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Community Support Gathers Momentum for Bonita Estero Rail Trail

Jun 11, 2025 Allie Tafeen No Comments 361 Views

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Steve Gunther
Stgunther@bonitaesterorailtrail.com
bonitaesterorailtrail.com

Community Support Gathers Momentum for Bonita Estero Rail Trail
$50,000 in Pledged Gifts Announced at Evening of Connection and Community
Bonita Springs, FL — (June 11th, 2025) — Friends of the Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT) hosted an Evening of Connection and Community on June 5, 2025, at FineMark National Bank and Trust in Bonita Springs. Dozens of supporters, civic leaders, and trail advocates were in attendance.
“Strong communities are built through strong relationships, and that’s exactly what we saw tonight,” said Steve Gunther, a leader with Friends of BERT. “BERT is more than a trail—it’s a connector of people, places, and possibilities. Once built, it will serve generations,” added Gunther.
The Bonita Estero Rail Trail aims to repurpose an unused rail corridor into a vibrant multi-use pathway that promotes health, safety, economic growth, and environmental protection. Completion of the trail will allow for connection of the John Yarbrough Trail in the north to the Paradise Coast Trail in Collier County, providing a critical segment of the planned 400+ mile Florida Gulf Coast Trail.
During the evening program, Steve Gunther announced an ambitious capital campaign intended to accelerate the completion of the trail. The Friends of BERT seeded the campaign with $50,000 and local donors stepped forward with an additional $50,000 in pledges to make the total commitment $100,000. While the momentum is building, organizers emphasize that the project’s success depends on sustained community engagement.
How you can help:

• Donate: Every gift fuels advocacy, planning, and awareness.
• Get Involved: Volunteer your time, talents, or resources.
• Share the Vision: Spread the word about BERT’s mission with friends, neighbors, and local leaders.

To learn more or get involved, visit: bonitaesterorailtrail.com

About Friends of BERT:
Friends of the Bonita Estero Rail Trail is a grassroots initiative committed to transforming a former rail corridor into a safe, multi-use trail that enhances the quality of life in Bonita Springs and Estero. The group advocates for sustainable, inclusive infrastructure that promotes wellness, connectivity, and economic opportunity.

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Better Together, a nonprofit on a mission to build strong families and communities, is partnering with Shiloh SDA Church to host a community job fair on Thursday, March 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is now open for job seekers and employers to participate in the March event. With a spirit of hope and celebration, the church-based job fairs empower job seekers by connecting them with local employers who are ready to hire, while offering supportive services that foster meaningful connections and increase opportunities for lasting employment. Free one-on-one job coaching sessions are available to participants to review resumes, and additional services will be available onsite. The March 19 job fair will take place at Shiloh SDA Church, located at 500 S.W. 17th Ave. in Ocala. Job seekers and employers can register at BetterTogetherUS.org/ShilohSDA or by texting “JOBS” to 844-987-3949. With job openings available across various industry sectors, participating employers include Cone Distributing, Heart of Florida Health Center, Kane’s Furniture, RaceTrac and more. Local resource partners will also join Better Together in offering various onsite services, including the Alzheimer’s Association and the United Way of Marion County’s Strong Families Program. Additional employers and resource partners will be added as the job fair approaches. The community job fairs are part of Better Together’s “Better Jobs” program, which has helped more than 48,000 applicants connect with employment opportunities across 24 states. Churches interested in hosting a Better Together job fair can visit BetterTogetherUS.org for more information. ABOUT BETTER TOGETHER Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
Allie Tafeen
https://aboveboardchamber.com
This article was submitted by a Guest Author of the Above Board Chamber.