{"id":124269,"date":"2026-01-19T23:34:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T23:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/124269\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T23:34:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T23:34:10","slug":"north-chamber-honors-businesses-volunteers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/124269\/","title":{"rendered":"North Chamber honors businesses, volunteers"},"content":{"rendered":"


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1 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce President John\u00a0Gardner, Sandra Alamilla from LCEC, Trish Lassiter from LCEC and Toni Rae Hurley, the Chamber’s executive\u00a0director honoring LCEC as Community Partner of the Year during the Chamber’s Awards Luncheon at Gulf Coast Village on Thursday.<\/p>\n

2 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce President John\u00a0Gardner, Jonette Kessack of Holiday for Heroes, Trish Lassiter from LCEC and Toni Rae Hurley, the Chamber’s executive\u00a0director honoring Holiday for Heroes\u00a0as Nonprofit of the Year during the Chamber’s Awards Luncheon at Gulf Coast Village on Thursday.<\/p>\n

3 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce President John\u00a0Gardner, Dee Stevenson, Trish Lassiter from LCEC and Toni Rae Hurley, the Chamber’s executive\u00a0director honoring the North Fort Myers Arts Association the Arts & Culture Award during the Chamber’s Awards Luncheon at Gulf Coast Village on Thursday.<\/p>\n

4 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce President John\u00a0Gardner, Trish Lassiter from LCEC,\u00a0 Blake Hanson and Steph Goss of The Breeze Church, and Toni Rae Hurley, the Chamber’s executive\u00a0director honoring the Breeze Church\u00a0for the Leadership & Service\u00a0Award during the Chamber’s Awards Luncheon at Gulf Coast Village on Thursday.<\/p>\n

5 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce President John\u00a0Gardner, Jean Sinko, Trish Lassiter from LCEC and Toni Rae Hurley, the Chamber’s executive\u00a0director honoring Sinko as Chamber Volunteer of the Year during the Chamber’s Awards Luncheon at Gulf Coast Village on Thursday.<\/p>\n

CHUCK BALLARO<\/p>\n

6 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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Former North Fort Myers Mayor Matt Gould, North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce President John Gardner and new Honorary Mayor Angie Cloutier at the Chamber’s annual Awards Luncheon at Gulf Coast\u00a0Village Thursday.<\/p>\n

7 \/ 7<\/p>\n

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Angie Cloutier has been named honorary mayor of North Fort Myers.<\/p>\n

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The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards luncheon last Thursday, recognizing businesses and people that go above and beyond to help the community and support the organization.<\/p>\n

The chamber also announced the community\u2019s honorary mayor at the event held at Gulf Coast Village in Cape Coral.<\/p>\n

Among the winners was LCEC, which was named Community Partner of the Year. <\/p>\n

Holiday for Heroes which sends thousands of care packages to troops throughout the world each year, was named Nonprofit of the Year.<\/p>\n

Jean Sinko was named Volunteer of the Year, catching her by surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea about this. I try to help out like most people. I try to help the community. I look forward to doing more volunteer work,\u201d Sinko said. \u201cI\u2019ve helped with the Chamber in their meetings and tried to keep communications open.\u201d<\/p>\n

The North Fort Myers Arts Association received the Arts & Culture Award for its role \u201cin the enrichment of community life and support and encourage the talent and effort of all Southwest Florida artists of race and diversity,\u201d said Chamber Executive Director Toni Rae Hurley.<\/p>\n

The Leadership & Service Award went to The Breeze Church. <\/p>\n

The Overcoming Adversity Awards was given to Matthew Gould, who overcame stage 4 oral cancer, to not only learn to eat and talk again, but also becoming the North Fort Myers Honorary Mayor in 2024-25.<\/p>\n

The Community Beautification Award went to the Winslow Residences and Culver\u2019s restaurant was named the Chamber\u2019s Most Engaged Member.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been here a short time, but they\u2019ve become a valuable member of the Chamber. From the moment they joined they have demonstrated commitment through their generosity and desire to make a positive impact,\u201d Hurley said of Culver\u2019s, which was unable to attend.<\/p>\n

The Law Enforcement Partner of the Year was Lee County Sheriff\u2019s Office Commander David Lebid, and Business of the Year was Abby Carpet & Floors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a longtime member of the Chamber and our community. Abby has characterized what it means to be a true community partner, always prepared, willing and generous of their support to our initiatives and efforts to serve North Fort Myers,\u201d Chamber president John Gardner said.<\/p>\n

Abby also was not present to accept the award.<\/p>\n

Lastly, Angie Cloutier was announced as the new Honorary Mayor of North Fort Myers, replacing Gould, who did not run for \u201cre-election.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cloutier said she is going to do the work most honorary mayors do while being the face of the Chamber for the next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to be doing ribbon cuttings and it will be a good way to get my business name out there,\u201d Cloutier said. \u201cI will definitely be much more involved in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hurley, who assumed the chamber\u2019s directorship in November, said the whole event went well and that the Chamber is in great hands with its membership.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people receiving the awards were so worthy of the recognition and grateful to be recognized. They make our community strong,\u201d Hurley said. \u201cBusinesses in North Fort Myers are a strong network. This is a community that looks out for one another. The members exemplify that.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n


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