North Fort Myers Neighbor Living magazine: Civic association gives awards to area’s finest
For the past three years, the North Fort Myers Civic Association has presented awards to those who have made a difference in the community through charitable work, working in the community or in other ways.
On March 28 the NFMCA once again held its annual Community Service Awards ceremony, with dignitaries, friends, and a lot of law enforcement workers in attendance, making it the safest place to be that evening.
NFMCA president Toni Hill spoke in her opening remarks about the virtues of recognizing someone’s great achievements.
“Ask yourself why do we recognize? Because recognition is a powerful but often overlooked way to celebrate people and let them know they are appreciated and valued,” Hill said. “Think of it as a big hug or a dozen roses from the community. We can build a better world by recognizing the qualities we think are awesome.”
Lucia “Mama Lu” Bonsanto, last year’s Tom Cronin Award winner, Honorary Mayor of North Fort Myers Reid McDaniel and County Commissioner Brian Hamman served as guest speakers before the awards were handed out, which is what people wanted to see.
George Sand, who was also a finalist for the Tom Cronin Award, was given the Service Award Medal by Bob Hill for his service to the NFMCA, for which he is the longest serving member.
The Ron Hoover Legends Award, given to someone who served the community in the previous millennium, was awarded to Bobbie Jo Dewey, the first female athletic director in North Fort Myers High School history and for whom the school’s softball field is named.
Lindsay Hoover spoke about her father, with an occasional tear in her eye, about how everyone had a story to tell about him.
“It amazes me how one person can impact so many lives, and all these great stories carry his legacy,” Hoover said. “Which is something I can say about Bobbie Dewey with her stores and her legacy.”
John Dewey, her son, said he could talk about his mom for hours and she touched many people’s lives.
“I wish she could meet my kids, but it didn’t work out that way. It is what it is. Just like Lindsay, everywhere I go, they talk about my mom,” John said with emotion. “She was my hero and a lot of people’s hero. She was my mom, she was everyone’s mom who went to North High.”
The Cheryl Diamond Award, named after the first female president of the NFMCA from 2001-02, went to Deana Campbell, who runs a local daycare center, Deana’s Country Kids.
Campbell said that the people who know her said that it was unlike her to be speechless. She was this time.
“Sometimes hard work can get you down, but something as simple as this makes me want to fight all the more for my people,” Campbell said. “I was just hoping to be a nominee. I just had to come to find out if I was a winner. When I found out, my heart sunk.”
Finalists were Lisa Snyder Johnson, of Grace for Chase, an area teacher and community leader, and Mary Wildman, owner of Miss Mary Daycare.
The Tom Cronin Award winner, which serves as the 2023 Person of the Year, was given to Capt. Joseph More of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, North District.
More started his career in Charlotte County in 1982 before coming to Lee County to work in corrections from 1993 to 1997. He rose through the ranks before becoming commander in the North Division in 2019.
Finalists included Wendell Williams, a longtime Lee County community volunteer, and Sand, a Navy veteran, and the longest serving member of the NFMCA.
More said he was humbled to see all those whom he works with were there to cheer him on.
“These people have been great to work with. People like Brian Hamman, Mama Lu and Danny Ballard have helped the community and helped me get the community where we want it to be,” More said. “I didn’t realize how much of a big deal this was. I’m so thankful.” NFMNL
This story appears in the latest issue of the North Fort Myers Neighbor Living magazine, available at locations throughout North Fort Myers.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com