Year in Review and Upcoming Changes

Dear Members,

As I celebrate my first year as your president, I would like to take a moment to reflect on our achievements over the past year and share some upcoming changes. I appreciate your patience with this lengthy update.

It has been a true honor to serve as your president and to connect with many of you during our educational dinners. I look forward to meeting even more of our members in the future.

One of my primary objectives has been to strengthen our community and explore ways to make a meaningful impact. Here are some of our notable accomplishments from the past year:

1. Organized a back-to-school drive benefiting Lake Trafford Elementary School in Immokalee, raising approximately $700 in just a month.
2. Partnered with Premier Mobile Services to provide free sports physicals for children at Fort Myers Middle School, as well as adult health screenings at various locations in Fort Myers and Immokalee.
3. Participated in "Breakfast with Santa" in collaboration with Premier Mobile Services, where we raised funds and collected toys, with several members assisting in health screenings.
4. Hosted a Valentine’s Day event at the Terraces in Bonita Springs, spending quality time with memory care residents and their families.
5. Recognized our certified nurses during our March educational dinner, showcasing their achievements on our social media platforms.
6. Organized nine educational dinners and one Board & Sip event.
7. Welcomed 35 new members this year, bringing our total membership to 102.

While we have made significant progress, I believe there is still much more we can accomplish this year. Our board members are dedicated to increasing community and member involvement, and I would like to inform you of some important changes:

1. Membership dues will be adjusted to $30 per year, with student and retired memberships available for $20 per year. Non-member dinner donations will be set at $15 per dinner. These changes will enable us to financially support health screening events, promote certification, and recognize those who are already certified. This change will go into effect on September 1, 2025.
2. Due to the increasing popularity of our educational dinners, they will now be open to members only for the first three days after the invitation is sent. Following this period, non-members may join. Waitlists will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. We kindly ask that you update your RSVP if your plans change. We take attendance and no-shows will be placed on a waitlist for future dinners to ensure fairness for those wishing to attend.

• • If you are not receiving email notifications for the dinners, please ensure that your personal email address is on file, rather than your hospital email, which may be marked as spam.

We have a few volunteer events coming up. Please follow us on social media to stay up to date and welcome anyone willing to help. 

I wholeheartedly welcome your suggestions, thoughts, and ideas. If you recognize any needs that Shellcoast can address, please feel free to reach out. Additionally, I would love to hear your ideas for activities beyond our educational dinners.

Reflecting on our time together at these events always inspires me and reaffirms the importance of our connections. Together, we can fully embrace AACN’s 2025-2026 theme, “On Purpose,” and make a meaningful impact within our units, hospitals, and communities. Here’s to another year filled with purpose and positive change!

Warm regards,

Elsy Reyes, President