By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
PHOTO PROVIDED
Fort Myers Beach Observer
Lee County District 3 Commissioner Ray Sandelli (left) has endorsed Fort Myers businessman and fellow Republican David Mulicka (right) to succeed him in the 2024 election for his seat on the Lee County Board of County Commissioners.
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SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. and Lee Health Foundation announced they partnered with the United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades to provide more than $120,000 of hurricane relief to medical staff at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Through this collaboration, the partners will be disbursing more than $120,000 through the SWFL Cares Relief Fund. SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. started the SWFL Cares Relief Fund in October to raise funds to directly support the employees in the medical field in our Southwest Florida community after the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian. More than $71,000 was raised by SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. and Lee Health Foundation provided a match up to $50,000. More than 220 applications came in for the fund and each approved employee of Golisano Children’s Hospital will receive a $550 gift card. United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades is providing the disbursement activities to medical staff. “We are thrilled to partner with like-minded organizations to help provide care to our community’s children,” said Ed Bell, president of SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. “The generosity of our community towards the healthcare heroes who worked throughout the hurricane has been nothing short of amazing,” said Chris Simoneau, chief development, marketing and communications officer for Lee Health. “We are truly grateful for the partnership that we have held for many years with SWFL Children’s Charities, the largest donor to Golisano Children’s Hospital. In partnership with the United Way, it has been great to provide our pediatric healthcare workers some relief in their own recovery journey.”
Lee County District 3 Commissioner Ray Sandelli (R-Bonita Springs), who announced last month that he will not seek re-election in 2024, has endorsed Fort Myers Republican and businessman David Mulicka to succeed him. Mulicka owns Honc Destruction Inc., a demolition and lot-clearing company. He is also married to State Rep. Jenna ParsonsMulicka (R-78). Mulicka is one of two Republicans to have filed to run for Sandelli’s seat. Also filing to run for the District 3 seat is Bonita Springs Republican Brian Farrar. Farrar manages BCF Management Group, a land ownership consulting businesses that has been connected to land development projects in Bonita Springs. Farrar also sits on the board of Bonita Springs Utilities. Mulicka is 55. Farrar is 60. In the endorsement announcement released by the Mulicka campaign, Sandelli said he believes Mulicka “shares a very similar focus of family, conservative values, environmental stewardship, and business acumen.” Sandelli, who is a managing partner with the commercial real estate firm CRE Consultants, was appointed to the District 3 seat by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019 to fulfill the remainder of the term of the late Commissioner Larry Kiker. Sandelli won election in 2020 to a new four-year term on the commission.
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Sandelli supports Mulicka to More than $120k succeed him on commission distributed to medical employees for hurricane relief