Estero Life Magazine: Pride, Value, Impact
A word from the Publisher:
The very first email that I ever received from a reader, way back in September 2010 after publishing our first issue, came from a resident in Bella Terra who wrote, “Congratulations on your new magazine and ‘thank you’ for realizing that Estero was capable of standing on its own two feet! Thanks for taking pride in our community!!”
From day one, I, and the entire staff of Estero Life Magazine, have taken great pride in promoting, reporting and educating about the many amazing attributes, people, places, businesses and events associated with the Village of Estero. Since incorporation at the end of 2014, Estero has evolved into one of the most valued places to live, work and play in all of Southwest Florida – perhaps of the country.
The value that ELM brings to our community is not duplicated or exceeded by any other medium. We take pride on being an ‘influencer’ in our community and bringing real people, real issues and real opportunities to the forefront of our readers’ minds.
Estero Forever Foundation presents grant to Estero Historical Society
An example of our impact is Estero Life’s role in alerting the Estero Forever Foundation to the importance of the work the Historical Society does to preserve our community’s history – resulting in the foundation’s very first grant of $5,000 to help the society maintain and improve its historic schoolhouse and headquarters located in Estero Community Park. (See our Nov. 2020 issue: “Celebrating Estero’s History”).
Our impact was felt again with Estero Life’s role in heightening the community’s awareness of country singer Ben Allen and how to support him with votes on “The Voice” – helping him reach the top 9 on the show and resulting in the Village of Estero recognizing him as an ambassador for Estero and presenting him with the Key to the Village.
Ben Allen receives the Key to the Village of Estero
Additionally, Estero Life has greatly impacted community support for local nonprofits. This year, we are a major sponsor of the Bonita Springs Concert Band – which brings together musicians from the area, including Estero and FGCU, to offer free outdoor concerts. ELM will continue supporting community-wide events as they reemerge safely from the pandemic.
As added value, you can find many “extras” on EsteroLifeMagazine.com such as our interview with Richard Wilbanks, who saved his puppy Gunner from a gator – all caught on video (watch it on our website if you missed it)! Wilbanks was recently recognized by the Village, and Gunner will be working with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dog team, emphasizing safety through programs at local schools and hospitals.
Also on our website, meet the candidates for the Estero Village Council election in March. At time of writing, there is just one candidate for each of the three open districts. They are Joanne Ribble, District 1; Larry Fiesel, District 2; and James Ward, District 6. Find out more about these candidates and their platforms.
Also check out EsteroLifeMagazine.com to read all the Village Connection articles — produced in collaboration with the Village of Estero — to stay informed of issues our local government is currently addressing.