Dr. Carol Rae Culliton, Gunterberg Charitable Foundation

Dr. Carol Rae Culliton, through her private Foundation, The Gunterberg Charitable Foundation, helps over 70 organizations in southwest Florida and over 250 organizations worldwide. Recently, in order to help and honor our veterans, she founded and opened the Brotherhood of Heroes organization here in Cape Coral. Dr. Culliton is an outstanding philanthropist and most deserving of this award.

Leigh and Clint Strand, Owners, Brand One Ink

Leigh and Clint Strand truly represent Service Above Self. Even as their own business was just getting started, they believed in helping their community by supporting fundraisers and donating time and treasures to several events. When Rotary and Kiwanis teamed up to keep our children safe with bus stops benches, Leigh and Clint offered their business to be the place where work could be conducted. For many weeks their warehouse, and their skills were used to build and house the benches. They are big supporters of the Cape Coral Caring Center and Blue Line Bears among several other organizations. Many lives have been touched by these two, their smiles, laughter and kindness are contagious, something this world needs more of.

Brian Rist, Executive Chair and Founder, Storm Smart

Although Brian is an expert in the field of innovate hurricane protection, it’s his Community Impact, his passion and generosity that earned him this award. His ethics are beyond reproach. Among his passions are the Collier-Lee Honor Flight, and the IMAG History and Science Center. Whether it be time or treasure, Brian and Storm Smart are proud to sponsor a multitude of events too numerous to mention, throughout southwest Florida. And it doesn’t stop there. His compassion and appreciation for his employees is unparalleled. A visionary, savvy businessman, and humanitarian, Brian is most deserving of this award.

Michelle Avola, Development Director, Southwest Florida Free Pain Clinic

Being the only free pain clinic of this nature in Florida, the team helps to restore hope for low income, uninsured patients through comprehensive evaluation and treatment plans using holistic, opioid-free care. With a small budget, a big heart and perseverance, Michelle uses every tool and tactic known to connect with new donors, sponsors, and volunteers and to spread the word of the opportunities this organization provides to live a life with less physical pain.

Nadine Singh, ARNP Founder, Premier Mobile Health Services

Being the first nonprofit mobile Clinic in Southwest Florida, Nadine and her team are proud to provide a high-quality medical experience and commitment to health and wellness to all, regardless of who they are or their ability to pay. Their use of education, follow-up visits and the ability to care for patients in their own neighborhoods greatly reduces the amount of people utilizing the emergency room for their primary healthcare.

Spiro & Associates, accepting is Christopher Spiro, President & CEO

Spiro & Associates, a creative marketing, advertising, public relations, and brand architecture agency has been helping people grow their business throughout southwest Florida for 25 years. But one of the biggest components of their budget is nonprofit causes, charity-based organizations and events with local and national roots. The Spiro team known as the Brand Architects have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in addition to thousands of dollars in pro bono marketing that the agency offers to several SWFL businesses every year. Why, because they care and love the places where they live and work and especially the people in them.

Calusa Waterkeeper, accepting award is K.C. Schulberg, Executive Director

For the past 25 years Calusa Waterkeeper has been a steadfast advocate for clean water. Led by respected career environmental biologist John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper has earned the trust of the community by delivering fact, and science-based truth to the quality of our water. For the outstanding work you do to keep our water quality unspoiled, The Nonprofit Organization of the Year receives a grant for $750 from the Cape Foundation.

Better Together, accepting award is Megan Rose, Chief Executive Officer

Better Together comes alongside families facing unimaginable challenges, offering them a dignifying, voluntary option to improve their situations and avoid the heartache of foster care. The need is so great, and Megan and her team are there to help families every step of the way. For your exceptional impact on the community, and as we have done in the past, the Nonprofit Rising Organization will also receive a grant for $750.00 from the Cape Coral Community Foundation.

Alicia Miller, Executive Director, The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center

Anything that can be done to empower the Deaf community, or the families of deaf or hard of hearing children, Alicia is willing to do. She truly cares about others and does not want anyone to go through life without language accessibility. In her two short years with the organization, Alicia‘s leadership, business strategies, and drive has brought a much needed freshness and spotlight on our deaf and hard of hearing community.

Melanie Jacob, Volunteer at Wolfhounds Legacy

Wolfhounds Legacy believes no hero walks alone and Melanie is right there with the team making sure every Veteran gets paired with his or her special service dog. For all the countless un-paid hours of love and support you give to the Wolfhounds Legacy staff and wonderful dogs, especially during this very challenging year, the Cape Coral Community Foundation is granting $500 in your name to the organization.

Bethany Freer, Marketing and Public Relations Specialist, Lifeline Family Center

Bethany’s passion and heart for the Lifeline Family Ministry is evident in everything she does at work, in the community, and on social media. Her creativity has no bounds and her wealth of knowledge and perseverance is impressive. She is truly an inspiration, a vital member of the Lifeline Family, and a role model to all.

Nicole McHale, Board Member, F.I.S.H. Sanibel-Captiva

Under Nicole’s Board leadership, she has furthered the reach and network of F.I.S.H. Through her commitment, her warm conversations and her engaging personality Nicole is always raising awareness of the organization’s mission which is to lend a helping hand to those who live, work or visit the Sanibel Captiva area.

Phil Deems Sr.

Ever since moving to Florida Phil has been focused in Commercial Real Estate. He has represented numerous national chains, oil companies and franchises and now concentrates on the sale and leasing of commercial, medical and industrial properties. But it’s his love of his family, his church and his classic cars that won him this award. Phil is passionate about ending hunger in the community.

In December of 2016, he created the Cape Coral Charity Car Show put on by Cape Coral First United Methodist Church to help stop hunger, with 100% of proceeds going to the Cape Coral Caring Center. The First Event was a great success and this annual event continues to grow with the fourth show planned for February.

Phil also heads up his church’s fundraising campaign to make much needed repairs to the building. His passion, persistence and generosity is contagious, and his hard work and dedication has made such a positive difference in the community.

Bill & Mary Masters

The team of Bill and Mary Masters truly embrace “Service Above Self”, says the nominator. The organization exists because the Masters choose others over self every day.

They came to Cape Coral to retire after working and raising their own 9 children; but instead of living a quiet life, they invested their own capital, time and love to women who were cast out or forgotten in the community. Every day they provide relief from the financial burden of single motherhood, along with opportunities to grow as godly women.

They offer a safe place for single-mother families where they can pursue a higher education and learn life skills that create a Christ-centered environment in each mother’s life. They do this out of love and are now parents and grandparents to far more children than they can count.

The Cape Coral Rotary Clubs and the Cape Coral Kiwanis Foundation for their collaboration on the School Bus Stop Safe Zone Project | Accepting this award are Nick Muhlenbruch, Mick Sheldrake & Elmer Tabor

Children need to wait at their school bus stop, some as early as 5:45am. Numerous stops have no street lights or sidewalks. After several news stories and the tragic death of one small child being hit by a car waiting for her bus, the Rotary Club could not bear to let this go on and met with the Kiwanis Foundation to collaborate on the School Bus Safe Zone Project. Several hurdles had to be considered, such as the fact that school bus stops can change each year. So a permanent structure would not work. Discussions were held with Lamar Advertising and the idea of movable park benches was born. As the stops are on city property, the City of Cape Coral had to give their approval and homeowners also had to be involved as the benches would be at the end of their properties. Both clubs along with Lamar Advertising, Brand One Ink, Loews and hundreds of volunteers never gave up and invested both financially and physically in this significant ongoing project. At last count, more than $80,000 has been invested with 175+ benches already installed.

Sam Galloway Ford-Lincoln, accepting is Robert Galloway, Vice President

Silently donating hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to charities, Sam Galloway Ford-Lincoln is one of the most philanthropic companies in southwest Florida. It’s primary annual event, The Sam Galloway Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit for Community Cooperative, is well known and well attended by some 650 people who, like Mr. Galloway, want to help eliminate hunger and homelessness in Lee County. This event also inspires and supports sustained positive change in its clients, by delivering innovative food, education and social service programs. For the past 15 years its estimated that $15 million dollars has been raised through the Soup Kitchen event.

Stacey Cook, President & CEO SalusCare Florida

SalusCare is a nonprofit mental health and substance abuse service provider delivering exceptional and compassionate behavioral healthcare. Stacey’s efforts to shed a spotlight on mental health is inspiring.

A respected leader to more than 400 employees, and to her colleagues in the southwest Florida health field, her compassion and dedication is making a huge impact with children’s mental health issues, outpatient psychiatry, outpatient substance abuse treatment and drug prevention.

Lee & Ginny Schroeder, Naples Therapeutic Riding Center

Ginny and Lee Schroeder being active retirees, wanted something meaningful to do to help others. They visited the Naples Therapeutic Riding Center which provides equine-assisted therapeutic services to help people of all ages with special needs from autism to traumatic brain injuries, and many other often rare physical and neurological challenges.

The vast majority of the riders are children under 21 years of age. These lessons allow riders to experience a freedom of motion and ability they simple do not or cannot enjoy otherwise. They were “blown away” and went through the comprehensive volunteer orientation, attended training and passed their tests.

Ginny prefers sidewalking with her riders; and Lee, growing up with horses, is a leader in riding lessons. They commute four times a week from Fort Myers to Naples—sometimes twice a day—to help with the nightly feeding of the horses.

They also took the lead on a project to update the open-air observation deck and shed so parents and others have a comfortable place to watch or rest. They both love the smiles and hugs and seeing the progress the riders make is very rewarding.

Angela Katz, LARC Inc.

As Development Director at LARC, Angela is responsible for all aspects of fundraising, working closely with the community to increase awareness and to promote employment and inclusion of individuals with intellectual and development disabilities.

Her passion is to help fulfill the dreams and goals of people with disabilities so they can work, live and play in their community just like we all do.

She recently championed an innovative and ongoing new program called LAB – Learn, Achieve, Become. Her nominator writes: Angela’s enthusiasm is infectious. She constantly reminds us “there is nothing that cannot be accomplished if you organize your thoughts and aren’t afraid to do a little work.”

Wayne Kirkwood, Board Chairman, Community Cooperative

As a successful businessman and philanthropist, Wayne has supported countless organizations throughout Lee County, both financially and with his commitment and leadership to several nonprofit boards.

As the Board Chairman for Community Cooperative, he has been an incredible champion for their mission; to end hunger and homelessness in Lee County.

He runs the Board like his business, is not afraid of making changes or trying new ideas, promotes our cause and is a role model to not only our other board members but to all the staff as well. Community Cooperative feels so blessed to have him as their Board Chair.

Samaritan Health & Wellness – Accepting the Award is Executive Director, Dr. Susan Hook

A true family medical practice encompassing and treating the body, mind and spirt of the patient, Samaritan Health and Wellness is an example of servanthood and servant leadership. In less than five years, over 7,000 unduplicated men, women and children from Lee, Charlotte, Collier and surrounding Counties are accessing affordable, professional and compassionate healthcare. All are welcome, regardless of faith or spiritual belief, race, gender, sexual orientation, residency status or ability to fully pay. Dr. Hook and her team is a health ministry with a strong mission; loving the Lord and loving people as ourselves.

Kevin Ahmadi, Regional Director, Volunteers of America

Volunteers of America is a national nonprofit faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential.

They also sponsor Gulf Coast Village, Cape Coral’s first retirement community. Kevin recognized the senior of tomorrow would be much more active, so under his leadership expanded its activities offering a true maintenance-free lifestyle, using a concierge approach to handle resident’s needs and wants.

In his role as Regional Director, Kevin leads an ambitious expansion plan that will bring the same much needed residential facilities to other parts of Southwest Florida, all with a focus on providing affordable quality programs rather than turning a profit.

His top priority is providing a full continuum of care for aging adults that offer an unparalleled lifestyle of comfort and convenience with a rich array of services and amenities that are focused on living well.

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida Inc.- Accepting the award is Angela Fisher, President & CEO

Junior Achievement is dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success plan for the future, and make smart academic and economic choices. Programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers and provide relevant hands-on experience that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. In the 2018-2019 school year, Junior Achievement provided programs to nearly 12,500 students in over 63 schools in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties, as well as collaborating with other nonprofit organizations and after school and summer programs providing educational programs to them as well.