Gulfshore Business November 2023

THE STATE OF THE GULF C O N C E R N S FAC I N G S O U T H W E ST F LO R I DA B U S I N E S S OW N E R S

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SHARING THE WEALTH The executives’ role in steering nonprofits toward success

[PLUS] LONG-TERM THINKING Dawn Belamarich takes Collaboratory reins

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CONTENTS / FEATURES

NOVEMBER 2023

28

Pursuing Profits to Sharing the Wealth

How former business moguls make their mark on the community

On the cover

Photo illustration Getty

40

Troubled Waters The Gulf of Mexico is in peril, and Southwest Florida business owners are worried

CONTENTS / FEATURES

NOVEMBER 2023

22 in the 239 12

News Bites

From Southwest Florida

18

18

Makers

Kaitlyn Bennett’s captivating calligraphy

26

22

Entrepreneurship

16

Trendlines

Nurse practitioner Kelly Johnson pivots from human health care to animal wellness

Florida falters at compensating women

26

Economic Commentary The effects of the original GI Bill 6

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

16

NEWS 106

Nonprofit

Dawn Belamarich takes the Collaboratory reins

110

Finance

Considerations for leaving, receiving a major inheritance

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114

Business Spotlight

Dona Jo activewear company marks 10 years by returning to SWFL

118

Commercial Real Estate Top sales in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties

AFTER HOURS

129

124

Horsepower

120

Aston Martin soars with the DB 12 Volante

New & Expanding

Top leases in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties

126

Sports

Naples hosts new tournament for male-female partners

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126

132

Weekend Getaway

The allure of Amelia Island

Backstory

Ted Smallwood’s Chokoloskee legacy

114 NOVEMBER 2023

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Heidi Rambo Centrella Digital Editor Adam Regan Associate Editor Kaitlin Regan Senior Editors Tim Aten, David Dorsey, Nancy Semon Assistant Editors Katiuska Carrillo, Samantha Roesler Copy Editor Steve Gill

CONTRIBUTORS Ar tis Henderson, Beth Luberecki, Melanie Pagan, Justin Paprocki, James Raia, Sheldon Zoldan

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N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 3

FROM THE EDITOR

THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON As we begin this season of giving, with a mindset of generosity toward relatives and loved ones, it’s also a time many individuals, families and businesses make a point of giving back to the community.

While reasons can vary widely, I like to believe that much of the time, it’s done out of sheer kindness and public spirit.

We have seen so much by way of giving in the past year. While Hurricane Ian dealt our region a catastrophic blow in 2022, it seemed to bring out the best in most individuals. People helped each other, and business owners helped people help each other. We speak a lot of resilience here, of rebuilding, of improving and strengthening, but it all really boils down to giving—of time, of labor and organization, of resources.

Through local media outlets, reporters showed countless examples of this.

They combed the neighborhoods and communities showcasing and giving credit to generous locals while giving others who needed assistance a voice they might not otherwise have had.

Some residents were ready to give up, many thought all hope was lost, until help came from those watching. It was an act of giving in and of itself to

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bring the necessary attention to those in need, especially when scammers and wrongdoers were preying on these same unsuspecting victims. And while we’ve seen and continue to see more than our share of scam artists, I’ve been impressed with how much those doing good in the community have outshined those looking to help themselves or do harm.

This isn’t very different from what many nonprofits do year-round. It’s their mission, their primary focus, to develop practical, effective ways to help—gather resources and use them to bring about positive change—within their respective wheelhouses.

This month—in addition to Artis Henderson’s unnerving look at the perils facing the Gulf, and our whole ecosystem, as a result of cataclysmic

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

storms such as Ian (“Troubled Waters,” page 40)—we take a look at local nonprofits and the people who work to support them, rain or shine. What’s particularly interesting to me is comparing what we saw at a basic, boots-onthe-ground level of neighbor helping neighbor to what goes on every day in the nonprofit world.

On page 28, Beth Luberecki examines the phenomenon of corporate-minded executives, many of whom retired to the area, who continue working by sharing their resources—financial and experiential—to the betterment of people every day, by way of an organized nonprofit. It’s not about write-offs and bottom lines for these former moguls’ companies anymore; it’s not about the financial status of their employees or shareholders. These men and women become the nurturing backbone of a local nonprofit. They share the expertise they so painstakingly amassed over their careers, and we all benefit from the results. I don’t think I’m alone in finding that inspiring.

As we all take some time this month to reflect on our blessings and show gratitude for one another, here’s hoping we all find plenty to be inspired by within our growing community.

HEIDI RAMBO CENTRELLA EDITOR IN CHIEF

IN THE 239

NEWS BITES / TRENDLINES / MAKERS

ENTREPRENEURSHIP / ECONOMIC COMMENTARY

MAKERS

Perfect to the Letter

Stella Paschall

Kaitlyn Bennett’s captivating calligraphy p_18

By Justin Paprocki

NewsBites IN THE 239

COLLIER COUNTY / LEE COUNTY / CHARLOTTE COUNTY

COLLIER COUNTY

COWORKING SPACES Naples takes the lead among small U.S. metros for the number and distribution of coworking spaces, with spaces in almost a third of its zip codes, according to a study by CoworkingCafe.

-The Naples metro area registered coworking spaces in 26.9% of its zip codes.

-Seven zip codes in the Naples metro area have at least one coworking space.

-Fort Myers is in 5th place among midsized U.S. metros, with 12.5% of its zip codes having a coworking space.

COMING NEXT MONTH

In last month’s issue of Gulfshore Business, we looked at Southwest Florida’s construction and development landscape. Join us next month as David Dorsey dives as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is offering $1.1 billion in assistance to Lee County, with 70% of the money slated for affordable housing.

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Provided

into what the area will be doing to improve affordable and workforce housing, especially

ENTREPRENEURIAL ADVICE

Craig Hazelett, who runs his family business Driftwood Garden Center, believes passion is important when running a business. He encourages entrepreneurs to follow their passion. Despite the inevitable ups and downs, the rewards will exceed the challenges, he says.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

DELAYED OPENING Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co. pushed back the opening date of its Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor from October to later in the fourth quarter of this year, citing unavoidable delays attributed to the lasting effects of Hurricane Ian. According to the resort’s website, bookings are being accepted for hotel rooms beginning Nov. 20. Because of that delay, the project has encountered seasonal weather issues, as well as ongoing, limited availability of construction personnel, company officials said. The company does not expect the delays to materially affect the construction budget, which currently stands at $695 million.

Originally expected to open in late 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic upended those plans, Sunseeker will have 785 rooms, 20 restaurant and beverage concepts and two pools. The buildings measure a combined 1.4 million square feet, with 60,000 square feet of convention space.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 35.8% of Florida resWHERE ARE idents were actually born in the state. The remaining residents YOU FROM? came from another state (42.2%) or another country (22%) .

NOVEMBER 2023

13

NewsBites IN THE 239

COLLIER COUNTY / LEE COUNTY / CHARLOTTE COUNTY

NONSTOP SERVICE Breeze Airways will have nine new nonstop routes at Southwest Florida International Airport starting this month:

Akron-Canton, Ohio (CAK), three times weekly New Orleans, Louisiana (MSY), twice weekly Norfolk, Virginia (ORF), twice weekly Richmond, Virginia (RIC), twice weekly

BARGAIN EDUCATION As millions of Americans struggle with student debt, Charlotte County Technical College is graduating students who are free of burdening college student loans and go on to earn living wages at their first jobs out of school. Part of the Charlotte County Public Schools system, the technical college works to have its students obtain employment before their 14

graduation. The 23 programs offered have tuition ranges for Florida residents from $648 to $7,461. Many of the technical college’s industry partners, in a multitude of fields, contact the school “looking to hire our graduates,” says Charlotte County Technical College Director Cynthia Gulsby.

Of the programs, those going into the IT support field earn a median annual

salary of $71,350. Other fields earning median annual salaries of more than $50,000 include aviation airframe and powerplant mechanics ($69,470), electricians ($63,310), digital graphic design ($59,970), practical nursing ($59,090), culinary arts and hospitality ($56,920), cyber security ($55,510) and firefighter/ EMT ($55,290).

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Syracuse, New York (SYR), twice weekly Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (PIT), four times weekly Louisville, Kentucky (SDF), twice weekly Columbus, Ohio (CMH), three times weekly Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU), twice weekly Provided

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

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Heidi Rambo Centrella

Samantha Roesler

Trendlines IN THE 239

MIND THE PAY GAP Florida falters at compensating women

Florida is lagging behind the rest of the country when it comes to paying women.

The median wage for women working full time in the Sunshine State is $41,633 annually, far behind the national average of $49,263 and making it the worst-paying state in the country once adjusted for cost of living, according to an analysis by financial consulting firm Smartest Dollar.

The good news: Wages for women working full time has increased across the board in recent years. Adjusted for inflation, wages have increased about 14% since 2012, in part due to a big jump during the pandemic years.

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Getty

By Justin Paprocki

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

AREA

Punta Gorda Cape Coral-Fort Myers Naples-Marco Island Florida

Median annual wage for full-time working women

$42,455 $41,120 $45,941 $41,633

Median annual wage for all full-time workers

$41,787 $45,937 $47,175 $46,880

Percentage of women who work full time

37.40% 44.00% 41.30% 45.80%

Makers IN THE 239

PERFECT TO THE LETTER Kaitlyn Bennett’s captivating calligraphy

In a digital world, Kaitlyn Bennett decided to practice a handcrafted art form: She started The Lettering Bar, specializing in calligraphy and engraving.

Bennett creates everything by hand from her Naples home—wedding invitations, event menus, even custom glassware. “Calligraphy adds a nice personal touch,” she says.

She has long had an artistic side, taking creative classes in high school and college. Like many people, she found that she had time on her hands during the pandemic; she saw some online videos of calligraphy and decided to give it a try.

The trickiest part, according to Bennett, was getting used to the specialized pens and writing instruments. “It’s something anyone can do,” she says.

“It just takes a lot of practice.”

Calligraphers are few and far between in Southwest Florida, 18

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Stella Paschall

By Justin Paprocki

Kaitlyn Bennett started The Lettering Bar, which specializes in calligraphy and engraving from wedding invitations to event menus, even custom glassware. She does it all by hand in her Naples home.

NOVEMBER 2023

19

IN T HE 2 3 9

Kaitlyn Bennett found extra time on her hands during the pandemic and decided to give calligraphy a try. After a lot of practice, she now has business rolling in and hosts calligraphy classes around the state.

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Stella Paschall

Makers

so once she got the word out, business started rolling in. She’s found her work is in demand for weddings and other events where people are looking for something unique, such as mirrored welcome signs or engraved wine glasses. She got the business off the ground primarily by networking with local wedding and event planners, and also has an extensive social media presence that draws in clients. But so far, she’s found even more success from happy clients and planners who pass along her information.

“There’s a great niche for this type of art in this community,” she says.

Bennett is looking to grow The Lettering Bar’s business modestly in the area, and she does travel frequently to host calligraphy classes around the state.

She encourages people to look at calligraphy not so much as a practical tool but as art—something that can be shaped by the practitioner’s own creativity. “I just want to share this art form with as many people as possible,” she says.

NOVEMBER 2023

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Entrepreneurship IN THE 239

Nurse practitioner Kelly Johnson pivots from human health care to animal wellness

By Artis Henderson

Kelly Johnson had a bad feeling about Hurricane Ian. When most people weren’t too worried about the storm, she loaded her camper with her eight dogs—four of her own and four fosters—and headed to high ground in Labelle.

After the storm had passed, she went home to a now-familiar scene: Her house had been flooded with 5 feet of water. The whole place would have to be gutted.

Still, Johnson was thankful; she’d saved her beloved dogs. If she had been assigned to a different shift at her job, she wouldn’t have been allowed to go home to get them. In the wake of the

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storm, she knew she never wanted to be in that position again.

Johnson has been a nurse practitioner in correctional health care for 25 years. She spent 10 years working in state prisons and the last six years working in the county jail, tending everything from gunshot wounds to chronic heart disease. While she was caring for her human charges, she harbored an unspoken passion for animal wellness. After Hurricane Ian struck last September, Johnson made the decision to finally go into the pet business for herself.

She’d discovered a company called Pet Wants that produces small-batch dog and cat food when her own pups were having an aller-

gic reaction to the standard grocery store varieties.

After experiencing great success with the Pet Wants food—“It gave my dogs their life back,” Johnson says— she reached out to the corporate office about launching her own franchise. In May, she had a soft opening, and today she has a thriving night-and-weekend business at famers markets and local events, with plans to open a brick-and-mortar store in the spring.

The leap to entrepreneurship? “It was fairly terrifying,” Johnson says. “I’ve always been an employee.

I’ve always had a regular paycheck coming in.”

And she still does. Johnson decided to stick with her day job for now, and she recommends other entrepreneurs do the same— at least until they can get

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

­

“WHEN YOU GET OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE, THAT’S WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.” – Kelly Johnson

Christina Bankson

‘THIS FEEDS MY SOUL’

Kelly Johnson has been a nurse practitioner in correctional health care for 25 years, but after Hurricane Ian, she settled into entrepreneurship and followed her passion for animal wellness.

NOVEMBER 2023

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IN THE 239

Kelly Johnson discovered Pet Wants Co., a small-batch dog and cat food producer, when her own dogs were having allergic reactions to standard mass-produced pet food. So, she reached out to the corporate office about launching her own franchise.

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Christina Bankson; Pet Wants Co.

Entrepreneurship

their new business up and running. What’s important, she said, isn’t going all-in from the start. It’s taking that first terrifying step.

“All these years working in corrections with people who were down on their luck, I’d tell them, ‘When you get outside your comfort zone, that’s where the magic happens,’” Johnson says. “The night before I decided to start, I realized that if I didn’t take my own advice, I’d be such a hypocrite. If I didn’t take the leap, I’d always wonder. And I’d be resentful of a job that made me leave my animals behind.”

Today, Johnson is grateful that she stepped out of her comfort zone into the world of entrepreneurship, nerve-wracking though it sometimes is.

“This feeds my soul,” she says.

“In health care, there’s always somebody irritated with you— about wait times, about not getting their prescriptions. With my new business, nobody is mad at me. Everybody is excited to be giving something delicious to their pets.”

NOVEMBER 2023

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Economic Commentary IN THE 239

The effects of the original GI Bill

By Victor V. Claar

As World War II was entering its final stages, the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944 made it possible for men and women returning from military service to access a host of benefits, including college tuition and low-interest loans for mortgages and business.

But by far, the most utilized benefit was access to a college education. And it’s the part of the act, also known as the GI Bill of Rights, that has left the greatest economic legacy.

It’s unlikely that Congress understood how many veterans would access the bill’s higher-education benefit. According to many estimates, only about four in 10 Americans had a high school diploma at the time.

Yet the bill provided strong incentives for veterans to

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pursue either college education or vocational training, and our veterans took the nation up on its offer.

According to Suzanne Mettler’s 2005 book, Soldiers to Citizens: The G.I. Bill and the Making of the Greatest Generation, a whopping 51% of veterans claimed the education and training benefits. While an estimated 5.6 million pursued vocational training in fields such as auto repair and construction, 2.2 million others used the benefit to pursue college degrees or attend graduate school.

And the financial support

was impressive: The bill would pay for all tuition at any college or university that accepted a veteran, regardless of the school’s tuition sticker price.

The effects were stunning—especially in higher education.

American Public Media reports that by 1947, half of all college students in the U.S. were veterans. And the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that the number of Americans holding college and university degrees more than doubled from 1940 to 1950. The GI Bill revolutionized higher education, and it revolutionized the economy, too.

Before the GI Bill, college education was largely considered a place for those in society who were already among the cultural elite.

Remember, only about four in 10 Americans possessed a high school diploma then.

For many, work and a pay-

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Florida Gulf Coast University; Getty

FROM ARMED SERVICE TO ADVANCED SCHOLARSHIP

check were more immediate concerns than pursuing a four-year degree.

Despite low expectations of many, the GIs thrived. Even at Harvard, where any GI who could gain admittance could study at the expense of the government, veterans proved as victorious in the classroom as they had in Europe and the Pacific. In a feature article in the June 17, 1946, issue of Life magazine, Harvard’s then-president James B. Conant pronounced the newly enrolled veterans “the most mature and promising students Harvard has ever

had.” Heady praise at an institution with a history even then stretching more than 300 years.

It’s difficult to assess just how great the economic benefit of the GI Bill was overall, but Congress estimates that for every dollar spent, the economy got seven dollars back. That’s some payback compared to other contemporary stimulus programs—regardless of which party makes them happen.

It’s also widely reported that the GI Bill started the careers of 450,000 engineers, 240,000 accountants, 238,000

It is reported that 51% of veterans claimed the GI Bill’s education and training benefits, with 5.6 million pursuing vocational training and 2.2 million others using it to pursue college degrees or graduate school.

teachers, 67,000 doctors and 22,000 dentists, among many others. And the GI Bill gave us 14 Nobel Prize winners, three presidents, three Supreme Court justices, a dozen U.S. senators and two dozen winners of the Pulitzer Prize.

Of course, in the America of the 1940s and 1950s, not every veteran could access and make use of the GI Bill’s benefits as easily as others. In particular, as Ira Katznelson argues in his 2005 book, When Affirmative Action Was White, white veterans gained considerably more help from the bill than African American veterans. Even so, former president Bill Clinton once hailed the GI Bill as “the best deal ever made by Uncle Sam” and has claimed that it “helped to unleash a prosperity never before known.”

He is right: The GI Bill likely let loose unforeseeable prosperity that benefits all of us today. But imagine how much more prosperous we could be if the bill’s benefits had been more accessible to all our veterans.

Victor V. Claar is associate professor of economics in the Florida Gulf Coast University Lutgert College of Business. He is board president of the Freedom & Virtue Institute in Fort Myers and serves as the James Madison Institute’s George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity adjunct director.

NOVEMBER 2023

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P U R S U I N G How former business moguls make their mark

P

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on the community—and how nonprofits

T O

S H A R I N G

T H E

W E A L T H

By Beth Luberecki

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

can tap into this valuable resource

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Walking around the campus of Conservancy of Southwest Florida might feel like being in the midst of a who’s who of American business. Buildings bear the names of an FM radio pioneer and former CEOs and presidents of companies including Life Savers, Chrysler Corporation and AT&T Inc. It’s not surprising in a place such as Naples, long known as a favorite retirement spot for business bigwigs.

These former high-powered corporate execs and business founders may have given up the daily 9-to-5, but they’re often looking for something to do with the wealth and knowledge they’ve accumulated. And because many people come to this area for its beaches, water and other natural assets, supporting a nonprofit along the lines of the Conservancy, which is focused on protecting Southwest Florida’s natural environment and quality of life, makes a lot of sense.

The support provided by former corporate CEOs, presidents and chairs, as well as other ultra-successful businesspeople, often includes large sums of money that have helped fund facilities at the Conservancy, including a wildlife hospital that treats more than 4,000 injured or orphaned animals each year, and a nature center filled with exhibitions to educate visitors about Southwest 30

Florida’s ecosystem. But along with that financial largesse, these kinds of business-fueled philanthropists tend to bring a host of other benefits to the nonprofits they choose to support.

“When you get a donor like that, you’re not just getting a donor,” says Rob Moher, president and CEO of Conservancy of Southwest Florida. “You’re getting someone who wants to do more than just write a check.”

These individuals often want to bring their business expertise and skills to their philanthropic endeavors, so nonprofits that engage with them beyond just the financial contribution can reap the rewards.

“You’ve just got to find the right role for them and nurture that, be a good listener and build that relationship,” says Moher.

“Those that provide wisdom, talent and treasure—that’s like the triple crown of running a nonprofit, getting all three. If you can get all three, they’re going to be generous, be involved, get others involved and give you some real nuggets of wisdom when you’re in a tough spot.”

Erik Kellar; Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

PURSUING PROFITS TO SHARING THE WEALTH

Across the Board

When an accomplished retired attorney approached Kristen Coury about getting involved with Gulfshore Playhouse, the CEO and producing artistic director quick-

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Conservancy of Southwest Florida focuses on the protection of the area’s natural environment and quality of life. Rob Moher, president and CEO of Conservancy, says the support they receive from donors isn’t just financial; it also includes wisdom, talent and treasure.

NOVEMBER 2023

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Kristen Coury, Gulfshore Playhouse CEO and producing artistic director, built a relationship with one of her philanthropists who provided insight on their construction projects. Troy L. Munn, chief development officer for NCH Healthcare System, says the goal is to have more of a partnership than a transaction.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation; Erik Kellar

ly realized the high level of value he could bring to the organization. So, she wanted to get him involved in a meaningful way.

She recalls, “It took me maybe a year before I said to him, ‘Will you be on the capital campaign committee?’ I knew it wasn’t exactly where he belonged, but I didn’t have a better place for him at that moment. But I kept my eyes peeled, and eventually it became super clear.”

As the relationship developed, she saw how he could provide insight and advice about working with the city of Naples during the organization’s process of building a new theater and education center, itself a project made possible by financial support from a former president of Kohl’s, a Tony Award– winning Broadway producer, a former professional opera singer and successful wealth advisers for high-net-worth clients. “He became absolutely invaluable in a way that I think was fantastic and beneficial to us, and in a way that was really meaningful to him,” says Coury. He’s now a member of Gulfshore Playhouse’s board.

Successful businesspeople don’t have to be retired to make an impact. Jon Kukk first got involved with Conservancy of Southwest Florida through the RedSnook Catch and Release Charity Fishing Tournament. He joined the board a few years ago to help further support the organization working to protect all the things he loves about the area.

“One of the reasons I moved here

PURSUING PROFITS TO SHARING THE WEALTH

was the environment—the beach, the sun, the water quality,” says Kukk, president of Kukk Architecture & Design in Naples.

Through his board service, he’s playing a role in preserving all of that. He’s also been able to provide his professional insight and expertise on various construction and renovation projects on the campus.

“I joined the Conservancy for the love of the outdoors and wanting to protect the environment,” says Kukk. “And they’ve used my primary skills as the architect on the board in helping manage construction and new projects and layouts.”

“We are very fortunate to have Jon on the board,” says Moher.

“He’s in the construction-design business; we’re not. … He’s given us his honest, professional opinion that would have cost us so much if we had to pay for it.”

That’s a major benefit highly skilled and successful business-fueled philanthropists can bring to the table at the nonprofits they support. “It’s sometimes overlooked, but some of this talent you can recruit is pretty phenomenal,” says Moher. “They just bring unique sets of wisdom and experience that, even if they can’t all write big checks, what they can give you can be pretty substantial in terms of mission impact. Don’t overlook that.”

“I am astounded by the high degree of acumen and knowhow and the enormously impressive backgrounds that our board members

have,” says Coury. “Our board members are so rich in their knowledge and in their experience and in their backgrounds, and we are absolutely the better for it.”

Moher has been at the Conservancy almost 25 years, starting out on the fundraising side of the equation. Working with successful businesspeople now supporting the Conservancy in a variety of ways has taught him skills that help him do his job more successfully.

“I’ve always said that one of the best parts of my job is getting to meet these people who have done these amazing things in their lives,” says Moher. “The amount I have learned from watching them is immense. I credit whatever leadership skills I have learned along the way from watching these people run board meetings, engage at public events—and how they’ve been able to captivate people, which is what good leaders do.”

A Strategy for Giving

Earlier this year, NCH Healthcare System announced a $20 million gift from the philanthropic foundation started by the founder of Best Buy, in support of a new home for NCH’s cardiovascular, stroke and critical care services. Most of the health care system’s six-, seven- and eight-figure gifts come from similar business leaders who want to give back to their community in a transformational way.

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The Conservancy doesn’t just look for philanthropy in the form of big donations, but it looks to build relationships with highly skilled and successful philanthropists who can help contribute to the organization with experience and expertise.

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Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

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eye-opening and very educational for me, being at the forefront of working with individuals like that, to really see how they’re thinking and what their strategic direction is, other than they just want to give you money.”

Since 2020, Artis—Naples has received five million-dollar matching gifts that illustrate donors’ strategic thinking and desire for community-level impact.

“They’ve done it in ways to inspire others,” says Alice Van Arsdale, vice president of development at Artis—Naples. “[These gifts] are done in the sense of, ‘I want to make this impact, and I also want to encourage and inspire others to do so.’… This is meant to kind of bring the community together and be a rallying cry for others to participate.”

Tapping Into Talent

Nonprofits that build relationships with businesspeop l e - t u r n e d - p h i l a n t h r o p i st s willing to donate time, talent and treasure to the organization clearly benefit in numerous ways.

So, what’s the secret to doing that?

“On the strategic side of things, we make sure that we’re connecting with the people who walk through our doors,” says Van Arsdale. “That can involve really strategic insights into our databases and the people who are purchasing tickets.” Someone who’s been a subscriber for many years but has never made a gift to the arts organization, for

Erik Kellar; Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

word philanthropy, they automatically think of fundraising,” says Troy L. Munn, chief development officer for NCH Healthcare System. “That is a component of philanthropy. But philanthropy truly is an individual or a business using their ability to make a significant gift to leverage some kind of positive change. … These are individuals who are trying to leverage the money that they generously give to bring about some kind of societal good or some kind of enhancement to the community where they live.”

That goal leads to more of a partnership between philanthropist and nonprofit, rather than just a transactional relationship.

“We will engage them if and when there are opportunities to give them a say in how something should be developed,” says Munn.

“We will seek their input, so it does become more of a partnership or philanthropic relationship than ‘they’re just a donor and they gave us money.’”

These kinds of donors tend to bring the same kind of strategic thinking to their philanthropy that they brought to their business endeavors. “They’re coming from businesses that they’ve established and that have been successful for a reason,” says Munn.

“And they’ve implemented that business acumen into giving money and using the giving of the money to leverage a change that they desire to see within our health system. It’s been very

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Alice Van Arsdale, vice president of development at Artis—Naples, says some donations are made to inspire others to do the same and to bring the community together.

example, might receive a phone call or an offer to attend a special behindthe-scenes experience in an effort to deepen that relationship.

“Know who you are dealing with,” says Moher, suggesting that nonprofits find out more about the people who submit volunteer applications or make a modest first-time donation.

He recalls a staffer flagging a volunteer application the Conservancy received about 20 years ago; a closer look revealed that the interested volunteer was Nicholas G. Penniman IV, the retired publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and former senior vice president of newspaper operations for Pulitzer Publishing Company, who had served as chair of nonprofit environmental advocacy organization American Rivers.

“It was brought to my attention when I was development director that maybe this is someone we should talk to,” Moher recalls. “And what a benefit that has been to the Conservancy.”

Penniman, the former chair and a current member of the Conservancy’s board of directors, draws on some lessons learned over his career in the newspaper business in his nonprofit board service. “One is listen,” he says. “The second one is be fair. And the third one is always be available. I think the first two certainly play into any not-for-profit.”

Once a potentially valuable connection has been made, nonprofits need to nurture it. “Do your research and engage and find out where the person’s passions lie,” says Moher.

“Like any relationship, it takes time.”

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Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

Rob Moher, president and CEO of Conservancy, says once a connection is made with a potential volunteer or philanthropist, it is important to nurture that relationship and see where their passion lies.

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can build little by little. A volunteer and one-time financial supporter can become a member of a committee or board. A dedicated board member with an impressive resume and business track record can become a major donor helping to fund big projects and initiatives.

“As we bring people into the family more and more, they just want to give and increase their amounts; that’s been our experience,” says Coury. “They want to because they like us, they love us and they want to see us be successful. All of that goes hand in hand, for sure.”

When dealing with philanthropists who have the potential to make a major impact on the organization, nonprofits need to have goals and plans to match donors’ impressive skills and finances. “If you’re a charitable organization, use your senior leadership and board members to establish a very bold and strategic vision,” says Munn. “Be able to articulate that vision to these kinds of entrepreneurial philanthropists, and either engage them and sell them on your vision or see how your vision meshes with their vision. … It all starts with a very bold vision that you can articulate and be able to engage people with and get them excited about.”

A lot of retired business leaders come to the Naples area on a fullor part-time basis with a history of charitable giving in the commu-

nities in which they’ve lived and worked. There is no shortage of nonprofits in Southwest Florida that would welcome their support and generosity, so it becomes a question of finding the best alignment between philanthropist and organization.

“Find a charity that represents what you love,” says Kukk. “And then try to get involved. You can’t be chairman of the board Day One when you walk up, but you can learn about them and show that you’re a volunteer who’s committed. And trust me, any organization around here worth its salt will quickly realize you’re an asset and get you in the right place.”

“To some extent, you have to take baby steps,” says Penniman.

“I didn’t think, even though I was chairman of American Rivers and a number of organizations, that they were going to adopt me quickly. And, to be blunt about it, the second thing is, frankly, give money. I made a fairly large major gift, and that gets people’s attention if you want to do it right away.”

“Reach in and grab it,” says Coury. “The best people who have come our way have been the people who either we were directly introduced to or the ones who just bit the bullet and came to us and said, ‘I’m interested in getting involved with you and I would like to help you in some way.’ We take it very seriously when someone does that, because that took something.”

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Nick Shirghio

T H E G U L F O F M E X I C O I S I N P E R I L , A N D S O U T H W E S T F LO R I DA

By Artis Henderson

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n a warm and clear Monday morning, I meet with Christina Llamas and Shaun Jacobs at Naples Beach, not far from what remains of the Naples Pier. The husband-and-wife team co-own Surf Naples, which offers a summer camp for kids and private surf and skim lessons for adults and children. The Gulf of Mexico is their home base, the place where they operate their business and spend most of their time.

Today, it’s impossible to tell anything might be wrong with the Gulf. The water is the color of jade and nearly transparent, flat and smooth all the way to the horizon.

In the distance, a dolphin leaps into the air—once, twice. Closer to shore, a trio of women in matching straw hats bob on brightly colored noodles. Children play at the water’s edge.

Despite this idyllic scene, Llamas and Jacobs are worried. They know the Gulf faces a number of threats: debris from Hurricane Ian, nutrient-laden water flushed down the Caloosahatchee, red tide, seaweed, sea level rise. Surf Naples depends on a healthy Gulf, as do many of the businesses in this area, directly or indirectly.

“If our water’s no good, people don’t want to come here,” Jacobs says.

Tourism is big business in Southwest Florida. The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau reports that Lee County receives about 42

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Brian Tietz

Beach Business

Christina Llamas and Shaun Jacobs, the husband-and-wife team who coown Surf Naples, know that the Gulf of Mexico faces a number of threats, including debris from Hurricane Ian, nutrient-laden water flushed down the Caloosahatchee, red tide, seaweed and sea level rise, and express concern about how it could impact their business.

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4.5 million visitors each year. In 2022, those visitors spent $4.1 billion. Tourism employs one out of every five workers in Lee, roughly 73,000 jobs. Similarly, Collier County recorded more than 1.6 million overnight visitors in 2022.

The total economic impact of those visitors was valued at $2.79 billion. And the tourism economy is deeply tied to the Gulf.

“Every single month we conduct research surveys of our visitors, and their No. 1 reason for coming here is the beaches,” says Collier County’s Tourism Director Paul Beirnes. “Think about it— last year, 1.6 million people from around the globe saved up for an entire year just to enjoy these beaches. They spent their money on fishing guides, dolphin tours, sunset cruises. They’re booking hotels. They’re buying groceries at Publix and filling up their tanks at the gas station. The economic engine of this area relies on that money.”

A healthy Gulf of Mexico is inseparable from that engine. “It’s in the fiber of who we are as a coastal community.”

Hurricane Ian left a number of problems for the Gulf in its wake, to put it mildly.

“After the storm, our biggest concern was debris in the water,” Llamas tells me. “But Collier County did a great job of getting rid of it.”

“We were impressed with how quickly they came in and cleaned up the beaches,” Jacobs says.

“Now they’re replacing the sand that we lost.”

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Collier County Tourism Director Paul Beirnes says, based on monthly surveys, the No. 1 reason tourists visit Collier County is for the beaches. In 2022, the county had more than 1.6 million overnight visitors.

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Brian Tietz; Getty

After the Storm

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As we talk, a man in a Beach Patrol uniform stops by and we chat about the debris that came ashore after Ian—a hotel laundry cart, a port-a-potty, old boards. That’s all gone now.

“I was in the water 30 days after the storm,” Jacobs says. “At that point, I didn’t see anything.” He pauses and looks out at the Gulf.

“Not that it lifted the fear for everybody. People are still wary.”

Soon afterward, a young woman walks by carrying a wooden broom handle with a plastic cup taped to one end balanced on her shoulder. She’s with the county, she tells us, and she’s collecting seawater samples for water quality testing. Water quality has weighed heavily on residents’ minds in the last few years, and Hurricane Ian has kicked up new concerns.

For scientists at Florida Gulf Coast University, the biggest threat after the hurricane was less about debris and more about nutrients. Just three weeks after the storm, Adam Catasus—a research scientist at FGCU—led the first in a series of research expeditions into the Gulf of Mexico in order to study the effects of the storm on the marine ecosystem.

He and his team collected water and sediment samples, and the preliminary results have Catasus optimistic for the state of the Gulf. “The pattern that we’re seeing is what we’d expect,” he says.

“We saw this big disturbance right after the hurricane with all the flooding and an influx of nutrients, but then six months later we saw way less nutrients in the water, more like what we’d ex-

pect for this time of year.” That’s good news, he said. “It means the system is cycling the way we would expect. It’s back to business as usual.”

Red Tide Concerns

Michael Parsons, professor of marine science at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School, is similarly optimistic about the outlook for red tide in the near future. “If this is a typical year, we should be out of the woods,” he says.

Red tide—a type of harmful algae that produces toxins that kill sea life and causes respiratory problems in humans—had a brief over-bloom last fall. This was to be expected, Parsons said. “We typically see red tide at the end of September and early October, and it usually extends into late winter and early spring.” Plus, flooding from Hurricane Ian exacerbated the problem by dumping extra nutrients in the Gulf from the Caloosahatchee and Lake Okeechobee.

These extra nutrients contributed to an overgrowth of the algae.

The bloom was heavy in February and into March of this year, which Parsons said was initially concerning, but the numbers have decreased since then. “The latest reports have it pretty quiet again. So far it seems like it’s following a typical year.”

An atypical year might look like the summer and fall of 2018, when levels of red tide in the Gulf exploded, killing 2,000 tons of marine life and choking local beaches with decaying fish. Thankfully, Southwest Florida hasn’t seen anything like it since.

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with a lot of stakeholders,” Parsons says. “But the state’s investing a lot of money in water quality and taking measurements to reduce nutrients.”

Barry Rosen, an expert on cyanobacteria who studies freshwater systems, is more ambivalent about the outlook ahead. He monitors Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee, both of which eventually flow into the Gulf, alert to any potential over-bloom of blue-green algae. “It seems like there’s a bit of a bloom of cyanobacteria in the lake coming down the Caloosahatchee, and organisms on the freshwater side are also blooming and growing,” he says. “The rainy season will flush those out, but it will also flush out nutrients coming off the land.”

Determining the exact right combination of water temperature, turbidity, oxygen levels and nutrients that will lead to an abundance of cyanobacteria “is more complicated than rocket science,” Rosen says. “There’s no easy way of predicting it. It’s not as simple as A plus B equals bloom.”

In March, scientists at the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab warned of a record-setting amount of sargassum seaweed—a free-floating brown macroalgae—in the Atlantic. The bloom developed in the sargassum belt, a stretch of ocean that extends from the west coast of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists estimated that the total weight of the bloom was roughly 13 million tons (though it was made of scattered clumps 46

and mats and not the giant “blob” that early news stories claimed).

June and July mark peak sargassum season, and the 2023 bloom was predicted to be the largest ever recorded.

Florida businesses worried that the clumps of free-floating sargassum would wash ashore, where they would become a major

nuisance. The seaweed can land in huge piles, like massive snow drifts, that emit hydrogen sulfide gas as they decompose. The gas isn’t toxic, but it smells like rotting eggs and can be irritating.

Yet the Atlantic sargassum is not the macroalgae we need to be focused on, said Rick Bartleson, a research scientist at Sanibel-Cap-

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Nick Shirghio

Seaweed Scare

Red tide, a harmful algae that produces toxins that kill sea life and causes respiratory problems in humans, had a brief over-bloom last fall, but Michael Parsons, professor of marine science at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School, is optimistic about it this year.

tiva Conservation Foundation who specializes in macroalgae.

Though the free-floating sargassum in the Atlantic will eventually make its way into the Gulf of Mexico, it’s unlikely that it will pose a real threat to local beaches. “We know from past years that the Atlantic sargassum doesn’t make it to Sanibel,” Bartleson says. “In the Gulf, we don’t have a current that would bring the sargassum close to shore. The Loop Current is way, way out—100 miles or so.

It would be an unusual situation, multiple days of the right winds, to bring the algae here.”

But that doesn’t mean Southwest Florida is in the clear, Bartleson warns. “We have our own algae problems here,” he says, “and it causes the same problems that the Atlantic sargassum is going to cause on the East Coast and in the Gulf Stream.”

He points to the “meadows” of sargassum around Pine Island Sound and in Matlacha Pass, as well as into the mouth of the Caloosahatchee—anywhere there’s hard bottom and a strong current.

The seaweed starts off attached to the ocean floor and then breaks free, where it floats in clumps before landing on local beaches.

And it’s not the only one threatening our waters. “We have multiple species that cause problems,” Bartleson says. He points to a variety with the scientific name Caulerpa, but commonly referred to as killer alga. When killer alga grows unchecked, it wipes out entire ecosystems.

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Rapid Sea Level Rise

In the spring of this year, two alarming studies were published that point to a higher-than-average rise in sea levels along the Gulf Coast. Jianjun Yin, an expert in ocean circulation and sea level change at the University of Arizona, reported a rapid rise in sea levels at several key points along the Gulf of Mexico in the Journal of Climate. According to Yin’s study, the rates of sea level rise were higher at these data collection points than at other coastal places across the United States. And, more alarmingly, the rate of rise has been accelerating since 2010—a timeline that corresponds to the increased ferocity of Atlantic hurricanes with their deadly storm surges and devastating coastal flooding.

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Jianjun Yin, an expert in ocean circulation and sea level change at the University of Arizona, reported a rapid rise in sea levels at several key points along the Gulf, with the rate of rise accelerating since 2010.

A second study, published in Nature by scientists at a trio of universities, showed an above-average sea level rise for parts of the Gulf. Across the globe, sea levels have risen by roughly 1.5 millimeters per year since 1900 and more than 3 millimeters per year in the last 30 years. But in parts of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, that rate has been as high as 10 millimeters per year since 2010. The report calls these levels unprecedented.

Eyes on the Horizon

Despite a variety of ongoing threats, Llamas and Jacobs of

Surf Naples are hopeful about the Gulf’s future.

“The water is amazing,” Llamas says. “It has an incredible ability to heal itself.”

While it’s healing, the pair are doing their part. Each morning, they walk the beach with their surf campers to pick up stray trash and discover what the waves have brought in overnight. The way they see it, they’re preparing these kids to be good stewards of what’s important in Southwest Florida.

“We’re teaching them to take care of the Gulf,” Jacobs says. “It’s our home away from home.”

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University of Arizona; Nick Shirghio

to scientists—the cause behind the overgrowth of local seaweeds is no secret. “All of our algae problems are because of too-high nutrient loading,” Bartleson says. Excess nutrients make their way into the estuary and Gulf, super-charging the naturally growing seaweed.

“You can’t have a huge biomass of algae without having huge amounts of nutrients,” he says.

The source of those nutrients is under debate, though the agriculture and phosphate mining industries both play a role.

Bartleson has studied macroalgae for the last 20 years, and he’s seen more and more algae each year. He worries that the excessive growth of macroalgae will continue. “I don’t see it getting better until we get nutrient loading levels down.”

2023 GIVING GUIDE BUSINESS GIVES BACK

gulfshorebusiness.com

SHOWCASING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S NONPROFITS AND THEIR IMPORTANT MISSIONS.

S P O N S O R E D B Y:

Table of Contents 2 From Our Sponsors 4 American Cancer Society 6 Child’s Path 8 Community Cooperative, Inc. 10 Conservancy of Southwest Florida 12 Fifth Third Bank 14 Golisano Children’s Hospital 16 Grand Piano Series 18 L.E.A.D. – Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence

20 Lee Health 22 St. Matthew’s House 24 Valerie’s House 26 Building Dreams Foundation 27 Champions For Learning 28 Collier Community Foundation 29 First Tee Naples/Collier 30 Florida Gulf Coast University 31 Florida Repertory Theatre

32 Fostering Success 33 Fun Time Early Childhood Academy 34 Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida 35 Guadalupe Center, Inc. 36 Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida 37 Holocaust Museum & Education Center 39 NAMI Collier County 40 Naples Garden Club 41 Naples Pathways Coalition 42 Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens 43 Planned Parenthood of Southwest & Central Florida

44 RCMA 45 The Salvation Army Fort Myers Area Command 46 Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation 47 STARability Foundation 38 The Immokalee Foundation

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“To do more for the world than the world does for you–that is success.”

–Henry Ford

Welcome Welcome to the second annual Gulfshore Business Giving Guide! Businesses in Southwest Florida have a long history of giving back to our community and investing in culture, education, healthcare and social services.

With so many deserving nonprofits, it’s sometimes difficult to discern and prioritize business and corporate giving.

Once again, the Giving Guide provides area nonprofits with the opportunity to spotlight their organizations, define their missions and present their programs so that businesses can better understand how they can contribute.

We hope that our readers will find this to be a useful annual resource to inform and connect them with our participating nonprofits who work so tirelessly year-round to support our region through their caring and commitment.

of directors, as well as giving and volunteer opportunities. This content will also be available digitally year-round at www. gulfshorebusiness.com/ givingguide.

Everyone at Gulfshore Business is proud to be part of such a giving business community and we are especially grateful to our presenting sponsors—Fifth Third Bank, L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Dugs & Violence) and Lee Health—for their support and to all of our nonprofit partners for their participation.

During this time of Thanksgiving and well into the coming New Year, the impact of business and corporate giving will touch countless lives and help enrich our overall community.

The Giving Guide’s profiles feature a variety of area nonprofits and contain information on their various missions, programs and boards CHRISTIAN J. RENSTROM Associate Publisher Gulfshore Business

GIVING GUIDE 2023 COVERS.indd 2

10/19/23 11:53 AM

From Our Sponsors L.E.A.D. Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence

A Word from Your Nonprofit Healthcare Team

Over 40 years ago, I took an oath to protect and serve when I became a police officer in Bergen County, New Jersey.

Whether you have used Lee Health services or not, it’s comforting to know our providers will always be here for you and your loved ones when it’s needed most. Philanthropy makes that possible! In fact, every donation goes toward adding innovations and enhancing accessibility to our stateof-the-art healthcare system for all.

During my time as an officer, I saw the need to educate our youth and keep kids away from drugs. In 2014, L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence) was created to provide the leadership, resources and management to ensure law enforcement agencies have the means to partner with our educators, community leaders, and families. We succeed by providing proven and effective programs to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug related crimes, bullying and violence. We are committed to reinforcing the mutual respect, goodwill and relations between law enforcement and their communities.

After working with law enforcement agencies in Florida for three years, we are proud to expand our vision by opening a new flagship office in Naples. Our new office will serve as the center of our National Philanthropy Division in the heart of Collier County, the home of the largest L.E.A.D. program in the United States. Florida represents the most rapidly expanding L.E.A.D. program in the United States. We need support in Southwest Florida to grow with our increasing demand.

Together, we can create safer, healthier communities free of drugs, bullying, and violence. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse, 1 in 8 teenagers abused an illicit substance last year. Drug use increased an astounding 61% among 8th graders between 2016 and 2020. We need to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy choices and avoid drug use.

We look forward to continuing our mission to provide law enforcement the resources they need to empower our youth throughout the country.

Thank you for joining us in our mission.

Sincerely, Nicholas R. DeMauro Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director

Lee Health will be here for your children, like we have been for so many kids at Golisano Children’s Hospital—regardless of the financial barriers families might face. We are here for you like we have been there for men and women receiving world-class lifesaving treatments at the Lee Health Cancer Institute. We’re always innovating so we don’t miss a beat when someone needs the Lee Health Heart Institute, and there’s more. Our vision is to make healthcare services more accessible throughout our region, adding outpatient clinics that offer the care you and your loved ones need as close to home as possible.

These are just a few examples of the ways Lee Health is caring for the people of Southwest Florida, and we’re always open to hearing from our community about unmet needs and new ideas. Do you have a vision for the future of healthcare in Lee County that you would like to champion? We’re ready and willing to partner with you to make great things happen in Southwest Florida!

Learn more about the success stories and exciting new accomplishments made possible by Lee Health supporters like you at LeeHealthFoundation.org.

While you’re there, make your tax-deductible donation to help ensure everyone in our community receives the gift of health—expanding access to services and optimizing our community’s health and quality of life through innovation, training and environments that exceed expectations!

It’s time to make your annual gift, to your nonprofit healthcare system.

Sincerely, Larry Antonucci, MD President & CEO of Lee Health

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From Our Sponsors Improving the lives of our customers and the prosperity of our communities In 1858, William W. Scarborough and eleven bold entrepreneurs opened The Bank of the Ohio Valley in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their purpose and promise was noble—to help improve the lives of their customers and communities through sound banking principles and superior service. This unwavering vision remains at the heart of everything we do today.

ZACH IS

BACK

The name Fifth Third Bank came about when Third National Bank and Fifth National Bank consolidated to become The Fifth Third Union Trust Company in the 1920s.

Locally, we have been supporting the Naples community since 1991. Our employees have contributed numerous volunteer hours and serve on many local boards throughout the South Florida community.

As the Regional President for South Florida, the Bank is honored to partner and support such an elite group of organizations that share the same mission as the Bank when it comes to our communities.

I’d like to thank our employees and customers, who continue to serve and give back all while striving to improve the livelihood of our communities.

On behalf of myself and our employees, we continue to look forward to deepening our community partnerships and make our communities the best they can be for years to come.

Zach Maloch Meteorologist Sincerely, Stephanie Green Regional President South Florida Fifh Third Bank

MORNINGS

Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All Rights Reserved. Member FDIC.

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Use your drive for good.

Change lives one ride at a time.

What’s often standing between people with cancer and lifesaving treatment is a ride to get there. And we need you now more than ever.

The American Cancer Society provides free rides to treatment for people with cancer. As a trained volunteer driver, you can change someone’s life in as little as one hour a week by ensuring a ride is available, so care isn’t stopped or delayed.

Connect with us at cancer.org/drive to learn more about Road To Recovery volunteer opportunities in your area.

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cancer.org | 1.800.227.2345

The American Cancer Society takes your safety seriously and has implemented new guidelines to minimize COVID-19 risks to patients and volunteer drivers. All volunteer drivers are strongly encouraged to stay up to date with COVID vaccinations. ©2023, American Cancer Society, Inc. No. 0317.89

American Cancer Society PO Box 17127, Tampa, FL 33682 Local: (239) 321-5018 | 24/7/365: 1-800-227-2345 | www.cancer.org he mission of the American Cancer Society is to improve the lives of people with cancer MISSION: Tand their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.

The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. We are improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. Your support provides critical funding for cancer research and patient support programs. Our work has helped lead to a 32% decline in the US cancer death rate from 1991 to 2019, resulting in 3.5 million fewer deaths during that time.

All of us have been touched by cancer in some way and more than 1.9 million cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States this year.

Here in Florida, an estimated 162,400 new cancer cases will be diagnosed and more than 47,000 people are expected to die from the disease. But there is hope— and with your support—we are fighting cancer on all

fronts and saving lives through programs such as:

IN FLORIDA, YOUR DONATONS SUPPORT:

LEE-COLLIER HEALTH EQUITY FUND Social determinants affect access to health care. So much of what the American Cancer Society strives to do is to help reduce the disparities and increase equity in the cancer space across the care continuum.

This fund supports programs that help advance health equity, including transportation and lodging grants, as well as increased screening efforts for underresourced Lee and Collier County residents.

24/7 CANCER SUPPORT Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides support for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.

Research Grants: Over the last 20 years, ACS has funded 49 grants totaling $23 million in Florida. As of 10/6/23, ACS is funding 28 grants totaling $15.8 million in Florida.

TRANSPORTATION In addition to grants, the American Cancer Society Road To Recovery program provides transportation to and from treatment for people with cancer who do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves.

CANCER SURVIVORS NETWORK The Cancer Survivors Network provides a safe online connection where cancer patients and caregivers can find others with similar experiences.

Transportation & Lodging Grants: In 2022, ACS invested $1,060,000 in transportation and lodging grants for Florida health system partners to help patients and caregivers access cancer treatment.

Lodging: The Jacksonville and Tampa Hope Lodges provided 29,162 free nights of lodging for 1,237 guests and their caregivers in 2022.

HOPE LODGE The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge program provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers. More than just a roof over their heads, it’s a nurturing community that helps patients access the care they need.

JOIN US AT AN UPCOMING EVENT! Imagination Ball February 2, 2024 JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort acsimaginationball.com

Bucket List Bash February 24, 2024 The Ritz-Carlton Tiburòn acsbucketlistbash.com

Relay For Life of Greater Lee County

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Southwest Florida

March 23, 2024 NeoGenomics relayforlife.org/greaterleefl

October 2024 makingstrideswalk.org/SWFL

Relay For Life of Greater Collier County

Lee County Cattle Baron’s Ball October 2024 leecattlebarons.com

Spring 2024 relayforlife.org/greatercolliercountyfl

For more information about how to get involved with the American Cancer Society, please contact Nina Gasparrini, Associate Director of Development, at nina.gasparrini@cancer.org NOVEMBER

2023

5

BECOME A CORPORATE PARTNER! As a Southwest Florida employer, you understand the growing impact of safe, affordable, high-quality childcare on members of your workforce (fewer work disruptions and absenteeism) and your ability to attract and retain employees with young children.

Child’s Path wants to be your partner for employee childcare.

To learn more about the benefits listed below and how your organization and your employees will benefit from partnering with Child’s Path, contact Chief Executive Officer Heather Singleton at 239-643-3908 or HeatherS@childspath.org.

CORPO RA T E P ART N E RS H I P

B EN E F ITS Childcare Openings

High-Quality Childcare

Childcare Decisions

Monthly email notification of all childcare openings by age at all Child’s Path centers

On-site presentations of Child’s Path capabilities and approach to high-quality childcare for all interested employees (includes explanation of family tuition, scholarship assistance, etc.)

On-site presentations to your employees on childcare topics (e.g. "How to Choose the Right Childcare for your Child”)

Child's Path Tours

Employer Recruitment & Retention

Employee Volunteerism

Personalized employee and prospective employee tours of Child’s Path centers

Information on Child’s Path and your Partnership Program for distribution to your employees and posting to your company website, as a resource in the hiring and retention of quality employees

Future Planning of Employee Childcare Participation in Child’s Path Corporate Partners Feedback Sessions addressing impactful employee childcare issues and developments, as well as discussions of suggested locations for future Child’s Path centers in Collier County.

Structured Volunteer Opportunities (Classrooms, Grounds) for your employees

Promotion & Visibility in the Community Promotion of your company's involvement in the Corporate Partnership Program on Child's Path's website and social media channels.

Child’s Path 15275 Collier Blvd., #201-359, Naples, FL 34119 (239) 643-3908 | www.childspath.org

MISSION: Child’s Path strenthens and enriches the lives of working families and underserved children in Collier County through high-quality early childhood education.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2008 Annual revenue: $3.4M Total number of employees: 35

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier County

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Naples Children & Education Foundation Florida Blue Richard M. Schulze Family Foundaiton The Sample Foundation

A BRIGHTER FUTURE To assist local employers with employee childcare, Child’s Path introduced its Corporate Partnership Program. It is part of our multi-year On the Path to a Brighter Future initiative to

expand access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education. In addition to attracting, training, and retaining qualified teachers, the initiative funds our Bright Paths scholarships that provide tuition assistance for low-to-moderate-income working families and our programs that help build resilient children. With family-paid tuition covering 70% of Child’s Path’s annual operating budget, the initiative appeals to business, foundation, individual, and community group donors to provide the remaining 30%.

The Brighter Future initiative is being led by Florida Blue, PNC Bank, Moorings Park, Van Otterloo Family Foundation, and many others.

PATH TO EXPANSION With the support of businesses, foundations, individuals and community groups, Child’s Path aims to strategically add new early learning centers in partnership with local churches and employers,

thus increasing low-tomoderate income families’ access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education. Child’s Path recently opened a new early learning center, partnering with East Naples United Methodist Church.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we are currently searching for dedicated individuals who are passionate about early childhood education.

Whether you’re interested in guiding the strategic direction of our organization as a board member or volunteering at our centers, there’s a place for you here.

To learn how you, your business, church, or community group can partner with Child’s Path or to schedule a tour, visit ChildsPath.org or contact contact Heather Singleton, CEO, at Heathers@ childspath.org or 239-6433908.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Heather Singlton CEO

Russell Beckner Chair

Bill Robinson Vice Chair Darlene Torzolini Treasurer Mercy Lagmay Abrams, MD Secretary Ann Horton Alise Bartley, Ph.D. Bill Mahoney

“

With our high-quality childcare, parents can go to work knowing their children are learning and thriving. When businesses support early learning, they are ensuring a productive workforce and supporting our community.—Heather Singleton, Child’s Path CEO

NOVEMBER

2023

“

Child’s Path celebrates 15 years of providing highquality early childhood education to Collier County children, ages six weeks to five. The parents of children attending Child’s Path are employed by more than 180 local companies, including healthcare, senior care, hospitality, and other industries critical to maintaining the resort lifestyle enjoyed by Naples residents.

Unfortunately, many working families face significant childcare issues, which can lead to unexpected disruptions and absenteeism in the workplace. These challenges not only impact the family but also an employer’s ability to attract and retain employees with young children.

7

Feeding People. Nourishing Lives.

“I live on a fixed income and it’s been a tough year. Thank you, Community Cooperative, for being there for me” ~ Veteran Emergency Grocery Recipient

Our Programs

Meals on Wheels Emergency Food Pantry Mobile Food Pantry Program Sam’s Community Cafe & Kitchen Growing Healthy Kids Program Social & Education Resource Center

www.CommunityCooperative.com 3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

P.O. Box 2143, Fort Myers, FL 33902 239.332.SOUP (7687)

HungerHOMELESSNESS FIGHTING TO END

AND

IN OUR COMMUNITY

VOLUNTEER

HOST A FOOD DRIVE

DONATE

Community Cooperative 3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916 (239) 332-7687 | www.CommunityCooperative.com

MISSION: Eliminate hunger and homelessness while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education and social service programs in Southwest Florida.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1984 Annual budget: $5,200,000 Total number of employees: 39 Volunteers: 2,500

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest Florida

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Community Grants Contributions Fundraising events United Way

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Community Cooperative is a grassroots nonprofit that strives to be the leader in alleviating hunger and homelessness in Southwest Florida by addressing key root causes. What began as the Fort Myers Soup Kitchen in 1984, has now evolved into a comprehensive and multi-faceted outreach and solution-driven organization serving the most vulnerable in southwest Florida.

Community Cooperative is the umbrella agency for Meals on Wheels, Community Cafés and Markets, Growing Healthy Kids & Families Program, Mobile Food Pantry Program, and Social and Education Resource Centers with its main campus in Fort Myers. During 2022, Community Cooperative served 83,198 unduplicated people through its programs.

Community Cooperative relies on community support through financial donations, food drives and volunteerism.

During hurricane Ian, the

organization created the Lee County Strong fund, which is an emergency fund created to support relief and recovery to people impacted by the storm. To date, more than 1.2 million dollars has been put back into the community through recovery efforts to help people on the road to recovery.

GOALS End hunger and homelessness in our community by increasing access and awareness of emergency foods, resources, and social and education services while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in the community.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES Fundraising Events/ Opportunities: Attend 21st annual Sam Galloway, Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit on March 7, 2024, at

Sam Galloway Ford in Fort Myers. This annual event is the organization’s largest and most important fundraiser of the year. Guests are treated to a southern-style menu all donated from local restaurants and businesses held inside the unique setting of the services garages at Sam Galloway Ford. Over 750 people attended the event in 2023 raising over $1 million dollars to help the mission to end hunger and homelessness.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Deliver food for Meals on Wheels to homebound elderly throughout southwest Florida, prepare and serve hot meals in Sam’s Community Café and Kitchen, distribute emergency groceries at one of the many Mobile Food Pantries, stock and distribute groceries in our Community Market, help us grow produce in the Able Garden, special events, and so much more!

Charlotte Miller Area Mgr., External Affairs SWFL, FPL, VIce Chairman

Keith Banasiak SVP/Chief Operating Officer, WastePro Board Chairman

Ryan Van Horn President and CEO Custom Packaging & Products, Secretary/Treasurer Noelle Branning Lee County Tax Collector Joe Catti Persident/CEO FineMark National Bank & Trust Ryan Carter Executive VP, Scottlynn Transport Robert Galloway VP & GM, Sam Galloway Ford-Lincoln Julie Klein Owner of CRS Technology Consultants Tracy McMillon Chief, Fort Myers Fire Department Tim Mitchell CEO, Suncoast Beverage Sales & Arkansas Beverate Sales Ty Roland Partner-Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan PLLC

Stefanie Ink Edwards Chief Executive Officer

NOVEMBER

2023

9

10

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Conservancy of Southwest Florida 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 262-0304 | www.conservancy.org

MISSION: The Conservancy is working to protect our water, land, wildlife and future through environmental education, scientific research, advocacy and wildlife rehabilitation.

The Conservancy has a long and distinguished history of advocating for solutions that balance the needs of our growing community and the preservation of our natural resources. It is when the public stands alongside trusted environmental advocates who pursue science-based policy, that together we can shape our future to the benefit of all.

GOALS We believe the more we can connect people with nature, the more willing they are to protect it, so we host events throughout the year. Our free annual Earth Day festival, the biggest

community celebration of the year, includes live animal encounters, Kid Zone activities, electric boat tours, food trucks, nature walks, learning adventures, local exhibitors and more.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES Magic Under the Mangroves is one of the area’s top fundraising events that has raised more than $19 million for our programs in 19 years.

Attendees at the often-soldout event held every year in March enjoy a reception, dinner and live auction held inside a multiple-tented structure at the Nature Center.

The annual RedSnook Catch and Release Charity Fishing Tournament has been held by the Conservancy for 17 years to benefit our commitment to water quality protection, as well as preservation and enhancement of local fisheries.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

ABOUT US:

A variety of fun and meaningful volunteer opportunities are available for those with outstanding people skills and a love for nature. Share your time, talent, and abilities by interacting with diverse people, learning new skills, and enhancing and sharing your knowledge about the environmental issues facing Southwest Florida.

Year established: 1964

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry and Glades counties

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Magic Under the Mangroves annual fundraiser

“

VISIT US Our $5 million expansion and renovation of the Susan and William Dalton Discovery Center is open to the public. The John & Carol Walter Discovery Wing features an Invasive Species Gallery and digital Climate Change Gallery with advanced hands-on exhibits.

An on-campus visit includes an electric boat ride with a naturalist, educational animal encounters, along with various daily talks and lessons.

Help us protect our water, land and wildlife, and in so doing, protect our future and our community.

Together we can help ensure we balance a growing community with the need to protect an environment that sustains our quality of life.

-Rob Moher, president and CEO of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida

“

For 60 years, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has worked to protect our water, land, wildlife, and future. From the freshwater Everglades to the coastal beaches, the herons to our hearts, we are all connected in this magical environment in which we live.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

John R. Walter Board Chair

Charles Mueller Vice Chair

Rob Moher President & CEO

Leslie Frécon Treasurer

Phil Douglas Secretary

NOVEMBER

2023

11

Community is the commitment we make to each other When a community is strong, it's more than a collection of streets and buildings—it's a place that helps its residents thrive.

That's why we're committed to building stronger communities in Southwest Florida.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC. 23-8_CRO_AD 12

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Fifth Third Bank 999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples, FL www.53.com

MISSION Building Stronger Communities Together.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1991 Total number of employees: 550

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): The entire state of Florida

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Stephanie Green Regional President Mayela Rosales

At Fifth Third Bank, we

and serve on many local

interactive financial

Lisa Scott-Founds

pride ourselves on our

boards in the community.

empowerment with the Fifth

Dr. Alfonso Eduardo

Third Young Bankers Club®

Susan T. Danis Christine Stobaugh

community involvement. We have a 165-year history of

Fifth Third also has several

serving 4th – 6th grade,

helping others and being

educational programs we

Empower U® program for

a source of value and

deliver to the community.

adults and our Fifth Third

trust for our customers,

We understand that lives

Financial Empowerment

communities, employees

are improved when people

Mobile® (eBus), which

and shareholders—and we

have the knowledge

takes resources directly

will never stop doing what’s

and tools to make wise

into communities with full

right for those we serve.

financial decisions. Fifth

internet connectivity.

Tony Lee, III Rocky Patel

Third’s L.I.F.E. “Lives Locally, we have been

Improved Through Financial

Thanks to our community

supporting the Naples

Empowerment®” programs

partners, customers, and

community since 1991. Our

deliver financial education

employees for continuing

employees have contributed

to people at all ages and

to improve the communities

numerous volunteer hours

stages of life. We provide

we serve.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

NOVEMBER

2023

13

At Sunshine Ace Hardware, it’s an honor

to host Round Up for Kids each year and shine a bright light on the compassionate organizations who serve our community – like Children’s Miracle Network and Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

When you donate spare change at one of our registers, the proceeds help cover the costs of advanced patient services for local children and families, including innovative educational programs and life-saving equipment.

Since declaring Children’s Miracle Network as its primary charitable partner three years ago, Sunshine Ace Hardware has raised $294,561 through a series of fundraising campaigns and initiatives. That includes $80,139 in 2022, and another $38,283 raised this year!

ROUND UP FOR KIDS

Round up at the register, donate the change and light up their world!

November 1 through December 31, 2023

“Often, customers stumble upon the CMN Miracle Bucket Sale when they enter one of our stores. But this year, so many generous individuals, couples and families specifically came to Sunshine Ace Hardware just to make a donation. They recognize that their donation stays right here in the community to help local children and want to do their part to help out such an important cause.”

–Michael Wynn, President, Sunshine Ace Hardware

Golisano Children’s Hospital,

Part of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals 9981 S HealthPark Dr., Fort Myers, FL 33908 | (239) 343-6950 | www.SunshineAndMiracles.org ur mission is to increase funds and awareness for your local children’s hospital and MISSION: O other Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

ABOUT US: Year established: 2020 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $1,080,300

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Revenue indicated above was raised in 2022 by Children’s Miracle Network Partners & Donors in Southwest Florida.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

This has allowed area businesses including Sunshine Ace Hardware, Costco, Walmart & Sam’s Club, Publix, Ace Hardware, Marriott International, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, CocaCola, Dairy Queen, IHOP, Love’s Travel Stops, Panda Express, Phi Mu Fraternity, Publix, RE/MAX, and WaWa and their customers to raise money to support the area’s only children’s hospital.

Businesses added to that list in 2022 include JOANNE, Tijuana Flats TEX-Mex, Speedway and 7-Eleven.

For example, since CMN became Sunshine Ace’s primary charity partner three years ago, the 10 locations in Collier, Lee, Charlotte and Pinellas County have raised

more than $294,000 for CMN through a series of fundraising campaigns and initiatives.

“We are grateful to have such generous partners and a community that goes above and beyond to support Golisano Children’s Hospital,” said Toni Primeaux, program director for Children’s Miracle Network at Golisano Children’s Hospital. “This has been an extremely challenging time and to see how everyone in our region has stepped up to support our patients and families has been really humbling. Every dollar donated makes a difference.”

Since 1983, CMN has raised more than $8.5 billion for 170 member hospitals, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon.

While local businesses have been raising money for CMN for years, the partnership with Golisano Children’s Hospital

allows dollars raised in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties to stay local and help Southwest Florida’s children.

Dr. Emad Salman

Southwest Florida’s unprecedented growth has highlighted the need for expanded and new children’s health care programs.

Community support continues to be vital to Golisano Children’s Hospital’s lifesaving mission to treat every child, regardless of their family’s ability to pay, and to expand services to keep care close to home for the children of Southwest Florida.

Each donation is a key part of providing state-of-theart care for children and families in Southwest Florida.

Community support, like that from CMN business partners and their customers, plays a key role in funding necessary resources and advancing many of the programs.

Regional Medical Director Lee Health

Alyssa Bostwick Vice President of Operations and Chief Nurse Executive for Golisano Children’s Services

Toni Primeaux

“

Program Director, Children’s Miracle Network, Lee Health Foundation

CMN supports children like CMN Champion and Southwest Florida resident Jaxson, who was diagnosed with cancer at age nine following a rare side effect of the lifesaving kidney treatment he received as an infant. The same Golisano Children’s Hospital doctors who treated him as an infant helped him during his six-month battle with cancer. Jaxson has been cancer free for two years and now raises money to help other kids needing lifesaving care close to home.

“

Since 2020, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida has been a Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals Partner.

NOVEMBER

2023

15

An Exciting 2023-2024 Season Of Piano & Chamber Music Wed

NOV 15

Thu

“...astonishing pianist...”

New York Classical Review

DEC 14

“...His playing is in a rare class...”

BBC Music magazine

Remarkable Artists Thu

3:00 PM

JAN 18

FEB 8

Thu

“...lush intensity and bravado...”

Third Coast Review

“...he is not just a remarkable virtuoso, Gramophone but a poet...”

7:30 PM

7:30 PM

7:30 PM MARTÍN GARCÍA GARCÍA piano

ERIC LU piano

Memorable Concerts Thu

FEB 29

“...vigor..refinement..and drama...”

The New York Times

Wed

CALLISTO MILANA STREZEVA string quartet piano

MAR 20

Wed

CLAYTON STEPHENSON piano

APR 24

“...sensual interpretation...”

Crescendo Magazine

"impeccable intonation” Gramophone “graceful, lyrical” Cleveland Classical

3:00 PM

3:00 PM

The

PHANTOM of the Opera

7:30 PM KONSTANTIN SHOUKOVETSKI piano

FLORIAN NOACK piano

SHANNON LEE YING LI violin piano

GRANDPIANOSERIES.ORG 16

Wed @ 3:00 | Thu @ 7:30

$45 - $50

All concerts @ St. Leo Auditorium 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs, FL

469-333-3231

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Grand Piano Series 3330 Crossings Ct 301, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (469) 333-3231 | www.grandpianoseries.org

Grand Piano Series is a non-profit concert and education organization committed to presenting and preserving extraordi-

MISSION: nary music repertoire. Through memorable concerts with world-class International artists, dynamic educational initiatives for all ages, engaging online programs, and meaningful community outreach, we make great music accessible to all.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2016 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $430,000 Total number of employees: 2

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S):

GOALS Our goal is to connect our community to the richness and beauty of classical music. To help preserve our musical heritage, we believe it is necessary to foster music appreciation in the next generation, and to help

“

prepare young artists for successful performing careers.

Beyond our exceptional public concerts, our community program includes monthly concerts at local schools, masterclasses for advanced students, and concert / lectures at senior centers.

We also assist young artists with career guidance and are working on an Artistin-Residence program and cooperative arrangements with other classical music programs throughout the USA.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES Our fundraising is based on genuine personal relationships with our donors. We encourage social interaction between our major donors and corporate

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteers are an integral part of our team. They help with patron assistance at events, assist our Board with special expertise, and even host traveling artists. We can always use help, and no experience is needed!

POST PANDEMIC Like everyone, our program suffered a setback in 2020, and we worked tirelessly to reestablish safe operations while dealing with pandemic challenges. Though we will never forget the loss of treasured members of our audience, our business operations have fully recovered.

“

Artistic excellence is our passion, and business acumen makes it possible. Founded by a dynamic Juilliardtrained concert pianist and a professional booking agent/ artist manager, and guided by a volunteer Board with extensive business experience, Grand Piano Series efficiently covers all the bases. Over 85% of every dollar collected directly supports missionrelated program activities.

sponsors through exclusive access to intimate private concert receptions each season. Corporate donors are also recognized by ads in our concert brochures.

Collier & Lee Counties

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Concert Ticket Sales Florida Dept. of State, Division of Arts & Culture National Endowment for the Arts Local Businesses & Community Organizations Generous Private Individuals

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Milana Strezeva President & Artistic Director

Dean Hargis Chairman & Treasurer

Frederick Funston Secretary Raniero Tazzi Co-Founder & Director Therese Bentley Director David Davidson Director Alex Hoffmann Director Kay Slocum Director

Classical music and other fine arts serve as a historical testament to the evolution of Western culture. We seek to deepen audience insight and foster genuine appreciation through memorable performances and engaging presentations. We warmly welcome all music enthusiasts to join our vibrant community!

—Milana Strezeva, President & Artistic Director

NOVEMBER

2023

17

18

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

L.E.A.D.

(Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence) 1100 5th Ave South, Suite 208, Naples FL 34102 (L.E.A.D. Florida Headquarters) (609) 259-2500 | www.leadrugs.org e provide the leadership, resources and management to ensure law enforcement agencies have the means to partner MISSION: W with our educators, community leaders, and families. We succeed by providing proven and effective programs to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug related crimes, bullying and violence. We are committed to reinforcing the mutual respect, goodwill and relations between law enforcement and their communities.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2014 Total number of employees: 25

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): United States

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Private Donations Government Grants Clothing Recycling Program L.E.A.D. is strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and communities nationwide. With the program’s “In the Classroom” services, L.E.A.D. instructors teach school children the dangers of drugs and violence and help them solidify their goalsetting, decision-making and communication skills.

L.E.A.D.’s “In the Classroom” program has trained over 4300 instructors in 44 states with its proven and effective anti-drug and anti-violence curricula.

The 10-week course educates students K-12 about how to make smart decisions without the involvement of Alcohol, Drugs, and Violence.

The L.E.A.D. “Too Good for Drugs” and “Too Good for Violence” curricula, provided in partnership with the Mendez Foundation, utilizes age appropriate social and emotional learning to work through fun and interactive lessons, building the selfconfidence young people need to make healthy choices and achieve success.

Too Good for Drugs and Too Good for Violence promote positive, pro-social attitudes and behaviors, while fostering

healthy relationships, resistance to substance abuse and conflict, and resistance to negative peer pressure and influence.

The L.E.A.D. program uses evaluation studies conducted by third-party researchers using randomized treatmentcontrol group designs (pre-test/ post-test, 20-week post-test, or one-year follow-up). The researchers examined pretest equivalence between treatment and control groups, potential bias of loss of student data over time, quality of program implementation, and estimates of reliability and validity of assessment tools. By conducting this research, L.E.A.D. ensures that instructors have the most tested, proven and effective, anti-drug and anti-violence curricula available.

Finally, L.E.A.D.’s “On the Street” program provides Digital Threat Assessment® training through its partnership with Safer Schools Together.

The training helps schools put measures in place to look for harmful signs on popular social media platforms that could help prevent violent events from

occurring. The assessment, which is being adopted by schools nationwide, teaches participants practical, ready-to-use skills to identify and respond to concerning behavior on social media.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

GOALS In support of our mission and vision, L.E.A.D. is committed to growing our evidence-based model to every state in the union, educate 1.5 million students as to the dangers of drugs, related crimes and bullying, develop and initiate a community awareness programs that bring together law enforcement with the local citizens and engage in 501(c)(3) fundraising in order to provide the necessary resources to execute our mission.

Kevin Haney Board Chairman

Nicholas R. DeMauro Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director

William Schievella Vice Chair Sheriff Kevin Rambosk Second Vice Chair Colette Balaam Third Vice Chair Mayor Timothy McDonough Secretary Craig Dugan Treasurer Joseph J. Grano, Jr. Non-Executive President Jay Bloom

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Jim Robertson

L.E.A.D. offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities including a National Drug and Violence Conference, and Leadership & Community Solutions Summit, L.E.A.D. FEST Carnivals and “Battling Drugs and Violence”, a radio show on AM 970 The Answer in New York City.

Dr. Richard Bozza

Gary Sabbitino Chief Steve Casstevens Chief Paul Cell Lloyd Levenson, ESQ. Dottie Herman

NOVEMBER

2023

19

Lee Health Foundation YOUR GIFT

Your Health Think of your gift to Lee Health as an investment in the health of our entire community – including yours. As a non-profit healthcare system, we rely on generous donors like you to meet the growing need for healthcare services as our population expands, and to ensure Southwest Florida residents receive the most innovative care available anywhere. Why give? So we can be there for you and your loved ones when it’s needed most.

We thank you for all you do.

Make your tax-deductible donation to Lee Health today.

LeeHealthFoundation.org 239-214-0639 LEE HEALTH FOUNDATION’S STATE REGISTRATION NUMBER IS CH14406. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR AT HYPERLINK "http://WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM"WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. 1900.71 • 10-23

Lee Health Foundation 9800 South HealthPark Drive, Suite 405, Fort Myers, FL 33908 (239) 214-0639 | www.LeeHealthFoundation.org ee Health Foundation serves as the philanthropic fundraising vehicle of Lee Health, a MISSION: Lcomprehensive healthcare system serving the ever-growing needs of Southwest Florida.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1996 (Lee Health founded in 1916) Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $21.5 Million Total number of employees: 26

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S):

Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry ad Glades Counties

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

In 2023, Lee Health continued to provide the absolute best care possible, expanding locations and services to meet the community’s needs—thanks in large part to generous gifts from donors like you!

Here are some ways we’ve put your gifts to work in the past 12 months: • Hiring 5,500 new employees—People are the heart and soul of healthcare, and we’re attracting topnotch candidates to add to our exceptional team.

• Opening the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Cancer Clinic at the Bonita Health Center, a new 18,000-square-foot clinic offering oncology services closer to home for southern Lee County and Collier County residents.

• Our mission inspires Lee Health employees to provide quality care and invest in our community’s health by donating $225,000+ through the Team Member

Giving campaign. This program supports healthcare advancement in our area by funding continuing education and enhanced skills training for team members, obtaining supplemental equipment, and providing better care for all our patients.

• The Barbara’s Friends Scholarships help childhood cancer survivors and children battling cancer and other blood disorders pursue their academic dreams without the financial burden. Funded by philanthropy, we awarded scholarships to three local high school students this year—all childhood cancer survivors.

• Since Hurricane Ian, with the generous support from our community and partners, we have been able to give our healthcare heroes critical resources and supplies and continue to invest in the recovery efforts of our team. From helping employees whose vehicles were damaged in the storm to offering team members financial assistance, housing,

food, counseling, and more, we are proud to support our healthcare heroes who make SWFL stronger.

• Kids’ Minds Matter continues to grow and raise awareness for children’s mental and behavioral healthcare. This year, we have expanded our mental health programs and services, which is critical in the aftermath of the pandemic and Hurricane Ian. Together, we are realizing the full potential of our nonprofit healthcare system, meeting the needs of Southwest Florida’s rapidly growing population, and leveraging lifesaving technology and innovative programs. Your philanthropic efforts truly make all the difference.

To learn how you can make an investment in the health and well-being of our community, view upcoming events for a good cause or to schedule a tour of our programs, visit LeeHealthFoundation.org.

Joseph R. Catti Chairperson

Chris Simoneau Chief Development, Marketing & Communications Officer

James W. Orr, Jr., MD Gary Price Vice-Chairperson John R. Quinn Dominic Cameratta Garrett S. Richter Treasurer Brian Rist Jenny Gezella Ian Schmoyer Secretary F. Brett Shannon, DO TRUSTEES Sandy Stilwell David Call Younquist Ryan D. Carter Debbie Toler Bill Cronin Richard D. Forman EMERITI William (Bill) Gruver COMMITTEE Amanda B. Cross Chetan Gulati Dorothy Fitzgerald Kristin Haag Joe Gammons James Laurito Elaine Hawkins Jennifer McCurry Garrett”Buzz” John Orr Reasoner Fred Pezeshkan

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A full list can be viewed on the website

Your gift to Lee Health today can change a life tomorrow, ensuring everyone in our community can receive state-of-the-art, compassionate healthcare when they need it most, closer to home.” –Larry Antonucci, MD, President & CEO of Lee Health

NOVEMBER

2023

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YOUR GIFTS AT WORK

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St. Matthew’s House

2601 Airport Road, Naples, FL 34112 | (239) 774-0500 | www.stmatthewshouse.org s an expression of God’s love, in Southwest Florida, we are growing to ensure that no one experiencing hunger, CORE PURPOSE: Ahomelessness or addiction is alone or without a pathway for their journey from crisis to contributor. Together, with our partners and participants, we cultivate communities where people are progressively seen, accepted, challenged, and supported.

Justin’s Place® Recovery Program is our 12-month residential program, with locations in Naples, Labelle, and Alva, which provides lifechanging recovery for those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. To date, over 800 men and women have gained freedom from their addictions.

St. Matthew’s House® operates the only two emergency homeless shelters in Collier County—The Campbell Lodge in Naples and the Immokalee Friendship House in Immokalee. Each year, over 1,000 individuals and families receive housing, food, and counseling through this program, with the goal to

move each resident to stable, permanent housing.

ABOUT US:

Our food assistance program distributes over 13,000 bags of groceries at over 15 food distributions each month across Collier, Lee, and Hendry counties. Additionally, our First Choice Pantry, located in Naples, provides a shopping experience for those unable to attend one of our food distributions.

Annual revenue: $35,442,941.

What sets St. Matthew’s House® apart is our unique business model, built off of our social enterprises. These businesses, which include 8 thrift stores, LuLu’s Kitchen, Delicious by Design catering, and Port Labelle Inn and Conference Center, allow almost all of the funds donated to go directly to our programs.

GOALS Our goal is move people from their own personal crisis to valued and engaged contributors in their communities. We believe that everyone has the ability to

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Steve Brooder CEO

Matt Seluk Director of Major Gifts

Bill Curry Vice President of Development

Hillary Lemaster Director of Institutional Giving

Year established: 1988 Total number of employees: 325

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier, Lee and

Hendry Counties change themselves, and by doing so better their families and neighborhoods.

Individuals and Family Foundations

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES Journeys - Annual Gala, December 2, 2023.

Naples Automotive Experience February 1-4, 2024.

Dean Lind Memorial Golf Tournament - April 15, 2024

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES St. Matthew’s House offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, including partici– pating at our numerous food distribution events, or individual and group opportunities in our thrift and food warehouses, to assisting those taking classes at the brand-new McCartan Empowerment Hub.

BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rick Fumo Chairman

Mimi Scofield Secretary

Mike Duke Vice Chairman

Dennis Flint Development Committee Chair

Richard Grows Treasurer

We invite you to find out more about St. Matthew’s House® through a guided tour of one of our programs. We have four tour options to choose from—you can find out more by visiting stmatthewshouse.org/tours

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St. Matthew’s House saved my life. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the staff and programs. To go from deep in my own addiction to being a staff member and helping people that are

BOARD MEMBERS Brad Ament Kirt Anderson Michelle Edwards Arnold Ronald Gustason Robert Howell Doug Londal

TOP FUNDING SOURCES:

Neale Montgomery Sam McCullough John Svirsky William Wright Cindy Yoder-Brown Board Member Emeritus: Don Campbell

working their own recovery journey is a blessing I can’t

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St. Matthew’s House® was founded to come alongside people in crisis, as directed

by Matthew 25:40. Through our four core programs, we have helped thousands of individuals and families across the tri-county region regain their independence and gain skills to provide for themselves and those around them.

fully explain. –Kendrick

Highsmith, Justin’s Place®

graduate and St. Matthew’s House® case manager.

NOVEMBER

2023

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Valerie’s House 1762 Fowler St, Fort Myers, FL 33901 | 819 Myrtle Terrace, Naples, FL 34103 (239) 204-5804 | www.ValeriesHouse.org

The mission of Valerie’s House is to help children and families work through the

MISSION: loss of a loved one together and go on to live fulfilling lives. Our vision is that No Child Will Grieve Alone.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2016 Annual revenue: $4 million Total number of employees: 36

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S):

Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Naples Children’s Education Fund Lee County Partnering for Results

With locations in Fort Myers, Naples, Charlotte County, and Pensacola, Valerie’s House is a special place where children connect with one another and learn the tools to heal after they have experienced the death of someone they love.

At Valerie’s House, children know others their age, and they learn that loss doesn’t have to limit their dreams. In addition to our dedicated staff, many of our volunteers have experienced this journey and are here to help children and their families find hope.

All Valerie’s House resources go directly to providing children and their families a safe place to share, grieve, and grow, and there is never a cost for any of our services.

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Research shows that supporting children who have experienced trauma, like losing a loved one, can greatly reduce the risk of depression, suicide, substance abuse, violent crime involvement, and youth delinquency. Giving children, teens, and their families a safe place to process their emotions, showing them, they are supported and not alone, and giving them essential coping skills empowers them to live fulfilling lives.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES • Capital Campaign supporting the building of our “Forever Home” in Ft. Myers.

• Immersive Private Dinner Experiences with local top chefs at our Naples location.

• Friends of Valerie Monthly Donors

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Individual Donations and Corporate Grants

We rely heavily on our amazing volunteers to help facilitate support groups, provide dinner for group nights, mentor children, lead workshops, help with special events, and more!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

POST PANDEMIC & HURRICANE IAN We are still seeing firsthand the impact of the loss from Covid-19 on many of our families. These are especially complex due to not being able to see or say goodbye to their loved ones, delayed services, and the various social issues surrounding the pandemic.

In addition, we have many families who lost everything in Hurricane Ian, including their loved ones’ belongings and what little sense of normalcy they had attempted to rebuild prior to the storm. We are here for them as long as they need support.

Valerie’s House has truly been a blessing for me. I felt like no one my age could ever understand me or my pain. I lost a huge piece of myself that I can never get back, and though the pain will never go away, Valerie’s House has been a major help in making it soften and helped me connect with friends who are going through the same. I love the people who run it, who have become like family.

– Maddy, age 12

Angela Melvin President

Mike McMurray Chair

Lana Hollier Vice Chair Victoria Rodriguez Treasurer Jaime Suanez Secretary Steve Belcher Elisa Bowersox David Fry Todd Helt Lana Hollier Jaime L. Layne Kristalyn Loson Jeff Miloff Lisa O’Neil Scott Shotwell

NOVEMBER

2023

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“

The Building Dreams Foundation: A Legacy of Giving Back 9130 Galleria Court, Suite 204, Naples, FL (239) 325-4600 | www.buildingdreamsfoundation.org

MISSION: Supporting educational opportunities and safe, affordable housing in our local communities.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2020 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $150,000 Total number of employees: 0

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier and

Lee Counties

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Annual Golf Scramble Event Subcontractor Donation Campaign Open House Charitable Events

The foundation is more than just a philanthropic endeavor; it is a symbol of hope, a beacon of generosity and a commitment to making positive impacts.

As a separate nonprofit entity, its primary mission is to champion the cause of safe, affordable housing in Collier and Lee counties, a cornerstone of well-being and security for countless families.

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Diamond Custom Homes President Michael Diamond, whose father was president of Lee County’s Habitat for Humanity chapter when the organization built its 100th home, beautifully encapsulates the essence of this noble initiative: “The ‘Building Dreams’ phraseology refers to our ability to ‘build dreams’ by helping those in need.”

After launching the Building Dreams Foundation, Diamond and his team of supporters and wellwishers immediately went to work, planning annual events, forging collaborative partnerships with various local organizations such as Habitat for Humanity of Collier County and The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, and creating additional opportunities for others to get involved in the foundation’s cause.

The foundation has already made a difference in the lives

of many. Through its annual golf scramble, open house events and other efforts, the foundation has raised approximately $150,000 in three short years.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Michael Diamond

With a history spanning over 25 years in Southwest Florida, Diamond Custom Homes has been an integral part of communities from Marco Island to Sarasota. Beyond luxury home building, its service divisions encompass luxury home renovations, custom cabinetry and estate management.

As Diamond Custom Homes forges ahead on this remarkable journey, it invites you to join in making a difference. Together, it will continue to build dreams, and also building a legacy of giving back that will endure for generations to come.

GOALS By 2025 to increase annual donation to $500,000.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Jeff Benham

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The Building Dreams Foundation is a natural extension of our dedication to community well-being,” said Michael Diamond.

“It’s about building not just homes, but hope and security.

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In March 2020, Diamond Custom Homes embarked on a remarkable journey, one that transcends the realms of luxury home building to embrace the noblest of causes. The company, renowned for quality craftsmanship and sophisticated custom estates, established the Building Dreams Foundation, a testament to its enduring commitment to build stronger communities throughout Southwest Florida.

The Education Foundation of Collier County Champions For Learning 3606 Enterprise Ave, Suite 150 Naples, Florida 34104 (239) 643-4755 | www.championsforlearning.org

MISSION: S erve as a catalyst for educational success by investing in Collier’s students and educators.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1990 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $4,759,183 Total number of employees: 24

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA: All of Collier County TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Individuals Family Foundations Private Foundations Businesses

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: GOALS Our work is designed to achieve several goals.

Students are educated and empowered to choose and navigate their own path to success. Educators have support and resources to experience professional success. Champions facilitates constructive conversations and partnerships to foster school success. These goals shape our mission to serve as a catalyst for educational success by investing in Collier’s students and educators.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS Night for Champions is the signature fundraising event benefiting the programs and services provided by Champions For Learning.

On March 2, 2024, this reimagined event will be held at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples.

The Golden Apple Celebration showcases our Collier County educators’ best practices that excite students about

learning and increase student achievement. The Golden Apple Celebration will be held at Artis-Naples on April 7, 2024.

For information on sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets for these events, contact Wyatt Blatt at wblatt@ championsforlearning.org.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Champions For Learning is a volunteer driven organization.

Of the nearly 500 people who volunteer with us each year, more than 240 dedicate two to four hours of their time to our organization every week.

With dedicated volunteers and a committed administrative team, Champions For Learning embodies the belief that education is everything!

Champions For Learning offers numerous volunteer roles to complement your interests and schedule. Visit championsforlearning.org/ volunteer to learn more.

William Lutz Board Chair

Barbara Evans President and CEO

Dr. Bruce Mousa Dr. Della Burt-Bradley Immediate Past Chair Chuck Carlsen Martha Rozman Serge Ecityan Chair Elect Yolanda Flores Denise MurphyJanet Perna Blanco Secretary Gary Personette Roger Lipitz Treasurer

Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli

Stephanie Lucarelli Vice Chair Dr. Jesse Roberts Vice Chair

Jacqueline Rodriguez George Sherwin Kenneth Thomas Yadira Vintimilla

Carol Windfeldt Vice Chair

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Champions puts 100% of their efforts into student scholarships, mentoring, teacher and school recognition, and classroom grants. Champions provides invaluable resources to students and educators.

–Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli, CCPS Superintendent

NOVEMBER

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The Education Foundation of Collier County—Champions For Learning’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for educational success by investing in Collier’s students and educators. Our Student Programs are designed to equip and prepare students for their future learning and career goals. Our Educator Programs are designed to value, empower, and support educators to experience professional success. We are the lead organization facilitating Future Ready Collier, a collective impact initiative designed to build an educational pipeline for college, career, and life readiness. Recognized as the education foundation serving Collier County by the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Champions For Learning serves a unique role as a conduit for students, educators, principals, schools, and the community to ensure student and educator success.

2023

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Collier Community Foundation 1110 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 200, Naples FL 34108 (239) 649-5000 | www.colliercf.org orking with donors, we inspire ideas, ignite action, and mobilize resources to address MISSION: W community needs in Collier County. Informed giving. Powerful results ®

ABOUT US: Year established: 1985 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $39.7 million Total number of employees: 16

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier County, FL TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Contributions from private donors—99%

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

for community programs and scholarships for secondary education and specialized training in Collier County and beyond.

• Funding innovative programs and organizations that improve the quality of life in Collier County and beyond

GOALS

• Connecting people who care to community needs • Growing charitable legacies for individuals, families, and businesses We align the right players to make the biggest impact.

From funding Future Ready Collier to responding in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian to developing the first housing impact fund in Collier County - we play a unique, essential role that leads to real action.

We manage over 850 funds, work with hundreds of nonprofits, hold $256 million in assets, and have granted over $328 million in our history to nonprofit agencies

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We have launched the Collier Housing Impact Investment Fund with an investment of $500,000 from our unrestricted assets.

Through impact investing, this innovative model provides short-term, low-interest loan capital to both nonprofit and for-profit developers. When the loans are repaid, the monies are reinvested to fund new initiatives, thus creating sustainability. Learn more at colliercf.org.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES An estimated $34.8 billion of Collier County wealth will change hands from local baby boomers to their children, grandchildren, and loved ones by 2032. If 3 percent of that transferred to the Collier Community Foundation, it could result in a $1 billion

endowment that could generate over $50 million in grantmaking each year, supporting the programs that benefit our community needs forever! We know you are invested in our community. Is it time to think about giving here? We can help you support the community you love.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES CCF receives thousands of applications from Collier County students for scholarships based on merit, community service, and financial need. Volunteers evaluate applications online at their own pace. Contact Laura Bidireanu at LBidireanu@ colliercf.org to learn more.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE We formed a COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) that will coordinate volunteers with the needs of local nonprofits in the event of another hurricane or disaster.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Rob Funderburg Chair

Eileen Connolly-Keesler President and CEO 2023-2024 BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Brad Galbraith Chair-Elect Allyson Richards, Secretary Jeff Diermeier Treasurer Jim Morey Immediate Past Chair Bill Barker Marcie Charles John Costigan Betty Frank Judy Jorgensen Kathy Ludwig Vladimir Mathieu Tom McCann Thomas Oliveri Giselle Wagner Jack Whitaker

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Incorporating the Collier Community Foundation into your will continues your legacy in our community and inspires others to do the same. Through their guidance, you can benefit local needs in perpetuity.

–Alison K. Douglas, Principal, Cummings & Lockwood Private Clients Group.

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The Collier Community Foundation has been a catalyst for collaboration for 38 years. We address community needs by:

First Tee - Naples/Collier 1370 Creekside Blvd., Naples, FL 34108 (239) 825-4851 | www.firstteenaplescollier.org

MISSION: To positively impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2007 Non-Profit 501(C)3 Total number of employees: 4 Volunteers: 96

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Naples/Collier County

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Private Donors Corporate Donors Ambassador Club Grants

Since 2007 First Tee has reached more than 16,500 young people in Collier County. The First Tee believes all young people should have access to safe places and caring adults who help them grow socially, emotionally and academically. While teaching the fundamentals of golf, our character education programs provide a fun, active environment for young people in schools, at youth centers and on the course. Through the Life Skills experience we help every child become better equipped to make good choices on and off the golf course. The First Tee is focused on growth and inclusivity ensuring all kids in our community have an opportunity to participate in our year-round programming.

Ranked #1 in program participation throughout the First Tee Network.

Once again Ranked #1 in the First Tee Network Peer Group.

Annually reaching over 1,000 youth in Collier County ages 7—18 years old. $560,000 in College Scholarships have been awarded to our graduating seniors since 2018.

GOALS To have each young person leave our program with the self-management, goalsetting and conflict resolution skills necessary to compete and contribute in their respective communities.

FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES Be a part of our vision and help us “Build Game Changers” by supporting our fundraising events.

Events like these help First Tee create unique educational opportunities so we can continue to expand our programming into underserved communities.

Your support, whether through sponsorships, naming opportunities or general donations, supports our mission and helps make First Tee available to all kids in Collier County.

First Tee Ambassador Invitational at Calusa Pines December 4, 2023

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Cindy Darland Executive Director

Michael Benson Board Chairman

Paul Greenberg Vice President Dennis Nally Treasurer Dave Spartin Secretary Ann Bain Sudhir Bajaj Ann H. Benjamin Morty Cohn

Member Fore A Day Online Auction December 3—10, 2023

Nathan Gingrich David Legus Bob Minyard Danny Schmieding John Tobe

“Swing Fore the Future” $10 Million Capital Campaign January 2023—December 2024

NOVEMBER

2023

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FGCU Foundation

10501 FGCU Blvd S., Fort Myers, FL 33965 (239) 590-1067 | www.fgcu.edu/foundation enerating the resoures to ensure student success and to grow Florida MISSION: G Gulf Coast University into a nationally prominent unversity.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1993 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $25,622,414 Total number of employees: 20

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA: Southwest Florida TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Shady Rest Foundation Elaine Marieb Charitable Foundation Naples Children & Education Foundation Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation

The FGCU Foundation is the channel for sustaining the university’s continuing growth and success. The foundation advances FGCU and its students by promoting the institution, securing philanthropy to support its needs, managing assets and providing resources for the university’s teaching, scholarship and public service mission.

An investment in FGCU is an investment in our students and the future of Southwest Florida’s healthcare, businesses, residents, economy and environment.

Nearly half our alumni stay in

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the area and contribute their time, knowledge and talents to helping the community thrive.

Many graduates would not have achieved their dreams of a university degree without scholarships.

Scholarships, paid internships and research stipends funded by donors allow students to focus on academics and enjoy the full college experience. The foundation awarded a record $6.2 million in scholarships in 2022-23 to help make that happen.

GOALS In addition to scholarships, the FGCU Foundation cultivates philanthropy to drive faculty development, research in critical areas and new programs and facilities.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES The FGCU Foundation is completing a $100 million fundraising campaign, launched in 2022 as the university celebrated its 25th anniversary and envisioned

its future. The “Turning Ideas into Impact” campaign helps FGCU enhance academic excellence by creating endowed faculty positions, funding research opportunities, and transforming the campus library into an innovative learning space, among other goals. Annual fundraising events, including the Founders Cup golf tournament, also contribute to the foundation’s ability to support new initiatives.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES There are many ways to volunteer and engage with FGCU students. To learn more, connect with the Office of University Relations at engage@fgcu.edu.

LEADERSHIP & VISION FGCU’s fifth president, Aysegul Timur, Ph.D., took office in July 2023 and will be celebrated with a public inauguration Jan. 12, 2024.

One of her priorities is developing the university’s next five-year strategic plan.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

David H. Lucas

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Kitty Green Executive Director Samantha Scott Chair Mike Hartley Vice Chair Doug VanOort Treasurer Harry Casimir Secretary

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As an entrepreneur and

philanthropist, I have been impressed with FGCU’s innovative approach and very satisfied with the foundation’s ability to steward my in-

“

Since 1997, Florida Gulf Coast University has been turning ideas into impact for the benefit of the community that built the university.

We created a pipeline of teachers and nurses, social workers and scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.

Our students serve the community and become engaged citizens. They intern at local businesses and start their own.

vestments in a productive and impactful manner.

–Brian Rist, Rist Family Foundation

Florida Repertory Theatre 2267 First Street, Suite 7, Fort Myers, FL 33901 (239) 332-4488 | www.FloridaRep.org Florida Repertory Theatre is committed to providing a first-class regional theatre for Southwest Florida; to creating, nurturing, and developing a diverse ensemble of theatre professionals who will develop long-term relationships working on MISSION: a wide variety of plays; to helping improve the quality of life in our community through all the arts; and to making the arts, especially theatre, accessible to every segment of the community.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1998 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $4,982,700 Total number of employees: 55 Number of volunteers: 200+ Michael Turner & Robert Zukerman in “Freud’s Last Session” (2022)

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest Florida

(5-county area)

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: City of Fort Myers Florida Division of Arts & Culture Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency 2023 Summer Camp: “Once On This Island, Jr”

The organization has a robust education department impacting more than 30,000 children annually through theatre classes, musical intensive camps, conservatory, and junior theatre tech programs for youth held on our campus. Florida Rep’s Theatre for Young Audiences touring program brings professional theatre to schools throughout SWFL.

The organization makes a national impact on the arts by hosting and providing on-the-job training for theatre acting and production interns.

Florida Rep is also instrumental in nurturing the development of new plays and playwrights through its annual PlayLab Festival for New Works.

GOALS As a non-profit organization dedicated to making professional theatre arts accessible and affordable in SWFL, ticket revenue and notoriety alone cannot sustain the cost of producing professional theatre. Therefore, the company relies on contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, and granting sources to sustain its mission.

SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES Florida Rep’s 2024 annual fundraising event will be announced soon. Another way to support the company is through sponsorships of main stage productions, youth

education programs and scholarships, Theatre for Young Audience programs, theatre internships, performance accessibility for the visually and hearing impaired, active military and veteran discount programs, and opening night receptions.

Trade sponsorships, service partnerships, and gratis or discounted goods are also welcomed. In return for support, Florida Rep sponsors gain access to a variety of benefits.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNTIES One of Florida Rep’s greatest assets is its volunteers. Each season, Florida Rep produces nine main stage productions, plus youth education shows, and its PlayLab festival resulting in 2-3 shows per day, 6 days per week throughout the season. Volunteers assist Front of House staff by serving as ushers, with will-call ticket distribution, and concessions.

Volunteers also help with office tasks, community outreach, special events, and beyond.

Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau/Tourist Development Council The Shubert Foundation, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Janice Danzig Chair

Naomi Bloom Vice Chair

Fay C. Gronski Secretary Arthur M. Zupko Treasurer Dinah Bloomhall Alexandra Bremner Shavon Chester Doris Colgate David M. Fritz

R. Marc Laviolette Greg Longenhagen Sunny Lubner John Martin Martin McLaughlin Jeanette Meade Fred Weinman

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An easy way to offer support is to buy tickets or become a season subscriber. You’ll be entertained while helping ensure professional theatre continues to be accessible in Southwest Florida!

NOVEMBER

2023

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Florida Repertory Theatre is a self-producing, fully professional regional theatre company located in the heart of the Fort Myers River District. Performing in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre, Florida Rep brings over 87,000 visitors to Southwest Florida each year to see nationally recognized musicals, comedies, dramas, and new works. The Wall Street Journal has called Florida Rep “One of America’s Top Repertory Companies” and “As Good as Broadway!”

Lee Anne Tauck/L.A.T. Foundation

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Fostering Success 3050 Horseshoe Drive N, Suite 260, Naples, FL 34104 (239) 262-1808 | www.fosteringsuccess.net o provide strategic education and enrichment opportunities that enable each MISSION: Tfoster to reach their full potential

ABOUT US: Year established: 1999 Total number of employees: 7

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest Florida

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Elaine Rubin Moorin Chair Dr. Rebecca Lambert Past Chair Janet Gable Vice Chair

Fostering Success strives to fulfill the needs of children who are in the foster care system in our area. They are a privately funded nonprofit, independent of both the welfare and judicial systems.

Foster children are removed from their homes because of their parents’ abuse, neglect or addiction.

Fostering Success helps foster kids in a multitude of ways. They provide Basic Needs such as cribs, car seats, beds, clothing, school supplies. We work to ensure the youngest children are in a quality early learning center through their Ready for Kindergarten program. As they grow, Fostering Success provides free tutoring through Academic Mentoring and then College Scholarships.

For young adults aging out of the system, they have a

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Thriving After Care program to give them the necessary tools to be happy and successful in life.

volunteers. Today, they have 7 full-time employees, over 48 academic mentors, and over 125 volunteers.

To give foster children back some of the childhood they may have lost they provide Enrichment Programs such as music and art lessons, sports team registration and equipment, and summer camp enrollment so that they do not miss out on the activities other kids enjoy.

Since 1999, Fostering Success has grown into the leading force in providing services for foster children with open dependency cases in Collier, Hendry and Glades Counties. Annually they fulfill over 2,300 requests for children (an average of 3 different programs per child). .

THEIR HISTORY Fostering Success (previously Friends of Foster Children Forever) was launched in 1999 by Cathy and Stan Appelbaum and Lynn and Les Schultzel. The first year the organization provided for a handful of children, now they annually serve over 750.

In 2000, Fostering Success was staffed by one parttime director and a handful of talented and dedicated

EVENTS Back to School Drive Thru Labor Day 5k Gift of Giving Holiday Drive Thru Annual Gala

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES For volunteer opportunities please contact gabrielle@ fosteringsuccess.net or call the office at 239.262.1808.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Brian Sawyer Secretary Kathy VanOort Treasurer Doug Campbell Jim Derham Craig Harrington Joseph Jaffe Nancy Maddox Denise Murphy Mary Pisarczyk Carol Volpe

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By addressing unique needs and empowering children with education, foster children have the chance to overcome their challenges and reach their full potential. Ongoing investment and support are crucial for programs dedicated to foster children to create a brighter future for them.

–Ann Hughes, CEO

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WHAT THEY DO

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy Main Campus: 102 12th St. North, Naples, FL 34102 | (239) 261-8284 Golden Gate: 2925 Titan Way, Naples, FL 34116 | (239) 377-1750 Poinciana Elementary School: 2825 Airport-Pulling Rd., Naples, FL 34105 | (239) 377-0832

o provide safe, quality, affordable education and care for children and parents from low-income MISSION: Tworking families and to prepare the children for kindergarten, ready to read and ready to learn!

ABOUT US: Year established: 1961 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $2.7 million Total number of employees: 51

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier County

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: NCEF United Way Early Learning Coalition Individual Donors

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: affordable childcare, allowing them to work or continue their education.

Our mission is to provide affordable and quality childcare for low-income, working families in order to prepare their children for kindergarten. We can serve up to 248 children ages birth to 5 from diverse backgrounds. We are one of a very small number of centers with a 5-star rating through the Early Learning Coalition and are accredited through the National Accreditation Association.

FUNDRAISING

Our efforts in providing a quality, affordable education benefit the entire family.

The child will benefit from a head start with access to a quality education. We assess and monitor all students in academic, social-emotional, and physical development and screen for vision, hearing, dental, developmental, and behavioral concerns.

The family benefits from

Your donation empowers us to provide quality education and care to young learners.

Together, we can make a lasting impact on their lives. Our annual event sponsorships are available for “Calling All Superheroes” at Grey Oaks Country Club on February 22, 2024.

Donate online at www.

Funtimeacademy.org.

VOLUNTEER Reading to children contributes to the growth of verbal skills while allowing them to bond with a caring adult. Our children love interacting with volunteers to read stories, complete academic activities, and even head outside to our garden.

Please consider getting involved so we can continue to positively impact families in our community.

We all know that early education is vital in preparing children for kindergarten.

We need volunteers to read books with preschoolaged children once a week to further their learning experiences. Everything is ready and provided for you (bag with a book, props, lesson plan, and other materials).

Kris Pfaehler Chairman

GET INVOLVED

Linda Carter

Please consider getting involved. Contact us to schedule a tour or visit our website to learn more.

Jessica Campbell Executive Director Karen Hopper Secretary Karen Lutz Treasurer Darrel Balmer Co-Treasurer Ann Olson Immediate Past President BOARD MEMBERS Alexis Barkis Pam Heffernan Don Lawson Fran O’Sullivan Bob Polizzotto Lisa Sanchez Kelly Saylor

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Roger Schorr

Collier County has approximately 17,000 children under five, with fewer than 1,000 accessing preschool programs. From birth to five years old, the brain rapidly develops during these early years. Experiences during this time can profoundly impact brain development and future learning. Early learning helps children develop critical social and emotional skills, which will help them to be prepared to navigate the challenges of school and life.

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Preparing children for kindergarten, ready to read and ready to learn!

NOVEMBER

2023

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Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. 5100 Tice Street, Fort Myers, FL 33905 (239) 995-2106 | www.goodwillswfl.org

ommitted to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing MISSION: Copportunities to achieve independence.

®

ABOUT US: Year established: 1966 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $51,500,728 Total number of employees: 1025

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S):

Lee, Collier, Hendry, Glades & most of Charlotte

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Goodwill Retail Stores Lee County Economic Office United Way of Lee, Henry, Glades Richard M. Schulze Foundation Golisano Foundation

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we are resilient and, most importantly, we learned we can be resilient for our community.

For 57 years, Goodwill SWFL has been providing services that include four main focus areas: Disability Services, Employment Services, Small Business Development, and Accessible Housing.

As guests tour our main headquarters, the Opportunity Center, we always hear, “I had no idea that Goodwill did that.”

Find out more, take a tour yourself. We offer group and private tours as requested.

GOALS To help people prepare for long-term success through workforce development and digital skills training; employment services and placement; disability advocacy and navigation; and we hope to continue to be a recognized resource in times of crisis.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES Event sponsorship, Community Resource Center naming rights, Pathways to Opportunity and MicroEnterprise scholarships.

Cape Coral CDBG City of Fort Myers (CDBG)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

John Nadeau President, CEO Goodwill SWFL

Holiday gifts for our seniors, event help for our Life Skills Development Program, Golf Tournament and Festival of Trees. Organize a donation drive, help with mock interviews and resume review, or volunteer to teach a computer class.

Michael Sullivan Chairman Catherine Speer Vice Chair

ADVOCACY Goodwill is a nonpartisan nonprofit. We advocate for public policies that provide for job training, employment placement services, and other community-based programs that focus on upskilling individuals for today’s workforce. Advocate.

Goodwill.org/action.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

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Robert Arnall Treasurer & Secretary

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In 2022, we served more than 33,000 individuals.

After Hurricane Ian we were on the frontlines of recovery efforts providing nearly $500,000 in vouchers so people could shop for what they needed in our stores.

In addition, we provided application support for FEMA, D-SNAP, and other resources in our Community Resource Centers and Mobile Unit. We also provided vouchers to all our 1,100 employees and made their safety a priority.

We worked closely with the Disaster Recovery Centers, Emergency Operations Centers, and other organizations to provide tarps, water, food, ice and other necessities. We continue to work every day with our community partners to help those still in need one year after the storm providing case management assistance. We hope to never relive the experiences of Ian, but if dark days head our way again, we learned as an organization that

It is often in the darkest skies that we see the brightest stars.

–Richard Evans

Guadalupe Center 509 Hope Circle, Immokalee, FL 34142 (239) 657-7711 | www.GuadalupeCenter.org

MISSION: Breaking the cycle of poverty through education for the children of Immokalee ABOUT US: Year established: 1984 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $13.4 million Total number of employees: 334

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Immokalee

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Naples Children & Education Foundation Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Collier Community Foundation

This impact is The Guadalupe Effect, and Guadalupe Center sees it in action every day.

It is families having access to affordable, high-quality early learning programs. It is children entering elementary school with the preparation needed to succeed from day one. It is students overcoming the odds and pursuing their dreams. It is Guadalupe Center helping children realize their potential.

Today, the nonprofit serves more than 1,900 students annually through three educational programs: • Early Childhood Education: Nationally accredited early learning program in which 98% of students meet or exceed kindergarten readiness standards.

• After-school Tutoring & Summer Enrichment: Out-ofschool-time programs in which 100% of students demonstrate significant learning gains in reading and math.

• Tutor Corps: Collegepreparatory program in which 100% of graduates are accepted into post-secondary institutions and universities, and 93% ultimately earn a degree.

GOALS Guadalupe Center strives to foster personal and academic success, which leads to economic independence. Highquality educational programs empower independent thinkers and lifelong learners who positively influence their diverse communities, ultimately becoming the leaders of tomorrow.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES Guadalupe Center’s signature fundraising gala, Elevate, is among Southwest Florida’s top annual charitable events.

Patrons join sponsors, businesses and philanthropic organizations in a celebration of academic achievement and

a belief that education can make anything possible. The 2024 gala will be held Jan. 12 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples.

Additional fundraising opportunities include Seeing the Bigger Picture, Holiday Gift Shop, Back-to-School Supplies Drive, GEMS, Golden Circle Giving Society and other campaigns. Monetary donations provide tuition assistance, instructional materials, professional development and more.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Passionate individuals support Guadalupe Center by serving as mentors to high school students, academic tutors, classroom assistants, career day presenters, committee members and more.

Additionally, volunteer opportunities at Guadalupe Resale Shop include associates who can price items, create displays, assist customers, ring up purchases and process donations on the receiving dock.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Dawn Montecalvo President & CEO Rich Monaghan Board Chair Joseph Baughman Immediate Past Chair William Dempsey Vice Chair Gloria Bessinger Treasurer Tom White Secretary

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We are making a REAL impact with the powerful combination of resiliency, empowerment, achievement and leadership.

Together with our donors, volunteers, and students, we are transforming dreams into reality.

-Dawn Montecalvo, President & CEO

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Education is bringing profound and positive change to the people of Immokalee. For the past four decades, Guadalupe Center has made a remarkable impact on the lives of students and families, creating ripples that expand throughout the community for generations.

NOVEMBER

2023

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Healthcare Network 1454 Madison Avenue West, Immokalee, FL 34142 (239) 658-3000 | www.healthcareswfl.org

MISSION: To provide quality healthcare accessible to everyone in our community.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1977 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $62,000,000.

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier County

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Grants and Philanthropic Support

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Founded in Immokalee in 1977, Healthcare Network began caring for migrant farmworkers and the underserved who had difficulties accessing primary healthcare. As our community has grown, so has the need for integrated medical care.

Because of community generosity, today we care for over 50,000 patients including half the children in Collier County at our Immokalee, Naples and Golden Gate practices.

MOVING FORWARD In 2024, we expect our growth to flourish with renovations to Marion E. Fether, our first comprehensive medical

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center in Immokalee.

Untouched since its grand opening in 1993, these renovations will better serve our community by reimagining the space for more patient rooms, upgrading technology to increase staff productivity, and enhancing the patient experience with a fresh look. Beyond the visual changes, these renovations reflect our commitment to the vital, quality healthcare our patients and community deserve.

FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES It comes as no surprise that our community is rapidly growing. And with this growth comes the need for more affordable and inclusive healthcare options.

In response, we are building a new health center in the Orangetree area of Golden Gate Estates.

This $15 million health center is set to begin construction in 2024. The new comprehensive center will offer pediatrics, adult and senior care, obstetrics and gynecology, dental care and behavioral health counseling, as well as a pharmacy to residents living in this medically underserved area.

As with all our practices, the health center in Orangetree will provide our community with accessible, affordable, quality care where no one will be turned away due to inability to pay.

A gift to Healthcare Network in support of this exciting new health center will help us provide an abundance of essential health services in Orangetree, cultivating a healthy and thriving community from the ground up.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Haris M. Domond Board Chair

Suzanne Bradach Vice Chair

Jerry Starkey Treasurer Doug Campbell Secretary Edward “Ski” Olesky Rev. Jean C. Paul Kerri Ervin Dennis Brown Maria Munguia Alejandro Castaño Dr. Raymond W. Phillips Dr. Kristin Mascotti

“

Recognizing that healthcare needs to be accessible, affordable and comprehensive, our commitment to our community as Collier County continues to rapidly grow, is to be innovative in the ways we reach at-risk populations,” —Jamie Ulmer, president and CEO

“

For 46 years, supporters have made it possible to improve access to healthcare for all residents of Collier County, regardless of income, insurance, or background.

The Board of Directors is made up of community leaders and our patient population. At least 51% of our board members receive services through Healthcare Network, or they have children who do.

The Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center

975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd., Suite 108, Naples, FL 34110 | (239) 263-9200 | www.hmcec.org

MISSION: T o teach the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire action against bigotry, hatred and violence.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2001 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $974,000 Total number of employees: 7

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S):

Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades and Sarasota counties.

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Individual Donations Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture The Ray Foundation

The Museum just completed a major expansion, adding a new North Wing. This increase to 9,000 square feet brings exciting new exhibits, interactive displays, and event space to the SWFL community. The new, large classroom accommodates larger Student Field Trip groups. It is also available

to community groups and organizations for their meetings and events. The new galleries offer more details on the infamous Auschwitz death camp, information on contemporary genocides and Human Rights issues, and room to host larger traveling exhibits.

Local Holocaust Survivor testimonies are also included in the new galleries and the audio tour is available in both English and Spanish.

GOALS Unopposed bigotry and hatred have led to past and contemporary genocides. We seek to inspire students and the public to be Upstanders.

Acting with kindness and empathy, and standing up for others, we can have a positive impact in our communities.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES The Luncheon, Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at The Vineyards Country Club;

tickets are $150 and Sponsorships available. In conjunction with the Anne Frank Center USA, a special live performance will be presented of “Letters from Anne and Martin,” drawn from the writings of Anne Frank and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Triumph 2024, Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at Arthrex Conference Center; tickets are $350 and Sponsorships are available.

Naming opportunities for new exhibits in the new North Wing and Museum are available.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Guest Relations and Docents, Museum Educators, Event Committees, Board Members, Student Interns.

Collier Community Foundation Collier County Tourist Development Council

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Stuart Price Chairman

Susan Suarez

OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

Stuart Price Chairman

Hymie Akst Larry Baer

Fred Roth Vice Chair

Michael Feldman Jo Ann Golden

Stuart Mest Vice Chair

Dottie McGovern

Richard Yovanovich Secretary

Lorelei Meeker Robert Nossen

Alan Englander Treasurer

Stanley Ruskin

Maureen Lerner Development Chair

Jay Sterns

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Ashley Solomon

We know the best way to combat hate is through knowledge. By sharing the stories of upstanders’ collective courage during the Holocaust and other genocides, you can remind those in your community what collaborating against hate can accomplish.

NOVEMBER

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For more than 20 years, the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center has worked with the SWFL community to inspire thousands of students and the public to act against bigotry and hatred. We offer students in-class Holocaust Education programs, Museum Field Trips, PopUp Museums, and the traveling Boxcar Exhibit. The Museum also hosts special exhibits, guest speakers, film and discussion series for the public. Upcoming exhibits include: “Forgeries and the Holocaust,” “Stitching History from the Holocaust,” and “Lawyers without Rights: the Fate of Jewish Lawyers in Berlin after 1933.”

2023

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The Immokalee Foundation 2375 Tamiami Trail N., #308, Naples, FL 34103 (239) 430-9122 | www.immokaleefoundation.org

MISSION: B uilding Pathways to Success for the Children of Immokalee

ABOUT US: Year established: 1991 Annual revenues (most recent year): $6,525,531 Total number of employees: 29

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Immokalee, FL

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Naples Children and Education Foundation Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Ray Foundation

Since opening its doors, The Immokalee Foundation has empowered more than 15,000 students through innovative, hands-on educational programs.

Despite Immokalee being an underserved, migrant community just 45 miles east of downtown Naples, Foundation students continue to display resilience and beat the odds by becoming financially independent adults with meaningful careers.

A growing favorite of Southwest Florida’s business community, The Immokalee Foundation’s award-winning program, Career Pathways, is forging new pathways to success

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for Immokalee’s youth. The robust curriculum prepares middle and high school students for well-paying, in-demand professional careers in four distinct professional pathways: Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management and Healthcare.

The program’s impact is felt in every corner of the community. For example, nearly 50 Foundation students participated in internships in various industries throughout Collier and Lee County this past summer.

The Immokalee Foundation’s success is remarkable: 100% of Foundation students have graduated from high school, 100% have a postsecondary plan to pursue a professional career, 93% graduate with a postsecondary certificate or degree—with the majority of them getting a four-year bachelor’s degree, and 89% of Alumni currently work in

their field of study, surpassing the national average.

And most important, 100% have the potential to help build upon the success of your business or organization, and contribute to the overall business economy in Southwest Florida.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES The 2024 Charity Classic Gala: The Power of Education, will take place at the RitzCarlton Naples, Tiburón on January 19th, 2024. More at ImmokaleeFounation.org/gala.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Each year, over 100 dedicated members of the community volunteer 30 minutes, two times per month—virtually or in person—to mentor one of The Immokalee Foundation’s highly motivated high school students. Please get in touch with Yeimi.Espinoza@ immokaleefoundation.org for more information.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

The Wasie Foundation

LEADERSHIP

Noemi Y. Perez President & CEO

Gerald Belle Chairman

Alison K. Douglas Secretary Drew Yurko Treasurer

“

When you look at The Immokalee Foundation’s impact—over 15,000 students have had the trajectory of their lives changed because of the Foundation’s educational and scholarship support— that’s extraordinary. Not many local organizations have had an impact on that kind of scale.

—Blake Gable, Chief Executive Officer of Barron Collier Companies

“

For more than 32 years, The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders through a 100% focus on education, career readiness, and professional development for students in Immokalee— from kindergarten through postsecondary education.

NAMI Collier County 5025 Castello Dr., Suite 101, Naples, FL 34103 (239) 260-7300 | www.namicollier.org

AMI Collier provides mental health support, advocacy and education that inspires MISSION: Nresilience and strengthens communities.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1987 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $2,353.503

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier County

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

NAMI Collier is a place where people find hope through support, companionship, learning opportunities, compassion and connection.

Every day we see the power that hope can bring to someone on their mental wellness journey.

Whether they come to us for themselves or to support a loved one, we offer a place where they are heard, respected, and given a supportive hand to guide them through life’s challenges.

We provide programs for all ages with our unique combination of local roots and a national network of support. We meet needs for housing, food, and mental health support with impact. We help to improve the community’s social, emotional and behavioral health by raising awareness and putting boots on the ground.

Our ability to serve the community expanded with our move in March 2023 to a larger building that houses all programs in one place.

“Our new space provided the opportunity to take the Sarah Ann Life Skills & Support Center services to another level to better meet the needs of our community,” said Beth Hatch, CEO of NAMI Collier County. “We have structured programs and staff to provide more opportunities for learning, socializing and support to build a strong community.”

In addition, a grant through the hurricane long-term recovery program of the American Red Cross, allowed NAMI Collier to expand its free children’s program.

The program serves Collier County children from 2 months to 18 years old experiencing developmental, social, emotional or behavioral difficulties. The program, a blueprint partner for NCEF as part of their

children’s mental health initiative in Collier County, screens more than 2,000 families while providing care coordination to more than 400 local families annually.

Other programs include Supportive Housing and Supported Employment, the Warm Line and other mental wellness programs offered for free.

Through free mental health support, education, advocacy and outreach to those affected by mental illnesses, NAMI Collier envisions a community where those living with mental health conditions can live healthy fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. Financial support ensures that our services can continue to bring hope to those who need it most.

LT. Leslie Weidenhamer Board Chair, Behavioral Health Bureau Collier County Sherriff Office

Phillip Cirrone Vice Chair, COO, Elite DNA Therapy Services Cynthis Perthius Secretary, Elder Care Strategist Nathan Oliver Treasurer, Assistant Director of Accounting, NCH Healthcare Systemt Paula Malone, PhD Retired Psychologist/Business Owner Lindy Thomas Retired Interior Design Business Owner Mary Shea Development Director, Bright Star Home Care Curtis Cassner Owner, Cassner Law Vincent Keeys President, NAACP Collier County Greg Singer Retired Judge Toni Mueller Former educator, research chemist, FL Master Naturalist Yanivis (Yani) Perez Behavioral Health Bureau, Collier County Sheriff Office Board Member Emeritus: Liz Stikeman

NOVEMBER

2023

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Naples Garden Club 4820 Bayshore Dr., Naples, FL 34112 | Mailing: P.O. Box 9062, Naples, FL 34101 www.naplesgardenclub.org | info@naplesgardenclub.org opportunities for sharing and learning about horticulture, floral design and MISSION: Provide the environment in a congenial supportive atmosphere

ABOUT US: Year established: 1953 Annual revenues: $179,882 Total members: 270

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): The entire state of Florida

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: House & Garden Tour Charitable Gifts Sponsorships

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

GRANTS PROGRAM Our grants and donations have supported initiatives and opportunities partnering with over 50 civic and non-profit organizations.

These partnerships are great examples of what can be accomplished when groups with similar missions work together toward a common goal providing information,

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inspiration and enjoyment of our surroundings to people of all ages.

“Blooming Delights” House & Garden Tour February 3, 2024

GOALS

FLOWER SHOW

Our goals are to connect people to the extraordinary landscape of Florida; share our love of gardening; provide learning opportunities in horticulture, design, and the environment; protect the diminishing number of our natural spaces; and expand our donor base to support these goals and deliver on our mission.

The Naples Flower Show™ is a joint venture between the Naples Garden Club and the Naples Botanical Garden receiving state and national recognition. The Show is a spring-time tradition and part of our commitment to foster appreciation and understanding of horticulture, design, and the environment. This event strengthens our community connections, encourages new endeavors, promotes new discoveries and learning experiences. It is the largest juried flower show in SW Florida welcoming over 5,000 visitors.

HOUSE & GARDEN TOUR Our annual House & Garden Tour is our major fundraiser which supports our grants and educational programs.

For over 65 years this event has developed into an intricately planned production requiring complex coordination. Originally staffed by 33 members it is now conducted by all 270 members who contribute to its preparation and success.

“A World of Wonders” Naples Flower Show April 5 & 6, 2024

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Carole Whittemore President

Pat McNamara President Elect

Terry Aufranc Governance Martha Phillips Secretary Teri Harvey Treasurer Gigi Stewart VP House & Garden Tour Shelley Marcus VP Programs/Ed Polly Galliker VP Flower Show

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Nurturing the seeds of new ideas, bringing community projects to full bloom and conserving our environment for future generations for 70 Years and still counting!

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The Naples Garden Club was one of the first environmental organizations in Collier County spearheading onetime civic improvements such as Gore Nature Education Center’s indoor and outdoor classrooms and establishing long-standing commitments.

One of special note is our support of the Naples Botanical Garden since its inception partnering in 2010 to establish the Idea Garden.

That same year we endowed an annual research fellowship with Florida Gulf Coast University. This year’s recipient studied the relationship of nutrients in constructed wetlands.

Naples Pathways Coalition 539 Fifth Avevnue South #464, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 777.7718 | naplespathways.org

o improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists through education, MISSION: Tcommunity service, and better infrastructure.

ABOUT US: Year established: 2005 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $180,000.

Total number of employees: 1

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Collier County TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Individual Donors Corporate Sponsors Two Annual Fundraisers Membership

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Over 20 years ago, community members concerned about safety for people who walk, run, and bike got together to make positive changes in our community. As the group grew and became more visible, they applied for 501C3 status, and in 2005, Naples Pathways Coalition (NPC) officially incorporated.

WE HAVE TWO KEYSTONE PROJECTS In 2018, we introduced the vision for the Paradise Coast Trail, which will be a 70+ mile paved, separated pathway connecting Naples to Bonita Springs, Collier Seminole State Park, Ave Maria, Immokalee and other areas within and beyond Collier County. The community immediately embraced it.

With strong support from Senator Passidomo, Naples, Collier County, and our members, NPC acquired the funding needed for the trail’s feasibility study, which was completed in 2022. Bypassing the long transportation project process brought attention to the Paradise Coast Trail. The State of Florida has adopted our planned pathway into the SUN Trail system, which expands funding opportunities and will expedite construction and completion. We expect the trail to be finished within the next five to ten years. Visit naplespathways.org/PCTrail for more information.

We recently launched HandsFree Florida, a coalition and campaign to end distracted driving, one of the leading causes of crashes. A 2022 study by Cambridge Mobile Telematics showed 34% of Florida drivers were distracted the minute before they crashed. From January through August 2023, Florida has had

255,177 crashes, resulting in 2,154 fatalities and 162,491 injuries. Estimating that one third of these were caused by driver distraction, 86,760 crashes, 732 deaths, and 55,247 injuries were entirely preventable! Visit HandsFreeFlorida.org to sign the petition and help end distracted driving.

DONATIONS NEEDED NPC is funded through annual memberships, donations, grants, and two annual fundraiser events: The Iron Joe Turkey Ride & Walk on November 26, 2023 and the Naples Bike Brunch & Walk on March 3, 2024.

With events for every fitness level, great food, beer, music, raffles, and more, both events are guaranteed to be a blast!

We are grateful for the community’s support and generosity. Your annual or one-time donation will help us save lives, improve our infrastructure, and educate all road users about safely sharing our roads. Visit naplespathways.org/donate.

Craig Manchen President

Michelle Avola-Brown Executive Director

Sean Noal, CPA Treasurer OTHER OFFICERS: Jim Bennett Joe Bonness George Dondanville Sundi Faith, CPA Alan Ryker Hector Sanchez Nat Smith Susan Sonnenschein Rob Vigorito

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Teddy Wallingford

We are extremely proud of the accomplishments that NPC has made for our community to date.

To our board, members, volunteers, and donors -THANK YOU!– Craig Manchen, President, Naples Pathways Coalition

NOVEMBER

2023

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Florida consistently ranks in the top three states for the most pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. With our beautiful weather, millions of visitors, and the rise in distracted driving, it is a recipe for disaster.

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Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens 1590 Goodlette Road, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 262-5409 | www.napleszoo.org

MISSION: To inspire people of all ages to respect, value, and help conserve wildlife and our natural world.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1919 Garden; 1969 Zoo Annual revenues (FY2022/2023): $6,955,288.

Total number of employees: 95

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest Florida TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Earned Revenues Individual/Family/ Private Philanthropy Corporate/Foundation Support

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

In early 2024, Naples Zoo will have completed an ambitious 10-year masterplan and $25 million capital

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campaign investment that has dramatically improved and transformed the Zoo’s commitment to animal care and welfare, educational programming, conservation, and the guest experience.

Significant new and improved exhibits, a new animal hospital and commissary, a major new education and volunteer center, and a new Zoo entrance and visitor complex are major components of the soon to be completed master plan and capital campaign investment. Equally exciting, Naples Zoo is in the process of finalizing its next 10-year master plan, designed to further grow the Zoo and meet its commitment to continual improvement. Naples Zoo will need philanthropic support to achieve its next 10-year master plan. The Zoo’s unique financial position allows it to direct and restrict all philanthropic support to capital improvements and educational programming as

the Zoo’s earned revenues fully fund its annual operating budget.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS Zoo Gala, November 9, 2023.

Zoobilee, February 9, 2024

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Are you interested in learning new things, being around amazing animals, and contributing to conservation efforts across the globe? Join Naples Zoo’s Volunteer Herd! www.napleszoo.org/volunteer Goals: Our goal is to be the best possible resource for the Southwest Florida community for wildlife education and conservation. The Southwest Florida community is one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation, in response to this growth, Naples Zoo developed a forward-thinking master plan designed to meet the needs of the Southwest Florida community and visitors to the area for generations to come.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Denny Glass Chairman

Susan Hassan David Hoffmann Otto Immel Heidi Huizenga Vice Chairman Teri Kuhn Terry Edwards Kathy Marinello Secretary Jennifer McCurry Dan Lavender Charlie Mueller Treasurer Mike Neal Laura Alexander Thomas Oliveri Kevin Bell David Parsons Juan Bendeck Mark Rometty Greg Debski David Ruben Jamie Dockweiler Ann Scott Nikkie Dvorchak Sheliah Wall John Fisher Jack Mulvena, Jeanne Guglielmi President and CEO Nancy Hamill Jay Hartington

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Naples Zoo is proud to welcome Collier County residents to the Zoo free of charge on the first Saturday of each month. Through “Free Saturdays” we give back $1 million annually to the nearly 50,000 Collier County residents who take advantage of the program. Most importantly, we are able to provide access to so many children and families who might not otherwise be able to afford the Zoo or other local attractions. —Jack Mulvena, President and CEO

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For over 100 years, this 43-acre zoo and garden in the heart of Naples has been a dynamic and evolving resource for the Southwest Florida community and visitors to the area. Naples Zoo is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that welcomes more than 400,000 visitors annually. The Zoo is constantly adapting and improving, seeking innovative ways to connect people of all ages with animals and nature and to inspire them to help conserve and protect.

For over 20 years, the Zoo has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the organization that sets and enforces the highest standards for zoos and aquariums.

Only 10% of all facilities nationally have achieved AZA accreditation.

Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida 736 Central Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 567-3800 | MyPlannedParentood.org

he mission of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida is to provide affordable access to comprehensive MISSION: Treproductive healthcare and accurate health information through patient care, education and advocacy

ABOUT US: Year established: 1966 Annual revenues (FY2023 (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023): $26,133,416 Total number of employees: 227

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest and Central Florida

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Stephanie Fraim President and CEO OFFICERS

Along with health care services, PPSWCF provides medically accurate, age-appropriate sexual education throughout our community. Our affiliate also has a public policy program

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to advocate for reproductive freedom and promote access to sexual and reproductive health care.

Through our education and community engagement, we challenge the stigma around reproductive care and empower communities to take control of their health care choices. This year, we are working in coalition on a citizen-led ballot initiative to enshrine abortion access in our state constitution.

And through our patient navigation, telehealth, and financial aid programs, we break down the barriers that stop many patients from receiving care.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer opportunities with PPSWCF include being a patient escort at our health centers, phone banking, and tabling at community events.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES If you would like to support Planned Parenthood in your community with a gift, please visit donate.ppswcf. org. We would also like to cordially invite you to attend The Naples Choice Affair on Friday, February 16, 2024 at the Naples Grande Beach Resort. Tickets and sponsorships are available at PPNaplesChoice.givesmart. com

Kate Lannamann, Esq. Chair Cole Caruso Vice Chair Dennis Rees Vice Chair Ellen Seidensticker Vice Chair Lori Baggett, Edq. Secretary Karen Schmitt Vice Chair MEMBERS Terry Brackett Mary Braxton-Joseph Rev. Anthony “Tony” G. Fisher Linda Fleming, Esq. LaVerne Green MSN, DNP Cotrenia Hood Rachel Humphrey, MD Karla Jones-Wilson, JD, LL.M Gretchen Letterman Leah Perlman Sara Golding Scher Brenda Sheridan Jon Yenari, MD

“

Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida (PPSWCF) provides comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care to over 41,000 patients annually throughout our 22-county service region.

Our health centers are staffed by expert physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable care, to everyone who needs it.

My priority is ensuring that my patients are empowered and able to make decisions over their own bodies and medical care. I truly feel like working here, serving these patients, is what I’m supposed to be doing. At Planned Parenthood, everyone is accepted and our mission is clear, ‘Care. No matter what.’

–Dr. Marian Sampson, Staff Physician, Naples

NOVEMBER

2023

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RCMA 402 W. Main Street, Immokalee, FL 34142 (239) 282-6540 | www.rcma.org

CMA opens doors to opportunities through quality child care and education from MISSION: Rcrib to high school and beyond.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1965 Annual revenue: $98 million Total number of employees: 1,600

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): 21 Florida counties from south Florida to near Orlando

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Head Start Florida Department of Education—Division of Early Learning and FEFP NCEF United Way RCMA was founded in 1965 by people concerned about children spending their days in Florida’s agriculture fields with their parents while they worked. Nearly 60 years later, we continue to support migrant farmworkers, immigrant families and the rural poor in 21 Florida counties by providing safe, nurturing all-day childcare and quality education to more than 5,500 children annually.

We operate 65 child development centers that feature individual assessments and development plans for each child and intensive support for children with special needs. Our Immokalee Community Academy and Wimauma Community Academy, both K-8 schools rated “B” by the Florida Department of Education, provide a continuum of education for children who attended our child development centers and other nearby families. This year saw one of our teachers, Michael Hernandez, win the

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prestigious Golden Apple Award for Collier County.

In 2023, we opened a third charter school, Mulberry Community Academy, in Polk County and plan to open another school in Immokalee and then one in Homestead.

The national Charter School Growth Fund invested $1.275 million in our expansion, and the State of Florida recognized us as just the sixth School of Hope operator since 2017, offering grants and low-cost loans for our additional charter school operations.

We offer a bilingual, bicultural curriculum to all of our children, preparing them for success as leaders of their families, workplaces and communities.

GOALS: • To provide quality child care • To provide educational opportunities and improve the health and general welfare of children and their families • To increase public awareness of the lifestyles of

migrant and seasonal farm workers and the rural poor

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES

• Annual RCMA Christmas card sale, featuring cards designed by students in the Academies of RCMA. Visit RCMA.org/cards.

• The 24th annual Lipman Family Farms Golf Classic, May 18, 2024 at Naples Heritage Golf and Country Club. Learn more at RCMA. org/golf.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteers at our 65 child development centers and 3 schools help some of Florida’s most vulnerable families gain caring, empathydriven access to quality child care, education, and other resources. Read to our pre-K children. Tutor our K-8 students. Represent RCMA at our health fairs and other outreach events. Play in our annual golf tournament.

Knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not required to volunteer.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

UnidosUS USDA Food Program

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Isabel Garcia Executive Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Linda A. Miles PARENT BOARD President MEMBERS Medora Krome Past President

Claudia Landeros President

Michael T. Bayer Vice President

Carrie Johnson Vice President

Sandra L. Hightower Emig De La Cruz Fannie Fair Joaquin Perez Secretary Barbara Mainster Rollason Jaime Weisinger Secretary Richard W. Pringle Treasurer Larry Salustro

MEMBERS

Kanta Allen Treasurer Erik Martinez Zurisadai Garcia Parliamentarian Felecia McClendon Honorary Member

Susanne A. Bizerra Aeden J. Dowling Donna Gaffney A.J. Hinson Steven Kirk Wilma Robles-Melendez Mirta Negrini Sonia Tighe Ansberto Vallejo

The Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area 10291 McGregor Blvd, Ft. Myers, FL 33919 www.fortmyers.salvationarmyflorida.org

ur mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without MISSION: O discrimination

ABOUT US: Year established: 1865, London, England Total number of employees: 200+

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Lee, Hendry and Glades

Counties

TOP FUNDING SOURCES The Richard M. Schulze Foundation

The National Christian Foundation United Way The Mary Anna Foundation

LEADERSHIP:

With our Edison Ave Center of Hope serving as the base of our operations, we are able to extend our presence to Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres, LaBelle and Clewiston,

providing many of the services mentioned above to those communities.

As the midtown area of Fort Myers grows and changes, The Salvation Army will change accordingly, with plans for a new multi building campus on Edison Ave, allowing our team to expand and enhance our services to those in need in our community.

The Salvation Army remains committed to Lee, Hendry & Glades counties by following our mission, “The Salvation Army Mission Statement.

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.

Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

GOALS • Address the crippling housing crisis and seek solutions to housing insecurity.

• Improve the quality of family life through 2Generation Families programing • Serve neighbors in need through case management and education

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES The Salvation Army relies on the generous time and talents given by volunteers.

There are many opportunities for volunteering, including Christmas Angel Tree and Red Kettles, Food Pantry, Food Service and Disaster Services. Please contact our office, 239-278-1551, to join our team.

Senator Jonathan Martin Board Member Senator Florida District 33

Sharon Thompson Board Chair Managing Shareholder, Hughes, Snell & Co., PA

Sharon Thompson Treasurer Managing Shareholder, Hughes, Snell & Co., PA Diane Olenik Secretary Executive VP, Retired BOARD MEMBERS Stan Stouder Founding Partner, CRE Consultants Christopher Lopez Government & Policy Relations George Koszulinski President & CEO, Tropical Cabinets

“

There is no reward equal to that of Doing the Most Good to the most people in the most need.

–Evangeline Booth, Ret. Commander of the U.S.A. Salvation Army & General.

NOVEMBER

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For over 70 years, The Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area Command has served Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties by offering help, hope, and home to thousands of vulnerable men, woman, and children.

Basic needs assistance (food, shelter, clothing, and personal goods), mental health and substance abuse counseling, life skills classes, employment and housing support, intensive case management and special holiday assistance programs are some of the services we offer to victims of natural disaster, those living in poverty, those afflicted with mental illness and addictions and individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

2023

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Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) P.O. Box 839, Sanibel, FL 33957 (239) 472-2329 | www.sccf.org

MISSION: To protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1967 Annual revenues (most recent fiscal year): $4,145,120 Total number of employees: 39

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest Florida

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Annual Fund Drive Major Gifts Grants and Program Income Memorials/Bequests Endowment Fund Support Special Events

KEEPING THINGS NATURAL Thanks to a long legacy of conservation, SCCF is the largest private landowner on Sanibel Island, with additional acquired land on North Captiva Island, Cape Coral, and in South Fort Myers. At the heart of SCCF are residents, visitors, and businesses who believe we have a duty to protect our region for future generations of human and nonhuman communities. SCCF protects over 2,100 acres, including critical wildlife habitats, wetlands, and rare subtropical plant communities. Most of these areas would’ve been lost to development, either directly or by habitat fragmentation.

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Most of our acres remain closed to the public for the benefit of wildlife.

Like the land we protect, SCCF’s work is vast and productive. Our Native Landscapes & Garden Center sells native plants and offers landscaping and educational programs, and our Marine Lab conducts cutting-edge research and monitoring of water quality, harmful algal blooms, seagrass, mangroves, oysters, and shellfish. SCCF leads monitoring and protection programs for shorebirds and sea turtles on Sanibel and Captiva, advocates for sound environmental policy throughout Florida, helps track and safeguard wildlife, and much more.

groups — and never turns someone away for their inability to pay. Courses focus on coastal ecosystems and how to help conserve them into the future. Sanibel Sea School’s programs foster an intimate connection with the ocean through direct experience, providing a wellspring for lifelong stewardship.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

Anne Nobles President Megan Doss Secretary John Raho Treasurer

COASTAL WATCH SCCF’s Coastal Watch program partners with passionate volunteers to restore coastal habitats, clean the environment, and encourage sustainability. With hundreds of volunteers per year, Coastal Watch has planted over 20,200 mangroves, recycled 15,000 oyster shells, and removed thousands of pounds of trash and debris from beaches.

IMPROVING THE OCEAN’S FUTURE, ONE PERSON AT A TIME

JOIN OUR MISSION (IT’S FUN)

SCCF’s Sanibel Sea School runs marine-science based camps and programs for children, adults, families, and

Learn how to volunteer for SCCF, attend our programs, and support our work at sccf.org.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Doug Ryckman Vice President

Bob Brooks Laura DeBruce Nik Khakee Jill McCormack John Morse Mary Ellen Pfeifer Dick Pyle Lisa Riordan Chip Roach Laura Shaffer Christine Szymanczyk

“

The love for our natural environment, the strength of our community, and the tremendous support of our members and neighbors have allowed SCCF to persevere post-Ian. —James Evans, CEO

“

Despite enduring our biggest challenge ever with Hurricane Ian, SCCF continues to do its mission-driven work, focusing on: • Water Quality Research • Policy & Advocacy • Sea Turtles & Shorebirds • Environmental Education • Land & Wildlife

STARability Foundation 720 Goodlette-Frank Rd N, Suite 400, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 594-9007 | www.STARability.org

MISSION: T o transform the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

ABOUT US: Year established: 1983 Annual Revenue(s) (most recenet fiscal year): $3,937,730.86 Total number of employees: 40

GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA(S): Southwest Florida

TOP FUNDING SOURCES: Individuals Corporations Foundations

Intellectual and developmental disabilities affect approximately 7 million individuals in the United States, as well as their loved ones and caregivers.

While families receive support while their children are in school, they are often unable to find services once they age out of the school system.

In Collier County alone, an estimated 1,000 students with disabilities in schools will need supplemental services when they age out.

That is where STARability comes in—as true advocates for building inclusion through work, play, learning and living.

STARability is dedicated to promoting solutions for the needs of participants at every level. Currently, STARability offers a variety of programs that promote inclusive employment, engagement and independence such as STAR Connections— creative expression workshops, wellness classes, continuing education and sports leagues; the Trailblazer Academy—a pioneering day program; employment services; and the STAR Store & Studio—an affordable upscale resale shop, vocational site and artisan workshop for participants.

GOALS STARability is working hard to fulfill their mission of transforming the lives of its participants through impactful programing and strengthening awareness and respect for individual abilities. Their experienced, compassionate team strives to ensure everyone has access to transformative programs, vital resources and an inclusive community that provide opportunities to live meaningful and productive lives and become vibrant members of society.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS/ OPPORTUNITIES 2024 STAR Gala: The Adventure Begins Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburon. Learn more at stargala.givesmart.com.

Social Security Benefits Webinar Series Free sessions on Feb. 13 and June 11 STARability Family Fair March 19, 4-6 p.m. at the STARability office Open to the community 7th Annual Run, Walk & Roll 5K – Fall 2024

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Jeff Maconaghy Board Chair James Varilek Vice Chair

DIRECTORS Anne Fleming

Melanie Miller Treasirer

Laura Georgelos

Holly Shapiro Secretary

Meg Hardt

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteers are an essential part of STARability’s programs, events and all our endeavors designed to transform the lives of people with disabilities. Contact volunteer@STARability. org to learn more about the opportunities available.

Ken Gilman Tony McClure Joe Smallwood

STAR Store & Studio Seasonal Launch Party – Fall 2024 For more information on upcoming events and happenings, please visit STARability.org/events. Check back periodically for details on the 2024 annual events to be announced.

Karen Govern CEO

Lisa Kahn-Allen Past Chair

“

Our STARs show us again and again the achievements and milestones they can accomplish —reaching new goals daily, develop-

“

For four decades, STARability Foundation has been shining a light on abilities. Formed by a small community of caring parents, STARability has become one of Southwest Florida’s leading nonprofits.

Today, the organization is opening a world of possibilities for hundreds of individuals ages 14 and older by offering a variety of inclusive, communitybased programs focused on vocational training, continuing education, teamwork, social engagement and community involvement.

ing critical life skills, and laying the foundation for a positive future.

NOVEMBER

2023

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FIRST FAIR EVERYWHERE Chris Cifatte

Lois Thome

Index of Participants American Cancer Society

4-5

Building Dreams Foundation

26

Child’s Path

6-7

Collier Community Foundation

28

Community Cooperative, Inc.

8-9

Conservancy of SWFL

9-10

Fifth Third Bank

12-13

First Tee – Naples/Collier

29

Florida Gulf Coast University

30

Florida Repertory Theatre

31

Fostering Success

32

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy

33

Golisano Children’s Hospital Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Grand Piano Series

14-15 34 16-17

Guadalupe Center, Inc.

35

Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida

36

Holocaust Museum & Education Center

37

L.E.A.D. Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence

18-19

Lee Health

20-21

NAMI Collier County

39

Naples Garden Club

40

Naples Pathways Coalition

41

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

42

Planned Parenthood of Southwest & Central Florida

43

RCMA

44

St. Matthew’s House

22-23

The Salvation Army Fort Myers Area Command

45

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

46

STARability

47

The Immokalee Foundation

38

Valerie’s House

24-25

gulfshorebusiness.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

___ N O V E M B E R

2 0 2 3

LAWYERS OF DISTINCTION

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L AWYERS OF DISTI N CTION

SPONSORED CONTENT

Conroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A. Founded more than 30 years ago, Conroy, Conroy & Durant is a boutique real estate law firm. The firm’s partners are AV Preeminent Peer-Review rated through MartindaleHubbell and are board-certified in real estate law by the Florida Bar.

Left to Right: Mike Durant, Brad Friedman, Kristin M. Conroy, Patrick Conroy, Tom Conroy, Greg Wetzel

The 20-member firm focuses exclusively on real estate transactions and title work.

This singular dedication ensures that clients buying, selling or leasing are supported by a depth of experience in an increasngly competitive and sophisticated market. While deeply involved in each transaction, the firm is never too busy to answer phone calls or shake hands.

At a Glance: Conroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A. 2210 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., #1201 239-649-5200 naplespropertylaw.com

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

LAW YE R S O F DI ST I NC T ION

SPONSORED CONTENT

With over two decades of experience, Richard Mancini is a dedicated advocate for fiduciaries and beneficiaries entangled in contested estates, trust, and guardianship matters. His extensive experience extends to serving as a court-appointed fiduciary across Southwest Florida. Richard brings innovative solutions to resolve conflict as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator.

On the other hand, fellow co-chair Anthony Cetrangelo goes beyond the conventional by merging traditional and contemporary wealth planning, ensuring his clients’ digital and traditional assets are incorporated into their estate plans.

Anthony’s experience also extends to crafting pet trusts and preserving the invaluable legacy of his clients.

Contact information C. Richard Mancini, Esq. Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. 3451 Bonita Bay Blvd., Suite 206 | Bonita Springs, FL 34134 richard.mancini@henlaw.com 239.344.1254

Co-Chairs of Henderson Franklin’s Trust and Estate Practice Anthony Cetrangelo and Richard Mancini.

Anthony Cetrangelo, Jr., Esq. Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. Pelican Bay Financial Center 8889 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 400 | Naples, FL 34108 anthony.cetrangelo@henlaw.com 239.344.1358

Our Trust and Estate Planning Attorneys Can Help Secure Your Legacy.

Anthony Cetrangelo and Richard Mancini co-chair Henderson Franklin’s Trust and Estate Planning Department and, in a world that’s ever-evolving, they tailor their approach toward estate planning. By going beyond standard wills they help ensure that their clients’ trusts are structured to take advantage of maximum tax savings.

This may include the incorporation of modern and less conventional assets such as pet trusts and Lady Bird deeds. Our team also provides representation for fiduciaries and beneficiaries in complex matters. Times change, and we adapt to safeguard your legacy – just as we’ve done since 1924.

Anthony J. Cetrangelo

C. Richard Mancini

Wills, Trust & Estate Planning Department Co-Chair

Wills, Trust & Estate Planning Department Co-Chair

Where Tradition Meets the Future.® henlaw.com • 239.344.1100 Fort Myers • Bonita Springs • Naples BUSINESS & TAX • BUSINESS LITIGATION • CONSTRUCTION • DIVORCE, MARITAL & FAMILY • EMPLOYMENT • HEALTH CARE • INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY • LAND USE, ZONING & ENVIRONMENTAL • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS • REAL ESTATE • TORT & INSURANCE • WILLS, TRUST & ESTATE PLANNING • WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ©2023 Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt, P.A.

NOVEMBER 2023

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L AWYERS OF DISTI N CTION

SPONSORED CONTENT

Anthony R. McClure Porter Wright partner Tony McClure is co-chair of the firm’s Probate, Trust and Guardianship Litigation Practice Group. In addition to his probate litigation practice, he has more than 20 years of legal experience in matters including products liability, construction, complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, contractual and mortgage disputes, and legal malpractice.

Tony is Executive Editor of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation magazine, Litigation News. He is also a member of The Florida Bar and the Collier County Bar Association. In the local Naples community, Tony serves as a Director for STARability Foundation of Naples, and he is former President of the Board of Directors for Naples Therapeutic Riding Center. He is a graduate of Leadership Collier, class of 2015.

At a Glance: Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP 9132 Strada Place, Third Floor 239-593-2952 amcclure@porterwright.com

At Porter Wright, we’re driven to create client-focused strategies. Our clients’ greatest challenges motivate us to reach new limits, align the right resources and deliver inspired outcomes.

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G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

FINANCE / NONPROFIT

NEWS

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT / CRE / NEW & EXPANDING

FINANCE

The Legacy Is in the Details Getty

Considerations for leaving, receiving a major inheritance p_110

By Melanie Pagan

NEWS

Nonprofit

Dawn Belamarich takes Collaboratory reins

By David Dorsey

Dawn Belamarich did her best to make a big splash in a short amount of time during her first year in Southwest Florida. Now the board of directors at the Collaboratory expects her to make a bigger and longer-term difference in her new role, presiding over one of the region’s largest nonprofit organizations.

Belamarich stepped into her new job in September as the CEO of Collaboratory, formerly known as the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. She will oversee an annual endowment of $130 million.

The organization has evolved into something of a gatekeeper for funding the area’s numerous other mission-driven, nonprofit organizations.

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Investors donate to Collaboratory, which invests the contributions and uses the dividends to annually fund other nonprofits to boost Southwest Florida’s surrounding communities.

Like her predecessor, Belamarich prefers “transformational” over “transactional” to describe how she views her new workplace and goals.

Also like her predecessor, Belamarich is embracing the Collaboratory’s 2021 mission statement: “coordinating and solving all of Southwest Florida’s social problems on an 18year deadline.” That deadline arrives in 2037.

“That is part of who I am as a leader,” Belamarich says of taking on what may seem an impossible task. “If people gather together, and they want a unifying mission, we can achieve the impossible. We have to travel upstream and get to the root of the problems.”

Belamarich points to once-daunting technological innovations, including electric vehicles and smartphones, and insists that the same leadership principles that led to those breakthroughs can be applied to solving societal problems, such as homelessness, the lack of affordable housing, institutional racism, etc.

“I’ve never seen an organization in my professional career that is trying to coalesce change like this,” says Belamarich, who arrived to live in Cape Coral on Sept. 25, 2022, three days before Hurricane Ian battered most of the region. She first accepted a job as system leader for the Behavioral Health Division at Lee Health, given her background as a mental health counselor, her degree in leadership and mental health counseling and her 15 years of work in social services in southern New Jersey.

“I’ll tell you as a mental health and behavioral expert, we certainly had the need,”

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

M CREATIVE PR LLC

TIME TO THINK BIG

Now the CEO of Collaboratory, Dawn Belamarich presides over one of the region’s largest nonprofits, and oversees an annual endowment of $130 million.

NOVEMBER 2023

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NEWS

she says of mental health crisis assistance in the health care field. “I’m a big listener and learner. I’m big at learning from our community.

During that time, that’s when I hit it off with Sarah.”

Belamarich succeeds Sarah Owen, who began charting the new and current course for Collaboratory 12 years ago. Owen, saying it was time for someone new to continue the mission she began, is now vice president of business development at Shell Point, a south Fort Myers retirement community near Sanibel Causeway. “I’m just thrilled to talk about her,” Owen says. “I couldn’t be more excited for Dr. Belamarich and Collaboratory. I believe that the best days are yet to come for the Collaboratory and Southwest Florida. I think that her leadership and her energy will be leading the way for the mission the Collaboratory set forward.

“We had many conversations about behavioral health. One thing I noticed about her immediately when I first met her was how much of a collaborator she was, and how important connecting was to her.”

Belamarich demonstrated her ability to connect in less than a year working for Lee Health, said Kris Fay, the nonprofit hospital system’s chief officer of community-based care. Belamarich spearheaded an overhaul of Lee Health’s perception of mental health care, Fay says: “She improved patient access to behavioral health services. She was able to add additional positions and counselors to expand our ability to see patients.

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Formerly known as the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Collaboratory has evolved into something of a gatekeeper for funding the area’s numerous other missiondriven, nonprofit organizations.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

M CREATIVE PR LLC

Nonprofit

She also helped to grow our substance abuse/disorder programs.

She expanded the services. She did a lot of education in the community. She made an impact, for sure.

She was visible in the community and worked very hard to reduce the stigma associated with behavioral health.”

Belamarich was one of many candidates who sought Owen’s counsel on whether to apply for the Collaboratory job. But Belamarich separated herself from the rest of the candidates while interviewing with the search committee, said Gail Markham, who was on the committee as a member of Collaboratory’s board of directors. Owen said she excluded herself from the search process.

“We did a national search,” says Markham, who founded Southwest Florida accounting firm Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company. “We did a very intensive search.

We met with a lot of superb candidates. Dawn kept rising to No. 1, over and over again. She kept shining above the rest. We talked with some very accomplished people across the United States. But it always came back to Dawn. A person right here.

Isn’t that funny?

“There are lots of great things about Dawn. She’s amazing, thoughtful, experiential and also entrepreneurial. It’s just the combination.”

Markham viewed Balamarich’s background in mental health as a bonus. “She’s just a very dynamic person who’s very relatable and warm and engaging and a team builder.

She’s a transformational leader ver-

sus a transactional one. She has all the pieces.”

As a south Jersey native, Belamarich grew up the oldest of four children, rooting for Philadelphia sports teams. She has three younger brothers, which she said helped her develop thick skin. She considers her mother, Theresa Saxton, and her grandmother, Maureen Saxton, her biggest influences as leaders.

The four Belamarich siblings grew up playing soccer, with Dawn Belamarich playing in college at Division III Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey. For years, they made a commitment to what they called “Sibling Sundays,” when they would spend time together going to the latest horror movie, playing soccer or just hanging out. “We always made a commitment to stay close,” Belamarich says. “Even though there’s some geographical distance between us now—they’re all in New Jersey— we still prioritize scheduling these times together.”

Fay, of Lee Health, said although she will miss Belamarich being a colleague, she’s grateful Belamarich will have to schedule those sibling get-togethers from afar, because she is staying in Southwest Florida to lead Collaboratory.

“Although we are very sorry to lose her, we are very delighted she is staying,” Fay says. “She’s got the brains and the passion for the work. She can translate the big picture and the strategy for the dayto-day operations. I think she’ll do very well. She’s positive. She’s authentic. And she already cares about this community.”

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NEWS

Finance

Considerations for leaving, receiving a major inheritance

By Melanie Pagan

The Great Wealth Transfer is already underway, and experts predict that by 2045, an estimated $84 trillion in assets will be passed down to Gen X and millennials, effectively changing the economy as we know it. “It’s the biggest wealth transfer in history,” says Aaron Simpson, senior vice president at Moran Wealth Management in Naples.

With the extra assets, some millennials may find homeownership more attainable, while Gen Xers can build retirement savings. Both generations will have the power to change the course of consumerism based on their habits of experiential spending and investing in sustainable companies with strong stances. A Euclid (now WeWork) study shows that 52% of millennials and 48% of Gen Xers say they want retailers to align with their values, compared with 35% of baby boomers.

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But with big opportunity comes big responsibility, and inheriting money comes with many complex feelings, such as losing a loved one, social and family pressure and navigating new economic waters.

We asked financial professionals how people can ease anxiety around receiving inheritances and make smart choices when leaving assets to family members.

Plan early “We always recommend for families to come together before a death and have an open conversation,” says Mia Hyatt, vice president and banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. “Talk as a family about the legacy and intent of the money, and begin planning for the wealth transfer well in advance of the death so when the transfer actually takes place, the person inheriting the money now understands what the expectations are and is prepared to execute on the discussions.”

A financial planner is one key player in a circle of professionals who can put a plan in place for managing wealth.

Top experts should understand multigenerational and individual needs and values, be able to break down complex concepts and be personable.

“When you’re talking to an adviser, you want to have multiple meetings with them.

Find someone who listens to you, who is not talking at you but to you,” Hyatt says. “Put a team in place that respects you, listens to your opinions and takes a step back to make sure you understand what they’re saying.”

Gift mindfully Gifting money while still alive can have tax and other advantages, including seeing family members enjoy wealth while the donor is still living.

“Annual gifting, especially around the holidays, is good to run by a professional, like an estate and tax planning attorney, to know the most tax-efficient methods and law,” Simpson says.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Mia Hyatt

vice president and banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank

J.P. Morgan; Getty

THE LEGACY IS IN THE DETAILS

Changing the economy as we know it, The Great Wealth Transfer is predicted to pass down $84 trillion in assets to Gen X and millennials by 2045.

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NEWS

John Paul “J.P.” Bratcher shareholder and private wealth attorney in the GrayRobinson Private Client Services Practice Section

An individual can give up to the annual exclusion amount of $17,000 for each beneficiary without using the estate and gift tax basic exclusion amount of $12.92 million as of 2023. So, if married, each spouse can give that amount separately to their children, resulting in each child receiving $34,000.

“After 2025 and the sunset of the current laws put in place by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the basic exclusion amount will revert to $5 million, adjusted for inflation, unless Congress agrees to something different,” says John Paul “J.P.” Bratcher, shareholder and private wealth attorney in the GrayRobinson Private Client Services Practice Section.

Inflation considerations “Most people do not factor in inflation when it comes to their overall retirement planning, and the significant erosion of their money over time as inflation rises,” Simpson says.

Individuals need to find investment options that keep up with or outpace inflation, he adds: “It’s going to be critical for them to have a well-diversified portfolio.” Those investments can look like properly managed stocks and real estate. “CDs (certificates of deposit) and keeping money in a savings account will not keep pace with inflation,” Simpson says. “If we have 5% or 6% inflation and your assets are not growing with that each year, you’re actually losing money.”

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation, PS Form 3526-R. 1. Publication Title: Gulfshore Business. 2. Publication Number: 1935-8199. 3. Filing Date: September 22, 2023. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: Twelve (12). 6. Annual Subscription Price: Free in Florida; $12 outside Florida. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 26101 South Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Contact Person: Kerri Nolan; Telephone: (239) 498-8500. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 2824 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916, 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: James W. Schwartzel, President, 2824 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916; Heidi Rambo Centrella, Editor-in-Chief, 26101 South Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134; Tim Aten, Senior Editor, 26101 South Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. 10. Owner: James W. Schwartzel, 2824 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916; Joseph C. Schwartzel, 2824 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916; MBK GL INVESTORS LLC, Rita M. McBride Irr. Trust of 2012, Lineal Descendants of Brian A. McBride, Kathleen Plum & Maureen McBride, 2824 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: Fort Myers Broadcasting Company, 2824 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916. 12. (Does not apply.) 13. Publication Title: Gulfshore Business. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: October 2023. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average Number of Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; Number of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: A. Total Number of Copies: Average: 10,042; Actual: 10,685. B. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution: 1: Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 8,015; Actual: 9,319. 2.

In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS: Average: 40; Actual: 43. 4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS: Average: 0; Actual: 0. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 8,055; Actual: 9,362. D. Nonrequested Distribution: 1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 1,112; Actual: 720. 2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0.

3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: Average: 749; Actual: 450. E. Total Nonrequested Distribution: Average: 1,861; Actual: 1,170. F. Total Distribution: Average: 9,916; Actual: 10,532. G. Copies not Distributed: Average: 126; Actual: 153. H. Total: Average: 10,042; Actual: 10,685. I. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 81%; Actual: 89%. 16.

Electronic Copy Circulation: n/a. 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November 2023 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Publisher: James W. Schwartzel, President/Publisher. Date: September 22, 2023.

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GrayRobinson; Getty

Finance

TEAM ASSEMBLY A list of pros for specific financial management needs and a sample of what they can offer: Accountant for taxation, financial records Estate planning attorney, navigating end-of-life arrangements Certified financial planner, a roadmap to financial goals Financial professionals suggest planning early, gifting mindfully and considering inflation when receiving inheritances, and making smart choices when leaving assets to family members to ease anxiety.

Chartered financial consultant, estate planning Chartered life underwriter, life insurance

Chartered adviser of philanthropy, philanthropic giving Chartered special needs counselor, financial planning for individuals with special needs Accredited estate planner, estate planning services It’s good practice to keep the financial team connected.

“More often than not, it’s more productive if they can initially exchange information and commentary and then continuously collaborate to advise the client,” John Paul Bratcher says.

N

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IN

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999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 200 | Naples, Florida 34108 239-325-1800

uhy-us.com NOVEMBER 2023

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NEWS

Business Spotlight

Dona Jo activewear company marks 10 years by returning to SWFL

By Sheldon Zoldan

The Fort Myers clothing company Dona Jo wouldn’t be celebrating its 10th anniversary if owners Ashley Ferraro and Raphael Costa weren’t athletes and workout buffs.

The Southwest Florida business has a new showroom and offices on Alico Road, only a few miles from Florida Gulf Coast University, where Ferraro and Costa met. She was from Pittsburgh; he was from Brasilia, Brazil. She was on the swim team; he played varsity tennis. She was a marketing major who didn’t like math; he majored in business management with a minor in entrepreneurship and loved numbers.

She remembered him from an economics class.

“He was always late, on Brazilian time,” Ferraro laughs. “He’d come in 15 minutes late, 30 minutes

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late, and I’m thinking, ‘Who is this guy, why is he always so late to class?’”

He blamed it on tennis practice.

They met through a mutual friend, fell in love and married. After graduating in 2010, they couldn’t find jobs in recession-riddled Southwest Florida and headed to Pittsburgh. Costa, now 35, got a job with a business consulting firm; Ferraro, 34, worked doing advertising for nonprofits.

The idea for Dona Jo started after Ferraro visited Brazil early in their relationship. They were frequent visitors to the gym when visiting. “The one thing that always stuck out was all the bright colors, the prints, the style,” Ferraro says. “Everything was very different from what people were wearing here in the U.S.” She thought how cool it would be to bring that type of clothing to the U.S. Costa thought about be-

coming an entrepreneur after he won an entrepreneurship contest at FGCU for a business plan to build outdoor gyms. “Maybe I should open my own business one day,” he said, after winning. “That was always stalking me.”

Their first idea was to bring the brands from Brazil and sell them in the U.S. Audrey Russo, a friend, mentor and future investor, said that wasn’t a good idea; the clothes were beautiful, but the quality wasn’t good enough and the fit was wrong for the U.S. market.

They decided to manufacture their own designs—a bit less bold and less sexy—in Brazil and sell them in the States. They own their manufacturing facility in Brasilia.

They talked a lot about holding on to Costa’s Brazilian roots, Russo said.

“They’re doing it in his hometown; there’s a lot of goodness to this,” she says.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Craig Hildabrant

A BURST OF BRAZIL

The idea for Dona Jo activewear came to owners Ashley Ferraro and Raphael Costa after a trip to Brazil. Now the company is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has a new showroom and offices on Alico Road.

NOVEMBER 2023

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NEWS

Business Spotlight

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Ashley Ferraro and Raphael Costa, owners • 2010 FGCU graduates • Spend 9 months in the United States and 3 months in Brasilia, Brazil • 85 employees in Brazil, 9 in Lee County • Company is named after Costa’s grandmother, Dona Jo • Moved the showroom and fulfillment center from Pittsburgh to Alico Road in 2023

Early on, most of Dona Jo’s clothing was intended for the gym and running, focusing on leggings and tops. About six years ago, it started focusing on skirts for pickleball, golf and tennis.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Craig Hildabrant

“It’s an amazing story.”

Most of Dona Jo’s early clothing was intended for the gym and running, Ferraro said—leggings and tops. It changed direction about six years ago and started focusing on skirts for pickleball, golf and tennis, after noticing skirts were a hot seller for one retailer.

Ferraro’s mom, Colleen, became known as the tennis skirt hustler. She took a pink Steve Madden bag filled with skirts when she played tennis and pickleball at the country club and unloaded the bag. “Everyone would be reaching for things and grabbing and follow me to my car and buy out of my car,” she said. Colleen’s friends fit Dona Jo’s demographics, women between ages 40 and 65 who have the time and money for a stylish activewear lifestyle, although the company is also developing a line of less expensive clothes for a younger demographic.

The company gets 80% of its revenue from online sales, 10% from retail and 10% from Amazon, Costa said. To beef up retail sales, Dona Jo hired two independent reps, one in Florida and one in the Southeast.

“So, we’re going to start with these two and see if we can get more traction with the stores and possibly add

more reps after that,” Ferraro says.

It’s also looking to increase its social media reach by adding Pinterest, YouTube and TikTok efforts to the Facebook and Google accounts on which it currently depends. Social media has changed dramatically since they started the company, Ferraro said—it used to be able to get results by doing its own posts, but that’s no longer true; it now has to pay for ads and influencers. The plan is to work with 100 influencers at a time to promote the product, and one good thing is that the company will be

able to track which influencers help sales, something that wasn’t possible before, Costa said.

Dona Jo hasn’t been all bright colors and bold patterns. The 10 years have been a learning experience filled with roadblocks and detours. “Every year there seems to be something,” Ferraro says.

The company had to buy out its Brazilian partner in the first year because it wasn’t working out, Costa said. That’s when Russo invested in the company.

“They needed a little bit of money, and I said I was willing to be a significant in-

vestor because I believed in them,” she says.

Costa and Ferraro discovered early on that, though machines to make the flat seams needed on the clothes were plentiful in the U.S., they couldn’t find one in Brasilia. They finally found one in Brazil, but then they had to find somebody to get it working and teach people how to keep it working.

The first company the couple hired to ship products from Brazil to the U.S. proved unreliable and expensive; they were never sure when or if the products would arrive. “We figured it out along the way, but we

didn’t have a lot of help,” Ferraro said. “It was just us figuring it out.”

Dona Jo survived the onset of COVID-19—it helped sales that the only safe exercise was playing outdoor sports—but the post-pandemic time has been more challenging. Business had been growing 20% to 30% a year; that won’t be the case this year. “We’re literally just hanging in there,” Ferraro says. “Trying to keep our levels where it’s healthy, where it’s keeping everything running.”

Inflation has eaten away at their 6% to 10% profits, Costa said. The price of their fabrics increased 30% or more, which wasn’t sustainable, Ferraro said, but they product-tested new fabrics and found comparable ones at a better price.

The pros outweigh the cons despite the challenges along the way, Ferraro said. Her advice for anyone starting a business: “Pick something you are passionate about, because it’s not going to be fun every day and it’s not going to be like the stories you see on TV. It’s hard work.”

Be careful and don’t fall for the get-rich-quick “we can help your business” pitches on the internet, Costa added. “There is no shortcut,” he says. “You have to work really hard at what you do.”

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NEWS

Commercial Real Estate

By Adam Regan

LEE COUNTY

COLLIER COUNTY

Site Evaluations of Florida Inc. purchased 4,964 square feet of office space at 3550 Tamiami Trail E. in East Naples from 3550 South Trail for $1,925,000. Christine McManus, CCIM, SIOR, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the buyer and seller.

BCM Real Estate Investment LLC purchased 9.1 acres at 27825-27961 Miller Road in Bonita Springs from 2XJ LLC for $6.2 million.

Adam Bornhorst, Derek Bornhorst, SIOR, CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, and Jerry Messonnier, SIOR, of Lee & Associates NaplesFort Myers represented the buyer and seller.

Hope 97 LLC purchased a 3.61-acre improved commercial lot at 1694416976 Vintage Commerce Blvd. in Fort Myers from CLE FL RE Investment I LLC for $6,175,000.

Mike Maurer and Grey Calabrese of William Raveis Real Estate represented the seller, and Anthony Brunetti of Florida Medical Space represented the buyer.

Daniel B. and Leah Rae Light purchased a 35,000-square-foot industrial property at 3849 and 3842 Ironbridge Blvd. in Fort Myers from Westbury Park

Developments LLC for $5.3 million. Justin Thibaut, CCIM, and Olivia Voorhies of LSI Companies Inc. represented the buyer and seller.

Aerie 100 LLC purchased a 100-acre property zoned A-1 on Orange River Boulevard in Buckingham from Longhorn Investments I LLC for $3.8 million.

Mac Martin, ALC, GRI, of United Country Gulfland RE represented the buyer and seller.

Pulte Home Company LLC purchased a 57.07acre residential property WINK News

John A. Summerfield, trustee of the John A. Summerfield Trust, purchased 2,650 square feet of office space at 1729 Heritage Trail, Suite 903 and 904, in East Naples from Scott Delboccio, trustee of the Scott Delboccio Trust, for $1,265,000. David J. Stevens of Investment Properties Corp. represented the seller, and Erin Abougzir of MVP Realty represented the buyer.

CHCT Florida LLC purchased a portfolio consisting of 4101 Evans Ave. and 2665 Oak Ridge Court in Fort Myers and 1320 N. 15th St. in Immokalee from Alpha Med Capital LLC for $12,075,000. Gary Tasman and Shawn Stoneburner of Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida represented the seller.

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at 7401 Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers from Theta Investments N.V. for $3.8 million. Randy Thibaut, ALC, and William Rollins, CCIM, ALC, of LSI Companies Inc. represented the buyer and seller.

Coconut Point ST LLC purchased a 10,000-square-foot industrial building at 1019 Collier Center Way in North Naples from AP Enterprise of Southwest Florida LLC for $2,175,000.

Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the buyer.

Iron City Flooring Inc. purchased 3,442 square feet of space at 17000 Alico Commerce Court, Unit 101, in Fort Myers from Marine Detail Supply Company LLC for $1,050,000.

Corrie Gates of SVN Commercial Partners represented the seller.

Ministerio Un Pasa De Fe Inc. purchased 12.1 acres at 9730 Orange River Blvd. in Fort Myers from Mary S. Doyle, trustee of Pastore Irrevocable Trust, for $3.5 million. Adam Bornhorst, Derek Bornhorst, SIOR, CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, and Jerry Messonnier, SIOR, of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the buyer and seller.

11580 Chitwood LLC purchased a 9,840-squarefoot multitenant building on 1.2 acres at 11580 Chitwood Drive in Fort Myers from San Carlos Properties LLC for $1.45 million. Brock Rasmussen of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the buyer, and Timi Coleman of CoastalEdge Real Estate LLC represented the seller.

Aguilar Development LLC purchased a 1.54-acre lot at Estero Oaks on the northwest corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Estero Parkway in Fort Myers from Estero Oaks Partners LLC for $1.1 million.

Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the seller.

NEWS

New & Expanding

By Adam Regan

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

COLLIER COUNTY

Bistro MD LLC leased 1,945 square feet of office space at 3003 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 201, in Naples from Collier Place Holdings LLC. Patrick Fraley, CCIM, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the lessor and lessee.

K&A Coastal Design LLC leased a 1,680-square-foot space in Wiggins Pass Crossing, 13500 Tamiami Trail N., Unit 4, in North Naples from Coneco Realty LLC. Biagio Bernardo of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

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Clam Catering Inc. leased a 1,500-square-foot space in Pelican Plaza at 713 Bald Eagle Drive, Unit 715, on Marco Island from 102 Development Company LLC. Bill Young and Biagio Bernardo of Lee & Associates NaplesFort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

Bruno’s Restaurant Group of Naples LLC leased a 1,200-squarefoot space in Tanglewood Market Place, at 4910 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 124, in Naples from Tanglewood Naples LLC. Bill Young and Biagio Bernardo of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

BMR Holistic Medicine dba Acuworld leased 800 square feet of office space at 1044 Castello Drive, Suite 105, in Naples from S. June Pogue Revocable Trust. Lauren Griswold of Investment Properties Corp. represented the lessee, and Dave Wallace of CRE Consultants represented the lessor.

Annex Wealth Management LLC leased a 4,496-squarefoot space in Professional Center of Naples, 4901 Ninth St. N., in Naples from WINNAP LLC. Bill Young and Biagio Bernardo of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

LEE COUNTY

Ally Building Solutions LLC leased a 34,415-square-foot space in Suncoast Commerce Center X, 381 Laredo Ave., suites 150-170, in Fort Myers from EastGroup Properties LP. Adam Bornhorst, Derek Bornhorst, SIOR, CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, and Jerry Messonnier, SIOR, of Lee & Associates Naples-Fort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

Krak Dogz Distribution LLC leased a 4,000-square-foot space in Country Lakes

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Business Center, 5701 Country Lakes Drive, units 15-16, in Fort Myers from EB Properties Inc. Adam Bornhorst, Derek Bornhorst, SIOR, CCIM, Bob Johnston, SIOR, Jerry Messonnier, SIOR, and Meaghan Schmitt of Lee & Associates NaplesFort Myers represented the lessor and lessee.

SWFL Triad Fitness LLC leased 3,635 square feet of retail space at 7935 Dani Drive, Unit 130, in Fort Myers from Six Mile Preserve LLC. Abby Kesslak, ACP, and Michael J. Frye, CCIM, with Frye Commercial Group RE/

WINK News

Magic Hands Spa Corp leased 1,104 square feet of office space at 6210 Scott St., Unit 213, in Punta Gorda from Martha Karlstedt.

Margeaux McCarthy and Hunter McCarthy of SVN Commercial Partners represented the lessor and lessee.

MAX Realty Group– Commercial Division represented the lessee, and Heather Fava with Benderson Development represented the lessor.

Neurology and Spine Center LLC leased 1,508 square feet of medical office space at 10201 Arcos Ave., Suite 103, in Estero from 10201 Arcos Avenue LLC. Gary Tasman and Vanessa Tyler of Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida represented the lessor.

The Merriman Law Firm PLLC leased a 2,438-square-foot space at 9200 Estero Park Commons Blvd., units 3 and 4, in Estero from King Eller LLC. Matt Stepan, CCIM, and Jeffrey Clapper of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the lessor,

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and Benjamin Myers of SVN Commercial Partners represented the lessee.

Home Audio & Security Design Inc. leased 2,122 square feet of industrial space at 13850 Treeline Ave. S., Unit 4, in Fort Myers from 13850 Treeline LLC. Randal Mercer of CRE Consultants represented the lessor, and Corrie Gates of SVN Commercial Partners represented the lessee.

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HORSEPOWER

after hours

SPORTS / WEEKEND GETAWAY / BACKSTORY

Aston Martin

HORSEPOWER

With Flying Colors

Aston Martin soars with the DB12 Volante p_124

By James Raia

Horsepower AFTER HOURS

Aston Martin soars with the DB12 Volante

By James Raia

In his varied life, Englishman David Brown was a machinist’s apprentice and he was knighted. He raced motorcycles, built tractors, played polo and bred racehorses. He also bought Aston Martin in 1947, and thus began the British automaker’s use of the initials “DB” on its vehicles.

The industrialist orchestrated models through the James Bond movie heydays when the sports car’s image was at its apex. The company also had its share of automotive doldrums when its debts ballooned and a buyer couldn’t be found.

Brown died in 1993, almost exactly 30 years before the periodically struggling niche manufacturer this year unveiled the 2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante.

It debuted in August during

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Monterey Auto Week, the annual festivities known for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It’s likely the namesake of the sports car would be pleased.

Aston Martin calls it a “super tourer,” an appellation combining high-end performance with the grand touring persona of the carmaker’s traditional offerings. The name Volante has several meanings, notably “flying” in Italian.

For driving enthusiasts, the new Aston Martin has been tweaked to feature a more rigidly mounted steering wheel and suspension mounting points. The overall driving experience

is touted as more responsive, a desirable quality for secret agents of all kinds.

The coupe and the just-unveiled convertible are propelled by 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engines with 671 horsepower and 590 foot-pounds of torque.

Aston Martin markets the cars with 0-to-60 mph acceleration in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph.

The engine is mated to a rear-mounted eight-speed automatic transmission.

The coupe and convertible are equipped with 21-inch forged wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires. Driving modes are GT, Sport, Sport+, Wet and Individual.

The interior design differs from the DB11 with new buttons, knobs and switches, a brand signature.

Safety considerations are covered in detail: Forward collision warning to autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function to lane departure warning and a 360-degree 3D

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Facts & Figures Acceleration:

0-60 mph, 3.6 seconds

Airbags: 8 Fuel economy:

14 mpg city, 22 mpg hwy

Horsepower: 671 Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $248,086 Price as tested: unavailable

Manufacturer’s website: astonmartin.com Warranty:

Bumper to Bumper, 3 years/ unlimited miles; Powertrain, 3 years/unlimited miles; Corrosion, 10 years/unlimited miles; Maintenance, 3 years/ unlimited miles

Aston Martin

WITH FLYING COLORS

surround-view camera to blind-spot warning.

The DB12 also includes hand-stitched leather wraps on nearly every surface, adding to the comfort—though as far as comfort, the rear seating area is best for petite occupants only. Aston Martin assumes the infotainment design from Mercedes-Benz for the first time. It’s a 10.3-inch configuration that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 390-watt, 11-speaker audio system is standard, with a 1,170watt, 15-speaker Bowers &

Wilkins system available.

Convertible tops can be problematic, even on luxury and super luxury sports cars. Fortunately, they are an Aston Martin specialty.

The DB12 features a stealthy automated cloth top only 10 inches tall when stacked.

The top-line roof has eight

layers of lined acoustic and insulation materials for less noise and more protection during inclement weather.

It’s quick, too, opening in 14 seconds and closing in 16 seconds. It also can be operated remotely with the ignition fob within 6 feet of the vehicle. And as smooth-

ly as can be expected, it’s secured under a flush hard tonneau cover. The process is available while driving as fast as 31 mph. Roof colors range from the standard black to red, blue and a black and silver combination, all ideal for knights of all persuasions.

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Sports AFTER HOURS

A FRESH SWING AT MIXED PRO GOLFING Naples hosts new tournament for male-female partners

By James Raia

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“... PUTTING THE HOTTEST PUTTERS TOGETHER IS DEFINITELY GOING TO MAKE A

­

DIFFERENCE.”

— John Sommers

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

Tiburón Golf Club Naples; Getty

Mickey Wright tolerated fame. She achieved it through routine success, maintaining a demeanor often described as businesslike through winning 13 major championships—in 2000, Golf Digest ranked her as the greatest female golfer in history. Dave Ragan Jr. had only sporadic success, but he embraced it as an upbeat competitor who became close friends with some of the best male players in golf.

Wright and Ragan seemed an unlikely pairing, but they worked well together. The team won the Haig & Haig (a Scotch manufacturer) foursome title in 1961 in Sebring, the year after the mixed-team concept started. They won again in 1963, also in Sebring.

Wright, who died in 2020 at age 85, and Ragan, who died at age 82 in 2018, had the same coach and strategized as strong drivers in the alternating shot team event. Wright won 82 tournaments on the LPGA Tour; Ragan won three on the PGA Tour. Somehow, their skills meshed.

But given the expansion of the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions (male players ages 50 and older), finding room on the yearly calendar for mixed team play has proven elusive. The format was last presented as the JCPenney Classic in 1999 at Pinecrest Lakes Country Club in Avon Park.

Now it’s back. The Grant Thornton Invitational is a new mixed-team event featuring 16 LPGA Tour and 16 PGA Tour players competing together in a unique

Tiburón Golf Club in Naples will host the Grant Thornton Invitational, a new mixed-team event featuring 16 LPGA Tour and 16 PGA Tour players competing together in a unique co-sanctioned tournament, a format that hasn’t been presented since 1999.

co-sanctioned tournament for equal prize money of $4 million. The event will be held Dec. 8-10 at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. The Golf Channel and NBC will feature nine hours of live coverage at the event whose title sponsor is the audit, tax and advisory company.

It will be the second of three pro golf events held in Naples in about three months. The CME Group Tour Championship on the LPGA Tour is scheduled Nov. 16-19 and The Chubb Classic on the PGA Tour Champions circuit will be held Feb. 16-18. Both also will be held at Tiburón, the two-course property designed by Greg Norman that opened in 1998.

“By the time the Chubb rolls around, we’re joking, ‘Yup, it’s the first tournament of the year,’” says John Sommers, head golf pro at Tiburón. “But from the time the first one starts until the third one starts, it’s like 90 days. We’ll be ready for each one.”

The demise of the JCPenney Classic ended a long run in which the men’s and women’s team format proved particularly prominent for Florida golf fans. The event also was hosted and played in different formats and with different title sponsors at Doral Country NOVEMBER 2023

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AFTER HOURS

Sports

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Tiburón, the two-course property designed by Greg Norman that opened in 1998, also will host the CME Group Tour Championship in November and the Chubb Classic in February.

sponsor. Rickie Fowler, a six-time PGA Tour titlist who lives in Jupiter, as well as sisters Nelly Korda, the seven-time LPGA winner, and Jessica, a six-time LPGA winner, are both scheduled to compete in the inaugural tournament. Nelly Korda lives in Bradenton; Jessica resides on Jupiter Island.

G U L F S H O R E B U S I N E S S

“It really is about being inclusive and showing people that golf can be accessible for everyone, no matter what way you play,” says Nelly Korda, the younger sister. “This is going to be the perfect opportunity for me to do something important in helping to grow the game and inspire the next generation.”

Tiburón Golf Club Naples

Club in Doral and Bardmoor Country Club in Largo.

At its inception, the format wasn’t unanimously seen as a complementary mix of men’s and women’s golf talents. Commenting on the second-year event in 1961, Alfred Wright of Sports Illustrated wrote: “The Haig & Haig proved beyond question that the men, with their superior coordination, are more deft than the women at even the short shots and the putting—surer both of themselves and their technique.”

Much has changed. While PGA Tour players generally outdrive LPGA players, women’s pros are often cited as more consistent. The combination of the styles is expected to provide a key to teams’ success in the rekindled competition.

“PGA Tour athletes playing alongside the best athletes from the LPGA Tour is going to be incredible for our fans,” says Tony Finau, the six-time PGA Tour titlist. “They’ve been wanting something like this for a long time. Our fans deserve it; I think it’s very special.”

Sommers believes a successful team, just like individual player tournaments, will emerge with top-level putting. “We’ll be using different tees; the men and women will be hitting long drivers with short yardages into the green,” says Sommers. “So, from there it’s just going to be making those putts. Putting the hottest putters together is definitely going to make a difference.”

While the full lineup hasn’t been announced, Finau will be in the field as a veteran player sponsored on the PGA Tour by the new event’s title

AFTER HOURS

Weekend Getaway

Once home to indigenous Timucua people, Spanish missionaries, French Huguenots, pirates and the Victorian era well-to-do, Amelia Island is rich in history and has something to offer for everyone.

ADVENTURE

BY THE SEA Getty

The allure of Amelia Island

Roughly 40 miles north of Jacksonville and a stone’s throw from the Florida- Georgia line, Amelia Island has something for every traveler—including miles of beaches, plenty of outdoor adventures and enough history to fill an entire weekend.

By Artis Henderson

NOVEMBER 2023

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AFTER HOURS

Weekend Getaway

History

Horses

On nearby Cumberland Island, just across the Georgia border, wild horses roam freely. Most are the progeny of livestock once owned by local residents, though the bloodlines of horses first brought over by the Spanish in the 1500s are still mixed in. The Cumberland Island National Seashore was established by the National Park Service in the 1970s, and the horses on the island were left to go about their business undisturbed.

While the Cumberland Island horses are off limits for riding, given their feral nature, horse enthusiasts can get a taste for the equestrian life through Amelia Island Horseback Riding (4600 Peters Point Road, Fernandina Beach; 904.753.1701; ameliaislandhorsebackriding.com).

The beach sunset ride is the company’s most popular option, though sunrise and daytime rides along the shore are also available.

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Amelia Island has a long and fascinating history that stretches from the indigenous Timucua people to Spanish missionaries to French Huguenots, plus pirates and the Victorian era well-to-do. Its Museum of History (233 South Third St., Fernandina Beach; 904.261.7378; ameliamuseum. org) does an excellent job of gathering all these threads together under one roof. The museum also offers walking tours that stroll local neighborhoods. Don’t miss the docent-led Eight Flags tour, which promises a look at the “empires, pirates, scalawags and entrepreneurs” who have called Amelia Island home.

For even more history, head to nearby Fort Clinch State Park (2601 Atlantic Ave., Fernandina Beach; 904.277.7274; floridastateparks.org/ fortclinch). The five-sided brick fort was a strategic point during the Civil War and even served as a safe zone for blockade runners. It was occupied during the Spanish-American War at the end of the 19th century before being abandoned and then restored during the 1930s.

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Located in the historic seaport village of Fernandina Beach and built in the mid19th century, The Amelia Island Williams House Inn is a Florida Heritage Landmark with period details, such as the original hardwood floors.

Amelia Island Horseback Riding; The Amelia Island Williams House Inn; Getty

Hitching Posts The Amelia Island Williams House Inn (103 South Ninth St., Fernandina Beach; 904.277.2328; williamshouse.com) is situated in the historic seaport village of Fernandina Beach. The main house was built in the mid-19th century and has been designated a Florida Heritage Landmark Site. With beautiful period details, including original hardwood floors and antique furnishings, the Victorian mansion truly feels carved from another era. A two-course breakfast is served each morning in the inn’s elegant dining room on fine china.

For a more modern take on coastal luxury, the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island (4750 Amelia Island Parkway, Amelia Island; 904.277.1100; ritzcarlton.com) provides a relaxing retreat with top-tier amenities. Its in-house fine dining restaurant Salt features craft cocktails and a seafood-focused menu with unsurpassed views of the shore. The resort’s spa is famous for its signature Heaven in a Hammock Massage—not to be missed.

Getting There

The Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport has three active runways open to private aircraft.

Charter a flight for an easy weekend getaway.

NOVEMBER 2023

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AFTER HOURS

Backstory

TED SMALLWOOD’S CHOKOLOSKEE LEGACY A store with a story

In a time when few dared to venture into the Everglades, Ted Smallwood staked a claim on an island called Chokoloskee. To this day, his legend lives on.

The land had been inhabited before: Calusa tribes once thrived in the area, and Seminoles were forced there from farther north by the U.S. government.

Among the white settlers arriving in the late 1800s was Smallwood, who 132

came from Georgia in 1897 and farmed tomatoes at first, then started a trading post out of his farmhouse in 1906.

Around the same time, he became postmaster for the area.

In 1917, he built the Smallwood Store, which served as a center of commerce in the otherwise inhospitable area. Gladesmen or Seminoles would paddle miles through the Ten Thousand Islands to get to the store, trading

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furs, plumes or produce for medicine, food, books, cloth or basic necessities.

Smallwood died in 1951. But the store continued until 1982, even after it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It shut its doors for a few years, but Smallwood descendants reopened it as a museum, basically untouched from when it closed, and it remains open to visitors to this day.

Collier County Museums

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