Michael Welch, chairman of the East Lee Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, gestures toward John Talmadge, recipient of the Board of Directors Award, at the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Crystal Awards gala at Plantation Country Golf & Country Club recently. CHUCK BALLARO

East Lee County remains one of the fastest growing areas in the country. In an area such as that, the need for health care is of the utmost importance.

With HCA taking over Lehigh Hospital and setting plans in motion to build a brand-new hospital in the not-too-distant future, it’s no wonder that they were the main topic of praise Saturday.

Many of East Lee County’s business leaders gathered at the Plantation Golf & Country Club to celebrate them and the area’s best teachers, law enforcement, healthcare professionals and other stars in the community at the 24th annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala.

HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital was awarded the Soaring Star Award for what it has done to improve healthcare in East Lee County.

Michael Welch, Chairman of the East Lee Chamber Board of Directors, said that while it is always great to honor the stars of the area who don’t always get the recognition they deserve, but also this new healthcare system that he said will be a game changer in the area.

Dr. Michael Tucker gives the Soaring Star Award to Paige Laughlin, CEO of HCA Lehigh Hospital, at the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Crystal Awards gala at Plantation Country Golf & Country Club recently. CHUCK BALLARO

“We have a major hospital system returning to East Lee County making investments in community care. That’s a home run for East Lee,” Welch said. “We’ve been off the radar screen for Lee Health. Now, residents will have quality specialists and all the resources we need to keep people close and not have to drive 30 to 40 miles into Fort Myers.”

Brian Hummel, chief medical officer at HCA, said they had a presence in Lee County many years ago, but left because they couldn’t leave a big enough footprint.

“They wanted to come back and have an influence, so they purchased Lehigh Medical Center and took possession on Feb. 27. We’re changing over to the HCA model,” Hummel said. “We will then be breaking ground on a new hospital off of Colonial later this year.”

Paige Laughlin, CEO of HCA, said it was great to receive such a warm welcome and that things have changed in a hurry.

“We have started an incredible investment into the community. We have new technology and equipment for the physicians, nurses and staff for millions of dollars,” Laughlin said. “We have an incredible amount of support and assets for research, innovation that we’re excited to bring here.”

From left, Lee County Superintendent of Schools Denise Carlin, Gateway Elementary School teacher Jessi Smith, and school board members Armor Persons and Debbie Jordan at the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Crystal Awards gala at Plantation Country Golf & Country Club recently. CHUCK BALLARO

The growth explosion has created problems in education, as there are more kids coming in than there are schools to teach them.

“A lot of our schools are over capacity. We’re ready to build more schools. We have teachers, but its growth is the problem,” school board member Armor Persons said. “Scores are better, but not where we want to be, and discipline got much better when we strengthened the code of conduct and took away cell phones.”

Always a fun part of the evening is the presentation of the Crystal Awards for teachers.

They were:

• Elementary schools: Amanecer, Laura Robinson; G. Weaver Hipps, Eileen Gomez; Gateway, Jessi Smith; Harns Marsh, Jakeva Lewis; Lehigh, Anthony Thomas; Mirror Lakes, Brittney Garcia; River Hall, Michelle Botsford; Sunshine, Samantha Soisson; Alva, Elizabeth Boudreau; Tortuga Preserve, Maria Teresa Gomez de Cortez.

From left, school principals Dr. Cheveneese Anderson-Thomas, Varsity Lakes Middle School, Neketa Watson, Gateway High School and Joseph Restino, Lemuel Teal Middle School, at the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Crystal Awards gala at Plantation Country Golf & Country Club recently. CHUCK BALLARO

• Middle schools: Harns Marsh, Janet Bernard; Lehigh Acres, Valarie Goyette; Lemuel Teal, Faith McManus; Varsity Lakes, Miguel Teixeira; Veterans Park Academy for the Arts, Catina Carlson.

• High school: East Lee County, Bethan Campbell; Gateway, Karen Kuzer; Lehigh Senior, Carie Lewis; Riverdale, Gabriel Cleveland.

De Cortez said it was an honor to be nominated.

“It’s an honor to be chosen. Me and my co-workers work hard every day and it’s nice to be recognized for it,” de Cortez said.

“We’re all doing our job. It’s nice to see my peers because we’re working together to make good things happen for our kids. That’s why we do it,” Goyette said.

Lee County Sheriff's Office Commander Ryan Lowe, left, with the Law Enforcement Professionals of the Year Lt. Paul Nader and Det. Charles Semiklose at the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Crystal Awards gala at Plantation Country Golf & Country Club recently. CHUCK BALLARO

The Law Enforcement Professionals of the Year were Lt. Paul Nader and Detective Charles Semiklose.

The HCA Healthcare Professionals of the Year were Dr. Mariana Nunez, and Nurse Karlene Esparra.

The Board of Directors Award went to John Talmage for the work he has done to help East Lee from an economic standpoint.

Also announced was the establishment of the Rick Anglickis Annual Scholarship Award, named after a Lehigh Acres pioneer who passed away this past year.