Category: Community

Employees from Southwest Florida’s premier private homebuilder, Neal Communities, and the luxury home division, Neal Signature Homes, volunteered their time to paint playhouses that will be given to families with young children. The cottages were purchased, constructed, painted and donated by the Neal companies for Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County’s Cottages for Kids program.

The newly constructed playhouses were painted in light, cheerful colors and decorated with holiday wreaths and poinsettias. They were on display in Downtown Wellen December 6-10 as part of the Light Up Wellen – Tree Lighting & Holiday Celebration before being delivered to the selected families.

Downtown Wellen is a pedestrian-friendly shopping, dining and gathering spot with entertainment options including parks, playgrounds and an outdoor stage and event lawn.

Neal Signature Homes has two model homes under construction in EVERLY at Wellen Park. These models represent eight available floor plans for the community and will showcase fresh concepts in Florida living. With more than 3,000 square feet of air-conditioned living space in each, the two model homes will feature multiple en suite bedrooms, expansive living spaces and enhanced outdoor living. One model will include an optional casita, showing how this flexible additional space can be used for multi-general family living, a live-in nanny or to accommodate guests. Both models will be professionally decorated, reflecting modern lifestyles and options for working from home and multigeneration living. Both models are expected to be completed by the end of March 2024, but homesites are available for purchase now.

“We very much look forward to having our model homes at EVERLY open in the Spring,” said Carlos Puente, president of Neal Signature Homes. “So, since we are so impatiently waiting for said models, we figured we would calm our nerves through painting and donating these lovely playhouses for the Cottages for Kids program. We really enjoy bringing homes to life, whether they are our beautiful Signature ones, or these fun ones that will bring enjoyment to some great children.”

Neal Communities also has homes available in two communities within the Downtown/Playmore District of Wellen Park, offering easy access to CoolToday Park, home to the Atlanta Braves’ spring training, and shopping and entertainment venues. Avelina is a private, gated boutique community offering just 96 homes and five stunning floorplans ranging from 2,327-2,762 square feet. Homes offer 3-4 bedrooms and 3 car garages with British West Indies and Coastal architectural styles. Wysteria is a larger neighborhood offering 2-3 bedroom floorplans ranging from 1,422-1,860 square feet with 2 car garages. Amenities at Wysteria include a resort-style pool and pickleball courts.

This time of year, the Neal Communities headquarters in Lakewood Ranch and South Region office in Bonita Springs can look more like Santa’s workshop than the offices of the region’s premier private home builder. Piles of toys abound, donated by employees wanting to make the holidays special for children who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season.

In the Lakewood Ranch office, employees who chose to participate in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program selected an angel card from the tree and purchased gifts for that child. This year, 100 children will receive holiday gifts from the Neal teammates. Participating in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program has been an ongoing annual tradition for many years at Neal Communities, benefitting an estimated 1,100 children or more over the years.

“We really enjoy organizing the Salvation Army Angel Tree each year and seeing Neal Communities employees get excited about choosing cards from the tree,” said Tashara A. Cronshaw, vice president of human resources. “It’s so heartwarming to see the presents start to come in, and I just know that our team members are putting smiles on the faces of lots of local children this year!”

In the Neal Communities South Region office, employees from Fort Myers, Naples and the surrounding areas donated more than 100 toys to Toys for Tots. The toy drive is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve to distribute gifts to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them. This year, 582 local children were registered. This is Neal Communities fourth year participating in Toys for Tots.

“This is a special time of year to give back to families and the community,” said Carlos Puente, vice president of sales and marketing. “In total, we bought presents for more than 100 kids this year. It is a joy to see the Neal Communities family come together to spread joy and make things a little easier for some families that need help making holiday magic happen.”

Pat Neal, the founder and chairman of Neal Communities, has intentionally fostered a philanthropic culture at Neal Communities. The company has donated nearly $8 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida, supporting programs such as nonprofits, schools and other programs that help build strong communities. “What’s really exciting about the toy drives is that our employees do this themselves,” said Neal. “I’m so touched to see the generosity and culture of giving among our employees and the way they selflessly give to make the holidays happier for lots of boys and girls.”

Thousands of lights and hundreds of historic decorations make the Edison and Ford Winter Estates Annual Holiday Nights a beloved tradition for the Fort Myers local community and visitors to the area. More than 40,000 attendees are expected this year, and Neal Communities is proud to sponsor this 48^th annual event.

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates are the historic vacation homes of Thomas Edison, purchased in 1885 when he first visited the area, and Henry Ford, purchased next door in 1916. The Annual Holidays Nights festival is a beautiful and colorful celebration of the location and the holidays. This year’s event features new light displays, the opportunity to shop for unique holiday gifts, and visits with Santa. The Children’s Holiday Tree Trail features handmade ornaments created by students from local schools. On select nights, carolers will perform and refreshments will be available for purchase.

The festival is open 5:30 – 9 p.m. each evening through December 23, closed Christmas Eve and Christmas, then open again December 26 – 31. A variety of tickets are available for general admission, a nightly guided tour, a tour inside the houses, or combination tickets. The tour inside the historic homes displays decorations and gifts as they would have been in the early 20^th century.

“The Holiday Nights event at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates is an important tradition for the Fort Myers community,” said Pat Neal, the founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “We enjoy supporting meaningful community events like this that are a special part of the holidays for many people.”

Neal Communities has a philanthropic culture and a core belief that “Where You Live Matters.” The latest giving is part of more than $7.75 million Neal Communities has donated to local charities and causes throughout Southwest Florida.

There are currently two Neal Communities neighborhoods under construction in Fort Myers. Tide Marsh is a small community of 63 homes just a short drive from Fort Myers beach. It is already more than halfway sold out, so anyone interested in living in the area is encouraged to visit the models and find their perfect home. Homes start in the mid $400s and range from around 1500 to 3000 square feet. Verandah is a gated, resort-style, golf-course community with breathtaking views of the Orange River. Homes here also start in the mid $400s and range from around 1800 to 3000 square feet.

For more information on the event, visit https://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/events/48th-annual-historic-holiday-nights-celebration/. For more information about Neal Communities, visit NealCommunities.com.

Neal Communities hosted its 22nd My Favorite Home art contest on Tuesday, December 5 at Emma E. Booker Elementary. Judges from the local community had the tough job of picking winners from the submissions created by the talented students. This heartwarming event has become a tradition for Neal Communities, taking place at a local elementary school nearly every year since 1999.

To prepare for the contest, art teacher Melissa Shaw led students from kindergarten through fifth grade in creating artwork showing their vision of the ideal home. Each grade used a different technique and medium to create their unique homes. Kindergarteners used cardboard to stamp lines and added paint and texture to their homes. First graders used popsicle sticks and paint to explore the found object style of artist Beverly Buchanan. Second graders used clay on cardboard embellished with paint and markers to create gingerbread houses. Third graders created their favorite home paintings in a whimsical style based on Dr. Seuss’ book “The Lorax.” Four graders learned about artist Tyree Guyton’s Heidelberg Project and enhanced their drawings using images from magazines and markers. Fifth graders studied architecture and aesthetics, then drew and painted their ideal beach house.

A small number of community representatives were invited to view the artwork and cast their votes for the winners. During the event, Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities, spoke a few words to the assembled students and parents. The finalists were honored on stage with shiny red commemorative ribbons, then the top winner from each class was presented with a blue ribbon.

“Participating in the My Favorite Home art contest was an amazing opportunity for all of our students,” said Shaw. “What an incredible experience for them to be able to create something extraordinary then see their hard work recognized by so many important members of our community. I am so proud of my students and grateful to Neal Communities for this truly unforgettable experience!”

After announcing the winners, Neal presented a check for $1,500 to the school’s art department.

“We were so thankful to have our school chosen for this event, and we appreciate everyone who came and participated,” said Cameron Parker, principal of Emma E. Booker Elementary School. “The donation will go straight back into the art program to help students have more experiences in the arts. You can see how much it means to them.”

Two final winners will be chosen to be featured on the Neal Communities and Neal Signature Homes holiday cards.

“It is so joyful to see the ideas the students have for what makes their favorite home,” said Neal. “We enjoy coming to the school and seeing their artwork, and especially being able to help support Booker Elementary’s art programs and encourage creativity in these students.”

Judges and guests included Lisa Bechtold, executive director of Take Stock in Children; Aly Busse, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium; Dr. Michael P. Crosby, president & CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium; Ron Cutsinger, Sarasota County Commissioner; Monica Donley, founder of Sisters Sowing Seeds; Roscelyn Guenter, director of program services at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties; Kurt Hoffman, Sarasota County Sheriff; Robyn Marinelli, Sarasota School Board member; Yolanda Mancha, VP of advancement at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties; Michael Moore, special advisor, office of the president, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium; Cameron Parker, principal of Emma T. Booker Elementary School; Dr. Kristen Ranges, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium; David Rathbun, Sarasota County Fire Chief; Karen Rose, Sarasota School Board member; Jag Rupnarain, president of SimplyDwell Homes; Dr. Rachel Shelley, principal of Booker High School; Mark Smith, Sarasota County Commissioner; Kelsey Whealy, media relation specialist for Sarasota School District; and Amy Yount, president and CEO of Step Up Suncoast.

Visit the photo gallery for a full collection of event images.