Bell Tower Shops
U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway
Fort Myers

Bell Tower Shops

Thursday, March 4
Young Chicks, Old Bags at the Bell Tower Shops
6-8 p.m.
Designer purse silent auction with cool entertainment, fab food and drink specials to benefit Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida. $5 per person.

239-489-1221

Bell Tower Shops located in Fort Myers at U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida

Young Chicks, Old Bags designer purse silent auction.  Join Junior Achievement for a night under the stars and in the bag.

Would you like a chance to win a designer purse for a not so designer price? Join Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida at Bell Tower Shops for the 3rd Annual Young Chicks, Old Bags event. 

The fun ladies event will begin with a silent auction of fabulous designer purses; some new and others previously loved. Festivities will continue with raffle prizes, food and drink specials, live music, fashion events and free goodies. 

Proceeds from the event will directly benefit Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida.

Who:  Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida
What:  Young Chicks, Old Bags designer purse auction
When:  March 4, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Where:  Bell Tower Shops
Cost:    $5/Guest

Do you have a beloved bag you would like someone to adopt?  Junior Achievement can find it a good home, call Cecilia St. Arnold, program director, for more information at 239-225-2590 or cstarnold.ja@sfwdb.org.

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. In 2009, more than 9,500 students in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties were reached and taught the “economics of life.”  Today, 138 individual area operations reach 4 million students in the United States, with an additional 5 million students served by operations in 120 other countries worldwide.

For additional information about Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, contact Karen Hargrove at 239-225-2590 or khargrove.ja@sfwdb.org, or visit www.JASWFL.org on the Web.

Victoria Stephan, JA President/CSO, 239-225-2590, vstephan.ja@sfwdb.org

Located at the northeast corner of US Hwy. 41 & 10th St. in Sarasota Florida.

Broadway Promenade is located across the street from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and is anchored by Publix Supermarket!

RMC Property Group & RAM

Cocktail reception from 5:30- 7:30 offering cocktails & Hors d’Oeuvers.

Showcased will be the Broadway Promenade which offers available office/retail suites starting at 800 square feet.

Owners want to make deals and are offering 4% commission to outside brokers as well as special rent incentives for new tenants.

RMC Property Group
Jen Carter
813-960-8154
jcarter@rmcpg.com

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice

Social entrepreneur Dan Pallotta, author of “Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential,” argues that society holds nonprofits to an economic double-standard, which prevents them from achieving greater good. The solution, he says, is capitalism: We need to empower nonprofits with the same economic tools and incentives enjoyed by the for-profit sector. Instead, though, we misplace focus on nonprofit “overhead” and so-called efficiency measures rather than look at the impact of nonprofits and how we can help them be more effective.

This event is for anyone who has ever asked, “What percentage of my donation goes to the cause?” That’s the wrong question to ask, Pallotta says, and he will offer donors a new set of questions to consider when evaluating the charities they support. Please join us for a provocative take on why we view charity the way we do and how we can unleash our community’s nonprofits to reach their full potential.

Admission is $35 (includes lunch), and advance reservations are required. Reserve your seat online at www.gulfcoastcf.org.

Polo Grill/Fete Ballroom
Main Street at Lakewood Ranch

Economic Development Council, Manatee Chamber of Commerce

On February 26th, nationally renowned futurist and critically acclaimed writer David Houle will present “The Shift Age,” which is also the title of his book and trend report.

Calling this the “Transformation Decade,” Houle will identify and explain the new age we have entered, focusing in on the past 20 years and the transformative changes that have taken place. He will then shift into identifying the dynamics that are shaping our world now and for the next 10 - 20 years.  According to Houle, The Shift Age will be one of the most transformative and exciting times in the history of humanity. Houle will furnish suggestions for how to prepare for and adapt to this new age.

Proceeds from this event will provide economic support for the newly established South Tampa Bay Innovation Center Incubator, which will be located adjacent to both Sarasota and Manatee counties. One of the top objectives of an incubation program is to create jobs in a community; this local incubator is focused on becoming an economic driver for trade-sector start-up businesses that utilize “design thinking” in the development of their products or services.

This event is hosted by Economic Development Council, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, and will be held at Polo Grill/Fete Ballroom on Main Street at Lakewood Ranch in two sessions.

For reservations or sponsorship information, please contact Debbie Scott at (941) 748-4842, ext. 126 or email debbies@manateeedc.com.

Stonewood Tavern and Grill
7091 College Parkway (at U.S. 41)
Fort Myers, FL

Uhler & Vertich Financial Planners

Uhler & Vertich Financial Planners will conduct a complimentary workshop, “Social Security Unlocked!,” at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, Saturday, Feb. 20, and Thursday, Feb. 25, at Stonewood Tavern and Grill on College Parkway in Fort Myers. Each one-hour session will provide information about when to start Social Security payments, file-and-suspend options, the impact of taxes and inflation on payments, and how taking Social Security affects one’s family.

Attendance is limited to allow for questions, and reservations are required. Please call 936-6300 to reserve a place.

“There is a lot of confusion about how and when to start collecting Social Security payments and how those payments influence long-term financial circumstances,” said Financial Planner Tom Uhler, one of the workshop facilitators. “We will provide easy-to-understand information designed to lower the stress level for those facing retirement, either in the near future or in several years.”

“Social Security Unlocked!” also will be offered in Cape Coral on Feb. 16 and on Sanibel Island on Feb. 23.

Uhler has more than three decades of experience in financial services in Southwest Florida and has qualified for 15 years for the Raymond James Financial Services Executive Council, whose membership is based on assets under management, education, credentials and fiscal-year production. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association of Southwest Florida and serves on the executive board and endowment investment committee for Southwest Florida Council, Boy Scouts of America and on the board of directors for United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades, The Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Good Neighbor Community Foundation of Sanibel-Captiva.

Co-facilitator for the workshop will be Certified Financial Planner Scott Schatzle, who has seven years of financial-services experience and is one of roughly 55,000 Certified Financial Planners in the U.S. He serves as secretary of the Financial Planning Association of Southwest Florida, has been an instructor for the CFP-certification program at Florida Gulf Coast University and serves on the board of the student-run Financial Managers Association at FGCU.

Uhler and Vertich, an independent registered investment advisory firm founded in 2002, is dedicated to the success of its clients’ personal, family, financial and charitable goals. The firm’s advisors assist families in becoming and remaining financially independent with comprehensive plans that maximize income, minimize taxes, protect against the unexpected and provide for the efficient transfer of accumulated wealth. The firm, located at 1510 Royal Palm Square Blvd., Suite 102 in Fort Myers, offers securities through Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. To learn more, log onto www.uhlerandvertich.com, or call 239-936-6300.

Attendance is limited to allow for questions, and reservations are required. Please call 936-6300 to reserve a place.

Bayshore Solutions’ Offices
600 N Westshore Blvd. Suite 700
Tampa, Florida 33609

Bayshore Solutions

Back by Popular Demand-It’s 2010. Is your Website Marketing Ready to Compete?

And to Deliver Customers? Get competitive insights from Bayshore Solutions Internet experts on:

•Website and Web Marketing Best Bets & Best Practices in 2010
•Marketing Effectiveness Points to Apply to your Business Now

Join us for this continental breakfast at this peer level session:

Thursday, February 25, 2010
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Bayshore Solutions
600 N. Westshore Blvd.
(Amscot Building on Westshore just North of I 275)
7th floor, Suite 700

This is a complimentary strategy session limited to no more than 10 Marketing Director, VP and C-Level executives who are exploring how to improve their online results to grow their business, and we will do our best to afford competitive exclusivity on a first-to-reserve basis.

Ample parking is connected by covered walkway and available in the garage shared by this office complex and the Quorum Hotel just one block west of the Westshore and Cypress intersection.

Kim McCormick
813-902-0141
kmccormick@bayshoresolutions.com

Temple Beth El
16225 Winkler
Fort Myers, FL

Sheppard, Brett, Stewart, Hersch, Kinsey & Hill, PA

Attorneys Craig R. Hersch and Michael B. Hill, of Sheppard, Brett, Stewart, Hersch, Kinsey & Hill, P.A., will present a free, informative workshop on “Florida Residency and Estate Planning”.  Attendees will learn about estate and tax advantages that Florida residency and the homestead laws provide homeowners and about how changes to the tax and trust laws between 2005 and 2010 necessitate that individuals update their estate planning documents.
Participants are invited to bring a copy of their current estate planning documents by 8:30 a.m. to receive a complimentary review and confidential 12-point written analysis. All attendees will receive a free Florida Residency Guide and DVD. Light refreshments will be served.
Attorneys Hersch and Hill are Florida Bar Board Certified attorneys in wills, trusts and estate planning, specializing in estate planning, probate and trust administration, and asset protection strategies. Craig Hersch writes “Will Power”, a regular weekly estate planning column for the Sanibel Island Sun and has been nationally published in professional estate and tax journals, such as The Florida Bar Journal, The Practical Tax Lawyer, and Trusts & Estates magazines.

Register at 239-425-9379

Embassy Suites
10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive
Estero, Florida

Vein and Laser Treatment Center

ESTERO, FL., - The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Gulf Coast Chapter will host a luncheon program entitled “Talking About Our Generations – Generational Communications” on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, at the Embassy Suites, 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive in Estero, Florida. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with social and networking, with the luncheon program to follow at noon.

The program will feature a presentation by Colleen M. Reynolds, APR, President of Edge Communications in Fort Myers. Generational communication has been the buzz for many years. In her presentation, Reynolds will discuss common attributes found among each generation and will share tips and tactics to communicate effectively across generations.

The cost is $24 per person for PRSA members, $29 for non-members and $15 for students. Reservations must be made by Friday, February 19, 2010. For additional information or to register, please contact Kathy Saenz at ksaenz@ingagenetworks.com.

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Kathy Saenz at ksaenz@ingagenetworks.com

Michael’s On East Ballroom

Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice, PNC Wealth Management, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sarasota Magazine, Michelob Ultra, Betty Lupacchino Photography, and Syprett, Meshad, Resnick, Lieb, Dumbaugh, Jones, Krotec & Westheimer, P.A.

ARC’S 11TH ANNUAL FUNDRAISER GALA
SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON PET OVERPOPULATION
Event addresses critical need to fund spay/neuter program.

Hoping its annual flagship event will reduce shelter overcrowding and end the killing of adoptable cats and dogs, the Animal Rescue Coalition (ARC) is introducing a new “Woofstock” theme to promote its annual “Best In Show” gala.

“We are hoping for a little help from our friends,” said Executive Director Roberta Druif, referencing a Joe Cocker song performed at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. “This is ARC’s biggest event of the year, and the need for our spay and neuter services has never been greater. The future of ARC is bright but we have much work to do.”

This year’s Woofstock-themed gala begins ARC’s second decade of service to animals with an evening of music, food, drinks, dancing and more. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, February 20, at Michael’s on East Ballroom. Dress is “tie-dye or black tie”—Woodstock creative or cocktail attire.  Tickets are $195.  Mary Ann Robinson, Shelley Binion and Jennie Famiglio are this year’s co-chairs.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Animal Rescue Coalition and its programs. 

The Animal Rescue Coalition is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to end the killing of adoptable dogs and cats in Sarasota and Manatee Counties by means of a proactive spay/neuter program, comprehensive adoption effort, and various other initiatives designed to recognize the profound benefits to people of animal companionship.

For more information on this event or to make a reservation, please contact Nancy Henry at (941) 957-1955 ext. 7 or email nancy@animalrescuecoalition.org

Sandoval
2307 Sandoval Boulevard
Cape Coral, Florida 33991

Sandoval

Sandoval celebrates the season with ice cream social

The community is invited to attend an ice cream social at Sandoval, Bonita Bay Group’s gated, master-planned community in Cape Coral, Saturday, Feb. 20 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Sandoval’s “Inside Scoops” is a colorful foray into the community’s fun vacation lifestyle. Ice cream will be provided by Ice Cream Club of Cape Coral and served poolside at Club Sandoval with music and prizes from lite 93.7 Radio.

Visitors who tour Sandoval’s model homes are eligible to receive a special Sandoval gift tote filled with cool prizes.

The event is free. For more information, visit www.MeetSandoval.com/InsideScoops.

Sandoval offers single-family homes and villas with home and homesite packages priced from the mid-$100,000s. Single-family homesites start at 44 by 130 feet, many offering lake views. Every neighborhood has city water and sewer service in place.

Vibrant colors add to the island ambience at Club Sandoval with the 5,319-square-foot community center and water features including the 7,500-square-foot Lagoon Pool. One of the largest in Lee County, the free-form pool received a gold in the Semipublic Pools category from The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals International Awards of Excellence 2007. The pool is designed with a zero-edge, a gently sloped entry, and a children’s splash and play area with spray hoops and tumble buckets that rotate and spill water. A favorite at the pool is The Chute, a 100-foot water slide that drifts through a tropical forest of palms and plants before it ends in the water. Nearby is the nautically themed Shipwreck Cove, a tot lot with a pirate ship to explore, as well as the “Quiet Cove,” complete with chairs and umbrellas for when residents need time for leisurely reflection.

The community center also offers a multi-purpose room with tables, chairs and audio-visual capabilities, fitness center and locker rooms with showers, and a catering kitchen for celebrations, private parties and community events. For the outdoor enthusiasts, the club features a sand volleyball court, four lighted tennis courts, full basketball court, multi-purpose field, horseshoe pit and bocce court.

Families, singles, empty nesters and second-home buyers are drawn to Sandoval’s vacation atmosphere with amenities to match. The two-mile long Esplanade walking and jogging path is a tree-lined linear park, 22 acres and 70 feet wide, with park benches, shade trees and landscaping with low berms. The 4.5-acre Calypso Park has grills and covered picnic areas, pathways and a fishing pier extending into the 22-acre Calypso Lake, and one acre is set aside for Barkley Park, a special fenced-in place created for dogs to romp and play.

With gated entries, winding streets, sidewalks and 20 lakes, Sandoval is being developed in three phases. At build-out, Sandoval will have 1,579 homes.

Bonita Bay Group and CenturyLink bring state-of-the-art, fiber-to-the-home technology to each home in Sandoval. The highly reliable fiber optics greatly enhance the ability to browse the Internet, send and receive large data files and enjoy the benefits of information-age communication tools.

Sandoval is located in one of the most desirable areas within Cape Coral with easy access to shopping, dining, Fort Myers, Pine Island and business centers. Residents may also walk, bike or drive to the nearby Cape Coral Sports Complex, which has five adult softball fields, four regulation baseball fields, five soccer fields and concession stands. A network of sidewalks and pathways connect neighborhoods with parks, amenities and future retail areas just outside Sandoval’s gates. The sidewalks will also connect to neighboring Trafalgar Elementary and Middle schools, allowing children the choice of walking to school.

The Sandoval Welcome Center is located on Veterans Parkway just west of Surfside Boulevard. For more information about Sandoval, call 888-945-0432 toll-free, or visit www.MeetSandoval.com.

For more information about Sandoval, call 888-945-0432 toll-free, or visit www.MeetSandoval.com.

Congress Jewelers
2075 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel Island, FL

Congress Jewelers

Congress Jewelers is back, under family ownership and in its original Sanibel Island location. To celebrate, a grand reopening celebration is planned for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 19 and 20, with a silent auction benefiting Sanibel-Captiva Cares.

Scot Congress invites the community to visit the Periwinkle Place store and meet all of their favorite, world-acclaimed jewelry designers who are bringing their latest collections for the celebration. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served, and each visitor will receive Congress Cash, gift certificates worth $25 to $1,000 that can be redeemed at the store during the weekend with no minimum purchase required.

“We’re ready to celebrate,” said Congress. “The Congress team is very happy to be back together on Sanibel Island, and we hope to see many old friends and to meet new Islanders and visitors. Being able to help Sanibel-Captiva Cares is another reason to celebrate.”

Several pieces of jewelry from the visiting designers will be featured in the silent auction with proceeds going to Sanibel-Captiva Cares, a group that formed in 2000 to help improve awareness and funding for children’s health care in Southwest Florida after being inspired by the extraordinary care that saved an infant’s life. The group has raised $2.5 million for The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Congress Jewelers has supported the group’s mission throughout the decade, donating jewelry for annual auctions and serving on the event committee. Melissa Congress serves as one of three event co-chairs for the 10th anniversary celebration, scheduled for Sunday, March 21.

Congress Jewelers and its Rolex boutique, located a few steps away, are open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon until 5 p.m. Sunday.

Congress Jewelers specializes in an exclusive selection of elegant diamonds, colored gemstones, fine designers jewelry and the Sealife by Congress collection, including the original Sanibel sandals. Both stores offer watch service and repairs as well as jewelry design, production and repairs, appraisals and estate buying.

For more information, call 472-4177 or 472-1222.

Royal Palm Yacht Club, 2360 West First Street, Fort Myers, FL

Lee County Bar Association

The Lee County Bar Association meeting and luncheon. Keynote speaker, Charlie Green, Clerk of the Court, will present a free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program on the e-filing process coming to Lee County this year and on other current issues. There will be a live, remote demonstration of the new procedure presented by Carolyn M. Weber, Project Manager, Orange County Clerk of the Court.

Kitty Green of the Horizon Council will also address attendees on the efforts of the Lee County Economic Development Office to create a connection with businesses wishing to relocate to Southwest Florida. And Denise Wheeler, Esq., of Fowler White Boggs, P.A., will discuss Voices for Kids, the financial support of the Guardian ad Litem program. The not-for-profit organization provides local abused and neglected children with a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem volunteer, as well as financial assistance and other resources for their health, education and social needs.

Reservations required. All LCBA meetings are open to the public.

E-mail michelle@leebar.org or call (239) 334-0047. Members $20 and visitors $25.

Bell Tower Shops
U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway

Bell Tower Shops

The trendy Sip in Style fashion show returns to Bell Tower Shops Thursday, Feb. 18. The event, benefiting United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades, will showcase hot spring looks from selected Bell Tower Shops including Banana Republic, Saks Fifth Avenue and White House | Black Market.
 
Trendy apparel for all ages, a specially-concocted beverage and a great cause combine to make Sip in Style a must-attend fashion show. Featuring male and female models, the hour-long, professionally produced show will feature the latest in seasonal fashions and accessories. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of food and cocktails will benefit United Way. Raffle proceeds, including a pair of diamond earrings from Mayors and a $500 shopping spree at Bell Tower Shops, will also benefit United Way.

Sip in Style will be held on a specially-designed runway on the fountain at the north end of the shopping center near Saks Fifth Avenue. Cocktails will be available at 5 p.m. with the fashion show beginning at 6 p.m. The event is free to the public. Reservations are encouraged by calling 239-277-3963. Bell Tower Shop swag bags are available to the first 200 reservations.

Special VIP seating areas will be provided by Bistro 41 and Robb & Stucky. Tables, with dedicated servers, may be reserved in advance for $20 for a table of four, or $40 for tables of 8. Proceeds from the table reservations will be donated to United Way.

Since the inception of United Way in 1957, $88 million dollars have been raised in the community. All money raised in the United Way campaign stays in the local community to help support the local human service network. United Way partner agencies and initiatives like Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center, Children’s Advocacy Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, LARC and United Way 211 serve a diverse range of needs in our community such as nurturing children and youth, strengthening families, meeting critical needs including helping the elderly and disabled live independently, and empowering communities by bringing health and human services to neighborhoods.

In addition to raising funds for human service organizations in our community, United Way promotes partnerships and collaborations among agencies and initiatives, helping them to work together focusing on issues and solutions that continue to improve lives. For more information please call United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades at 239-433-2000 or visit www.unitedwaylee.org.

The dog-friendly Bell Tower Shops is an open-air lifestyle center, located in Fort Myers at U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway, with 40 retailers, including Saks Fifth Avenue and The Fresh Market, nine restaurants and Bell Tower 20 Regal Cinemas. The center’s sidewalk garden setting of lush landscaping, splashing fountains and covered walkways makes it a popular gathering place. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the center. To learn more, log onto www.TheBellTowerShops.com, or call 239-489-1221.

239-277-3963 or roseb@gravinasmith.com