Publisher's Letter

Take one Sanibel Island resident dedicated to helping children receive the finest possible healthcare. Ensure the individual is hard-working, dedicated, altruistic and genuinely committed to helping kids. Be sure she is willing to get involved on all levels of fundraising and not content to simply donate resources and then sit back to watch others do the work.

Combine ingredients above with a team of caring, like-minded mothers who, under the direction and guidance of this individual, marshal all available resources to raise funds so that all children, regardless of their families' ability to pay, can receive the finest possible pediatric hospital care.

Bake in the warm tropical sun on beautiful Sanibel and Captiva islands at approximately 80 degrees for five years.

Yields more than $1 million for the Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, while increasing awareness of other hospital needs and encouraging other participants to donate additional dollars over and above their commitment to Sanibel-Captiva Cares.

Of the more than 100 nominations for Outstanding Philanthropists this year, the submission above stood out as one of the most creative. The author is Sharon MacDonald of the Lee Memorial Health System Foundation, who nominated Amanda Cross, our 2006 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser.

Our third annual Charity Register features Amanda and our six other Outstanding Philanthropists (starting on p. 19). They are driven by personal quests and a desire to make a difference. They are more focused on the root causes of issues rather than just providing relief to problems. And they also are looking for opportunities to learn and grow through their involvement with the charities that they support.

Outstanding Philanthropist Toni Stabile has a unique approach to charitable giving. She will contribute what is needed, but the group has to be willing to match that in commitment and dollars. She not only got a match for her $100,000 contribution to Hospice of Naples' Compassionate Care endowment fund, she also prompted another local philanthropist to give after her foundation donated nearly $1 million toward the land for the Naples Botanical Garden.

While individuals can demonstrate amazing generosity, couples can often achieve even more. After learning of research that suggested that teddy bears could soothe ill or scared children, Outstanding Philanthropists John and Ellen Sheppard began ordering them-800 at a time. The Sheppards work with Lee Memorial Healthcare System to see that these special bears are given to every child in the hospital.

While some believe that Southwest Floridians are generous because they are rich, the truth is that we are rich, in part, because of our generosity. Until four years ago-before I became involved in National Philanthropy in Southwest Florida-I didn't understand just how profound a statement this is. Every year when I read nominations like that of Amanda Cross, I am struck by how much individuals and businesses give back to our community.

So it is with deep pride and great pleasure that I help plan-with our partners the Community Foundation of Collier County, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the Naples chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals-our third annual "Honored to Give" awards lunch, where we will honor our 2006 Outstanding Philanthropists. This year's event is scheduled for Nov. 15 at the

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs. Please call our office at (239) 449-4130 for ticket information.

Gulfshore Life's Charity Register encourages newcomers and residents alike to read our guide to 278 nonprofits so you can find a way to support the worthwhile organization of your choosing. You can do it through an investment of time or talent, or by funding a major gift. In the words of Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give."

-Lynne Groth, publisher