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Craft Beer Dinner Wednesday

to benefit Greater

Fort Myers Chamber Foundation

Community partners are coming together to host a Craft Beer Dinner Wednesday, Aug. 31 to benefit the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Crowne Plaza Fort Myers, Fort Myers Brewing Company, Palm City Brewing Company and Point Ybel Brewing Company have teamed up to present a four-course dinner menu featuring pairings of handcrafted brews. The evening will feature select beers from each craft brewery as well as a special collaboration brew, a salted stout.

The Craft Beer Dinner will take place at 5 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Fort Myers at Bell Tower, located 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers. Tickets to attend are available for $85 per person. Advance registration is required by calling 239-210-2470.

Proceeds from the event benefit the foundation’s efforts to enhance education and professional development at a variety of levels as well as provide grants for students, educators and educational institutions. Throughout its history, the Foundation has contributed over $600,000 to benefit scholastic programs and initiatives across Southwest Florida.

For more information about the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Foundation or the event, visit FortMyers.org.

AAF-Southwest Florida

to present ‘Being an Influencer’

The American Advertising Federation-Southwest Florida Chapter presents “Being an Influencer” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15, at Hodges University, Building H, 4501 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers.

The luncheon meeting features Carlos Garcia and Kate Ter Haar, CEO and co-founder of VERSAGYM, and Lily Jano, lifestyle blogger and content creator. They will share insights and tips about the role of influencers in social media, marketing and business.

Tickets, which include lunch, are $10 for AAF-SWFL members; $20 for non-members and $5 for students. Tickets are available at //aafswfl.com/upcoming-events/

The American Advertising Federation has more than 200 local clubs across the U.S. representing nearly 40,000 advertising professionals, connecting and leading the industry. AAF-SWFL is one of 18 local federations under AAF District 4.

Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA wins 11 awards at state conference

The Florida Public Relations Association recognized its Southwest Florida Chapter with numerous awards at FPRA’s 83rd Annual Conference held in Orlando from Aug. 7-10. Members from 16 chapters across the state of Florida and public relations professionals from around the country enjoyed four days of professional development, networking and recognition from their peers.

The Golden Image Awards competition, celebrated during the conference, is conducted annually to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of the public relations profession. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design.

FPRA State President Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC, presented several member organizations from the Southwest Florida chapter with 11 awards across several divisions and categories. An Award of Distinction is presented to entries that meet the standards of excellence set by a panel of judges; a Golden Image Award is presented to the top-scoring entry in each category if the entry meets predetermined criteria of excellence set by the judges; and a Judges’ Award is presented by judges for an outstanding entry that achieves maximum results while using a minimum amount of money.

Division A: Public Relations Programs

Community Relations Category

�–� A Golden Image Award went to the Collier County Supervisor of Elections Jennifer J. Edwards, Trish Robertson, APR, CPRC, and Landy Godines for Art for Democracy.

Public Service Category

�–� An Award of Distinction went to Lee County Solid Waste for Converting Franchise Area Five to Same-Day Collection.

Institutional Category

�–� A Judges’ Award went to Priority Marketing for Healthcare Network End-of-Year Campaign.

Promotional/Marketing Category

�–� An Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Award went to Pushing the Envelope, Inc. for Give the Gift of the Dock.

Special Event Category

�–� An Award of Distinction went to Priority Marketing for Market Trends.

Division B: Collateral of Public Relations

Annual Report Category

�–� A Golden Image Award and a Judges’ Award went to Priority Marketing for Guadalupe Center Annual Impact Report.

Division C: Digital Tools of Public Relations

Video-External Category

�–� An Award of Distinction went to Priority Marketing for Guadalupe Center “We are the World” Video.

Division D: Student Projects in Public Relations

Public Relations Campaign Category

�–� A Golden Image Award and a Judges’ Award went to Alexa Gutierrez, Heather Nash and Emily Fluharty for the “Revive FGCU FPRA” campaign.

The Southwest Florida chapter was also honored with President’s Awards from FPRA State President Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC, for its leadership in credentialing and for exemplifying the “Greater Than” state theme throughout the last year.

Established in 1938, FPRA is the oldest public relations organization dedicated to developing public relations practitioners, who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. It is comprised of 16 professional and 15 student chapters throughout the state, providing professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities. The Southwest Florida Chapter serves professionals in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. For additional information, please visit the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA website at fpraswfl.org.

Avelo Airlines to start

nonstop services from RSW to three new markets

The Lee County Port Authority has announced that Avelo Airlines will inaugurate nonstop service between Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers and Kalamazoo (AZO) and Lansing, Michigan (LAN) and Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina (RDU) this November. This will be the first time RSW will have nonstop flights to Kalamazoo, which will operate twice weekly starting Nov. 11, 2022.

The nonstop flights to Lansing will also be offered twice a week starting Nov. 11, 2022. Nonstop service to Raleigh/Durham will operate three times weekly starting Nov. 10, 2022. Avelo operates a fleet of Next Generation 737-700 aircraft.

To book a flight or find out more information, please visit aveloair.com.

For more information about Southwest Florida International Airport, please visit flylcpa.com or facebook.com/flyRSW.

Chicken Salad Chick

franchises looking to fill more than 140 positions

Chicken Salad Chick, a fast-casual, Southern-inspired chicken salad restaurant, is looking to hire more than 140 enthusiastic individuals to join their team in Southwest Florida, opening three new locations in Fort Myers, Port Charlotte and Estero.

Located at 7925 Dani Drive, Chicken Salad Chick is hiring for its first restaurant set to open this September in Fort Myers Walk Village, as well as other locations in Port Charlotte and Estero. Approximately 60 positions are available for Fort Myers in both front- and back-of-house, including assistant manager, cashier, sandwich artist and more.

Dedicated to helping employees build skills and life experiences, the company offers other great benefits such as flexible schedules, leadership opportunities and competitive pay.

First-time Chicken Salad Chick franchise owners Kendal Potesta and Scott Pace of P Squared Ventures are no strangers to owning a successful business. The husband-and-wife team are big fans of Chicken Salad Chick’s robust menu of 12 chicken salad flavors, homemade sides, soups and sandwiches, and look forward to bringing a new made-from-scratch business to their Southwest Florida community.

Interested candidates may apply in person at Chicken Salad Chick’s hiring office, located at 7925 Dani Drive, Suite 100, in Fort Myers. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Applications are also accepted online at Workstream.US/j/8c4b3798/Chicken-Salad-Chick or by texting 4881 to 31063 to receive a link to apply.

See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information about the Chicken Salad Chick company.

Goodwill to host job fair Sept. 8 at Next Level Church

Goodwill is hosting a Job & Resource Fair Thursday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Next Level Church (East Location) located at 11081 Gateway Blvd., Fort Myers.

“In the past, the largest Career Fair that we organized was 37 vendors. This will be our largest yet, with 60-plus vendors,” explains Tim Goodman, Goodwill Employer Relations Specialist. “Vendor space is at capacity now.”

Employers such as Arthrex, Lowe’s, Walmart, Beall’s and Goodwill, along with many others will be hiring. Forty employers, along with 20 community resource agencies, will be attending. Helping Goodwill in the effort, are co-sponsors Career Source SWFL and Next Level Church (East Location).

This year, Goodwill has increased upskilling efforts, expanded digital skills training opportunities and has offered a series of “Let’s Get Back to Work” job fairs. Anyone needing help with resume writing, interview skills or online job search can connect with a Goodwill Community Resource Center coordinator to receive assistance. A list of locations is on its website. Visit www.goodwillswfl.org for more information.

Goodwill SWFL is committed to serving people with disabilities or disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence. Programs include employment, skills training, small business courses, disability services, and affordable housing.

Wine tasting at The Golden Rind Cheese & Wine Sept. 2

The Golden Rind Cheese & Wine presents Golden Rind Birthday Bash Cheese, Tasting with BBCO in the wild Friday, Sept. 2, at The Golden Wine in Fort Myers from 2-7 p.m.

Located in the Design Center Shopping Plaza at 13251 McGregor Blvd., #108, The Golden Rind Cheese & Wine is a gourmet specialty food store that specializes in wine, cheese and other provisions.

It is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.

This installment of wine tastings celebrates co-owner Alex Dessek on his birthday and he wants to share it with the public! Guests will receive a complimentary glass of bubbly, and enjoy live music with Emma Briggs Coleman, wine and botanical tastings with Botanical Brewing Company along with several local wine vendors, cheese samplings, tasty bites, fusion small plates, cheese plates and discounts.

For additional information about the business, call 239-313-6001.