091725 North Fort Myers Living

Knights of Columbus Council 13483, Child Care of Southwest Florida to host

‘FORE’ Our

Community Golf Tournament on Oct. 11

Proceeds to benefit early childhood education scholarships

Registration is open for the annual “FORE” Our Community Golf Tournament in North Fort Myers, hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 13483 at Saint Cecilia.

Proceeds from the event will support Child Care of Southwest Florida in providing local children with scholarships to attend early learning programs at centers in Lee and Hendry counties.

The four-person scramble charity golf tournament features breakfast, a round of golf, an awards luncheon, a goody bag, and a silent auction and raffle. This year’s tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11, at Magnolia Landing Golf & Country Club, at 501 Avenida del Vera in North Fort Myers. The semi-private 18-hole course, designed by renowned architect Gordon G. Lewis, meanders through natural pine forests and oak groves.

“We are truly grateful to continue serving as the primary beneficiary of this fantastic golf event,” said Chris Hansen, CEO of Child Care of Southwest Florida in a prepared statement. “With the generous support of the KoC, these funds will continue to make a significant impact on the lives of young learners at our centers by providing access to high-quality early childhood education.”

The organization’s mission is to strengthen and enhance the lives of preschool children and their families through a quality and affordable early childhood education program. As a nonprofit provider with five learning centers in Lee and Hendry counties, Child Care of Southwest Florida partners with local charitable foundations, businesses and organizations to offer high-quality programs at a reduced rate to families that need it most.

Presented by South Trail Tire & Auto Repair, the “FORE” Our Community Golf Tournament is

hosted by KoC Council 13483, a Catholic fraternal service organization in Fort Myers. Last year, the KoC presented a check for $7,080 raised from its annual golf tournament, supporting low-income families with access to affordable early education learning opportunities at Child Care of Southwest Florida’s centers.

The cost for golf participants is $145 per golfer and includes golf, breakfast, lunch and tournament swag. Sponsorship opportunities are available, including $125 for Hole Sponsor, $500 for Special Recognition Sponsor, $700 for Birdie Team Sponsor and $1,400 for Eagle Team Sponsor. Sponsorship packages include golf, meals, event signage and other public recognition.

For more information on sponsorships or to register for the FORE Our Community Golf Tournament, visit CCSWFL.org/Golf.

About Child Care of Southwest Florida Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc. is a nonprofit early childhood education provider with five learning centers in Lee and Hendry counties

that serve more than 350 children from 6 weeks to 8 years old. A United Way Partner Agency, CCSWFL’s mission is to strengthen and enhance the lives of children, as well as their families. Each center is accredited through the National Accreditation Commission for Early Learning Leaders and is recognized as a Gold Seal Quality Care Program through the Florida Department of Children and Families. All five CCSWFL locations have five-star ratings through the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida. CCSWFL follows the nationally recognized, research-based Creative Curriculum, with a goal of creating safe, nurturing learning environments that develop young minds, support families, strengthen the community and secure the future. Through its participation in the USDA’s Child Food Care Program, each child has access to a healthy, nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks. Sponsor, volunteer and donation opportunities are available. For more information, please visit CCSWFL.org.

Gulf Coast Village to host animal art exhibit and artist meet and greet

Gulf Coast Village’s Gulf Coast Gallery in Cape Coral, will celebrate its newest exhibit, Furry, Feathered and Fabulous, with an artist meetand-greet on Oct. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The Gulf Coast Gallery exhibit is in collaboration with participating artists from the North Fort Myers Arts Association, along with resident artists.

The new exhibit will be centered around celebrating the animal world.

To kick off the exhibit’s feature in the gallery, guests will have the opportunity to talk with artists featured in the exhibit and enjoy light refreshments.

Guests will also participate in voting for their favorite piece as a “People’s Choice Award.”

Pam Cupp, the featured artist, focuses on a simplistic approach to her art. Cupp started painting after she retired and moved to Florida a few years ago. She mostly paints on palm fronds, but for the exhibit she has been working on painting wood.

“I love to paint animals, and I like to do palm trees,” Cupp said. Pam’s signature style embraces

simplicity over detail. She follows the rule of thumb: less is best.

The artist meet- and-greet will be on Oct. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Gulf Coast Village, 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral, Fl, 33991.

The exhibit will be open from Oct. 8 to Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. RSVP by Oct. 1 to 239573-3306.

About Gulf Coast Village

Founded in 1989, Gulf Coast Village is a life-plan community in Cape Coral.

Residents enjoy active living in a lifestyle of comfort and convenience with a rich array of services and amenities that are focused on living well. The community also offers full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, specialized memory support, skilled nursing, home health and rehabilitation services.

Gulf Coast Village is at 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral.

For more information, call 239510-8712 or visit GulfCoastVillage. org.

Lots of activities coming in up; we invite you to take part

Hello, everyone.

Hard to believe the holidays are upon us hoping some cooler weather comes with them to put us in the spirit.

Not too much going on in September; I think we all are taking a breath from summer’s end and school going back into session — a little break before the start of school activities and the holidays.

Congratulations to our Beach week winner Katie Johnson of North Fort Myers. We know you will have a wonderful time. Best shelling on the island.

Our October meeting is hosting Bill Spikowski of Spikowski Planning Associates. He is on the Planning Consultant Team commissioned by the Lee County Planning Organization along with myself and a team of others. The MPO project manager is Ron Gogoi.

The study in a recent North Fort Myers Neighbor article touched on an ongoing feasibility study for the best routes for a future biking/hiking trail through North Fort Myers.

Please plan on attending our Oct. 14 meeting at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center at 6:30

p.m. to listen and ask questions from Bill and see some of the ideas they are working on.

October also brings the NFM Rec Center Fall Festival on Oct. 24. We will be there again this year. Plan on stopping by our tent to say hello, meet our volunteers and grab a goodie.

There will be a costume contest so put on your thinking caps to win one of the great prizes they are handing out to the winners

Our fourth annual Veterans Angel tree will be set up in the lobby of the NFM Rec Center on Nov 6. Our community never fails to step up for our veterans during this time. Bringing a smile to so many who appreciate you thinking of them. These gifts really make there day and can make you feel good also! The tree will stand until Dec. 16. If you need to contact me: 239-244-7890

Again, this year the NFMCA is excited to bring Thanksgiving dinner to NFM District 1 LCSO station 1.

The LCSO deputies will dine on turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and green beans with rolls and butter, pumpkin and apple pie for dessert. This small gesture does not compare

to what these fine officers do for us. And the best thing is we ENJOY doing this! “Tis the Season.”

Our October meeting is on Oct. 14 and our November meeting has been moved to Nov. 18 in accordance with Veterans Day.

Our Purpose: Promote Charitable, educational, Art, Community, Civic and Cultural development in North Fort Myers, lessening the burdens of Government, lessening neighborhood tensions through promotion of community events and combating community deterioration.

We meet the second Tuesday of the month at the NFM Rec Center at 6:30 p.m. Feel free to contact is for information on becoming a member or a board member. We love volunteers.

Toni Hill, President North Fort Myers Civic Association

A bright future begins with NNN High School

There is no better sign of growth and progress than the opening of a new high school—and in August 2027, the East Zone will proudly welcome NNN High School, a state-of-the-art campus built to meet the educational and community needs of today and tomorrow.

With a planned capacity of 2,000 students, NNN High School will significantly relieve overcrowding in our existing East Zone schools, ensuring every student has room to thrive. But NNN is more than just a solution to a numbers problem — it’s a vision of what 21st-Century education can and should be.

This campus will be home to innovative career and technical programs, including the region’s first high school agricultural program focused on AI and modern technology, paired with traditional 4H and FFA offerings. This blend of new and old reflects the future of farming—high-tech, sustainable, and smart — and gives our students a head start in one of Florida’s most vital industries.

The school will also offer a robust JROTC program, dedicated to cultivating discipline, leadership, and service among students. For our hardworking teachers and staff, on-site childcare is a thoughtful addition that reflects a district truly investing in its people.

Infrastructure is being carefully planned, with public water and sewer access and traffic flow improvements, including new left and right turn lanes on Joel Boulevard and a large snaking parent drop-off and pick-up lane designed to reduce congestion and increase safety.

NNN High School will also feature a full slate of athletic opportunities, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and several other sports. These programs won’t just benefit student-athletes—they’ll become a source

Situated at Joel Blvd. and Tuckahoe Rd. in Eastern Lee County, High School NNN will open in August of 2027. The school will have a learning space for 2,000 students from the surrounding area in Alva and Lehigh Acres. Students will have advanced learning opportunities, with a focus on agriculture and career academies, as well as a variety of athletics and clubs for students to get involved in. High School NNN will also feature an Early Childhood Academy, providing daycare to School District employees with young children.

of pride for students, parents, staff, and the entire community, bringing everyone together to support and cheer on their team.

Just as the Alva K-8 School has long been a cornerstone of this close-knit community, NNN will become a place where traditions are born, leaders are developed, and pride runs deep. A naming committee will soon be formed, with names like Alva High School and Ruby Daniels High School — a nod to the beloved teacher and founder of Alva Inc. — already in public discussion. A new mascot and school colors will follow, giving students a chance to build their own legacy from day one.

As someone deeply committed to our schools, I am proud to see this long-awaited project coming to life. NNN High School will be more than a building—it will be a hub of learning, leadership, opportunity, and community spirit.

I can’t wait to welcome its first class in 2027 and see the incredible things our students will accomplish on the field, in the classroom, and in life.

This is a win for the East Zone.

This is a win for Alva.

This is a win for our future.

More information about High School NNN can be found at: https:// www.leeschools.net/ our_schools/high_ school_nnn

— Armor Persons represents District 5 on the Lee County School Board.

More investment coming to North Fort Myers

Story by Meghan Bradbury

Aparcel on North Tamiami Trail in North Fort Myers that may turn into a light industrial development on the more than seven acres has a new owner.

R.B.E. Investments of Southwest Florida, Inc. purchased the 7.24-acre site between De Navarra Parkway and U.S. 41 for $550,000. Cushman & Wakefield CEO and Principal Broker Gary Tasman and Senior Director Shawn Stoneburner represented the seller in the sale at 17501 N. Tamiami Trail.

Stoneburner said the property has to go through a rezone, mitigation, and lots of approval before anything takes place. He said it will take every bit of a year to two years for development.

Tasman said the sale was very straight forward, an old land trust partnership ready to monetize as it reached the natural investment cycle.

“They hired us to market the property for them. We succeeded with a strong offer in a short amount of time because of marketing capabilities,” he said. “Basically, the client came to us through a combination of our aggressive position in the market and our relationships.”

Tasman said they first wanted to identify what they felt they could market and the urgency to monetize in a reasonable amount of time to get the highest price.

“We put our research team to work to research the market and understand the property and whether it should be positioned to monetize in its market,” he said. “It’s a very detailed process in identifying the property, understanding its features and benefits and capabilities of what it could be, and understanding the active listing to where it could be priced to attract buyers.”

Due to the research, Tasman said they knew exactly where to target and were able to identify several qualified buyers in a short amount of time creating competition at a very good price. The contract was done in 60 days.

He said the property will most likely be a flex type of property where it would attract tenants from the home building industry and tenants that serve the community in terms of homeowners and renters in proximity.

“We anticipate companies like insurance companies, HVAC, plumbers and electricians – people that are going to serve the population that continues to grow in the area,” Tasman said.

He said with all the activity and density in residential growth in North Fort Myers they are anticipating many more projects like this coming out of the ground in the next couple of years.

County OKs Caloosahatchee Creek filter marsh

Story by Chuck Ballaro

The water that runs down the Caloosahatchee River is about to get just a wee bit cleaner.

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners recently approved $1.5 million in grant funds to construct the Palm Creek Filter Marsh at the Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve East, located south of Bayshore Road and east of interstate 75.

The BOCC approved an interlocal agreement with the South Florida Water Management District to accept grant funding to construct the project.

The SFWMD received the funding from The Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

County Commissioner Brian Hamman said the grant continues the county’s commitment to clean up the water in the Caloosahatchee.

“Anything we can do to remove nutrients that act as fertilizer for algae blooms, we want to take those steps,” Hamman said. “We committed to that years ago and we want to continue that commitment.”

The goal of the project is to improve the water quality for the Caloosahatchee River. The project will

assist in meeting the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary Basin Management Action Plan Total Maximum Daily Load targets for total nitrogen.

The river has a Total Maximum Daily Load for Total Nitrogen and is subject to a state of Florida Basin Management Action Plan.

The project will include a series of ponds and a wetland network to assist with the treatment of surface water for nutrient removal and other water-quality improvements.

Phil Gillogly, Lee County Natural Resources, explained a weir will be placed in Palm Creek to divert water into the wetland system. The water will flow through the system and discharge into the old wetland system that was Palm Creek and ultimately into the river.

Wetland plants remove nutrients from the water as

LCEC CEO Denise Vidal among Florida Trend’s ‘Most Influential Business Leaders’

LCEC

Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer

Denise Vidal has been recognized as one of Florida’s most influential business leaders in the 2025 edition of Florida Trend’s Florida 500.

The annual publication, developed through a year-long research initiative by Florida Trend editors, highlights the most impactful executives across key industries who are helping shape Florida’s economic future.

Vidal was appointed CEO of LCEC in 2019 after serving in a wide range of leadership roles over her 16year career at the Cooperative. Her

experience spans customer service, finance, accounting, and marketing. Under her leadership, LCEC has successfully navigated historic challenges, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain challenges, rapid community growth and devastating hurricanes like the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Ian.

“I am proud to lead a team of employees who live the LCEC values every day. Together we are powering a brighter future for Southwest Florida,” Vidal said.

The Florida 500 selection process includes months of research, interviews, and input from industry

they grow. The plants will then be harvested to allow new plant growth and continued nutrient removal.

The project also will provide aquifer recharge and enhanced habitat for native wetland-dependent wildlife species, officials said.

The project is expected to reduce nitrogen by 4,574 pounds per year and almost 600 pounds of phosphorus.

Hamman said the project will have a positive impact on human-created pollution of the water from use of fertilizer and other activities.

“We’ve known for years that as well as discharges from Lake Okeechobee we have a lot of pollution that comes from our own basin. We want to make sure the water that’s discharged from us is as clean as possible,” Hamman said.

Betsy Clayton, communications director for Lee County Government, said the project will begin in Spring 2026 and be completed by Summer 2027.

The BOCC also approved a second water quality project, a $2.5 million grant for a creek diversion system and shallow open-water wetland treatment area at the Bob Janes preserve in Alva.

experts, economic development leaders, and community stakeholders throughout the state. The result is a highly selective, biographical look at Florida’s top business leaders who are driving progress and innovation in their fields.

LCEC is proud to celebrate this recognition of Denise Vidal’s leadership and the continued dedication of the LCEC team in fulfilling the Cooperative’s mission of delivering reliable, cost-competitive electricity and outstanding service to members.

RENDERINGS

The Bayshore School — North Fort Myers to get expanded K-8 campus

Story by Meghan Bradbury

The North Fort Myers community will soon have a kindergarten through eighth grade school, as the groundbreaking for The Bayshore School is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 3.

The School District of Lee County school board approved the $50 million project to build 22 new classrooms and a gym on Aug. 5, at The Bayshore School, formerly known as Bayshore Elementary School.

The Bayshore School Principal Ben Ausman said he has been pushing for eight years to have the expansion.

The school began enrolling middle school students last year with the fifth graders moving into sixth grade, and then for this year moved into seventh grade. As an elementary school, they typically have 600 students enrolled, which jumped to 780 students with sixth and seventh graders this year.

“That was the goal behind the whole thing. If we do it, we wanted the kids to get the chance to roll up,” Ausman said, adding that it is such a tight knit community.

This school year marks 22 years in education for Ausman. His teaching career began at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts when it first opened. He taught there for five years before becoming the assistant principal at Bayshore Elementary School for four years. He left Bayshore Elementary School for a few years and worked at a couple other schools before returning nine years ago.

“At the time we didn’t have proximity. The proximity that went through at the elementary and

middle schools tightened things up. It made more sense,” Ausman said of having a K-8 school. “There were a number of students living in the area that did not have the opportunity to stay here. They were shipped further west.”

When he began the discussion about creating a K-8 school, he received a lot of support from parents, the school board, and district members.

Now every student who attends The Bayshore School will have the opportunity to roll into the middle school grades, as the expansion will allow an additional 300 middle school seats. There will also be room for any additional students in the local area to fill some of the open seats.

“I cannot even express the excitement,” Ausman

said about his dream of expanding the school. “My heart really is here at Bayshore. I am invested in this school and community as I possibly could be.”

He said it is hard to describe how proud he is to have the support from teachers, the community, and the students, adding parents attended numerous school board meetings to show support.

“We had a large number of parents that went and advocated for this,” Ausman said. “There were a number of students that had the courage that spoke as well to help express their desire to have this happen. This has been a team effort.”

Now, with the addition, he can watch his students continue to grow through their middle school years, instead of hearing how the kids are doing through

their parents and siblings.

“I get to live it every day with them,” Ausman said.

The school district owns the property surrounding the school with an interlocal agreement with Lee County Parks and Recreation. Ausman said there are different leagues and associations that use the property surrounding the school.

“The goal should not be to take as much of what we want, but be mindful that it is community space too,” he said. “One of my personal goals for the build out was to maintain as much of that community park space, field space, for the students to enjoy, kids and children in the community.”

With that said, Ausman said they opted to put the addition in the current parking lot, which is very close to the existing campus.

“I don’t want the kids to feel isolated, but really inclusive and part of everything in our school,” he said.

The campus already has four separate buildings. The new addition may have a different style, but will be fully connected to the existing campus.

The 22 classrooms and full-size gymnasium will allow for the typical arts programs that middle school have – art, band, musical theater, physical education and sports. Ausman said there will also be some additional elective classes – such as technology, STEM, and fine arts.

“Right now, we are packed in here. We are not able to offer the full array of things,” he said.

Ausman was able to sit down with the design team, district team and architect for the addition. He said he is really excited to have something unique and different.

The process allowed him to pick where on campus the addition will be located, the paint colors and flooring, as well as space for science labs, storage, and planning spaces for teachers and where doors would

be most accessible for students.

“For the staff they are getting more and more excited about it. They can’t wait to see dirt turning up out there and heavy equipment,” Ausman said.

The total build will take anywhere from 12 to 14 months.

“We are looking at some time, maybe mid-fall, for completion if everything goes according to plan – until the kids are inside the building,” he said.

Ausman said the campus is celebrating its 60th year this year.

“I have always loved being around kids and watching them learn and grow,” he said of why he chose this career path.

Although the academic piece is naturally the core piece of his work, there are so many other important aspects – such as creating a safe space, and environment where everyone is involved. He said with students not having the ability to advocate, or necessarily know how to advocate for themselves, it is

important to give them a genuinely great experience at school.

“How can we create that sense of pride – to walk out of Bayshore and say I went to Bayshore and it is the best place I could have gone,” Ausman said. “We certainly have our way of doing things here. We really get kids to buy into it and have a sense of pride that they are a Buccaneer.”

Bayshore school is at 17050 Williams Road, North Fort Myers.

More information may be found at bay.leeschools. net/

BAYSHORE SCHOOL WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE!

17050 Williams Road, North Fort Myers, FL 33917

Phone 239-543-3663 | Fax 239-543-4040

Walker Farms keeps local bees hard at work

Story by Paulette

LeBlanc

Allen Walker and his wife Joyce own Walker Farms in North Fort Myers.

They have been in the same location for 55 years, since 1970, Walker said, adding that his family had moved to Alva back in 1889 and that he has had bees since he was 13.

He explained that his life has encompassed many things along the way to the journey that led him to today, including having been in the army as a young man.

He said, there was never some mysterious brand of intuition that led him to a life that would be driven by the ecology of bees, but rather he just got to a certain point where he knew this would be what he’d do with his life.

Based on his aesthetically pleasing country store and ‘Welcome to our honey’ house sign out front, it’s easy to see why he never argued with what turned out to be his fate.

When it came to having been taught about bees, Walker was self-taught.

“Basically, there was an old man named Harry Hill — I bought two bee hives from him for $5 a piece when I was a boy — he knew a little bit about it, but when I wanted to do something, I’d just do it,” Walker said.

In the process of learning all he would need to know about bees, he turned to books, which is where he learned how to raise queens, graft eggs and many other things he’d need, he said.

Over a half century of familiarity with this species has allowed Walker an intimate knowledge about bees. In his opinion, we are losing bees, which is a very necessary resource and at a rapid rate.

“It’s just the way the world is running now. All the bug sprays — it’s terrible, the way we’re just encroaching on the wildlife and all the wild places. We’re getting rid of a lot and we’re shrinking the animal world. It’s all about money. We cannot survive in this world without something to pollinate and the number one pollinator is bees,” Walker said.

He went on to explain how, in his opinion, money has been a continuous driving force behind the obliteration of many different kinds of animals and their many habitats, including bees.

At Walker Farms, they have a different philosophy.

The honey and all products is all natural.

The honey is processed on the

premises in his own processing room.

“Most of the honey in the world comes from some big producers and is controlled by the government. One of the biggest honey producers in the world is China and it’s got more crud in it than you can imagine — sugars, syrups — all kinds of stuff,” Walker said.

Some of the biggest companies we have today, are buying less expensive honey, he said, just to save a few bucks.

“Not from me. You won’t get that here. My experience is, if you want the best honey, buy local, unfiltered, uncooked, unblended, unprocessed honey from whomever it may be,” Walker said.

Walker Farms

www.walkerfarms.honey.com

239-543-8071 Allen 239-839-1922

6251 Bee Charmer Lane North Fort Myers, FL. 33917

—NFMNL

Brightwater Lagoon launches Football SUN-Days

Brightwater Lagoon is kicking off the football season with the Football SUN-Days multi-day ticket, giving guests access to the lagoon every Sunday now through Jan. 4.

Guests will be able to watch football games on the jumbo screen with access to exclusive drink specials, discounts and giveaways that will keep the fun going, even if the favorite team loses. Guests who check in on Sundays with the Football SUN-Days multi-day ticket are entered to win weekly prizes. Winners will be announced throughout the day each week in The Hub, with potential prizes including Tampa Bay Buccaneers tickets, gift cards, jerseys and more.

Football SUN-Day lagoon-goers also can participate in the Pick ‘Em League, where they will have the chance to predict the winners of five football games each week. Participants will earn points for every correct guess and for checking into the lagoon. At the end of the season, the contestant who earns the most points will win a grand prize valued at $1,150: NFL Sunday Ticket + RedZone Package for the 2026 Season, a custom NFL jersey, one aquabana rental and four All Day Tickets + Splash Passes, and a $250 MetroLagoons food, beverage and retail gift card.

Tickets are $99 until Sept. 21; prices will increase to $149 on Sept. 22. The price averages out to be $10 per visit for full-season access. Tickets are admission only and do not include a Splash Pass.

Guests can also enjoy Brightwater Lagoon’s daily offerings, including the floating obstacle course, kayak and paddleboard rentals, splash pad, water slide and swim-up bar, mini-golf course, cabana rentals in Cabana Cove and more.

Red Knight tight end

Adrian Rivera catches the pass and is tackled by Cape Coral’s Caleb Cobb (26) and Kaison Tober (20) near the goal line on a crucial “4th and 8” giving the Red Knights a 1st down at the Seahawks 2

Babcock Ranch expands healthcare access with launch of New Tampa General Hospital Mobile Unit

On-Site unit to provide convenient access to vaccines, sick visits, and well-women’s exams

A new mobile primary care unit to be operated by Tampa General Hospital will join the healthcare options at Babcock Ranch,

Launching in early fall, the unit will be stationed near the future TGH Urgent Care site in The Shoppes at Yellow Pine area, providing residents with convenient, on-site access to essential health services, officials.

“This is exactly the type of forward-thinking healthcare solution we envisioned when building Babcock Ranch,” said Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners. “This mobile unit is just the beginning. Our partnership with Tampa General Hospital is laying the groundwork for a long-term investment in health, wellness, and innovation for the entire community.”

The mobile unit will visit residents’ homes, but all care will be administered inside the unit itself, in accordance with billing and compliance

requirements. Services will include vaccines, sick visits, annual checkups, well-women’s exams, and more.

Appointments will be required, and TGH is finalizing the process for a dedicated phone line for residents to schedule visits. Most insurance plans will be accepted, aligning with current policies at TGH’s other locations.

Providers specializing in family practice medicine will lead care delivery from the mobile unit, which expands Tampa General’s growing footprint to Babcock Ranch. The mobile service arrives ahead of the health system’s permanent 6,000-square-foot medical space opening late this year, which will include urgent care services as well an Innovation Hub with nurse navigation. The innovation hub will offer technology and services for patients to better understand their healthcare. An additional 6,000-square-foot Primary Care and lab facility is targeted to open in the summer of

2026.

“This initiative is part of our broader mission to deliver world-class care to Floridians in ways that are convenient and connected to their everyday lives,” said Adam Smith, executive vice president and chief ambulatory care officer at Tampa General Hospital. “Babcock Ranch offers a unique opportunity to serve a growing population with tailored healthcare access that meets them where they are.”

The new mobile unit is the first asset from Tampa General to address comprehensive health services for the Babcock Ranch community. Future initiatives, including telemedicine and other collaborative care solutions, are also in development to meet the evolving needs of local residents.

For more updates about healthcare offerings at Babcock Ranch, visit https://babcockranch.com/ lifestyle/health-wellness.

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