In a generous display of community spirit and culinary excellence, Sizzle Dining wrapped up its most successful “dine with purpose” event to date.

Together, the 127 participating Southwest Florida restaurants sold 87,483 meals and more than 8,000 Sizzle cocktails, with $1 from every meal sold going to help Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, a non-profit organization that provides nutritional food to food-insecure elementary students every Friday throughout the school year. Fueled by his experience with food insecurity as a child, Guy Clarke and his team set a goal to raise more money than in any of the past years. Residents and visitors in Southwest Florida enjoyed creative menus and discovered their new favorite restaurants while participating in this much-anticipated event. Plans are already underway to extend the 10th anniversary Sizzle Dining season and incorporate more heart-healthy options.

Over the past four years, Sizzle Dining has donated more than $150,000, helping to ensure over 30,000 hunger-free weekends for elementary school students across Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties.

“This year’s event once again demonstrated the incredible heart of our restaurant community,” said Guy Clarke, executive director of Sizzle Dining. “Local restaurants needed the extra boost during the slow season, and our community came together in record numbers to dine with purpose and raise an extraordinary amount for Blessings in a Backpack. It’s proof that when we support local, everyone wins.”

The 2025 Sizzle Dining event brought new energy to Southwest Florida’s dining scene with exciting culinary offerings, creative prix-fixe menus, and special experiences. Restaurants across the region, from neighborhood favorites to fine dining destinations, participated in the four-week celebration of food, community, and compassion. Notable mentions from this year’s Sizzle Dining include a dollar-for-dollar match from Bone Hook Brewery and Craft Kitchen, with 506 meals sold equating to a $1,102 donation to Blessings in a Backpack. For the third consecutive year, Phelan Family Brands was the top donor, with a total of nineteen of its brand restaurants participating. Additionally, six restaurants participating in Sizzle Dining for the first time made it to the top 20 list for restaurant sales, including Estia, Blackbird Modern Asian, Hogfish Harry’s, M Waterfront Grille, Tap 42 Craft Kitchen + Bar, Naples, and Alice Sweetwater’s Bar & Grille. 

“We are absolutely thrilled by the incredible generosity and enormous impact of Sizzle Dining this year. The funds they’ve raised will ensure that nearly 500 children have food every single weekend of the school year, which is a truly profound blessing. Beyond the financial support, Sizzle Dining’s campaign is an unprecedented awareness tool for us; I’ve personally spoken with new donors who felt compelled to support our mission after learning about us through the Sizzle experience,” said Jenn Robinson, managing director, Blessings in a Backpack Southwest Florida.

In addition to helping local children in need, Sizzle Dining continues to play a vital role in strengthening the regional economy. The event also:

• Contributes more than $5 million annually to the Southwest Florida economy by driving business to local restaurants during one of the slowest times of the year.
• Fosters community pride by encouraging residents and visitors to explore and support locally owned establishments.
• Stimulates job growth and boosts revenue across the hospitality supply chain.
• Attracts tourism, drawing visitors to Lee and Collier counties for unique dining experiences.

Plans are already underway for next year’s Sizzle Dining, with even more restaurants expressing interest in participating and expanding on this year’s success. Save the dates for September 1–30, 2026.

About Sizzle Dining 

Sizzle Dining began in 2016 as an 11–day dining event in Naples. Year after year, it has grown substantially thanks to the commitment of local restaurateurs and Sizzle’s founders, Guy and Erin Clarke. Each year, participating local restaurants create mouth-watering prix-fixe breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus that highlight their Chefs’ impressive culinary skills. The menus are offered at affordable prices to encourage visitors to try a variety of local restaurants. This event helps drum up business for our local dining scene during one of the slowest months of the year in Southwest Florida. On top of the much-needed boost to our local culinary industry, Sizzle Dining, a 509(a)(2) nonprofit, gives back to the community in an even more impactful way. For every meal purchased, restaurant owners donate $1 of their proceeds to help Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, an incredible organization that helps feed our local food-insecure elementary school children over the weekends. For more information, visit SizzleDining.org.   

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“That is a message that we try to convey,” said Kimberly Dickerson, Collier County Public School district’s school counseling coordinator. “Those national scholarships are flashy, and students know about them. But we have some great scholarships here.”

The Collier Community Foundation administers more than 300 scholarships. Lee County Schools lists almost 150 local awards on both the district website and the XELLO website.

CCF created the Scholarship Connector which lists all local, state, and national scholarships. They have been checked for legitimacy and have links to the applications. Students can take an information quiz that will spit out the scholarships that they are eligible for, so they don’t have to wade through hundreds of sites. A common link allows students to apply for multiple scholarships with just one application.

“The scholarships run the gamut of criteria,” said Laura Bidireanu, director of education scholarships for CCF. “Some are merit based, some are need based, some are based on interests or background.”

Bidireanu said it is important for seniors to check the deadlines. She also offers this advice for students: “Take your time, show who you are, what sets you apart from your peers, what you are passionate about, and what you want to pursue after high school.” She also noted that “letters of recommendation are more important than facts and figures like your GPA.”

CCF visits all the local high schools to advise students on applying, and encourages them to seek out as many scholarships as possible.

“Don’t take for granted the smaller local scholarships that are available. Every little bit counts,” Bidireanu stressed.

High school counselors are also a good source of information and guidance on scholarships, Dickerson said.

“Seniors have a lot to do, so it is important to be organized and to set aside time just to look for scholarships,” Dickerson advised. “Using the Scholarship Connector is a great tool. Look for those local scholarship dollars and spend some time applying. People will be surprised at how many organizations want to support them. Every little bit helps. They add up to something significant.”

The Class of 2025 in Collier County Public Schools earned $38.5 million in scholarships. Dickerson hopes the 3,500 members of the Class of 2026 this year will secure even more.

Lee County 2025 seniors secured more than $70 million in scholarships. This year there are 7,370 public school seniors in Lee County public schools.

Start early

Lee County uses a Florida service called Xello and then adds local scholarships into the program. Xello includes scholarships for students in grades 6-12 so not just seniors should be looking at it, advises Meredith Berry, coordinator for Lee County School counseling services. Xello also lets students filter the scholarships that they are eligible for, and it has some that offer one application for multiple opportunities.

Lee County high schools not only have guidance counselors, they also have a college and career specialist at every location. These specialists go into the classrooms and have individual and group meetings with students, but Berry admits that more needs to be done.

“We do have scholarships locally that students don’t apply for, whether it is that they don’t know about it or the time frame for when it is due,” Berry explained.

She wants students to learn about scholarships when they are still in middle school.
“My goal is to see that students leave middle school and have a scholarship awarded to them, so they already have that scholarship readiness,” she said.

Local nonprofits are helping students start the scholarship process early. Champions for Learning encourages students beginning in eighth grade to apply for scholarship money. Those that secure a spot in Take Stock in Children in eighth grade can secure a two-year pre-paid scholarship if they complete the program and graduate. But the application closes in October, so they need to apply soon.

“It is an opportunity for every student in Collier to apply,” said Kristin Carolan, senior director of student programs at Champions for Learning. “No essay is required. It is first-come, first-served. If you are eligible, you get it.”

Free money

Those that offer scholarships hope more students will take advantage of this free money for their education. Sharon Newman, who does publicity for Voices of Naples, says her organization gives out two or three music scholarships each year to students who plan to major in vocal (or related) studies in college.

“The number of applications has varied from one to six, averaging three,” Newman stated. “Recipients may request additional funding after their freshman year in college.”

Sarah Savary, chair of the Longshore Lakes scholarship committee, also hopes to see more students apply this year.

“One of the things that I find is not too many people apply, and I keep telling the counselors to promote it,” Savary said. “There are so many scholarships on the website. What is nice about our scholarship is it goes directly to the student once we have confirmation that they are going to a school. It does make a difference. People should be more aware.”

Karin O’Leary, president of the Bonita Shores Club, said there were seniors in the community last year, so it was surprising that no one applied.

“It requires effort, and there are service hours they have to do,” O’Leary said. “I think they don’t know about it. With Bright Futures, they don’t think they need anything else, but they can use it for books or whatever. There are some kids who are motivated, but there are other kids who are not. There are tons of scholarships out there, but the kids need to apply for them. It is free money.”

Top 5 Tips for Scholarship Applications

1. Start Early
   Don’t wait until senior year—many scholarships are open to middle schoolers.
2. Be Organized
   Set aside time each week just to research and apply. Keep a deadline calendar.
3. Show Who You Are
   Essays should highlight your passions, goals, and what makes you unique—you are more than just a GPA and test scores.
4. Secure Strong Recommendations
   Letters from teachers, mentors, or community leaders often carry more weight than numbers.
5. Apply for Local Scholarships
   Don’t overlook smaller, community-based awards. They add up and are often less competitive than national scholarships.

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Our warm, humid climate and abundant rainfall creates ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes—and this can be deadly to our pets. As summer reaches its peak, so does the risk of pets contracting heartworm disease—a serious and potentially fatal condition spread by mosquitoes—that affects both dogs and cats.

Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes, making it especially dangerous in warm, humid climates like ours. Once infected, a pet can suffer from severe lung disease, heart failure, organ damage, and in some cases, death. Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms, but cats are also at risk—even indoor cats.

The tragedy? Heartworm disease is completely preventable.

“It is absolutely imperative that all pets—dogs and cats alike—are on monthly heartworm preventative” said Liz McCauley, Executive Director of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter. “This disease is not just dangerous—it can be deadly. Prevention is simple, but once infected, the treatment is long, expensive, and painful for the animal. We urge every pet owner to take this seriously.”

What Pet Owners Need to Know

• Prevention is key. Consult with your veterinarian about monthly preventive medication. It’s safer, easier, and far less expensive than treating an infected animal.
• Signs of heartworm in dogs include coughing, fatigue, reduced appetite, and weight loss. In cats, symptoms may be subtle or include vomiting, respiratory distress, or sudden collapse.
• Testing and early treatment are critical. Heartworm damage can begin long before your pet shows signs of illness.

How You Can Help Our Shelter Animals

At Cape Coral Animal Shelter, we are currently treating a growing number of heartworm-positive animals, and we need your help. Treating heartworm-positive pets is time-consuming and expensive. It can take 6 to 12 months for a dog to recover, and the costs of medications, veterinary care, and sheltering add up quickly. Please visit www.capecoralanimalshelter.com/donate or visit us in person to learn more about how you can help.

Together, we can protect pets from this silent killer—and give heartworm-positive animals the love and care they need to survive and thrive.

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter & Veterinary Clinic is located at 325 SW 2nd Avenue in Cape Coral, FL. For more information, please go to capecoralanimalshelter.com or call 239-573-2002.

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Luckily, these bees are currently in a slightly altered state (more about that later) and my host, beekeeper Claudia Silveira, says they’re more interested in memorizing my face for future encounters than they are in stinging.

Claudia outfits me in a beekeeper’s suit: blousy white pants and overshirt, gloves, and a wide-brimmed, veiled hat, just like in the movies. It’s my second visit to her hives and I’m feeling relaxed. Last time, at my insistence, she made a duct tape belt to hold my pants up and blocked every conceivable point of entry, including around my ankles, which came already outfitted in hiking boots and wool socks. Still, my mind played tricks on me. Occasionally, I’d feel a creepy-crawly sensation, exactly like tiny bee feet. No way was I scratching at it, just in case.

Here’s how it went down:

Claudia is dressed identically (without the duct tape), as is Julian, a local farmer who schleps the hive tools and starts the pot smoking. It’s not what you think. Smoke disorients the bees, rendering them incapable of sending such signals to their hive mates as “Intruder alert! Mobilize the forces!” and “Commence attack!”

Julian stuffs a handful of straw into the smoker and strikes a match. Soon ribbons of smoke waft in the shards of sunlight around our heads and settle over the hive. Using tongs, Claudia lifts the vertical frames out of the box, gently brushing away any bees in danger of being crushed. She points out empty queen cells, capped honey cells, and a clump of treasured bee propolis, which looks like what it is: chewed up tree resin. She gathers some honey and honeycombs and checks for emerging queens before the bees come to their senses.

She tells me about the drones that perform the “waggle dance,” complicated airborne figure-eight choreography that alerts the colony to the location of a delicious patch of nectar-rich flowers even miles away, specifying exactly how many degrees it currently stands to the left or right of the sun. It’s true! You can Google it!

Later, as I peel off my duct tape and wiggle (not waggle) out of my bee suit, I tell Claudia and Julian about my tickly bee feet sensation. Claudia says, “I doubt anything can get through all that.” Julian says, “Look there!” We look. One lone bee is taking a stroll, nonchalant as you please, inside my recently vacated pants.

After Hurricane Ian took out half of Claudia’s coastal hives, she moved to several safer inland spots. She now has about 20 queens in 20 colonies. I invited myself for this new visit. We’re suiting up in a vast and luscious home garden, with more than 10,000 bee and butterfly-friendly plants. The hives are tucked behind the gardens. Joining us are her grandson, Ben, age nine, and her husband, Bob, a retired pharmacist who helps at the hives and in the Lee Queen Bee lab, and my companion, Randy, on his first hive experience.

Ben has a healthy respect for the bees and follows all the protocols. Randy keeps his distance. As Claudia examines a frame damaged by the dreaded wax moth, an army of drones goes into action, encircling their queen and nudging her to safety. Ben helps Bob keep the smoker going, and smoke-drunken bees calmly check me out. Bees have mind-boggling collective intelligence, so clearly the message got through from last time that I come in peace.

The bee’s knees and other factoids

• Yes, bees really do have knees. Hairy ones. But no kneecaps.
• Bee propolis from the saw palmetto, rich in live enzymes, phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and amino acids, is widely used to relieve allergy symptoms and boost the immune system.
• The bee’s humming sound comes from its wings, which can beat over 200 times a second! 

When honeybees swarm, they mean no harm!

• Swarming is a normal sign of a productive and strong honeybee colony, Claudia explains. They tend to swarm here in Southwest Florida during our magical springtime when the flowers are blooming and the nectar is flowing. Homeless due to overcrowding, the loss of their queen or severe weather, they’re pretty laid back: simply having a rest while their scout searches for a new home. Once successful, he’ll do his amazing waggle dance and off they’ll go. Meanwhile, please don’t call an exterminator; call your local beekeeper, who can re-home them in a safe, healthy apiary.
• Claudia Silveira, affectionately known as Lee Queen Bee, holds a Florida Master Beekeeper certification from the University of Florida, and has collaborated on the Beekeeping 101 Program with the UF/FAS Extension (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences). For over a decade, she has mentored aspiring beekeepers and given beekeeping workshops at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers. She also makes skin care and medicinal products using by-products from her hives, including soaps and moisturizing creams, honey salt scrubs, propolis tinctures, a sore throat spray, and a rubbing cream for joint pain and muscle pain from sports injuries. Visit Lee Queen Bee on Facebook.

Who knew that you could earn a PhD in beekeeping? And that’s a wonderful thing, because the healthier and happier our honeybees are, the better chance we have of saving the Earth! Meanwhile, anyone can start by planting some bee-friendly flowers.

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