{"id":27987,"date":"2025-10-31T13:43:32","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T13:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/27987\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T13:43:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T13:43:32","slug":"best-of-cape-coral-winners-feted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/27987\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of Cape Coral winners feted"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Every year, businesses throughout the city of Cape Coral vie to be the best in whichever area of the community they serve.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, those voted as the top in more than 300 categories gathered once again to pick up their reader-choice awards at the Cape Coral Breeze\u2019s annual \u201cBest Of\u201d luncheon.<\/p>\n

Breeze Newspapers Publisher Ray Eckenrode said the paper loves seeing each of the respective winners take home awards they take pride in.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to see all the smiling faces each year at our awards event and it\u2019s especially gratifying to see how many businesses share their successes with their employees and customers in various ways,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Laurie Ragle, advertising director at the Breeze, said the luncheon is a celebration of those who won the \u201cBest Of\u201d awards voted on by the community, and credited staff that organizes the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Best of Cape Coral is an amazing annual event that not only involves the community, but is managed by a top-notch team of Breeze sales and administrative staff,\u201d she said. \u201cLed by Lyn McElhaney, the event held each year at Torched Bar & Grill is the largest networking and celebration event for business owners in the area. Pamela Aubuchon and Deb Carletti worked on the event as well to pull off another exciting year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Mel Youngs Chiropractic Physicians & Associates took home its whopping 24th \u201cBest Of\u201d award for best chiropractor in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr. Youngs\u2019 practice has been built by getting people well, one person at a time. She said good news travels fast and patients who received relief from their pain have referred their friends and family to Dr. Youngs. She said her patients have become her extended family and they enjoy the extra care and concern that she provides, much like the doctor-patient relationship in the old days.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a group effort,\u201d Dr. Youngs said of being named best chiropractor by readers of The Breeze. \u201cWe have an amazing team of talented and kind individuals that make that possible. All of us together have that synergy that really makes people continue coming in and feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Youngs offers lifestyle modification coaching to her patients that can change the way they feel through nutrition counseling, exercise instruction as well as ergonomic advice. As a nationally certified group fitness instructor and former aerobics and kickboxing instructor, she has made a full time commitment to teaching others how to achieve healthy lifestyles.<\/p>\n

Dr. Youngs said she and her team loves what they do, and that \u201cwhen you really love what you\u2019re doing, and you\u2019re committed to excellence and have a team on the same page, you get really amazing results.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes our wellness center special is that we\u2019re so aligned. We\u2019re grateful out patients come see us and we have fun while we\u2019re doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Mel Youngs Chiropractic Physicians & Associates is celebrating 25 years in the Cape in 2025. The practice serves roughly 30,000 patients.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started one patient at a time, and I feel so grateful that Cape Coral, even though it\u2019s growing, it\u2019s still a small town where good news travels fast,\u201d Dr. Youngs said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Along with chiropractic services, the office also offers massage therapy, laser therapy, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr. Youngs said she and her team are \u201chumbled\u201d and \u201cgrateful\u201d to the community for its support over 20-plus years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout patients, we wouldn\u2019t be doing what we\u2019re doing,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don\u2019t take it lightly that people trust us with their health and that they vote for us and come in and spend time and money and energy on their bodies and trust us to help them on their wellness journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Youngs and her team are students of the game, and have stayed up to date on the latest practices offered for patients.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our values is our team is life-long learners,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re all very curious about the body \u2014 always wanting to learn more, always collaborating and sharing what we know and what\u2019s working. We enjoy constantly being challenged to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Youngs and her staff also teach their patients how to take care of themselves, and know the importance of keeping ones self healthy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re big on what we call \u2018prehab\u2019 as opposed to rehab, meaning to take care of your body before it has a problem,\u201d she said. \u201cWe enjoy being part of people\u2019s journey to take good care of themselves for maintenance, not because they have pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cape Coral Animal Shelter was again voted as the best affordable care animal clinic, and was also voted as best nonprofit organization. The shelter has been named the best affordable care animal clinic since they started entering in 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take great pride in winning these special awards, especially considering all the other incredible organizations nominated in the categories,\u201d said CCAS Executive Director Liz McCauley. \u201cWe are so proud of all we\u2019ve accomplished in just over five years, and we\u2019re just beginning.\u00a0 We\u2019ve saved the lives of over 6,000 animals with our very small shelter.\u00a0 Once we expand, we will be able to save even more lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCauley said without the support of the community, the shelter would not be able to have the impact it does, with the potential to do even more for animals in the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur shelter is truly a product of our community and their dedication, not only to the animals, but to making our city and region a better place to live and work,\u201d she said. \u201cWe love being a part of this community and are grateful to The Breeze for giving us great opportunities to get our message out to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another big winner was Academy Home Kitchen & Bath and Academy Home Development, which also won seven awards \u2014 remodeling, cabinetry, countertops, home renovation, kitchens, outdoor kitchens, and pool cage repair. Academy has taken home at least four Best Of awards over the last six years.<\/p>\n

Rich Dantona, owner and president of Academy, said the awards are a testament to his staff and their commitment to excellence.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hard work has paid off, and we\u2019re ascending,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you have a collaborative team that believes in the company that they work for, has a positive reputation in the community, and customer service being the most important \u2014 you have a trifecta for continuous success.\u201d<\/p>\n

From minor kitchen renovations to comprehensive bathroom remodeling, no job is too big or too small for Academy, with ability to turn home remodeling dreams into a reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Academy carries a wide variety of products to choose from and feature a complete showroom for additional inspiration. Remodeling experts work with customers to create a renovation plan that\u2019s right for them and their home, within a budget. Renovation Specialties include: kitchen and bathroom remodeling,\u00a0crown molding,\u00a0interior trim,\u00a0and wood flooring. Academy also offers full granite sales and installation services.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel we are a one-stop experience,\u201d Dantona said. \u201cIf you\u2019re buying a house from us, you can pick everything out. We handle everything. Our tradesman, other than pluming and electrical, are in-house, but they work with us five days a week so they feel like part of the team anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

From starting in the construction industry in 1997, Dantona came to Southwest Florida in 2003 and got into more of the service side of the business. He noticed customers would say they wish they could go through Dantona for all of their home needs, so he opened a showroom in Cape Coral in 2012. A few years later, he added the granite showroom in North Fort Myers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe growth has made us that one-stop experience where you only have to call one phone number,\u201d he said. \u201cI think that\u2019s what sets us apart from our competitors. And customer service, I drill that into everything we do. Without the customer \u2014 and that\u2019s not a sales line \u2014 without the customer, there is no business.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne simple thing above all, is just do what you say you\u2019re going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Academy serves Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Academy and Dantona are also involved in the community, as he runs the Florida Warriors Youth Hockey Club, helps Golisano Children\u2019s Hospital, helped renovate homes in Cape Coral and Matlacha after Hurricane Ian, and sponsors programs locally.<\/p>\n

Dantona said he feels the Best Of awards are a great motivator for local businesses in Cape Coral.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Best Of Cape Coral is great for the community because not only does it set a competitive tone \u2014 whenever there\u2019s a competitive tone in anything, it\u2019s going to make everybody else up their game,\u201d he said. \u201cThe people that benefit from that are going to be the customers. It\u2019s a win-win. When you add that competitiveness and the camaraderie from the community, you\u2019re getting that overall satisfaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Best Of Cape Coral brings out the best of the businesses and their character.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photos by Pink Lady Photography.<\/p>\n


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