It has been four years since I sent a family holiday card. Around October my expectations and intentions reach a pinnacle and I believe that a festive greeting and a...
On one of our many corporate transfers, my family found themselves in Daytona Beach for a few years. Anyone who has lived the life of moving every couple of calendar...
I knew it wouldn’t be long before someone asked me about ghosts. When the Southwest Florida Community Foundation recently moved into our new home, Collaboratory, we were following in the...
When I was a kid there was a corny saying that worked its way into conversations whenever someone said something that rhymed. I am guessing most of you have uttered it at...
120 people from 32 nonprofits from throughout Southwest Florida gathered on Saturday, Nov. 3 for Dan Pallotta's Bolder Board Training at Collaboratory located in midtown Fort Myers. The event was...
There are certain times it is not wise to search for information on the internet. I am reminded of this every time I google an unknown medical symptom, or the...
I noticed the Guide to Flipping Houses on the internet not too long ago, “5 Easy Steps to House Flipping.” I’m a closet fan of Flip or Flop, Flipping Out...
I work alongside a team member who likes to ask “there are no bad ideas, right?” before she launches into an idea generating session at the office. I find myself...
by Jack Ham, Principal, The Academy, Port Charlotte, Fla. Another school year has come to a close, and The Academy has even more reason to celebrate than usual. Given the school's...
Preventing Dog Bites in Elementary Aged Children in Lee County By Nicole Ferguson-Morrison, DVM, MS, MPH, MRCVS Veterinarian, Lee County Domestic Animal Services Dog bites are a frightening experience for anyone, especially children....
The sights and sounds of commencements are all around us this time of year. I remember my own graduations and the sense that the whole world had stopped and noted...
I found out last week that I am not the only one with a storied past. If you are a regular reader of this column you know that I share...
Can you imagine standing up on stage in front of a large rowdy crowd and reading excerpts from your childhood diary? It seems unimaginable to me, but last weekend I...
I decided to work from home today, so I am not wearing my business attire and am writing this from my comfortable couch with a very different view out the...
by the Team of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation What on earth do you plan to do in honor of Earth Day this week? While the official Earth Day is April...
I have been a life long environmentalist. As boy, I sailed with my family all along the East Coast from New York to Maine. As a young adult, I took...
No doubt many of you are recovering from the recent Easter egg hunting season. Spring is in the air and for weeks leading up to the Easter Bunny’s annual pilgrimage...
When I was a kid, I fell in love with the band REM. It was the album Out of Time that changed the way I thought about music and made...
Plastics. This one word is actually ranked number 63 in the American Film Institute’s list of the top 100 movie quotations in American Cinema. It appears in the 1967 movie...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation has launched an Earth Day campaign to raise awareness and funds for the environment in Southwest Florida. The “Earth Day the SWFL Way” campaign is meant...
Recently I was enjoying a cup of coffee with a new acquaintance who had reached out to learn more giving and philanthropy in Southwest Florida. When he asked me about myself...
As I stood in the massive ticketing lobby of the Mexico City International Airport I was swept up in a wave of unfamiliarity. I felt disoriented and it took a...
As expected this time of year the line to valet at the Naples resort seemed to stretch out endlessly. Experienced Southwest Floridian’s have grown to expect this during season and...
The theme of a recent conference I attended was delivered in the form of a question, “What Drives You?” Throughout the three days I spent with other grant makers and funders...
The plates of cookies and pitchers of fruit-infused water went untouched for weeks. This surprised me as I thought the smell of warm chocolate chip wonders and refreshing thirst quenchers...
New exhibit features artwork by five local physicians The Southwest Florida Community Foundation will launch a new art display at its Community Hub in February. Beginning February 2, “Art Doctors” will feature...
There was something very special about Mary. She lived to be 96 and during her lifetime she was educated, married a wonderful man, was well-traveled, had children and grandchildren she...
Our community does an amazing job providing food for hungry people during the holidays. My email inbox and social media feeds explode this time of the year with stories of...
Recently I was traveling on a back road in Northeast Florida that reminded me of car trips with my grandparents. I spent many of my childhood summers with them and...
Brace yourselves for the onslaught of back to school promotions. For those of you who grew up when school started after Labor Day the abundance of ads for all things...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation recently added Frederick Moon to its board of trustees....
If people watching were an official sport, I am fairly certain I could be a contender for the Olympic team or championship game. Wherever I go I look for opportunities to...
I enjoy the challenge of navigating a new city, particularly as a solo traveler. I feel empowered when I am able to get from point A to point B on...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation has awarded $557,036.00 to both established and new programs that are designed to increase the quality of life in sustainable and equitable ways for Southwest...
I went to a new gym last week. I realize lots of people went back to gyms over the past few weeks as part of a blurry eyed pact they...
How are you going to change the world? It was an innocent enough question that I asked each of the young professionals who visited our office last week. These six young...
My sister-in-law has a decorative plaque hanging in her house that begs the question, “What if tomorrow you had only the things you gave thanks for today?” Inspirational quotes show up...
I recently heard a story in which a man was trying to break a Guinness World Record by rowing the distance in a boat made out of a huge, human-sized...
Coming off the successful “Faces of Philanthropy” exhibit celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2016, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation will launch a new art display at its Community Hub in...
by Ava Barrett, Director, Hendry County Library Cooperative How do you change unfavorable educational ratings in a county? The Hendry County Library System believes the answer is “from the bottom up.”...
My youngest child is 15 years old now so Easter egg hunts have gone by the wayside. I considered hiding cash in plastic eggs all over the yard this year...
I am wondering what your reaction is when you read the headline to this week’s column. Some of you might be thinking, “Are you kidding me, season in Southwest...
The next generation of philanthropists, those who fit into “Gen X” (born 1964-1980) or “Gen Y/Millennial” (born 1981-2000), will wield more philanthropic power than any previous generation, according to Nextgendonors.org....
I am generally a glass half full type of person. I am a delusional optimist about most everything including my work. A new year caters to this type of thinking,...
More than $500,000 available through 50 scholarships for students seeking post-secondary education The Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s scholarship application process for the 2016-2017 school year will begin on Friday, Jan. 15....
There is no doubt that a New Year gives us plenty of chances to count things down. It seems to begin right around the week before Christmas when we become...
