Priority Marketing’s October 2024 Client Headlines Report recaps news stories that you should read, watch or hear before the month ends.
The firm’s award-winning Public Relations Team helps clients and partners earn media coverage in newspapers and magazines, on television and radio, and on blogs, social media and websites. At the end of each month, the PR Team combs through hundreds of local, national and international news headlines to create its informative Client Headlines Report.
Below are just some of the many important stories that were published or aired in October 2024.
BOOKMARK IT: Client News Feed
Hurricane heroes emerge after Milton
Priority Marketing’s team of professionals sprang into action before, during and after hurricanes Helene and Milton to support clients while providing valuable information and resources to the community. Below are a few examples of the firm’s PR outreach after Milton:
United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades led the community’s post-Ian response and recovery in 2022, and the nonprofit again was guiding Southwest Florida after Hurricane Milton. United Way activated its 211 non-emergency resource hotline and relaunched its SWFL Emergency Relief Fund in partnership with Collaboratory. Priority Marketing helped United Way announce the Fund’s relaunch as the storm was bearing down on Southwest Florida.
- Cape Coral Breeze: United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades and Collaboratory relaunch SWFL Emergency Relief Fund
Better Together is focused on empowering people through better families and better jobs. One component of that is helping families at risk immediately after a disaster. The nonprofit created a new “model of care” with volunteers going door-to-door to hand-deliver supplies while offering short-term child care options.
- Florida Weekly: Remarkable acts of heroism
Sunshine Ace Hardware has been Southwest Florida’s hurricane supply hub since 1958. On the morning after Hurricane Milton, while much of the region was without power, employees who were able to safely navigate to stores reported for duty, allowing Sunshine Ace – despite lacking power – to provide generators, chain saws, gas cans and other supplies.
- Gulfshore Business: All Sunshine Ace Hardware stores reopen after Hurricane Milton
Artichoke & Company is a Bonita Springs-based family business that provides catering for local galas, weddings and corporate events. After the storm, though, kitchen staff reported for duty before sunrise to start preparing meals for first responders, volunteers and victims of Milton. In one day, the caterer produced 15,000 hot meals, many of which were airlifted to heavily impacted areas in Central Florida.
Premier Mobile Health Services operates a mobile medical clinic, a large, retrofitted RV that provides health care services to those otherwise unable to visit a doctor’s office. After Hurricane Ian in 2022, the mobile clinic visited hard-hit Fort Myers, and the RV returned after Milton to provide emergency and preventative medical care to beach residents and employees of local businesses.
- DirectRelief: With recovery underway, medical aid advances for those in path of hurricanes Helene and Milton
Sage Communities, a developer of 55+ rental communities, began offering short-term rentals to Southwest Florida residents displaced by hurricanes Helene and Milton. The eight-month rentals at Seneca at Oak Creek are designed to help residents whose homes need major renovations or remediations while also helping families avoid paying taxes if they stayed in hotels or at anAirbnb properties.
- Business Observer: Short-term rentals available in Fort Myers for Milton-impacted residents
Wonder Gardens, a historic roadside attraction in Bonita Springs, was the beneficiary of a team of 45 heroes who rolled up their sleeves to clean the property. Over four days, volunteers moved more than 10 cubic yards of debris, cut and removed downed trees, raked fallen palm fronds and more, allowing the attraction to reopen quicker than expected.
- Florida Weekly: Wonder Gardens reopens following Hurricane Milton
Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach closed prior to the storm’s arrival, but Priority Marketing notified media that the property’s web cams were still active. This provided one of the few live looks as storm surge covered the island since residents and businesses had evacuated toward safer areas. Local and national news outlets captured the live feed during Hurricane Milton to share with their audiences.
- Washington Post: Watch Live: Milton makes landfall in Southwest Florida
Milton forces nonprofits to reschedule events
One of the unfortunate outcomes of Hurricane Milton was its arrival in October coincided with the start of Southwest Florida’s philanthropic and event season. The storm postponed or canceled dozens of events, including these major fundraising events:
- Pace Center for Girls, Lee (Faces of Pace Gala): Will be rescheduled for a later date
- Community Cooperative (Becoming Cosmopolitan: Mad About Hunger): Rescheduled for Nov. 7
- Wonder Gardens (Wine & Wonder): Rescheduled for Dec. 13
Horizon Foundation honors Lee County’s top businesses
The Horizon Foundation, Horizon Council and Lee County Economic Development Office hosted the 2024 Industry Appreciation Awards to celebrate Lee County businesses that drive the local economy, employ our workforce and shape their industries. Three of this year’s winners are Priority Marketing clients: LSI Companies (Small Business of the Year), MY Shower Door (Innovative Technology Award) and Drake Ready Mix (Large Manufacturer of the Year). Additionally, two clients were honored as finalists: Custom Packaging & Products (Small Manufacturer of the Year) and D3 Glass (Large Manufacturer of the Year).
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists!
Appeasing chocolate-lovers from coast to coast
Norman Love Confections is known near and far for its ultra-premium, hand-crafted chocolates. Until recently, though, the chocolatier’s collections were only available in chocolate salons along Florida’s west coast. That changed with the opening of a new location this fall in Delray Beach. More South Florida locations are under development, including one in Boca Raton. Priority Marketing’s PR team continued its longstanding partnership with the chocolate maker to introduce the brand to residents of South Florida through a series of interviews with television and print reporters. Below are links to some of that media coverage:
Palm Beach Florida Weekly: The king of confections
Boca Magazine: Norman Love Confections is now open in Delray Beach
South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Norman Love Confections opens in Delray Beach
Palm Beach Post: Renowned confectioner brings Italian style, decadent chocolates to Palm Beach County
Candy Industry: Norman Love Confections opens Delray Beach chocolate salon
SWFL businesses mark new beginnings
Stevens Construction started construction of The Beach Bar on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian destroyed the original structure in 2022. The 5,813-square-foot, three-story design will be built with durable materials, such as simulated stucco siding and trim, composite soffits and a standing seam metal roof for greater longevity and storm resistance. Studio A.D. designed the project.
The News-Press: The Beach Bar is getting rebuilt by Stevens Construction on Fort Myers Beach
Inland, Sunshine Ace Hardware announced the opening of its newest store in Ave Maria. The new location is Ave Maria’s first hardware store and features comprehensive paint and grilling departments, as well as a wide selection of power and hand tools, hardware, lawn and garden supplies, plumbing fixtures, propane and supplies for DIYers.
Gulfshore Business: Sunshine Ace Hardware opens retail store in Ave Maria
Alerting SWFL to health care alternatives
Naples Center for Functional Medicine offers an alternative to traditional medicine that addresses the underlying root cause of ailments, searching for a solution rather than simply treating the symptoms. To better help Southwest Floridians understand this approach, Priority Marketing has secured monthly appearances for the center’s physicians on ABC7, which hosts “Ask the Doctors” segments as part of its Healthy Living features. Those segments help promote free monthly health seminars hosted at the practice. Below are recent topics featured on ABC7.
October segment: Cancer prevention
September segment: Youthful aging
August segment: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
July segment: Intravenous therapy
Awards and honors: Client recognitions
Priority Marketing helps clients share the good news when they win awards, accolades or have other exciting updates to share. Below are recent items that caught our PR team’s attention:
- Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce: CEO Robert Goltz received the Service Award from the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals.
- Integrity Employee Leasing: Named Large Business of the Year by the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce
- Drake Ready Mix: Named by GrowFL as a Company to Watch honoree.
- Integrity Employee Leasing: Named an honoree of the 2024 Inc. Power Partner Awards.
New faces in new places: Promotions and appointments
Congratulations to the following individuals who were recently hired, promoted or awarded additional responsibilities by client partners that Priority Marketing serves:
- Precision Healthcare Specialists: Hired Dr. Erin Heitmann as urologic surgeon, Dr. Dennis Sagini as orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Marc Guttman as urologist and Dr. David Wilkinson as urologist.
- Warrior Homes of Collier: Hired Lisa Loren as veteran’s support associate
- ECHO: Hired Charei Munene as director for its East Africa Regional Impact Center
- Integrity Employee Leasing: Hired Amy Beth as bookkeeping specialist, Kerry Fox as payroll specialist and Nick Harris as business consultant.
Do you need a Public Relations Team to help tell your story? Please give us a call today at 239-267-2638 or send an email to LetsTalk@PriorityMarketing.com.
