Engage Estero wants to thank everyone who took part in the process of helping define Estero’s Sense of Place. Following a presentation in February of 2024 by Tony Carangleo, watch online here, Engage Estero offered prizes to residents who submitted written descriptions of Estero to help find consensus and articulate our Sense of Place.

150 statements were submitted, and a team of people reduced those submissions to 25 top options, then a panel of 9 ranked the top 10 of those statements from 1st to 10th (first place got 10 points down to 1 for 10th place)

The results shown below were top three (mean scores out of 10).

• 1st Place Julie Yellig (Mean Score 6.0) Prize $500
  Estero is an engaged community, supporting an active lifestyle ………

• 2nd Place Karen Katz (Mean Score 5.3) Prize $250
  Upscale but not pretentious……….

• 3rd Place Jacqueline Clifford (Mean Score 4.22) Prize $250
  Florida’s best kept secret………..

Left to right: Allan Bowditch, Engage Estero; Karen Katz, 2nd place winner; Julie Yellig, first place winner; Jim Gilmartin, Engage Estero. Not pictured, thrid place winner Jacqueline Clifford.

We want to thank everyone who took part in this endeavor. One of Estero’s unique traits is the active involvement of residents in the shaping of our community.