Clean Water.
• Rae Ann Wessel, limnologist, marine scientist and natural resource policy director for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.

 
In Naples, Creative Business Coaches founder and owner Susan Armstrong Ryan will lead a program designed to help challenge traditional business thinking. The “Never Leave a Sale on the Table — Unless You Really Should!” seminar panel features the following:
 

• Cynthia Davis, CEO of The Imaj Group and founder of Leaders of Distinction.
• Carrie Ann Texter, planned maintenance sales professional at Conditioned Air.
• Gary Harlan, owner and master colorist of ncolor {salon + boutique2}.
• Niccole Neebling, director of sales, catering and marketing at Hilton Naples.

 
Fort Myers meeting registration
 
The Fort Myers meeting will take place on Thursday, Oct. 11 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza at 13501 Bell Tower Drive. Register at AboveBoardChamber.com or call 239-910-7426. The cost on or before Wednesday, Oct. 3 is $28 for members and $32 for non-members. After Oct. 3, it’s $32 for members and $38 for non-members.
 
The meeting is sponsored by Hilton Naples, the Florida Small Business Development Center at Florida Gulf Coast University and Tri-Town Construction.
 
Naples meeting registration
 
The Naples meeting will take place on Monday, Oct. 8 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Hilton Naples at 5111 Tamiami Trail N. Register at AboveBoardChamber.com or call 239-910-7426. The cost on or before Wednesday, Oct. 3 is $28 for members and $32 for non-members. After Oct. 3, it’s $32 for members and $38 for non-members.
 
The meeting is sponsored by Hilton Naples and First Choice Insurance of Naples.
 
Yearly sponsors for the Above Board Chamber of Florida are CONRIC PR & Marketing, Pulse Technology Solutions LLC, Spada Salon & Day Spa, Your Walking Billboard, Charlie McDonald Photography, Lady in Pink Photography and Signarama North Fort Myers.
 
For more information or to register for the meetings, visit AboveBoardChamber.com.
 
The Above Board Chamber of Florida is dedicated to bringing people of all faiths together within the community, in the workplace and amongst one another. Their mission is to supply members with tools that allow them to take every aspect of their lives Above Board. For more information on the event or on how to become a member of the chamber, call CEO Jeanne Sweeney at 239-910-7426 or visit AboveBoardChamber.com.
 
 

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (Oct. 1, 2018) – The team at Cape Coral’s newest premier waterfront dining spot will become morning people again starting Tuesday, Oct. 9. Guests at the restaurant on 5971 Silver King Blvd. can enjoy the most important meal of the day at Gather with a mouthwatering lobster cake benedict, kick it up a notch with a huevos rancheros and more. The breakfast menu will be available between 8-11 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
 
Gather is still staying up late, too, with live entertainment every Saturday from 7-10 p.m. Music by the versatile Strange Acoustics group is on tap on for Oct. 6. Stolen Fruit will have everyone dancing to the beat of their favorite old tunes on Oct. 13. The acoustic sounds of Jeff Lyons will mingle with the evening air on Oct. 20, and singer-songwriter Obe Gonzalez will bring a mix of covers and originals to the stage on Oct. 27.
 
There’s something for everyone at Gather, and that goes double for wine lovers. Wines are 50 percent off every Wednesday, and on Wednesday, Oct. 24, Gather’s monthly wine-tasting will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. Six wines and assorted cheeses will be available for just $30 during the reservation-only event. Guests can RSVP at 673-9939.
 
The fun doesn’t stop there. Every Thursday from 3-10 p.m., tacos are just $3 and margaritas are only $5. Guests who take a picture of their Gather taco, post it to Facebook and tag Gather get one for free. And, the restaurant has an exclusive special just for Cape Coral residents. Anyone with a Cape address can show their driver’s license at the bar and receive one free appetizer with the purchase of one of Gather’s famous craft cocktails.
 
The mixologists will be working on overdrive late in October for a Fernet Branca bartender dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 23 and a Bosscal Mezcal bartender dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Gather will also start its once-a-month ultimate Bloody Mary Bar on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. And the restaurant is scaring up a special Halloween Party on Wednesday, Oct. 31.
 
Gather is getting ready to celebrate its one-year anniversary on Nov. 3, when the restaurant is teaming up with Pinchers, Nice Guys, Rollin’ Raw Bar and Pink Taco for a rooftop party. Visit gathercape.com and facebook.com/gathercape to keep up with all the happenings.
 
About Gather, Fathoms, the French Press and Hoffman Group Holdings
With decades of experience, Hoffman Group Holdings LLC (HGH) is a hospitality company that owns Gather at Tarpon Point Marina and Fathoms Restaurant & Bar and The French Press at Cape Harbour Marina. The mission of HGH is to continue to grow as one of the most competitive and performance driven companies, with respect and support to the Cape Coral and Southwest Florida community. Timothy and Meredith Hoffman, in partnership with Chef Benjamin Voisin and Valeria Zanella Voisin, are the leading minds behind this group of highly acclaimed eating establishments. Timothy and Meredith own also Montpelier Plantation & Beach, a Relais & Chateaux property in Nevis, West Indies.
 
 
 

(Fort Myers, FL – October 1, 2018) – GRAMMY award-winning musicians Hillary Scott & The Scott Family will perform on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at an intimate concert at The Heights Center in Fort Myers.  The concert, underwritten by local philanthropists Dave and Cheryl Copham, sponsored by Stilwell Enterprises, Youngquist Brothers, and FineMark National Bank and Trust will also feature award-winning country musician Billy Dean.  Funds raised will support programs that help at-risk families in Harlem Heights attain self-sufficiency.  Only 112 tickets will be sold at $5,000 per person.
 
The Cophams have celebrated with music at each milestone of Dave’s birthday.  For his 70th birthday, he and Cheryl hosted Martina McBride and Billy Dean at The Heights Center and raised $500,000.  The Cophams are again underwriting the costs of the concert and sponsorships and ticket sales will directly benefit The Center.
 
“We are hosting this concert to pay it forward for all the blessings we have in our lives,” said Dave Copham.  “We are strong advocates of The Heights Foundation and their work to strengthen families and educate children in Harlem Heights. The music of Hillary Scott & The Scott family carries a message of love and hope that resonates with us.  Hillary is one-third of one of the world’s most popular groups, Lady Antebellum, and her album with The Scott Family has earned two GRAMMY awards.  Billy Dean is a friend, a star, a gifted songwriter and performer and probably the nicest person we will ever meet. Together they will provide entertainment unmatched in Ft. Myers.”
 
“The Cophams are long-standing supporters of The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center and leaders in philanthropy in Southwest Florida,” said Kathryn Kelly, founder and CEO of The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center.  “They have come alongside us to support their neighbors and our mission of building strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights community. We are grateful to the Cophams and to Sandy Stilwell Youngquist and Tim Youngquist for their generous sponsorship.”
 
“The Heights Foundation offers resources for families in the neighborhood at all stages of life,” said Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, owner of Stilwell Enterprises.  “They are good stewards of their money and have used innovation and collaboration to make a great impact on the community.   We are proud to support their efforts.”
 
Hillary Scott & The Scott Family includes Scott, her mother Linda Davis, her father Lang Scott and her sister Rylee. The track “Thy Will” from the 2016 two-time GRAMMY award-winning album “Love Remains” hit No. 1 on the National Christian Audience Chart, Billboard’s Christian Digital Songs Chart and Hot Christian Songs Chart. Produced by Ricky Skaggs, the music is rooted in love, carrying a universal message of hope delivered through new songs Scott wrote or found, as well as favorites she grew up singing in church. This follows more than 18 million album sales worldwide for Scott as a founding member of one of the world’s most popular groups, Lady Antebellum. The trio has earned six platinum singles and were awarded Academy of Country Music (ACM) and Country Music Association (CMA) “Vocal Group of the Year” three years in a row. In addition to co-writing six chart-topping Lady A hits including the 6-time platinum “Need You Now,” Scott has also written for artists such as Blake Shelton and Sara Evan’s number one hit, “A Little Bit Stronger.”
 
Billy Dean’s first big break came in 1988 when he won Best Male Vocalist on Star Search, hosted by Ed McMahon. His success on the show led to signing with Columbia Records and the release of his debut album Young Man in 1990. Buoyed by the singles “Only Here for a Little While” and “Somewhere in My Broken Heart,” Young Man became Billy’s first of many Gold records.  Over the course of his 25+ year career, Billy has released 11 albums and has been recognized with awards and nominations from the GRAMMYs, CMA and ACM.  A modern-day American Troubadour, Billy Dean has performed and toured with some of the industry’s biggest country music stars including the Judds, Kenny Rogers, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Wynonna Judd and others.
 
Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community.   Approximately 780 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments. Demographically, the population is approximately 70% Hispanic, 20% African-American, and 8% Caucasian. The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 40% below the county average. Families are not able to easily access family support services located in downtown Fort Myers, and benefit greatly from programs located within the neighborhood.
 
The Heights Center, supported by the Heights Foundation, is a place for education, opportunity, and enrichment. The Heights Foundation works to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood. As a 501(c)3 grassroots organization, the Center’s mission is to promote family and community development, support education, health and wellness, and provide the benefits of enrichment, expressive and cultural arts.  The Heights Center is home to The Harlem Heights Community Charter School.
 
A limited number of tickets are available at $5,000 per person.  Upgrades that include a VIP meet and greet with the musicians are available.   For more information visit www.heightsfoundation.org/copham or call Karen at (239) 482-7706.
 
 
 
Elly Hagen
Elly Hagen Marketing & Public Relations
(239) 994.3927
[email protected]
 

$30,000 Grant Check to be presented to help women with education for a career in healthcare
 FORT MYERS, Fla. (Sept. 28, 2018) – The Women’s Legacy Fund (WLF) of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation will hold its 2018 Fall Breakfast for Contributors and Friends on Thursday, Oct. 18 from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
The event is being hosted by the I Will Mentorship Foundation and will be held at 3903 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Fort Myers. The cost is $20 per person. Prima Donors are complimentary.
In addition to breakfast, the event will include facility tours, a program and interviews with students from I Will Mentorship, a foundation that empowers youth to make positive life choices through Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Math (STEAM) based learning and evidence based mentoring programs focused on increasing academic achievement, strengthening community and providing exposure to opportunities to improve socioeconomic mobility.
The WLF will also present their 2018 grant check to the Career Pipeline for Women in Health Care program, a program focused on enrolling women in underserved and underemployed communities in health science education programs at the two Lee County technical colleges, Fort Myers Technical College and Cape Coral Technical College. The 2018 Contributors to the Women’s Legacy Fund voted in the spring to design a multi-year grant process in which a three-year partnership would form with an organization that would satisfy the chosen cause area: Increase access and attainment to educational opportunities for women and girls. This inaugural year for the Fund’s first three-year grant and partnership is the largest grant to date at $30,000.
The Women’s Legacy Fund is a group of women who combine their contributions in this collective philanthropy initiative to foster the immersion of women in philanthropy and develop the region’s next philanthropic leaders.
Since its inception, the WLF has been able to provide more than $200,000 in grants to benefit people and communities in Southwest Florida including this year’s grant of $30,000. Currently, the Fund has $860,670 in endowment that will continue to help fund local issues now and in the future.
Contributors to the WLF give a minimum of $250 each year ($100 for women younger than 25). The first half of contributions is pooled for the purpose of immediate annual grants, while the second half is pooled into the WLF’s endowment fund which provides additional grants to be made both now and in years to come. Prima Donors are local women who have contributed $10,000 or more to the WLF endowment and are committed to making an impact in their community through charitable giving.
To attend please RSVP by October 10 and purchase tickets, please visit floridacommunity.com and click on the Quick Link on the home page, or contact Sydney Roberts at (239) 274-5900 or [email protected]
 
About the Southwest Florida Community Foundation
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 $6.3 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of more than $126 million, it has provided $79.9 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. The Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s regional headquarters are now located in the historic ACL Train Depot at Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers, with satellite offices located on Sanibel Island, in LaBelle (Hendry County). For more information, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.floridacommunity.com

FORT MYERS, Fla – September 12, 2018 – The Off Broadway Palm Theatre kicks off its season with Don’t Dress For Dinner playing now through November 10, 2018. Marc Camoletti’s wildly funny comedy was nominated for two Tony Awards and was a long running hit in London. Don’t Dress For Dinner is sure to serve up a night full of twists, turns and laughs!
When Bernard’s wife decides to visit her mother for a few days, he makes plans to spend a romantic weekend with his chic, new, Parisian mistress in his charming converted French farmhouse. He invites his friend Robert as an alibi, but when his wife finds out Robert will be in town, she changes her plans for a surprise tryst of her own. Throw in a cook with the same name as a mistress and an evening of sidesplitting confusion ensues as Bernard and Robert improvise at breakneck speed!
Directing Don’t Dress For Dinner is the Off Broadway Palm’s Artistic Director, Paul Bernier. Bernier’s directing credits include the hits Unnecessary Farce, The Savannah Sipping Society, The Dixie Swim Club and The Odd Couple, among many more. The cast includes Off Broadway Palm favorite Kelly Legarreta, most recently seen in The Savannah Sipping Society, along with Rachael Endrizzi, Michael H. Heath, John Keckeisen, Katie Pankow and Ken Quiricone.
Don’t Dress For Dinner is playing at The Off Broadway Palm Theatre now through November 10, 2018. The Off Broadway Palm is an intimate 100-seat theatre, located in the main lobby of Broadway Palm. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees. Ticket prices range from $39 to $59 with group discounts available for parties of 20 or more. Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, visiting BroadwayPalm.com or in person at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.