Our EXPERIENCE is Our Excellence Viviana Navas, MD At NCH Heart Institute, we offer an unsurpassed experience to our patients. Our renowned critical care team ranks in the top 2% of all hospitals nationwide. From diagnosis to surgery and recovery, our entire team of cardiac professionals strive to ensure a positive experience for all of our patients, right here in Southwest Florida. For more information on our award-winning cardiac services, please call 239-624-4200 or visit NCHheart.com. At the HEART of What Matters Most.
52 | Old Naples News February 2023 Teens explore career opportunities available in SWFL seeks business partners to expand Workforce Readiness Program Boys & Girls Club of Collier County oys & Girls Club of Collier County is seeking to expand its Workforce Readiness Program through partnerships with additional businesses and organizations in Southwest Florida. The program allows teen members in sixth through twelfth grades to meet local employers and tour businesses, learning firsthand about the types of career opportunities that are available in Southwest Florida. “They don’t know what they don’t know,” said Alex Breault, vice president of teen initiatives. “It’s our job to educate children and teens on the different types of job opportunities that are available to them after high school and college. We stress that many of their ‘dream jobs’ are available right here in Southwest Florida.” On Aviation Day, for instance, members visited Naples Airport to learn about its economic impact on Collier County and its wide range of uses, including private aviation, police and fire protection, medical evacuations, and mosquito control. B Then, members headed to Elite Jets’ private terminal, where they had opportunities to board a Bell 407 helicopter, Embraer Phenom 300 jet, and Gulfstream G550 jet while speaking directly with pilots. “Most teens are familiar with careers in aviation—pilots, flight attendants, ticket agents, baggage handlers, and security officers—but don’t necessarily know why affluent business and leisure travelers would choose to fly privately over firstclass commercially,” said Stephen Myers, executive vice president at Elite Jets. “So, I helped explain the reasons why private air travel is seeing so much demand at Naples Airport and at Elite Jets: safety, convenience, privacy, and luxury.” Another recent visit brought teens to The Naples Players for “Arts Day,” when members learned how skills in theater and the arts can lead to careers, but also how those skills are beneficial in other types of jobs. Law Enforcement Day brought more than a dozen teens to the Collier County Sheriff ’s Office, where members learned about career opportunities, toured the headquarters building, and saw the fleet of vehicles used to keep the community safe. One of Boys & Girls Club’s core program areas is career development, but teen programs also cover character and leadership development—key traits employers are seeking in new hires. The club is seeking additional businesses and organizations representing health care, finance, education, legal, retail, hospitality, public service, and other fields. On-site activities typically include a facility tour, career discussion, and Q&As with teen members. For more information, please contact Breault at [email protected] or 239.325.1700. ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF COLLIER COUNTY Founded in 1997, Boys & Girls Club of Collier County mobilizes donors, staff, and volunteers toward the achievement of a single mission: To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The nonprofit’s six core program areas include education, career development, character and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation. Boys & Girls Club of Collier County annually serves more than 3,000 children and teens, ages six to 18, through clubs and after-school programs. Through the generosity of sponsors, donors, and friends, Boys & Girls Club of Collier County provides a safe place for young people to learn, grow and develop ongoing relationships with adult mentors who support the education, emotional, physical, and social development they need to become successful adults. For more information, please visit BGCCC. com or call 239.325.1700.
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54 | Old Naples News February 2023 elissa Grege Schiffman retired in 2014 as an attorney in New Jersey, wrapping up a successful legal career... or so she thought. Like many retirees, Melissa started as a seasonal resident, spending her winters in warmth while volunteering for charitable causes in Southwest Florida. The Naples that seasonal residents see, however, isn’t the Naples that many children experience. Every day, hundreds of children in Collier County are living in foster homes or temporary custody after being abused, neglected or abandoned. Thankfully, the local Guardian ad Litem office helps these children through its team of Guardian ad Litem volunteers, and a nonprofit – the Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit – helps provide training and resources for these volunteers who represent children as they navigate the judicial, child welfare, and education systems. These individuals communicate with the child and his or her foster family or caregivers, as well as childcare professionals, attorneys, school counselors, and others. Melissa witnessed the impact that volunteer child advocates were having on local children. In addition to representing them in court, volunteers meet monthly with children, often casually over lunch, mini-golf, or ice cream. They become trusted mentors and friends for children whose interactions with adults have not always been positive. They can request funding through the Foundation to cover expenses like birthday parties, tutoring, summer camp programs, movie tickets, and registration fees for clubs and sports. “Some children have experienced unthinkable events in their lives – undergoing physical and mental abuse, seeing their parents do drugs and watching mom or dad get arrested and hauled off to jail,” said Bruce Greenberg, president of the Guardian ad Litem Foundation’s Board of Directors. “These children just need some attention and responsible adults in their lives who care.” Melissa completed a training program to become a court-certified volunteer child advocate, accepting challenging cases involving complex legal and family situations. One common thread Melissa noted was that every child she represented just wanted to be loved and feel safe. “Every case is heartbreaking,” Melissa recalled. With a legal background and time on her hands, Melissa recognized the importance of being licensed to practice law in Florida. In 2018, more than two decades after completing law school, she sat for the Florida Bar. Today, Melissa provides pro bono legal services to the Guardian ad Litem office while also taking cases as an attorney ad litem through Collier Lawyers Care. Additionally, Melissa joined the Guardian ad Litem Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2021. For her accomplishments and dedication to children in Southwest Florida, Melissa was recognized January 26 by the Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar with the 2023 Pro Bono Service Award, which honors individuals who have freely given their time and expertise in ensuring access to justice for those who otherwise could not afford it. In a letter to Melissa, Gary Lesser, president of The Florida Bar, commends the Naples volunteer for her dedication to Southwest Florida youth. “The time and professional expertise you have contributed to making legal representation available to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it show our profession at its best,” he said. For Melissa, the decision to devote her expertise and time to children was easy. “Every child has a right to be loved, feel secure, and experience stability, but so many children have lost out on that – they have lost their childhood,” she said. “I want to help give them a sense of self-worth and self-confidence that is often lacking. I am proud to serve this community and help provide support and resources that all children need and deserve.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jessica Stanfield is Executive Director of the Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit. For more information, please visit VoicesForKids.org or call 239.533.1435. and time to SWFL children in foster care Naples lawyer devotes legal expertise by JESSICA STANFIELD M Back-to-School with the Blue volunteers pose for a photo before distributing backpacks and school supplies to Southwest Florida students.
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56 | Old Naples News February 2023 Answers to 3 by ALEXANDRA JANZ of the Top Real Estate Questions from Home Sellers I ALEXANDRA JANZ Broker Associate & Luxury Properties Specialist William Raveis-Florida, LLC 239.315.1079 | www.ajnaplesrealty.com f you’re thinking about selling your house, whether it’s a luxury home in Naples or a lovely property elsewhere in Southwest Florida, you’ve probably got lots of questions about the process, and how to get your home sold for the best price possible. We’ve curated a list of some of the top real estate questions that are front of mind for many home sellers, before and after their house hits the market—along with answers to each. ANSWERS TO 3 OF THE TOP REAL ESTATE QUESTIONS FROM HOME SELLERS Check out these top real estate questions, which may be on your mind if you’re thinking about putting your home on the market. 1. When is the best time of year to sell my home? 2. What can I do to sell my home quickly? 3. Why is there a difference between the market value and the assessed value of my home? #1: When is the best time of year to sell my home? Like any home seller, you want to sell your property quickly, and for the best price possible. So, when is the best time to put your residence on the market? Starting in the spring and summer for states that experience all four seasons, since cold winter months typically see a slowdown in sales. Here in Florida, however, our housing market isn’t hindered by winter, and our peak season for home sales is from January through March and April. Along with the time of year that you list your home, be aware of real estate market conditions. In a seller’s market, when the demand for homes is greater than the number of properties for sale, homes sell more quickly, and prices tend to rise—as does your leverage as a seller. Buyers who don’t mind offering over the listing price to get their dream home could cause a bidding war, and possibly drive prices even higher. #2: What can I do to sell my home quickly? CONSIDER THESE KEY ACTIONS: 1. Hiring a real estate agent 2. Pricing your home right 3. Staging your home Hiring a real estate agent who knows how to market your home to get the best exposure local, national and international and in front of the matching buyers for your kind of property. Next, you’ve got to price your home right. You don’t want your property to languish on the market and become a stale listing because it’s overpriced or end up “chasing the market” and arriving at a more reasonable listing price so late in the game that you’ve diminished your profit potential. Finally, before your home hits the market, you’ve got to stage it to highlight its strengths so that house hunters will focus less on any of its shortcomings. This may mean removing some of your furniture and placing it into storage so that you can showcase a spacious living room or bedroom. Perhaps staging a spare bedroom as a home office. Be sure to keep your display of personal items to a minimum so that buyers can visualize their family living in the house, and not yours. #3: Why is there a difference between the market value and the assessed value of my home? The market value of your home is determined by variables including market conditions, home inventory, the economy, and— perhaps most importantly—what buyers are willing to pay for it. When it comes to the assessed value of your residence, appraisals are used to value your property for the purposes of mortgage insurance, and licensed appraisers look at things like the condition and location of your home. They examine your home’s structure, recent renovations, and improvements you may have made, and consider the sale of comparable properties in your area to arrive at a value for your home. So, remember that although favorable market conditions may inspire you to raise the price of your home if your property is appraised for a significantly lower amount, a buyer’s lender may not finance it. DECEMBER 2022 COMPARED TO DECEMBER 2021 ALL DATA FROM THE NAPLES BOARD OF REALTORS® MLS – JANUARY 9, 2023 OVERALL NAPLES MARKET STATISTIC Median
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A direct deposit does not include teller/ATM/mobile or remote deposits, wire transfers, online banking/telephone transfers between accounts at WTFC, external transfers from other accounts at other financial institutions or ATM/debit card transfers and deposits. After you have completed all the above bonus qualifications, we will deposit the bonus payment into your new account within 30 calendar days after the Qualification Period. BANKER INSTRUCTIONS: Enter oer code WFC00DMPC300 during account opening. A listing of WTFC locations can be found here: www.wintrust.com/locations. ENJOY THESE BENEFITS WITH PREMIER CHECKING: PREMIER CHECKING Only $100 required to open. 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