#SWFLstrong recap: A look back at the people who warmed our hearts
Ashley Collins
From children writing 'thank you' cards to law enforcement for their quick response in the wake of Hurricane Irma to a mother raising more than $1 million for heart disease research, it's safe to say Southwest Florida is full of strong individuals.
Since 2016, our community publications — The Banner, Collier Citizen and Marco Eagle — have profiled young and old local residents making a positive difference in the community.
In 2017 alone, we told the inspirational stories of nearly 20 individuals.
Here's a look back at some of our favorites.
#SWFLstrong: A look back at those bettering their community
Giving kids the gift of comfort
Jeanne Nealon is making a difference one pair of sneakers at a time.
The former Lee County teacher, along with her sister Mary Myrmo and friend Susy Warren, formed Laces of Love in 2005 to provide sneakers to children from low-income households.
Since then, they've given new pairs of shoes to more than 100,000 elementary, middle and high school students in Collier and Lee counties.
Nealon said she saw a need to provide children new shoes after taking home one of her students in the 1980s.
"I took home a student I didn't realize was living in a migrant camp, and a lot of those children were sharing shoes and it broke my heart," said Nealon in a Citizen interview in March.
"They were the worst shoes I'd ever seen. The soles were coming off the bottom, just torn and ripped and didn't fit them."
More:#SWFLstrong - They've got sole: Naples women deliver sneakers to children in need
Preserving nature
Environmentalist Genelle Grant is preserving nature right in our own backyard.
Six years ago, she took over The Happehatchee Center in Estero.
The 5-acre preserve protects the historic bamboo shoots and other natural trees, plants and wildlife unlike anything in the area.
“They’re historic,” Grant said in a July interview. “The Koreshan, the historic group that was looking for their utopia — they looked all over the country and came here. They planted them.”
More:#SWFLstrong: Double duty - Genelle Grant running Happehatchee and Guatemalan project
Walking for a cure
Shelly Church has raised more than $1 million in the past two decades for heart disease research and awareness.
It all began with her son Kyle Fernstrom, who died in 2005 at age 18 after living with a congenital heart defect that left him with a hole in his heart.
"He was very positive and never complained about his illness. So for me telling his story, that's what he would want. He would want us to celebrate his life," said Church in a November interview.
In 1996, the mother-son duo walked their first Collier County Heart Walk in Naples to raise awareness for the American Heart Association. A year later, they started raising funds for the walk to benefit heart disease research.
They didn't miss a year. However, the 2004 walk would be their last together.
"This all was created because of him, for him and with him," she said.
Church continues to walk every year in honor of her son.
Forming a strong friendship
Teenager Hayden Dougherty and store manager Erica Cragg formed an unlikely bond at a Dunkin' Donuts in North Naples.
Three years — and dozens of decaf coffees — ago, Hayden and his mom Nicole first visited the shop at the corner of Livingston and Immokalee roads. It's the friendly staff that kept them coming back.
Nicole said Cragg and her morning crew help Hayden, who has Down syndrome, start his day off right.
"It sounds silly because it's such a little thing, but I think that the little things in life can be the most important," Nicole added.
Cragg takes her job seriously. She's known for her cheery greetings — "Happy Monday" and "Happy Hump Day" to name a few — over the drive-thru's speaker.
"I love working with people and with kids. They make it special," Cragg said.
More:#SWFLstrong: A sweet friendship: Dunkin' Donuts staff befriends special customer
Lending a hand after disaster
More:#SWFLstrong: 'Love Thy Neighbor': Bonita Springs foundation aims to help children impacted by Irma
Bonita Springs resident John Davis saw Hurricane Irma's devastation firsthand.
He stayed in south Lee County when the storm ripped through Southwest Florida and the rest of the sunshine state in September.
Davis and his family decided to use their family-run charitable foundation — the Love Thy Neighbor Foundation — to help families impacted by the hurricane.
“People have lost their homes and all of their personal belongings. I can’t imagine what some of these families are going through,” Davis said in a November interview.
Since establishing the foundation 11 years ago, Davis and his family have focused their financial gifts on children, young adults and their families in local communities.
He hopes the foundation can be a generational effort in his family to make a difference for others.
“Before I die I want there to be quite a bit of money in this foundation so that my great-grand kids, that I’ll never meet, will understand that it’s important to give back, not just taking and taking and taking,” he said.
Other stories:
More:#SWFLstrong: Giving back: 9-year-old thanks Irma heroes with heartwarming video
More:#SWFLstrong: Woman empowering women: Foundation working to alleviate struggles for many ladies
More:#SWFLstrong — Individual attention: Teacher established school to focus on students' personal needs
More:#SWFLstrong — Shopping for hope: Bargain Basket helps Habitat for Humanity families
More:#SWFLstrong: Seeing a need: Lions Club eye clinic providing a gift of clear vision
More:#SWFLstrong: In her shoes: Naples woman walks miles for breast cancer awareness
More:#SWFLstrong: A closetful of help: Eva's Closet founder puts lifelong social work to work
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