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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ®
NOVEMBER 2020
Gandhi’s message resonates today
Choose Cape Coral
for Supply Chain, Technology and Mixed-Use Development
This year is the 25th anniversary of Apartheid governGandhi’s visit to Southwest Florida. ment. Through the Students of history know that this was Newtons’ work not the famous Mahatma Gandhi, who with MRA, they died in 1948, but his grandson, Rajmoalso befriended han, who is 84, and has followed in his several other world grandfather’s footsteps as a worldwide figures who graced peacemaker in his own right. Southwest Florida Rajmohan Gandhi spoke at the Fort with their presence. Myers Mayor’s Community Prayer Bob Taylor, of the Breakfast in 1995. Gandhi’s message BY ERIC Mariner Group, re25 years ago is one we should hear DENT members meeting clearly today. He told several transforGuest Columnist Cardinal König, mational stories, including in his own life. After college, Gandhi moved to the Roman Catholic cardinal who is England for his first job. He took with credited with elevating the candidacy him a hatred for the British and essen- of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to become Pope John Paul II. “Jim and Ellie had tially all Westerners. There he met people who were part such magnetic personalities that all of Moral Re-Armament, and he found sorts of people, including those holdit impossible to hate them. They were ing high-level positions in the world, willing to admit the errors of the West, were drawn to them.” Jim and Ellie, formerly pillars of and they were even honest about their personal shortcomings. Yet, they had a this community, are memorialized tremendous vision for peace and har- in Southwest Florida in many ways. mony worldwide. Gandhi joined MRA Their long-time home on Fort Myand met Jim and Ellie Newton, a cou- ers Beach is today Newton Park. Fort ple from Fort Myers who had devoted Myers Beach Elementary School has their lives to the mission of MRA, an an Uncommon Friends Pavilion. Unorganization that challenged people common Friends was a book Jim and nations to live by the four pillars wrote about his friendship with people of absolute honesty, purity, love and such as Thomas Edison. To honor the Newtons, in 1993 community leadunselfishness. The Newtons’ friendship with Gan- ers founded the Uncommon Friends dhi brought him here. Fran Myer, of Foundation, now headquartered in the Red Coconut RV Park, remembers that beautiful, historic Burroughs Home day as overwhelming. “There were on the Caloosahatchie River at Fowler probably 800 people in attendance and Street, to foster character developGandhi was so impressive. Jim and El- ment, ethics and integrity in Southlie Newton were equally impressive.” west Florida. Gandhi noted that Mandela and Gandhi mentioned an interesting prediction from his grandfather decades de Klerk ended up sharing the Nobel before Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Prize as a recognition of their “Black Americans will deliver non- hard work on racial reconciliation, a violence to the world.” Gandhi told good lesson for us all today. the story of being asked to host Nelson Mandela in India, shortly after his Dr. Eric B. Dent is a professor and release from prison. He often heard the Uncommon Friends Endowed people tell Mandela, “we will pray Chair in Ethics at the Lutgert Colfor your health.” Mandela responded, lege of Business at Florida Gulf “please also pray for the health of de Coast University. Contact him at Klerk,” who was then the head of the edent@fgcu.edu or (239) 590-7162.
ANNIVERSARY
Junior Achievement helps students reach their potential
City of Cape Coral Economic Development Office 239-573-3081 CapeCoral.net/EDO EcoDev@CapeCoral.net
In 2021, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida will proudly celebrate 27 years of providing volunteerdelivered, kindergarten-12th grade programs that foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills and use experiential learning to inspire students in the Southwest Florida community to dream big and reach their potential. In just the last year, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida has had to make some significant changes amid the effects of COVID-19. The organization accelerated its program offerings to continue delivering an impactful and essential curriculum for students and educators who started the 2020-2021 school year under unusual
TECH PAGE 1 development, growth and attraction of technology companies and resources in Southwest Florida. Membership is comprised of technology companies and technology users, economic development groups and higher education institutions. Through its mission
circumstances. Two new virtual program delivery models were developed and made available to continue to provide students, educators and parents with the tools, resources and support they need to navigate these uncertain times. While the future is uncertain, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida has vowed to continue inspiring tomorrow’s for local students and to support the dreams of our youth, instilling in them that anything is still possible for many more years to come. Contact Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida (239) 225-2590. Learn more at juniorachievement.org/web/ ja-swflor.
to Inspire, Innovate and Inform, the SWFRTP produces educational seminars, career forums, professional networking events and the only regional awards program dedicated to technology development and implementation. More information is available at www.swfrtp.org or through info@swfrtp.org.