Dr. Mel Youngs Chiropractic & Wellness Spa celebrates 21 years

Dr. Mel Youngs, D.C., P.A. is marking her 21st anniversary in Cape Coral.

The chiropractic physician opened her practice on Oct. 1, 2000, since expanding to include massage therapy, laser therapy, facials, and more.

Dr. Youngs “consistently strives to offer the highest quality of care, utilizing top industry technology and the latest research to maximize your wellness results.”

The office is located in downtown Cape Coral at 916 S.E. Cape Coral Parkway.

For more information, call 239-542-1422 or visit www.dryoungs.com

Carpenter’s Chair Barbershop offering free haircuts to veterans

On the first Wednesday of each month, The Carpenter’s Chair Barbershop is offering free haircuts for veterans. The barbershop is located at 814 S.W. Pine Island Road, unit #104, Cape Coral.

Shop owner Mario A. Hernandez is offering the free haircuts as a “way of giving back to those brave men and women who have served our country.”

“This idea started when I was going back to school for my master barber license; while I was in school the educator (Stephanie Lewandowski) would take a few barbers to the military museum to give free haircuts,” he continued. “This was a great way to let the students gain experience while honoring the veterans…”

Call 239-471-2347 for additional information.

Waste Pro in Fort Myers holding a hiring event Saturday

On Saturday, Sept. 18, Waste Pro’s Fort Myers Division is hosting a hiring event for positions including drivers, helpers, technicians and customer service representatives. The event will be held at Waste Pro Fort Myers Division, 13110 Rickenbacker Parkway, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Applicants must bring a resume, motor vehicle registration, DOT medical card, and driver’s license. Interviews and road tests will be conducted onsite. Once hired, employees are eligible for retention and referral bonuses up to $3,000.

Drivers must have a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). Waste Pro is licensed by the Florida Department of Transportation to issue CDLs and is proud to offer its Co-Heart Program to employees who wish to earn one. Program typically takes approximately 90 days to complete.

Drivers and helpers who are hired and go three years without accidents, injuries or property damage are eligible to earn a $10,000 Safety Award (Drivers) or $5,000 Safety Award (Helpers).

For additional information about the hiring event, please contact:media@wasteprousa.com

Masks are required for unvaccinated attendees during the hiring event.

Big Storm Brewing brings home gold at Great American Beer Festival

Big Storm Brewing Co. has won another national award, this time striking gold at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival. The Brewery’s Belgian Quintuple won in the Experimental Wood-Aged Beer category, while Big Storm’s extremely popular Bromosa Tangerine IPA captured a bronze medal in the Experimental India Pale Ale category.

The Great American Beer Festival attracted nearly 10,000 entries this year from more than 2,000 breweries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

For a complete list of this year’s winners at the Great American Beer Festival, visit https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/.

Founded in 2012 in Pasco County, Big Storm currently has four taprooms in the Sunshine State — Clearwater, Orlando, Odessa and Cape Coral.

Big Storm Brewing in Cape Coral is located at 4721 SE 10th Pl, Cape Coral, FL 33904. For additional information, visit https://www.bigstormbrewery.com/

Howard joins Sanibel Captiva Community Bank

Tilia Howard has joined Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as a loan processing coordinator at its downtown Fort Myers branch, located at 1533 Hendry St. She is responsible for processing loan files and ordering services and verifications needed for underwriting review.

Prior to joining the bank, Howard worked for several credit unions in the customer service and consumer lending departments. She has an associate degree in psychology studies from Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Founded in 2003, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank has two locations on Sanibel Island and six more locations throughout Lee County. The bank employs more than 100 employees, and more than 40% are current shareholders. The bank offers free personal and business checking, deposit accounts with competitive interest rates, instant issue debit cards and a full array of digital banking products and services. To learn more, visit www.SanCapBank.com.

25th Semi-Annual Fall Home & Garden Show coming to downtown Fort Myers this weekend

This Saturday and Sunday, September 18 and 19, the 2021 Semi-Annual Fall Home & Garden Show returns to the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, adjacent to the Luminary Hotel.

Last fall the Home & Garden Show was the first public event to be held at the new event center in downtown Fort Myers.

Now in its 25th year, the semi-annual Home & Garden Show features more than 110 local and regional companies that display and present products and services to homeowners. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Jim Parks from HGTV will serve as celebrity guest and will give three entertaining and educational seminars each day featuring “Update your Kitchen and Bathroom”, “I Need Curb Appeal” and “Change My Living Space”.

Attendees can experience the newest in-home improvement products and services inside and out from furnishings, accessories, decorating and remodeling ideas to landscaping and more. Hourly drawings and door prizes will also be given away.

Expo Management Inc. was established in Fort Myers in 1987. The company has successfully produced 563 events over the past 34 years. In 2021, they will operate 19 events in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

For more information about the Home & Garden Show, contact David Pardi of Expo Management at (239) 284-4597, email fldave@expomanagementinc.com or visit expomanagementinc.com.

Millennial Brewing announces 5th Annual Oktoberfest

Millennial Brewing Company will hosts it 5th annual Millennial Oktoberfest Oct. 1-3 in downtown Fort Myers, featuring eight Bavarian style beers. The free event, presented by Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, will take place at Millennial’s downtown Fort Myers location, 1811 Royal Palm Ave., and offer free parking on all the lots.

In addition to the eight Bavarian style beers featured, favorites like Märzen, Pumpkin Ain’t Easy Ale, DTF Festbier and more will be offered, as well as wine, cider, frozen cider, and cocktails.

Featured entertainment includes: Live music on Friday from Taylor Rae Music Live and Saturday from HAT TRICK; stein hoisting competitions taking place every few hours each day; bounce houses for the kids; and axe throwing for all ages.

Millennial Brewing Company is partnering with a different non-profit each day of the festival. Each nonprofit will have a representative onsite at a tent with information about the organization, volunteer opportunities, and receive 10% of the sales for their day.

• Friday – The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools

• Saturday – Blessings in a Backpack

• Sunday – Valerie’s House

Millennial Brewing Company will also feature food choices provided by local German food vendors.

Sponsorships and partnerships are still available; email events@millennialbrewing.com if you are interested.

Millennial Brewing is a microbrewery located in downtown Fort Myers and established in 2016 by two Millennials hoping to escape the regular 9-5.

Hope Chest resale store moves to new, expanded space in Fort Myers

Since 2018, friends of Hope Healthcare and members of the local Fort Myers community have enjoyed shopping at the Hope Chest resale store located at 14540 S. Tamiami Trail. Its popularity has grown over the last several years, leading to the organization’s decision to relocate the space three miles east to the Daniels Crossing shopping plaza at 6900 Daniels Parkway.

Expected to open in early October, the new store is triple the size of its original location at 12,000 square feet and will accommodate a larger inventory of designer clothing, high-quality furniture, home goods and unique treasures.

Shoppers can also visit the Hope Chest stores located at The Crossings at 28520 Bonita Crossings Blvd., off U.S. 41 just south of Bonita Beach Road, and the North Fort Myers Hope Chest at 13821 N. Cleveland Ave.

Proceeds from Hope Chest stores benefit unfunded programs and services of Hope Healthcare, which provides comforting, compassionate care to people with serious illness and their loved ones as they fulfill life’s journey.

For information about volunteer opportunities or donating items to the Hope Chest resale stores, call 239-482-4673 or visit https://hopehcs.org/hopechest/.

SRMA to host workforce workshop on Sept. 29

With a focus on providing valuable resources and education to the SWFL manufacturing community, the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association has announces a three-hour workshop titled “Attracting, Engaging and Retaining Top Talent” to be held Sept. 29, starting at 8 a.m. at CareerSource Southwest in Fort Myers.

Presented by Marc Simms of Right Performance Management, attendees will learn how to identify candidates who fit within their company’s culture and job description, as well as how long they’ll stay. Business leaders responsible for hiring, managing, training, or retaining employees, are encouraged to attend this informative workshop. Breakfast will be sponsored by First Citizens Bank.

To register for this event, to see a full calendar of events, and for more information about the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association, visit SRMA.net, or email info@srma.net.

The purpose and objective of the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association is to bring manufacturers together, to encourage the economic development of Southwest Florida through manufacturing, and to act as a forum for the expression and exchange of ideas and information among its members. The SRMA provides an advocacy platform for the general welfare of its members in the face of economic, civic and educational challenges. It encourages cooperation, information sharing and mutual aid, fostering social relationships and community involvement. Visit srma.net for more information or to become a member or sponsor.

Over 800,000 passengers travel through Southwest Florida International Airport in July

During July, a record-breaking 814,471 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. This was an increase of 218 percent compared to July 2020 and 42.6 percent more than the passenger traffic in July 2019. Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 60 percent compared to last year.

The traffic leader in July was Southwest Airlines with 205,598 total passengers. Rounding out the top five airlines were Delta (156,658), American (149,918), United (114,151) and Spirit (66,167).

Southwest Florida International Airport had 7,020 aircraft operations, an increase of 51.9 percent compared to July 2020. Page Field saw 10,115 operations, a 1.4 percent decrease compared to July 2020.

Southwest Florida International Airport served nearly 6 million passengers in 2020 and is one of the top 50 U.S. airports for passenger traffic. For more information, visit www.flylcpa.com or www.facebook.com/flyRSW.

Birchfield new account executive at Spiro & Associates

Spiro & Associates Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Brand Architecture announces the hiring of Tammy Birchfield as an account executive, bringing with her over 20 years of experience in a variety of specialized areas to compliment the firm’s roster of clients.

Birchfield will manage new business initiatives, collaborate with all departments to enhance clients’ marketing value, lead the strategic direction and successful implementation of marketing programs, as well as oversee the day-to-day activities and interaction with clients.

Born and raised in Carrollton, Ohio, Birchfield moved to Southwest Florida in 1985. Her knowledge of the area also extends into the construction, healthcare and real estate industries, as well as the clients of Spiro & Associates.

Spiro & Associates, a Southwest Florida marketing, advertising, public relations and brand architecture firm, serves local, regional and national clients in the fields of land development, construction, retail, residential and commercial real estate, law, marine, business, residential services and more. Online: Spiro&Associates.com or contact 239-481-5511.

SWFL Inc. welcomes Brennan

SWFL Inc. has announced the hiring of Kate Brennan as its new Communication & PR Coordinator.

Brennan is a New Jersey native with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Sacred Heart University.

To learn more about marketing opportunities for your business or nonprofit, contact Brennan at Kate@SWFLinc.com. Businesses can also sign up for free membership at SWFLinc.com.

SWFL Inc. is a regional chamber of commerce serving the Southwest Florida business community. It connects businesses to a regional network of customers, offers educational resources to help them grow in a modern economy, and actively works to solve regional issues that impact the business community. At SWFL Inc., membership is free and open to all businesses.

CONRIC pr + marketing adds Whitaker as digital marketing coordinator

CONRIC pr + marketing recently announced that web development and digital marketing specialist Codie Whitaker has joined the team as digital marketing coordinator.

Whitaker joined the agency earlier in the year to provide part-time website management services for clients. Now a full-time digital marketing coordinator with CONRIC, Codie will continue to provide website management and maintenance as well as provide account management, digital marketing strategy and social media management. In addition, he will provide creative writing, design and video production to amplify each client’s unique voice.

Prior to joining CONRIC, Whitaker freelanced as a web designer, developer and tutor. He has helped businesses and professionals across the globe improve their online presence and the effectiveness of their digital marketing campaigns.

Whitaker studied Web Design and Development at Full Sail University, earning his certification with honors while tutoring and mentoring his peers.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 239-690-9840.

South Florida Hooters make contribution to Self Help International

South Florida Hooters is contributing $30,609 to Self Help International. The donation comes from online fundraising efforts of seven local Hooters Girls and a donation match from South Florida Hooters. South Florida Hooters has supported Self- Help International for more than a decade.

The seven local Hooters Girls who participated in the online fundraising efforts for Self -Help International ‘s work to empower women are 2021 Miss Hooters Gianna Tulio (Boca Raton), Danielle Magda (Sarasota), Sloan Miavitz (Sarasota), Madison Novo (Weston), Lisamarie Johnson (Weston), Alyssa Duckett (Fort Myers) and Briana Smith (2019 Miss Hooters International).

Give a Hoot for Self-Help International helps women in Ghana and Nicaragua start and grow their own businesses. Self Help works to support women business owners in rural communities by providing low interest micro-loans. Oftentimes, women in these small communities are not eligible to receive loans through formal banks and sometimes end up taking loans with predatory lenders. By having access to capital through Self-Help, women are able to start and invest in their businesses. In tandem with providing micro-loans, Self Help offers training sessions to help women improve their business practices so they can grow their incomes. Women are powerful agents for changes, and when you invest in them, they are able to lift up their families and communities. Economically empowered women empower others. They also have a children’s feeding program that feeds breakfast and lunch to children under the age of 5. In addition to the micro loans and the feeding program Self Help International teaches farmers the best techniques to reap the largest, best and most produce which in turn helps to feed the farmers, their families and allows enough extra to sell and make a profit. With the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s crucial to help women invest in their businesses. For more information on Self-Help International visit selfhelpinternational.org.

LTP Management, a Franchisee of Hooters of America, owns and operates 16 locations in South Florida. For more information about South Florida Hooters and their charity involvement, please visit www.HootersFlorida.com or follow us at Twitter @HootersFlorida, Instagram @SouthFLHooters and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hootersflorida/.

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank hires Jones

Jasmine Jones has joined Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as a teller at its Winkler office, located at 7040 Winkler Road. She is responsible for assisting customers with personal and business banking transactions.

Jones has over five years of experience working in the customer service and retail industries, as well as in early childhood education. She has an associate degree in paralegal studies from Florida SouthWestern State College.

Founded in 2003, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank has two locations on Sanibel Island and six more locations throughout Lee County. The bank employs more than 100 employees, and more than 40% are current shareholders.

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank’s team members provide customized individual and business banking services and specialize in residential and commercial lending. The bank offers free personal and business checking, deposit accounts with competitive interest rates, instant issue debit cards and a full array of digital banking products and services. To learn more, visit www.SanCapBank.com.

McDade joins Priority Marketing as media buyer

Longtime advertising and marketing professional Kevin McDade has joined Priority Marketing as a media buyer.

In this role, McDade is responsible for planning annual budgets, negotiating and placing buys, media trafficking and placement, media sponsorship coordination, managing media deadlines, reconciling invoices, researching media outlets, auditing media and maintaining media department records.

Priority Marketing’s Media Buying Department coordinates TV, radio, outdoor, newspaper, magazine and online media for a broad spectrum of industries, including hospitality and tourism, retail, health care, senior living, construction, legal, financial, government, education and locally owned businesses. The firm also partners with dozens of nonprofit organizations.

During an advertising career that spans more than two decades, McDade has held a variety of roles within the industry, including senior media buyer, media supervisor, media buyer and media assistant for multiple advertising and marketing firms across Florida and Georgia.

Established in 1992, Priority Marketing is a full-service marketing, advertising, public relations, web development and digital marketing agency located at 12140 Carissa Commerce Court, Suite 201, in Fort Myers. Follow Priority Marketing on social media through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. For industry news and marketing insights, visit PriorityMarketing.com/our-blog and watch the FAQ Fridays video series on YouTube. For more information, call 239-267-2638 or visit PriorityMarketing.com.

Daniel named assistant director of Cypress Cove Dining and Culinary Services

Paul Daniel, a chef and service management executive in Southwest Florida for the past 23 years, has been appointed assistant director of dining and culinary services at Cypress Cove.

Daniel, a graduate with a master of science in hotel and restaurant management from Auburn University, brings to the HealthPark Florida Life Plan community extensive culinary and dining service experience. He joins a dining services team, led by Dining Services Director Kevin Mannix.

Daniel previously served as executive chef for The Country Club of Naples before beginning a privately owned concept company for open-fire refractory cooking products.

His assistant director responsibilities include assisting with daily operations at Cypress Cove’s multiple kitchens and six dining facilities serving the continuing care retirement community’s independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, and assisted living memory care neighborhoods. Cypress Cove dining services provides over 30,000 meals monthly and annually more than 350,000 meals to residents and guests.

Daniel, a certified executive chef, dietary manager and specialist of wine, earned an associate of science degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University and a bachelor’s degree in Restaurant and Food Service Management from Florida International University.