Tsovolos known for big portions, bigger heart
Story by Chuck BallaroIf you go to the Athenian Restaurant at 1130 Old Tamiami Trail and leave hungry, you will be a rarity
That was something Chris Tsovolos was known for as the owner of the landmark North Fort Myers diner for more than 30 years
Tsovolos passed away May 16, leaving the restaurant to his family, who have been running things since his passing. The Athenian closed briefly while arrangements were made, but reopened Saturday.
Chris Tsovolos bought the Athenian (then called Dynasty) shortly after getting married in 1990 after working in the restaurant business throughout Astoria, a section of Queens in New York City which had a heavy Greek population
He originally owned the diner with a partner, whom he bought out in 1996, and at one time owned three Athenian restaurants, two in North Fort Myers and one in South Fort Myers before selling two of them and keeping the original.
He carried the restaurant through good times and times that were a challenge
In 2005, Tsovolos doubled the size of the eatery
and got through the Great Recession a few years later A “ceiling burglar " hit his place in 2019, and in 2020, he brought it through the pandemic, keeping the diner open for to-go orders only.
Then there was Hurricane Ian last year, more than a challenge for all
“We took a lot of damage and we’re still working through our claim Everything they had to fix came out of pocket, while waiting for that,” said Vivian, Chris’ daughter “Also, we were broken into and looted.”
Tsovolos was known for serving great portions (particularly dinner) at reasonable prices. It has been common for people to take a large part of their meals home in containers for a plentiful lunch the next day
“That was in keeping true to what diners were like in New York You had the comfort food and the large portions and free refills on coffee,” said Vivian “I stayed true to that style as much as he could. The
cost of everything has gone up, but everyone still gets the soup and salad and rolls and dessert.”
This meant a long line of long-time customers, whom Tsovolos always kept in mind It also meant they got to know Tsovolos’ family, who often worked there from the earliest ages
“We didn’t know any better We grew up here We would come here after school when he was working. We started working here in the summer and college,” Vivian said.
As a father, Vivian said he was always there for them when they had a problem, good for a laugh or two and was a stickler for them getting good grades
“He was a jokester with us and with the customers There wasn’t a moment when he wasn’t joking or talking us through whatever it was,” Vivian said, getting a little misty. “He really was never too busy when it came to us. He was just a genuinely good person.”
There was a viewing and a funeral at the Great Church in Port Charlotte and he was buried at the Restlawn Memorial Gardens in Port Charlotte
Vivian said the goal is to bring his body to Greece to be buried there with his father, as his goal was to retire and return to Greece, where he lived as a child
community connection
NFMCA walked for MADD!
NFMCA Vice president, Christy -Lee Iwanow and her brother, Robert , took on the MADD, Walk Like MADD on May 13. at JetBlue Park. Allison Savage, NFMCA Treasurer, and her two daughters DoraMae and HaleyBelle along with Director Bruce Vanderveen walked also
The second annual North Fort Myers Civic Association Clash Golf Tournament was June 17 I want to thank everyone who helped to make this a success again this year We will be sure to see all of you next year. Be sure to check next month for pictures and more details.
June is also our Scholarship Awards. This year we have three recipients of The Mark Lipton Memorial Scholarship These outstanding young women each will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the North Fort Myers Civic Association
Congratulations to:
North Fort Myers High, Britton Deleacaes, University of South Florida, St. Pete. Brittion’s major is Marine Biology. Minor in Psychology
Mariner High, Madilyn Jacoby, Georgia Tech. Engineering
Cape High, Cosette Lipscomb, Florida International University
Congratulations ladies
June, July and August we are asking for your help in sending a North fort Myers student back to school in style.
Please join us and support our second annual NFMCA Shoe Fundraiser. We will be handing out gift certificates to students who reside in North Fort Myers.
Our initiative is meant to help low-income households in North Fort Myers
I don't know about you but it is a good feeling to start school in a pair of new shoes My mother was a single parent just like so many in our area and there were not any opportunities like this when I grew up. I am proud that my idea of this fundraiser last year helped 22 children start school in a pair of new Skechers.
Keep an eye out for our fundraiser on our website www nfmcivic com Where you will be able to donate Remember, the NFMCA will match up to the first $500 donated
Last year with the community's help we matched the first $500 and ended up with $1,150 to purchase $50 gift cards to Skechers.
Let's hope we can exceed that amount this year. Nomination information and qualifications will be posted on our website www nfmcivic com any questions email us at nfmcivic@gmail com
North Fort Myers Civic Association has 3 open positions for the Board of Directors Qualifications can be found on our website We invite you to submit a resume if you have the time and desire to volunteer for the Betterment of North Fort Myers.
WINK NEWS Chief meteorologist Matt Devitt
Will host our NFMCA second annual Hurricane Seminar.
Matt was our host at our first seminar and we look forward to seeing and learning from him again this year
We hope the residents of North Fort Myers will attend As we learned from last year, knowing as much as we can about the before, the during, and the after a major storm is important We could never know too much. We cannot afford to be unprepared and should remain teachable. To learn as many safeguards as you can because after all this is our life here, not only our way of life but our physical life
There will be North Fort Myers Fire and Rescue, Lee County Insurance and Ellsworth Heating and Cooling experts among others, who are eager to make sure we go into the 2023 hurricane season with confidence
NFMC A hurricane seminar.
Tuesday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m.
North Fort Myers Recreation Center
Located at North Fort Myers Library on business
Toni Hill President NFMCAVeterans to receive outreach from county
Story by Chuck BallaroNorth Fort Myers has a significant veteran population, yet many of them are unaware of the benefits and services to which they are entitled
There is good news, however Lee County is expanding its community outreach efforts to veterans in the area.
A representative of Lee County Human & Veteran Services will offer monthly outreach services to veterans and their families at the North Fort Myers Public Library, 2001 North Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers
These services will be available to veterans by appointment from 9 a m to 3 p m on the third Friday of every month starting June 16
Services will be available to assist veterans, their families, their survivors, and dependents make an
application to the Veterans Administration for assistance
Rodney Van Ness, program director at Lee County Human & Veteran Services, said they are expanding their services to other areas of the county for those who can’t get to their downtown Fort Myers office The North Fort Myers Library provides an easy location that is close to the VA clinic in Cape Coral
“This will be an ongoing effort We counsel veterans and their families on the potential benefits they receive through the VA,” Van Ness said, “We will also be able to electronically submit a claim to the VA from the library as if we were doing it at the Fort Myers office ”
Most veterans come to make claims for servicerelated injuries and the VA is making a push to reach combat veterans exposed to the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan and the cancer and respiratory issues associated with them
Similar outreach has been happening on Pine Island at the Beacon of Hope in St James City for six years on the first Friday of the month and it’s been very successful.
So far, the reaction to the North Fort Myers location has been positive, with five appointments already scheduled, so you may want to schedule one now before it fills up as appointments can take between 45 and 60 minutes
The Lee County Department of Human & Veteran Services serves as a hub for government, private and nonprofit resources designated to aid individuals and families.
Specific program areas are: Family Self-Sufficiency, Housing Services, Neighborhood Building, Contract Management and Veteran Services
To make an appointment call 533-8381 For more information, call 533-7930 or visit www leegov com/dhs
North non-profit celebrates 25 years
Story by Chuck BallaroWhen Jimmy Roberts looked around one day and saw all the people in his community who could use a hand, instead of just offering thoughts and prayers, he took action.
Roberts started his own non-profit organization, Jimmy’s Friends Helping Friends to help those in North Fort Myers suffering from cancer pay their bills, make sure the poorer families could celebrate Christmas and give a hand up to anyone in need
That was in 1998 and. on Sunday, June 25, Jimmy’s Friends Helping Friends will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an event at Shores Bar & Grill, 12156 Palm Beach Blvd. in Fort Myers Shores.
“I didn’t realize how long we’ve been around until we started counting I don’t know how much longer I
can go,” Roberts said “One day someone was in an accident and I started a turkey shoot and it grew from there to doing auctions, drawings and helping families ”
Roberts’ father started doing this when Jimmy was a kid, but at a much smaller level. They would buy bicycles and dolls for those in need for the holidays and drop them off on the doorstep on Christmas Day and run Jimmy’s Friends Helping Friends has been one of those charities that has flown largely under the radar, but has been very effective in providing services for those in need.
They have held big-money successful fundraisers such as a fishing rodeo and a turkey shoot, the latter of which raised more than $12,000 the last time it was held four years ago
Post-COVID, they have done events at the Posse
Arena and other locations in the never-ending quest to help their neighbors The organization offered help to many during the pandemic and recently after Ian.
“We’ve been able to take care of some with the limited money we had We’ve kept our eyes open and listened and helped in other ways we could,” Roberts said
Of course, this is a fundraiser, and Roberts is looking for volunteers to help round up donations, items, services and gift baskets for the auction. There will be barbecue dinners offered by Last Minute Catering, and there will also be a raffle with a pistol as the prize
“We’re going to keep doing this as long as the Good Lord lets me do it,” Roberts said “We’d love to have people come out and support us ”
For more information on Jimmy’s Friends Helping Friends, visit their Facebook page
North Fort Myers economy set to boom Story & Photography by
Chuck BallaroThousands of new roofs going up, construction happening at some of the commercial areas that need it the most, and, of course, Starbucks
These and many other exciting developments are on the horizon for North Fort Myers in the not-so-distant future, and it will drive the economy for the rest of northern Lee County.
That is what John Talmage, of the Lee County Economic Development Office, told business leaders at a recent North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Business Awards luncheon held at Gulf Coast Village in Cape Coral
For years, North Fort Myers has been seen as a blank canvas as it is one of the last areas in Lee County not yet developed
That is very quickly changing as new homes have been going up at a fast clip which, in turn, should spark commercial development beyond storage units and dollar stores.
“There are going to be 10,000 new homes built in North Fort Myers alone and 86,000 throughout the county, and we need more commercial, a better balance of retail and restaurants to all the new homes,” Talmage said
Entrada, Del Webb and Bridgewater are the big residential developments sprouting up in North Fort Myers, with many more in the pipeline
For that, Merchants Crossing has started its mixed-use project, which will include 279 multi-family dwelling units in four fourstory buildings which will be connected by pedestrian paths to the collection of stores already on-site. Amenities for new residents will include a clubhouse, pool, and public plazas
The Hancock Bridge Square Plaza is approaching a wrecking ball, to be replaced by apartment complexes, some commercial and a large health care facility
The Hancock Bridge Apartments development is planned for 320 multi-family residential units within eight buildings with heights of three or four stories. A clubhouse and other residential amenities are also proposed, including a high-end gymnasium with a restaurant.
“North Fort Myers is one of the most underserved areas for healthcare in the state, especially behavioral health,” Talmage said The average is one health professional for every 250 residents Here, it’s one for every 900 ”
As for the job market, there are 25,000 jobs available in Lee County, with only about 9,000 seeking work, Talmage said The participation rate is low, with only 55 percent of the population in the workforce and thousands between the ages of 16 and 24 on the sidelines wondering what to do with themselves.
Talmage said there are schools that can get people into the medical field or the trades that can put young people to work immediately for good wages, since both are badly needed and don’t need a four-year degree
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
ACR’s Casino Royale 007 fundraiser set for July 1
The Animal Refuge Center's 10th Annual Casino Royale 007 fundraiser is set for July 1
The James Bond themed event will be held from 7 to 11 p m at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Estero
"Casino Royale is one of our signature events," said ARC Board Vice President Rob Spicker in a prepared statement. "Your favorite games of chance like blackjack, poker, roulette and craps will be available to play. We host a live and silent auction and all the proceeds from the night go to support the cats and dogs we take care of "
Tickets are $75 and include $2,000 in "cash" with which to gamble Additional gambling "cash" can be purchased at the event
Of course, no ARC event would be complete without a few wonderful ARC residents in attendance to remind the crowd about the purpose of the night.
This year ' s Casino Royale is presented by Paul and Rosalie Watson Sponsorships are still available 007 sponsorships
are $2,500, License-to-No Kill sponsorships are $1,000, Diamonds are Furever sponsorships are $500, and The Dog Who Loved Me sponsorship is $200 Sponsorships come with event tickets and various levels of advertising
The Animal Refuge Center in North Fort Myers is Southwest Florida's largest no-kill shelter
"Our philosophy avows that once an animal is accepted for adoption, it will not be destroyed to make room for another," officials said "Our mission is to shelter, adopt and educate. All donations go directly to our efforts to care for and find homes for as many animals as we can "
Tickets and sponsorships are available at https://animalrefugecenter com/allupcoming-events/2016/5/21/arcscasino-royale-007
North Fort Myers organizations help support community
Story by Chuck BallaroNFM Chamber grows bigger than ever
Every business commun ty n America needs a Chamber of Commerce to help support the community with services and events that bring it closer together and raise funds to allow it to be ab e to provide them.
The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is one of the thousands of local organizations around the country that provides support to the area’s business community and its members
And with North Fort Myers grow ng faster than ever, the Chamber is also growing faster than ever thanks, in part, to an executive director who has worked to br ng back the essence of what the organizat on has meant for businesses over the years
The result is that the Chamber has been able to bring back some of the events and programs that have stood dormant for years.
Wendy Murray has been invo ved w th the Chamber for 20 years as a member who owned four d verse businesses that marketed to seniors, Senior L fe Magazine Affordable Cremations, No Place L ke Home and D rect Access Home Health
Murray sa d the most mportant job of any Chamber is to support ocal business
“We are here to foster the business community Businesses and nonprofits can join but the ma n reason they oin s to promote their business ” Murray said “If they’re a start-up business we help g ve them what they need to get started If they’re moving in, we have a bridge for networking and advocacy ”
Murray became president in 2008 After sel ing her businesses and retiring, Murray said she was bored John Gardner who was president at the time convinced her to take over the Chamber as executive director
The Chamber had not had a full-time executive director since 2015 Carolyn Graves and others served part-time in the interim, but not having a fu ltime person hurt the organization.
Murray came aboard in April 2020 at the start of the pandemic, and worked unpaid for n ne months from home, trying to keep those bus nesses in the Chamber to remain there She created the Chamber 2 0 campaign that brought the organzat on into the 21st Century w th technology and techniques that business needs in today s climate
Not only did she succeed, she was ab e to grow the Chamber substantial y. In her three years there membersh p has nearly doubled from 97 members to 180 with the goa of 200 by the end of the year
“I think we provide a great value We re the least expensive Chamber in Lee County I’m an entrepreneur and I can understand the plight of small bus ness now ” Murray said “I can he p with press releases and marketing and the Chamber phone rol s over to mine so I take cal s on nights and weekends ”
Orig nally Murray was only go ng to stay temporarily and they had a replacement in m nd. However that did not move forward and Murray stayed, real zed she wanted to stay and has remained ever since with no p ans of leaving
The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce has been around longer than many realize It was founded in 1958 when there was only The Shell Factory, hotels on North Tam ami Tra l and a lot of farmers Today, when you enter the gateway of Lee County, the Shel
Factory houses the Chamber s Welcome Center, which serves as their headquarters and a p ace people can come to get more information on the business community.
Murray said the center came in handy last year after Hurricane Ian hit The trades were swamped and Murray was ab e to start helping bus nesses two days after the storm
“Our offices were used for members who didn’t have a place to work The Chamber sustained zero damage and we had electricty and internet w thin 11 days,” Murray said “Members came here and created work stations. I was getting 100 calls a day from up north with people asking about their condo and if they need a roofer.”
But what the Chamber is also known for s the amazing events t holds Every month it holds its Morning M ng e on the second Wednesday, e ther at Seacraft in Marinatown or Perkins where it was held for years It also holds Cocktails & Conversations at varous area businesses every third Wednesday of the month
Both events a low Chamber members or prospective ones to meet, exchange cards and network with each other
The Business Leaders Luncheon which was monthly before the pandemic is now quarterly, and s held at Gulf Coast Village n Cape Coral, where guest speakers, from experts to pol ticians come to discuss the issues
S nce 2017, the Chamber has held the Calvin Peete C assic golf tournament in October, which has been its b ggest fundraiser since its incept on
This year, it also brought back the Honorary Mayor campaign which was discontinued in 2015, where candidates raise money for the Chamber to earn votes. Re d McDaniel replaced Doug Dailey as the area’s new mayor and will represent the Chamber at special events and grand openings
The Chamber has also brought back the Chamber Awards last May, which honors the top area businesses, b g and small volunteers and community leaders The last such event was held May 31 at Gulf Coast Village
It a so brought back the Celebrity Waiter event, where ocal personalities serve as waiters for their customers and are forced to do crazy and outrageous th ngs to ra se money for the Chamber
There will also be a night at the ballpark in May with the Mighty Mussels with McDaniel throwing out the first pitch
A l these events help keep the Chamber afloat and add money to the Chamber ’s scholarship program which they run with the North Fort Myers Civic Association and the Rotary
“We have started a new website nfmscholarsh ps com, where we all give scholarships and we re directing all the applications to the website ” Murray said She said she didn t know yet how many they would give away, as t depends on the number of qualified applicants
For those who want to know more about the business community, the Chamber puts out its annual directory and business guide, which is delivered to all the 55+ commun ties
Civic Association advocates for the community
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m o s t l y i t ’ s g i v i n g o u t h o p e ” H i l l s a d . “ We u s t a l w a y s t r y t o
b e t h e re ” T h e o rg a n z a t i o n h a s b e e n c re d i t e d w i t h h e l p i n g t h e a re a g e t t s o w n c o m m u n i t y c e n t e r, w h i c h o p e n e d i n 2 0 1 3 , a n d t h e n e a r b y l i b r a r y, w h i c h o p e n e d s i x y e a r s a t e r P e o p e l i k e L i n d a Yo rd e a n d G re g g M a k e p e a c e w e re a t t h e f o re f ro n t o f t h e s e c o u n t y p ro e c t s a n d t h ro u g h t h e i r h a rd w o r k h e l p e d m a k e t h e m h a p p e n
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North Fort Myers organizations help support community
Story by Chuck BallaroNFM Chamber grows bigger than ever
Every business commun ty n America needs a Chamber of Commerce to help support the community with services and events that bring it closer together and raise funds to allow it to be ab e to provide them.
The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce is one of the thousands of local organizations around the country that provides support to the area’s business community and its members
And with North Fort Myers grow ng faster than ever, the Chamber is also growing faster than ever thanks, in part, to an executive director who has worked to br ng back the essence of what the organizat on has meant for businesses over the years
The result is that the Chamber has been able to bring back some of the events and programs that have stood dormant for years.
Wendy Murray has been invo ved w th the Chamber for 20 years as a member who owned four d verse businesses that marketed to seniors, Senior L fe Magazine Affordable Cremations, No Place L ke Home and D rect Access Home Health
Murray sa d the most mportant job of any Chamber is to support ocal business
“We are here to foster the business community Businesses and nonprofits can join but the ma n reason they oin s to promote their business ” Murray said “If they’re a start-up business we help g ve them what they need to get started If they’re moving in, we have a bridge for networking and advocacy ”
Murray became president in 2008 After sel ing her businesses and retiring, Murray said she was bored John Gardner who was president at the time convinced her to take over the Chamber as executive director
The Chamber had not had a full-time executive director since 2015 Carolyn Graves and others served part-time in the interim, but not having a fu ltime person hurt the organization.
Murray came aboard in April 2020 at the start of the pandemic, and worked unpaid for n ne months from home, trying to keep those bus nesses in the Chamber to remain there She created the Chamber 2 0 campaign that brought the organzat on into the 21st Century w th technology and techniques that business needs in today s climate
Not only did she succeed, she was ab e to grow the Chamber substantial y. In her three years there membersh p has nearly doubled from 97 members to 180 with the goa of 200 by the end of the year
“I think we provide a great value We re the least expensive Chamber in Lee County I’m an entrepreneur and I can understand the plight of small bus ness now ” Murray said “I can he p with press releases and marketing and the Chamber phone rol s over to mine so I take cal s on nights and weekends ”
Orig nally Murray was only go ng to stay temporarily and they had a replacement in m nd. However that did not move forward and Murray stayed, real zed she wanted to stay and has remained ever since with no p ans of leaving
The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce has been around longer than many realize It was founded in 1958 when there was only The Shell Factory, hotels on North Tam ami Tra l and a lot of farmers Today, when you enter the gateway of Lee County, the Shel
Factory houses the Chamber s Welcome Center, which serves as their headquarters and a p ace people can come to get more information on the business community.
Murray said the center came in handy last year after Hurricane Ian hit The trades were swamped and Murray was ab e to start helping bus nesses two days after the storm
“Our offices were used for members who didn’t have a place to work The Chamber sustained zero damage and we had electricty and internet w thin 11 days,” Murray said “Members came here and created work stations. I was getting 100 calls a day from up north with people asking about their condo and if they need a roofer.”
But what the Chamber is also known for s the amazing events t holds Every month it holds its Morning M ng e on the second Wednesday, e ther at Seacraft in Marinatown or Perkins where it was held for years It also holds Cocktails & Conversations at varous area businesses every third Wednesday of the month
Both events a low Chamber members or prospective ones to meet, exchange cards and network with each other
The Business Leaders Luncheon which was monthly before the pandemic is now quarterly, and s held at Gulf Coast Village n Cape Coral, where guest speakers, from experts to pol ticians come to discuss the issues
S nce 2017, the Chamber has held the Calvin Peete C assic golf tournament in October, which has been its b ggest fundraiser since its incept on
This year, it also brought back the Honorary Mayor campaign which was discontinued in 2015, where candidates raise money for the Chamber to earn votes. Re d McDaniel replaced Doug Dailey as the area’s new mayor and will represent the Chamber at special events and grand openings
The Chamber has also brought back the Chamber Awards last May, which honors the top area businesses, b g and small volunteers and community leaders The last such event was held May 31 at Gulf Coast Village
It a so brought back the Celebrity Waiter event, where ocal personalities serve as waiters for their customers and are forced to do crazy and outrageous th ngs to ra se money for the Chamber
There will also be a night at the ballpark in May with the Mighty Mussels with McDaniel throwing out the first pitch
A l these events help keep the Chamber afloat and add money to the Chamber ’s scholarship program which they run with the North Fort Myers Civic Association and the Rotary
“We have started a new website nfmscholarsh ps com, where we all give scholarships and we re directing all the applications to the website ” Murray said She said she didn t know yet how many they would give away, as t depends on the number of qualified applicants
For those who want to know more about the business community, the Chamber puts out its annual directory and business guide, which is delivered to all the 55+ commun ties
Civic Association advocates for the community
In 2 0 0 0 t h e N o r t h F o r t M y e r s c o m m u n i t y n e e d e d a n o rg a n i -
z a t o n t h a t w o u l d s e r v e a s a n a d v o c a t e , h e l p s o l v e a re a p ro b l e m s a n d a c t a s a l i a s o n t o t h e L e e C o u n t y B o a rd o f
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“ I w a s a b l e t o t a k e o v e r a s p re s i d e n t a n d w e w e re a b l e t o b u i l d t o w h a t y o u s e e t o d a y We h a v e a f u l l h o u s e f o r m e e t i n g s a n d a v a r i e t y o f a g e g ro u p s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s , ” D a i l e y s a i d . “ I t ’ s g re a t t o h a v e b e e n a p a r t o f t h a t . ”
C i v i c a l s o s t a r t e d t h e C h r i s t m a s P a r a d e t h ro u g h t h e s t re e t s o f P a l m o n a P a r k , w h i c h g o t h u n d re d s o f c h i l d re n g i f t s t h e y m a y o t h e r w i s e n o t h a v e g o t t e n “ W h e n y o u g i v e t o y s t o t h e s e c h i l d re n , i t m a y b e t h e o n l y t o y t h e y g e t , t h e y a re s o h a p p y M o re t h a n t h a t , t h e p a re n t s a n d g r a n d p a re n t s h a v e t e a r s i n t h e i r e y e s b e c a u s e y o u h e l p e d t h e m , ” H i l l s a i d .
H i s s u c c e s s o r, D a n n y B a l l a rd , f o l l o w e d u p o n h i s s u c c e s s , b r i n g i n g t h e C o m m u n i t y Aw a rd s p rog r a m i n t o e x i s t e n c e w i t h t h e h e l p o f D a i l e y a n d
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A f t e r h a v i n g t o p u t a h o l d o n f u n d r a i s i n g a n d e v e n t s d u r i n g C O V I D , t h e o rg a n i z a t i o n i s b a c k t o h o l d i n g e v e n t s . O n e o f t h e n e w e s t o n e s i n c l u d e t h e “ E g g s t r a v a g a n z a , ” w h e re t h e N F M C A t h ro w s a re d p l a s t i c e g g o n t o a re a l a w n s , w h i c h c o n t a i n s a r a ff l e t i c k e t t h a t c a n b e e x c h a n g e d f o r p r i z e s
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i n v o l v e m e n t w i t h B e n c h e s f o r O u r B a b e s i n 2 0 1 8 . S h e s a i d i t ’ s a b o u t d o i n g t h i n g s f o r t h e b e t t e r m e n t o f c o m m u n i t y re s i d e n t s
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“ We a re u s i n g o u r v o i c e t o t e l l p e o p l e w h a t w e a re a d v o c a t i n g f o r i n t h e c o m m u n i t y ”
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H i l l s a i d t h e d i ff e re n c e i s n i g h t a n d d a y f ro m i t s e a r l i e r y e a r s
“ We ’ re m o re o u t g o i n g . We t r y t o d o m o re t h i n g s a n d t r y t o h e l p m o re p e o p l e . We t r y t o r a i s e m o re m o n e y t o d o m o re f o r t h e c o m m u n i t y, ” H i l l s a i d “ We ’ re n o t d o n e y e t I w o u l d l i k e f o r u s t o b e t h e b e s t i n 2 0 2 3 ”
Local Rotary is simply golden
The Rotary Club of North Fort Myers has served the people of the community for 50 years It wants to be able to do that for 50 more
This year, the Rotary is going to celebrate that milestone on June 14 at Southern Waters on Daughtreys Creek Road from 6 to 9 p m This on top of all the things it does throughout the community for people of all ages.
Christina Schwinn, current Rotary president, said Rotary is focused on community development, especially after Hurricane Ian last year.
“We responded by helping people clean out their homes We work with other clubs to provide service,” Schwinn said “Our main objectives are the environment, fighting disease, especially polio which was one of our biggest, and fellowship ”
Schwinn said the Rotary has about 30 members, which has remained relatively constant for the last several years Some Rotary chapters represent larger communities like Naples and Bonita Springs.
They meet every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at the Sea Craft restaurant in Marinatown for a breakfast meeting, which usually has a guest speaker (at this meeting it was an attorney who talked about estate planning) Schwinn invites anyone who can come to attend one of the meetings as a guest and hopefully become a member
The Rotary has worked with the Linda and Bill Gates Foundation to provide polio vaccines worldwide, work on programs to make sure we have safe water in other countries
The Rotary Club of North Fort Myers was chartered on June 14, 1973, by Charter President, Richard “Dick” McConville Only one charter member remains.
Since then, the Rotary has raised in community service projects and been recipients of nearly $1.2 million.
For years, the Rotary has participated in the Holiday Toy Project for the Head Start students at J Colin English Elementary School Even during COVID, they were able to provide the more than 80 students toys, a pair of shoes and an outfit, all of which was placed in a bag for each family
After the hurricane, events like this took on an even bigger meaning, especially since many of the kids who attend come from families in need.
“Most of our schools are Title I schools. Kids are getting free lunch and there isn’t a lot of wealth,” Schwinn said
They also give out scholarships to students at North Fort Myers High School every year and sponsor students to go to the various leadership programs designed for young students
To do these things, the Rotary needs money In North Fort Myers, there are a number of things they do to raise funds
On May 6 Rotary held its annual golf tournament at Magnolia Landing. It also participates in Bike Night in Cape Coral as well as Red, White & Boom every July 4.
“The booze raffle is always a pretty big one That one tends to raise a lot of money,” Schwinn said, referring to the wheelbarrow full of alcohol given to the winner “That money goes back into our coffers for scholarships and other things ”
The Rotary launched “Baking with Christina” for Valerie’s House, which brings together high school students who learn how to bake and has been a huge hit.
Recently, they finished with Springfest at the rec center, where they were sponsors and featured the annual Easter egg hunt.
Previous presidents at the NFM Rotary have gone on the bigger things in the club. Former president David Rice has been named governor for the district and will oversee a number of clubs and help the leaders of those clubs with membership, service projects and more
There is also a leadership progression at the Rotary Lenny Cannova takes over on July 1 and will rule over a very healthy organization, though many don’t know much about what they do.
“We have things planned in the future from the money brought in from the golf tournament. We
have money for the scholarships,” Cannova said. “I want to stress awareness of the Rotary. Many, especially younger people, don’t know what Rotary is, what we stand for, what we do I want to get that out there We’ve been around 50 years and I don’t want to screw that up ”
Schwinn said she would like to collaborate more with the other local organizations as the area has some huge challenges and opportunities on the horizon.
“We need to work with the Chamber and the civic association and get our officials to start ad-
north fort myers economy
“We’re working with the school board to expand the technical colleges, with a new location in Fort Myers and expand the public service academy so we can have more firefighting and police units,” Talmage said. “There will be a Lehigh technical college in the five-year plan.”
Among the other projects Talmage was excited about include the planned 100-acre industrial park south of Littleton Road between the two 41s When asked about the potential for softball fields, which residents have been clamoring for forever, there is still not a plan in place
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This will mean the county will need to make some serious investment in water and sewer to the area and other infrastructure improvements, Talmage said
As for the two most highly anticipated projects, Paradise Isle and Waterway Estates, Talmage didn’t say much about them, especially since the future is still up in the air for Paradise Isle
Waterway Estates, which is being used as a staging area for repair crews after the hurricane, will be leased to Safe Harbor Marinas which, in turn, will put in about $9 million of capital improvements to
dressing these issues. Every day there are accidents that block everything up,” Schwinn said. “All organizations are facing that. How do we come together on infrastructure issues ”
Other issues include the lack of high-paying jobs in the area because it is so hospitality driven and what will transpire with the Hancock Bridge Square shopping center once that is torn down
For more information on the Rotary Club of North Fort Myers, visit rotarynftmyers.org or call 997-3832.
NFMNLreturn this parcel to its original use which included a marina with dry storage, boat slips and a waterfront restaurant
With nearly 80 people a day coming to Lee County (which is a larger growth rate than Tampa), finding a place for them to live will be a challenge in the short term. Talmage expects Lee County to have 1 million people by the end of the decade and large businesses such as Ikea are starting to look at Southwest Florida
NFMNL
NFM Chamber hands out business awards
Story & Photography by Chuck BallaroLast year, the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce brought its annual Business Awards Luncheon back to recognize local businesses, business people and entrepreneurs for excellence
Last month, on May 31, local business leaders packed the Gulf Coast Village in Cape Coral to recognize what North Fort Myers has to offer and what the future lies for the community in regards to commercial and residential.
“There are so many businesses doing so many amazing things all year long that we thought this would be a great way to reward them,” said Wendy Murray, Chamber executive director
LCEC served as the title sponsor, while John Talmage, of the Lee County Economic Development Office, was the guest speaker, who talked about the state of the local and county business community.
There were 11 awards presented, which Murray said exemplifies what the area has to offer
‘We have some amazing business leaders in
North Fort Myers and we’re blessed to have the diversity we have,” Murray said. “It’s exciting to see the growth in business we’re having. It’s amazing where we’re at.”
Insurance companies were the big winners Wednesday McDaniel’s Insurance Solutions took home three awards, including Business of the Year, despite the adversity he and his family faced
“It’s a great accomplishment and we’re thankful that the community helped us get there Last year was tumultuous from losing our office to my wife going into premature labor with twins and living in the hospital for two months,” said Reid McDaniel. “We’re growing, we purchased a financial planning firm so now we can marry insurance and investing ”
Paige Ashton, who won the young professional award, was surprised she was a winner, but honored
“I’m here to help and do what I can for the Chamber and the community,” Ashton said. “I do what I can to keep the ship afloat and make sure everyone is taken care of We try to be the best and the most helpful and educate people ”
Another insurance company, Lee County Insurance, won two, including John Gardner, Chamber president, who took home the Overcoming Adversity Award, who lost his office and his home during Hurricane Ian
The award winners were:
Young Professionals of the Year: Ryan Sushsland and Paige Ashton.
Beautification Award: Three Fishermen’s Restaurant
Rising Star of the Year: Michael Conticelli
Most Engaged New Member: Matt Gould
IT Professional of the Year: Joe Serano
Entrepreneur of the Year: Eagle Roofing & Restoration
Community Partner: Regions Bank.
Non-Profit of the Year: North Fort Myers Rotary.
Overcoming Adversity Award: John Gardner, Lee County Insurance
Business of the year:
Tickets for Babcock Ranch Foundation’s inaugural Nashville Night music festival are now on sale
Music festival features top performers, benefits local students and families
The Babcock Ranch Foundation is releasing discounted early-bird tickets for Nashville Night, its inaugural musical festival and fundraiser featuring Music City’s brightest stars. Limited tickets for the Nov 18 concert in Babcock Ranch’s downtown area of Founder ’s Square are $25 and went on sale to the general public June 5 Tickets can be purchased at www babcockranchfoundation org
“While the evening festival features the opportunity for music fans to enjoy Founder ’s Square’s lakeside backdrop, food trucks and top entertainment, it also helps raise funds for a worthy cause,” said Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, who formed the Babcock Ranch Foundation to expand and identify new opportunities supporting Southwest Florida’s families and children
“Proceeds from Nashville Night will benefit the Babcock Ranch Foundation, which supports programs and initiatives that enhance, enrich and positively impact the lives of at-risk children ”
Nashville Night sponsorships are also available, and include VIP seating, complimentary food and beverage and more.
The music festival includes blues, rock and country performances by
headliner singer-songwriter Deidre Thornell and starring artists Dave Isaacs, Meg Williams and Travis Bowlin.
Seating on the event lawn overlooking Lake Babcock will open at 3 p m and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets Music will begin at 4 p m and continues until 9 p m with food and beverages served by crowd favorite food trucks, as well as the town’s restaurants: Square Scoops, Slater ’s Goods & Provisions, and The Lake House Kitchen & Bar Dallas-born Thornell’s soulful voice and supersized modern country love ballads draw comparisons to Patsy Cline, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert Her blues-inspired 2020 single entitled “Keep on Loving Me” was cowritten with Music City-based guitar teacher and fellow Nashville Night artist Dave Isaacs Known for her show-stopping performances and poignant storytelling, Thornell released the single “Ohio” in fall 2022 with Grammy-nominated producer Sal Oliveri, who’s worked with Chris Stapleton, Pink and Carrie Underwood. “Black Widow,” her newest song from a forthcoming EP, dropped in February 2023
the pulse
Kudos to students and staff for school year accomplishments
Summer break is in full swing and many of our employees and students are enjoying some much-deserved rest and relaxation There is so much to remember from the last school year and so much to look forward to in the coming school year. As your District 4 School Board representative, it is my pleasure to share with you some of the accomplishments of the students and staff in the North Fort Myers community
I extend my congratulations to Bayshore Elementary teacher Lindsay Maxwell for being selected as a Golden Apple recipient by the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools Ms Maxwell and the other winners were honored at a black-tie event in April.
Two teachers from North Fort Myers High School joined an elite group of only 100 teachers nationwide that were chosen to attend the Disney Imagination Campus Taylor Ashby and Sakeena Esteves were selected for demonstrating the spirit of creativity
and imagination in their classrooms
The weekend at Disneyland provided training in digital technology, physics and teamwork
Our students earned scholarships and distinctions for their hard work as well. Makayla Ashby from North Fort Myers High School and Tawny De La Fe Cruz from Island Coast High School were honored with a $5,000 scholarship each from the Boston Red Sox At the 31st annual Excellence in Education Awards, held by the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee and sponsored by the Breeze Newspapers, seven students were honored:
North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts: Miles Holmes and Margaret Bregenzer
Island Coast High School: Paige Klotzbach and Rodina Carmona
North Fort Myers High School: Melcha Walker and Vivian Gomez
North Fort Myers High School: Jessica Newman, $2,000 Scholarship recipi-
ent Half of the School District’s students honored with All-State Honors by the Florida Music Association attend schools in North Fort Myers They auditioned with more than 10,000 other students to earn this honor.
Congratulations to:
North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts Kaleigh Derrington, Lyla Roland, Alexis Holdaway, Ava Drury, Adeline Rosenberg , Luciana Mendez , Cadence Coultas, Jacob Culbertson , Ashley Everett, Karl Picard, Cody Prevost, Caisson Dobson , Daniel Perugorria Guzman, Jaejune Lee , North Fort Myers High School , Claire Fischinger , Ella Culberston, Caroline Evans , Jamie Deluca, Boaz Galindo , Celeste Schreiber , Ian Laufer , Hazel Fitzpatrick and Niccolo Roman
At the 2023 High School Musical Awards, the local version of Broadway’s Tony Awards, North Fort Myers High School won Outstanding Performance by an Orchestra. North was also runner-
up for Outstanding Overall Production, Outstanding Technical Achievement, and Outstanding Actress.
We closed out the school year with a wonderful weekend celebrating the Class of 2023 at their graduation ceremonies. It was great to help hand out diplomas I wish all our new graduates the best of luck in their future
Right now, we have thousands of students involved in District sponsored summer school, camps, and programs We offer a wide variety of educational opportunities in science, reading and math to encourage our students to stay active during the summer. In addition, we continue to offer the Summer Break Spot program that offers fee meals to anyone 18 years old and younger.
Enjoy the summer break The first day of school on Aug 10th will be here before you know it
Debbie Jordan, Lee County School Board, District 4Cemetery - Cremation Help Wanted
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