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A. VERNON ALLEN BUILDER
Andy Bringardner
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A. VERNON ALLEN BUILDER
Ryan Benson
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SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
From left, Jose Cabreja, Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Kevin Karnes and Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors Chief Executive Officer Bill Robinson.
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SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL
Stevie Hyle
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SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL
Kelsey Lowe
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SANIBEL-CAPTIVA ROTARY CLUB
From left, Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club Membership Committee Members Paul Tritaik, Cece Liichow and David Lowden, Dr. Steven Branam, Member Nigel Harney and President Paul Hawkins.
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SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
From left, Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Division Chief of Prevention Larry Williams and Deputy Fire Chief John DiMaria.
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SANIBEL CAPTIVA COMMUNITY BANK
Veronica LeBlanc
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THE FOUNDATION FOR LEE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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FLORIDA TRUST TO OFFER SEMINAR SERIES
Florida Trust Wealth Management will offer Domicile Day — a seminar series on establishing Florida residency, domicile status and estate planning — on Feb. 26 from 1 to 2 p.m. at its Sanibel office.
The session will be simulcast at its Bell Tower office in Fort Myers.
It will include a presentation and Q&A led by the company’s team members, along with guest presenter and SanCap Law estate planning attorney David M. Platt. Attendees will also learn about tax, asset protection and creditor benefits of Florida domicile.
Afterward, the presenters will be available answer additional individual questions.
Seating is limited, and reservations are required.
To register, contact Andrea McKiddie at amckiddie@floridatrust.com or 239-472-8300.
Florida Trust Wealth Management is at 2450 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, and at 13525 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers.
CFI FUND PARTNERS TO SHARE UPDATES
The Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) will host a gathering on March 2 at 10:30 a.m. at the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors, at 2353 Periwinkle Way, Suite 201, Sanibel.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear updates from Community Impact Fund grant partners, ask questions and gain an insider’s look at the projects their generosity is helping make possible.
They will also be invited to share feedback on the community’s top priorities.
In addition, CFI will provide a brief update on the fund, including progress to date and plans for 2026.
In its inaugural year, the fund raised more than $218,000, with $50,000 set aside to respond to future emergencies and disasters, ensuring the community is better prepared for unexpected challenges.
Coffee and light bites will be provided starting at 10 a.m.
To RSVP or for more information, contact info@sancapcfi.org.
AVA CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY
A. Vernon Allen (AVA) Builder of Naples and Sanibel is celebrating 75 years of operation.
Founded in 1951 in Naples by Vernon Allen, it has built hundreds of custom homes over the past seven decades in Southwest Florida.
One of the original builders in Port Royal when it was established in the late ’50s, AVA has built more homes in the upscale neighborhood than any other firm and has continued to be one of the largest builders in the community, as well as downtown Naples and the beachfront areas of Southwest Florida.
In addition to its main office in Naples, its Sanibel office serves Sanibel and Captiva.
With a dedicated team of 20 associates, the firm has been owned and operated by Ryan Benson and Andy Bringardner for over a decade.
For more information, visit https://www.avabuilder.com/.
SCIAR HOLDS WEST CARAVAN MEETING
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors (SCIAR) held its West Caravan Meeting on Feb. 5 at its office on Sanibel.
The guest speaker was Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Kevin Karnes.
He addressed members on the rising threat of property fraud. Karnes outlined how fraudulent deed filings occur, the warning signs Realtors should watch for and the importance of protecting property owners.
He also encouraged use of the Lee County Property Fraud Alert Registration program, a free service that notifies residents when documents are recorded in their name, helping to prevent and quickly address potential fraud.
SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL WELCOMES STAFF
The Sanibel Sea School welcomed two new seasonal marine science educators.
During their six months, Stevie Hyle and Kelsey Lowe will focus on leading day courses, school group field trips and after-school programs. In the summer, they will primarily assist with teen camps.
Hyle was born in Queens, New York, and grew up traveling and living between Queens, Baltimore and Tampa. Their love for nature grew through exploring backyards, watersheds and forests along the East Coast and in Puerto Rico. As a child, Hyle visited national parks across the country, where they became captivated by the Junior Ranger program and experiential learning. They studied parks, recreation and tourism at the University of Vermont, with a concentration in environmental education and a minor in forestry. Hyle is a prior summer and winter camp counselor.
Lowe was born and raised in Naples. From boating and fishing in the Gulf to taking trips to the Bahamas with her family every summer, she had endless opportunities to fall in love with the ocean. Lowe graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Science in aquatic and marine biology. While at Stetson, she had many opportunities to study diverse marine habitats and conducted her own research at Blue Spring State Park. Lowe was introduced to youth education in the summer of 2024, when she interned at a summer camp in Key West.
ROTARY CLUB INDUCTS NEW MEMBER
The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club welcomed a new member.
Dr. Stephen Branam was recently inducted.
He is the founder of Dr. Branam’s Xylitol and the Branam Foundation, which focuses on underserved families, especially those with children who have autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome.
For more information, visit sanibelrotary.org or www.facebook.com/sancaprotary.
JOHN R. WOOD LEADS IN CLOSED SALES
John R. Wood Christie’s International Real Estate announced a 2025 closed sales volume of $4.1 billion, surpassing its closest competitor by nearly $1 billion and resulting from 4,252 closed residential transactions.
The figures are based on information from the Southwest Florida Multiple Listing Service (SWFLA MLS) for Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31.
It marks the fifth consecutive year that the firm has led real estate brokerages in Collier and Lee counties’ residential sales.
The company is owned by the founding Wood family and led by Chief Executive Officer Phil Wood and President Corey McCloskey. It specializes in Southwest Florida, conducting business only in Collier and Lee.
HM RESTAURANT SERVES AS SPONSOR
The HM Restaurant Group was a Caloosahatchee sponsor for Captains For Clean Water’s 10-Year Anniversary Restore Gala on Feb. 20 at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
It donated $6,000 to the event.
The restaurant group manages Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, the Dixie Fish Company and Bonita Fish Company.
FORT MYERS EVENT SUPPORTS SLOUGH
Point Ybel Brewery hosted Brews for the Slough on Feb. 7 in Fort Myers.
For every drink sold over a four-hour period, Point Ybel donated $1 to support the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) wildlife research and habitat management of the slough.
SCCF reported that about 200 people supported the interior wetlands by attending.
With lightning talks, live music by Pit Tag, kids’ activities and live animals, its Wildlife & Habitat Management team educated the community while raising funds to support their work.
SANIBEL FIRE STAFF ATTEND CONFERENCE
The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District reported that Deputy Fire Chief John DiMaria and Division Chief of Prevention Larry Williams attended Florida SouthWestern State College’s (FSW) SWFL Hazmat Conference on Feb. 12-13 in Fort Myers.
They collaborated with emergency response professionals and others from across the region and country to address critical issues facing today’s fire service and our communities.
Topics included lithium-ion battery safety, emergency response tactics, transportation risks, hurricane response operations and hazardous materials storage.
LEBLANC TO SERVE ON DIRECTORS BOARD
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank announced that Vice President, head of retail sales and Gateway Branch Office Manager Veronica LeBlanc has been elected to the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium’s board of directors.
She is a banking veteran with over 25 years of experience in the industry.
LeBlanc is actively involved in the community and has held various nonprofit roles with the Kiwanis Club of Fort Myers/Gateway, Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Entrepreneur Society of America.
GOLDEN APPLY FINALISTS HONORED
The 30 finalists for this year’s Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program were honored at a special breakfast on Feb 12 hosted by The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and McDonald’s.
The annual event brings together local business and community leaders, Lee County School Board members, and the superintendent to recognize the outstanding educators selected as finalists.
It provided an opportunity for the teachers to enjoy breakfast while connecting with community partners, sponsors and fellow finalists who share a commitment to educational excellence.
As part of the celebration, their photos will be featured on McDonald’s tray liners in local restaurants for several weeks leading up to the Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Banquet on April 24.