Observer, Bulletin host Best of the Beach 2018 awards
The annual Best of the Beach awards acknowledge the island’s businesses, organizations and people who make Fort Myers Beach a paradise.
Each year, the Fort Myers Beach Observer and Bulletin sends out ballots for members of the public to cast their votes for their favorite businesses, services and organizations on the beach to elect these people’s choice honors.
More than 1,000 votes were cast in this year’s Best of the Beach. The awards luncheon was held Tuesday, June 19 at South Beach Grille. New categories included Best Electrician, Best Flooring, Best Tattoo Shop and Best Mexican Cuisine. There were 77 categories in total.
This year, the Fort Myers Beach Art Association won the 2018 Best Community Organization.
“Fort Myers Beach Art Association is very proud and honored to be recognized as the Best Community Organization for 2018,” said Julie Nusbaum, the association’s president. “Receiving this award will encourage more artists to continue providing events, educational opportunities and high quality art, for all to enjoy.”
For all the winners’ photos, please visit our Facebook page.
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Best of the Beach Humanitarian of the Year Award 2018: Corri Francisco
If there’s a cause to help the island, you can bet on Corri Francisco being there.
Helping others is something deeply rooted in her very being.
“I don’t think you could meet a kinder, more loyal human being than Corri Francisco,” said Anita Cereceda. “If you’re lucky enough to have her as a friend, you’re blessed.”
Francisco and her family moved to Fort Myers Beach in 1990.
“It has that quaint, community feeling. It’s got a good vibe,” she said.
It didn’t take long for Francisco to delve into the beach community – and become an all-star volunteer for any project needing her help.
It started with Turtle Time. Her family had moved into a beachfront home, and Francisco met the turtle nest guardians in her own back yard. Then, her three daughters, Natasha, Liahnna and Sam, started at Fort Myers Beach Elementary. Francisco found a whole new area where she could help.
She has been a president of the Parent Teacher Organization and a member of the Build a Pool, Save a Life Foundation, which was responsible for getting the Bay Oaks Pool built.
Francisco still helps out at the school. She’s one of the “butterfly ladies,” a group of volunteers from the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation who visit Tina Cribbs’ kindergarten class once a month and educate the youngsters about Florida butterflies. Francisco also dedicates her time at her church’s Choice Market at the Beach Baptist Church.
She’s the beach clean up queen for the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation, and before it, the Pilot Club; for years she’s been the chairwoman organizing the cleanups the foundation does in partnership with Keep Lee County Beautiful. This coming year, she’s moving up to vice president of the foundation. Francisco usually won’t take credit; she always gives accolades to the organization she’s a part of, but she’s always hard at work behind the scenes.
“Corri is an incredible advocate for the health of not only our beaches but the whole environment of our island,” said Alicia Steinhagen, Director for the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation. “Her love of the outdoors and her history of years on the island contribute to her passion for making our community a place where people not only want to vacation, but live and raise their families.”
Even her career is oriented around helping others; Francisco has been a licensed massage therapist in 2006 and opened her own space, Healing Harbor Massage, in 2013. Her work can help those for whom pain killers aren’t the answer.
“When there’s a need, I’ll participate,” she said. “It seems like the right thing to do. There are so many areas to be involved in, learn new things and contribute to your island.”
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List of Winners:
Air Conditioning Service: Rite Temp
Appetizer: The Sandbar & Grille
Automotive Repair: B & B Automotive
Bakery: Mom’s
Bar: Junkanoo’s On The Beach
Bait & Tackle: Fish-Tale Marina
Barber Shop: Shear Class Salon
Barbecue: Charley’s Boathouse Grill
Bartender: Jeni Gonzalez, Skye’s Restaurant
Bayfront Restaurant: Parrot Key
Bike Rentals: Island Cycles Bike Shop
Boat Rentals: Fort Myers Beach Sea and Sun Rentals
Breakfast: Tuckaway Cafe
Casual Fare: Lani Kai Island View Restaurant
Chiropractor: Dr. Nicole Bennett
Coffee: Knotty Bean
Community Organization: Fort Myers Beach Art Association
Day Cruise: Salty Sam’s Waterfront Adventures
Dessert: Truly Scrumptious
Dinner: South Beach Grille
Doctor: Beth Ulman P.A.-C
Electrician: Semmer Electric
Family Dining: Nervous Nellies
Family Entertainment: Beach Theater
Favorite Restaurant: South Beach Grille
Fine Dining: South Beach Grille
Fishing Captain: Captain Neil Eisner
Fishing Charter: Goodtime Charters
Flooring: Klare’s Carpet Inc.
Florist: Santini Floral
Gift Shop: The Islander
Happy Hour: Fresh Catch Bistro Lounge and Raw Bar
Hardware Store: Gavin’s Ace Hardware
Hotel: Diamond Head Beach Resort
Humanitarian of the Year: Corri Francisco
Ice Cream: Love Boat Ice Cream
Inn/Motel: Palm Terrace Resort
Insurance Agency: Ft. Myers Beach Insurance Brokerage
International Cuisine: Skye’s Restaurant
Jewelry Store: The Island Jewel
Ladies Apparel: Palmettos Apparel
Lanai Privacy: Lanai Escape
Liquor Store: Skipper’s
Lunch: Pierside Grill and Famous Blowfish Bar
Margarita: Skye’s Restaurant
Marina: Fish-Tale Marina
Marina Service: Walker’s
Marine Supply: Fish-Tale Marina
Mexican Cuisine: Mr. Tequila Authentic Mexican Restaurant
New Restaurant: Shucker’s At The Gulfshore
Place for Dancing: Castaway’s Bar & Grill
Pizza: Rays Pizza
Physical Therapy: Island Fit Physical Therapy
Pool Contractor: Tropical Pools
Resort: Diamond Head
Real Estate Agency: Century 21 Tri Power Realty
Real Estate Vacation Rental: Kathy Nesbit Vacations, Inc.
Romantic Dining: Fresh Catch Bistro Lounge and Raw Bar
Roofing Contractor: Nastar Roofing
RV Resort: Red Coconut
Salon: Hot Heads on the Beach Salon & Barber
Seafood Restaurant: Fresh Catch Bistro Lounge and Raw Bar
Shoe Store: Comfort By Design of Ft. Myers Beach
Spa: Esterra Spa & Salon
Sports Bar: The Sandbar & Grille
Steak: South Beach Grille
Sunset Dining: Fresh Catch Bistro Lounge and Raw Bar
Sushi: Zushi Zushi Bar & Restaurant
Tattoo: Paradise Tattoo
Taxi/Limo: Paradise Beach Taxi
Teacher: Mrs. Alicia Catlett
Timeshare Rentals/Sales: RAL Resort Property Management, Inc.
Thrift Store: Fort Myers Beach Kiwanis Thrift Shop
Waterfront Restaurant: Matanzas On The Bay
Water Sports: Holiday Water Sports
Wine Selection: Fresh Catch Bistro Lounge and Raw Bar
Wings: Junkanoo’s On The Beach