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Due to Hurricane Ian, Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has extended the Golden Ticket campaign free adoption event to May 2023. Gulf Coast Humane Society after Hurricane Ian Before the storm, which for several days before landfall was expected to impact Tampa or the Panhandle, Gulf Coast Humane Society (GCHS) took in animals from other shelters in Labelle and Glades County anticipated to receive impact from tropical force winds. By the time Hurricane Ian changed course and impacted Fort Myers, GCHS had 175 dogs and cats at the shelter. Five staff members rode out the storm with the animals, concerned about the high winds. Fortunately, all animals were fine after the storm passed, but the facility, fences and grounds were damaged. The cat lanai, which was remodeled earlier in the summer, the breezeway and the animal rehab play area were destroyed. The administrative office roof blew off and went through the windshield of the GCHS’s newest van. The water pressure was impacted when the water line was damaged, and the generator was hit by lightning. Without phones, staff started reaching out via text to partners throughout Florida and as far away as Chicago, San Diego and other parts of the country. By placing animals at other shelters, GCHS was able to bring their animal count down to 20 within two or three days to allow for assessment and repairs to the facility. Animals Impacted by Hurricane Ian After Hurricane Ian decimated Southwest Florida leaving many people without homes, many animals were left homeless, too. New animals are coming in to GCHS that became lost after the storm or from families who don’t have a home to keep them. In five days, GCHS took in 30 animals, with more than 40 scheduled for next week, including owner surrenders and intakes from other shelters such as Lee County Domestic Animal Services. The kennels are filling up each day. Gulf Coast Humane society is calling the newly surrendered animals and the dogs that rode out the hurricane at the shelter the “Hurricane Ian Survivor Crew”, including more than 20 dogs. Pets like Dorlisa, a calm, sweet 3-½ year old terrier mix, and Roxy, a fun-loving and playful 2-½ year old terrier mix with expressive ears. Meet these Hurricane Survivors Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz extends Golden Ticket Adoption Event In recognition of the impact of Hurricane Ian on the community and animals in Southwest Florida, Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has extended its free adoption event through May 31, 2023. The firm sponsored 60 free pet adoptions in honor of its 60 th anniversary before Hurricane Ian disrupted Southwest Florida, including flooding the firm’s office it has occupied in downtown Fort Myers for 60 years. The adoptions are made possible with “Golden Tickets” that will be distributed at events hosted by the firm and the humane society to people wishing to give cats and dogs at the shelter “furever” homes. To find an event where you can get a “golden ticket” for a free or reduced-price adoption, visit https://www.facebook.com/GoldsteinBuckley/events If you want to support the GCHS financially to support rebuilding the facilities, visit https://gulfcoasthumanesociety.org/donate/

Luke Carney knew from working at the firm of our community commitment to supporting area nonprofits. Luke worked as a legal secretary before recently leaving the firm to pursue a law degree at Ave Maria University. While he worked at the firm, he also volunteered at a support group for teenagers at Valerie’s House. After Luke lost his mother when he was 14, he learned about the need for grief support. As a result, he decided to volunteer for the nonprofit dedicated to helping children and caregivers process grief. Luke observed the firm’s community commitment to many other organizations, including MADD Southwest Florida, Gulf Coast Humane Society and veteran’s groups. To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Valerie’s House asked volunteers like Luke to spread the word about the nonprofit. So, Luke asked if the firm would support Valerie’s House on Facebook during the month of June. “In helping the community, we pay it forward,” Luke said. Our Staff’s Community Commitment Our attorneys are committed to active involvement in the communities where we live and work. We proudly donate our time and resources for the benefit of the many worthy organizations. Additionally, we contribute to the success of local schools and athletes. Part of our commitment is to support causes that are important to our employees, like Luke. Christopher and Andrea Smith have rescue dogs and volunteer at Gulf Coast Humane Society. Our attorneys see the impact of drunk driving accidents on our clients. As a result, the firm supports Walk Like MADD every year. John Cechman is a veteran and encourages the firm’s support of veteran’s groups. Legal assistant Emily Miller uses her extensive couponing skills to buy items for donation to a variety of organizations. “I’ve been at the firm since 1998, and I do not remember a time we weren’t supporting Toys for Tots,” said Tina Helton, the firm’s business manager. “I love this program and feel especially at Christmas time, kids need to feel wanted and recognized. Receiving the smallest item will lighten a child’s face. Very humbling experience to see!”

For nearly 60 years, the staff at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has supported our communities. Our most recent support has been our 2020 Gulf Coast Humane Society donation of pet food. We don’t mind that Gulf Coast Humane Society (GCHS) Community Relations Coordinator Brian Wierima brings his four-legged assistant to our office. Lemmy, a French and English bulldog mix Wierima adopted, comes to our office to pick up donations. In addition, my husband and fellow partner Christopher and I have two rescued pups of our own. Our dogs, Boo and Thunder, come to the office with us sometimes, too. Boo, a deaf Catahoula mix, was adopted from GCHS. We recently adopted Thunder from another local rescue. 2020 Gulf Coast Humane Society Donation Our office’s expert coupon-clipper, legal assistant Emily Miller, stretches donated dollars to maximize our support. With Miller’s help, a recent 2020 Gulf Coast Humane Society donation of food was worth more than $4,800. The 1,066 cans of cat food, 314 bags of dog food and 186 treats bags were enough to fill a van and a pickup truck! To help people struggling after losing their jobs, GCHS has been collecting donations of pet food and treats. The food is distributed at Community Cooperative’s area food pantries to make sure people can keep their pets at home. Since the beginning of April, GCHS has given out 7 tons of pet food at 26 mobile food pantries in Lee County. Wierima said our humane society donation was the largest single one he has seen in his four years with GCHS. The food was helpful in launching the Pet Food 4 Furever Families. In addition, people fostering shelter pets received food. Shelter officials expected to see owners giving up their pets during the pandemic, but the food seems to have kept that from happening. About the Gulf Coast Humane Society GCHS is a nonprofit, no-kill shelter that does not receive any government or Humane Society of the United States support. To supply medical care, shelter and adoptive homes, GCHS relies on community funding. Pets are important to ease loneliness during the pandemic. Also, they can reduce anxiety and depression. Additionally, companionship, routine, connection, touch, attention and affection are just some of the other needs met by pets. Animals can teach us the importance of helping and relying on each other. In addition to excellent legal services, helping community is at the center of our firm’s core values. Other Community Support In addition to our 2020 Gulf Coast Humane Society Donation, we are sponsoring Walk Like MADD in September and DUI enforcement efforts. We also collect donations for veterans, Community Cooperative, Eva’s Closet, area schools, Alliance for the Arts and Toys for Tots. We educate motorcyclists through Bike Night, and other outreach events. As a law firm, our mission is to help those who need someone to fight for them. As a part of the community, our goal is to make a positive difference through support, leadership and volunteering. To support the Gulf Coast Humane Society, visit here.

More than 50 years ago, John Cechman was called to fight for his country in the Vietnam War, earning a Bronze Star for his service. Today, he fights for his neighbors as a partner and personal injury attorney at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz, P.A His military career started at the West Point United States Military Academy in New York where he was recruited to play football from high school in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, where he grew up. It was football, not necessarily the Army, that attracted him to West Point. “The campus was beautiful, and it was a good education,” he said. He played for the freshman and junior varsity teams until he failed a European history class and his grade point average dipped below the requirement, forcing him to leave. “Had I stayed, I would have played on the big Army team,” he said. He continued his education at New Mexico University, and joined the advanced Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) to help pay for his college expenses. After Cechman graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics in 1967, he became a second lieutenant in the army, completing Infantry Basic Officer Leader course in Fort Benning, Georgia. He completed Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird in Baltimore. Attorney John B. Cechman served his country and now serves his clients It was there that some friends talked to him about practicing law. From Fort Carson, Colorado, he was sent to Quang Tri Province just south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in South Vietnam. As Agent in Charge of Military Intelligence, he was stationed with the 1 st Brigade 5 th Infantry Division from July 1968 to July 1969. “It was difficult,” he said. “There were good days and bad days. It’s a year I would not want to duplicate. That’s why I think vets who have seen combat don’t ever talk about it. If you haven’t lived through it, you can’t possibly imagine it.” While he admits his grades in school were not always the best in his younger years, he understood the legal system and considered a future practicing law. He did well on his way to the law school entrance exam and applied to the then-recently established law school at Florida State University (FSU) while still in Vietnam. “I heard about law from friends in Baltimore,” he said. “I knew I didn’t want to stay in the Army. I had never been to Florida, so I went straight to FSU.” On a break from law school, he drove to Naples to visit the family of another student. On the way, he stopped in Fort Myers to look into a job that founders of Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz had posted on an FSU bulletin board. It was a long way to the law firm, but he pulled up to the office on his motorcycle and has been representing motorcyclists ever since. His military medals hang next to a large quilted American flag over his desk: Bronze Star, National Defense Service medal, Vietnam Service medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Expert Badge & Auto Rifle Bar, and Marksman Bar & Pistol Bar. “I tell my sons that the military is a great character builder,” he said. “There are no excuses. You get the job done. Yes sir. No sir. It makes you an overall better person. If I have a case, I’ve got to do it right and on time. It translates not only to the law, but any job, any occupation.” Throughout the year, members of the firm collect clothing and supplies for veterans to be donated through the Cape Coral office of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. It’s been a long way to the law. “A lot of veterans need help, especially since in combat PTSD is a real thing,” Cechman says. “I’m proud of the fact the firm does what it can to assist vets.” Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has offered professional legal services to Southwest Florida clients since 1962. The firm’s experienced attorneys are board certified by the Florida Bar, and their areas of practice include personal injury and accidents, fall and premises liability, wrongful death, motorcycle and truck accidents, medical malpractice, real estate, commercial litigation, construction law, wills, estate planning and administration, social security law and criminal law. With offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Lehigh Acres and Port Charlotte, attorneys can be reached by calling (239) 326-0558 or visiting our Contact Us page.

Legal assistant Emily Miller at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz is the real deal. She has again used her couponing skills to purchase more than a dozen grocery bags of food to donate to Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, Inc. Getting needed items for pennies on the dollar has helped her also collect $4,300 of food, self-care items and other products to help homeless veterans. She also uses her skills to collect items to donate to the Gulf Coast Humane Society. Miller says her biggest investment in the donation efforts is time. If you’re looking for the spirit of philanthropy, that’s the real deal. The Real Deal Her generosity is typical for the firm, where employees and clients have supported Toys for Tots, Community Cooperative Soup Kitchen and the Shelter for Abused Women & Children, as well as area sports teams, schools, churches, veterans causes and more. The legal firm’s community commitment is the real deal. In addition, the firm was a sponsor for Cops & Joggers to benefit the Fort Myers Police Department and is a presenting sponsor for Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s Walk Like MADD, among other events.

Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz hosted a recent donation to Eva’s Closet during a drive from March 25 to April 15. The donation supports their mission to provide assistance to people in need, regardless of situation or circumstance, without judgement. Kudos to everyone who was involved in the organization of these donations on behalf of the firm. Learn more about this worthy cause.

Legal Assistant Emily Miller has a heart for helping the homeless. She recently made good use of a spare office to collect items for donation. The goal? Helping the homeless veterans through the Cape Coral office of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Through coupons, in a couple months, she was able to collect $4,300 worth of food, self-care and other products. Helping the Homeless Miller, who has been with Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz for 10 years, started couponing for herself about two years ago. She became so good at couponing, she began sharing excess deals with friends. “It starts to accumulate over time,” she said, so she decided to collect items the homeless might need. “You can get things for pennies on the dollar. It does get time consuming with the planning and driving. My biggest investment is time.” The only drawback? With a sleeve full of coupons, she’s that person slowing down the grocery line. “They can heckle me all they want. I’m helping people.” Want to get involved with helping the homeless? Contact Frank Jones at (239) 652-1800, ext. 20551.

Law Firm Collects Toys for Toys for Tots For the 13th year, the Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz office collects toys for Toys for Tots to be distributed by the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation. Toys will be collected until Dec. 15 when they will be picked up and distributed by Toys for Tots to approved local social welfare agencies, church groups and other organizations. “Supporting organizations within our community is within the core of Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz and Toys for Tots is an exemplary example of an organization,” said Managing Partner Chris Smith. “It’s our privilege to be a part of the community, so we feel it’s important to give back.” During 2018, 10,960 children were supported with 38,090 toys distributed by Toys for Tots in Lee County. In Naples, 28,425 toys were distributed, supporting 5,338 children. The public is invited to bring new, unwrapped toys for newborn children to age 12 to any of the six Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz offices. In addition, members of the firm also donate toys for the drive. The locations where Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz collects toys for Toys for Tots: Fort Myers – Downtown: 1515 Broadway St., 239-334-1146 Fort Myers – McGregor: 2300 McGregor Blvd., 239-332-9437 Cape Coral – 461 Del Prado Blvd., 239-574-5575 Naples – 2590 Northbrooke Plaza Drive, Suite 105, 239-514-0924 Lehigh Acres – 4802 Lee Blvd., 239-368-6101 Port Charlotte – 2852 Tamiami Trail, Ste. 1, 941-624-2393 If it’s not convenient to shop for toys, monetary donations are accepted at www.toysfortots.org. About Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz, P.A., has offered a full complement of professional legal services to Southwest Florida clients since 1962. The firm’s experienced attorneys are board certified by the Florida Bar, and their areas of practice include personal injury and accidents, fall and premises liability, wrongful death, motorcycle and truck accidents, medical malpractice, real estate, commercial litigation, construction law, wills, and estate planning and administration. With offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Lehigh Acres and Port Charlotte, attorneys can be reached by calling 239-500-HURT.

‘Tis the season for charitable giving, supporting Toys for Tots and much more. Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz ‘s collection of toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation wrapped up this month. The drive, supporting Toys for Tots and much more, yielded more than 150 toys collected to be distributed to approved local, social welfare agencies, church groups and other organizations for the holidays. It’s the 13th year the firm has been an official public collection point, but supporting Toys for Tots and much more has been happening at the firm for more than 35 years. “I’ve been at the firm since 1984, and I do not remember a time we weren’t supporting Toys for Tots,” said Carleen Menist, a legal assistant for partner attorney Richard Purtz. “I was always involved getting folks what they needed. People would bring me items, and I would find a home. We’ve always been involved. There is always a need. Always.” Janeé Broadway, marketing and events coordinator for the firm, said many of the toys donated this year came from members of the firm. “Our staff is incredibly generous,” she said. “The Toys for Tots boxes were overflowing before we announced the collection to the public!” Supporting Toys for Tots and Much More In addition to Toys for Tots, Menist says the firm has supported local sports teams with their fundraisers, the Community Cooperative Soup Kitchen, area schools with school supplies, area churches, the Shelter for Abused women, area Veterans and many more. “I don’t remember a time we weren’t giving,” she said. Giving extends to supporting employees. Menist said she started at the firm as a temporary secretary, and the firm helped her to advance in her career, paying for her education along the way. “They are very giving,” she said. “Books and all! No doubt, giving is the best feeling in the world.”

Fort Myers attorney J. Jeffrey Rice retires as NFL referee this year. He has been moonlighting as an NFL referee for 25 years, but hung up his whistle for the final time after Sunday’s Pro Bowl. Rice, a former managing partner of Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz retired as a game umpire after calling Sunday’s Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Rice began officiating high school football games in 1973, just a year after graduating from Northwestern University. After earning a juris doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 1975, Rice was admitted to the Florida Bar and continued officiating on the weekends in Southwest Florida through the South Gulf Football Officials Association. He steadily built a reputation as a premier official and worked his way up to college games, then NFL Europe games, before being hired by the NFL in 1995. J. Jeffrey Rice retires as NFL referee after a fulfilling role on the field as an umpire. His duties include monitoring the line of scrimmage for illegal blocking or holding calls and false starts, as well as marking off penalty yardage and counting the number of offensive players on the field. Over the past 25 years, Rice has officiated more than 400 NFL games and been granted 24 postseason assignments, including four Super Bowls and four Pro Bowls. Postseason officiating crews are considered the league’s top game officials. Rice is one of only 105 officials to work a Super Bowl game, and one of just 16 who have worked three or more Super Bowls, including two of the closest championship games in NFL history: Super Bowl XXXV (2001 – alternate official): Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7 Super Bowl XXXVI (2002 – umpire): New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17 Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004 – umpire): New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29 Super Bowl 50 (2016 – umpire): Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10 With 25 years of experience, J. Jeffrey Rice retires as NFL referee with many accolades. Rice is recognized on a plaque displayed in a special exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Rice’s father, Bob Rice, worked for 19 years as an NFL official, including two Super Bowls. Fort Myers attorney J. Jeffrey Rice retires as NFL referee At his day job, Rice also is at the top of his game, having been named to Florida’s prestigious Super Lawyers list for 14 consecutive years. To earn the annual honor, candidates are measured against 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, a rigorous and methodical process to determine Super Lawyers that represent the top 5 percent of legal professionals in each state. Rice, who often makes himself available as a guest speaker for local organizations, emphasizes his practice on commercial law, construction law, construction lien cases and real estate closings for clients. He is a member of the Lee County Bar Association and Florida Bar, and licensed to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Rice has been honored by Martindale-Hubbell as a top-rated lawyer in business and corporate law, and has been included in the peer-reviewed legal publication Best Lawyers. Further Reading Florida Bar News Naples Daily News Naples Daily News WINK

#SaturationSaturday As part of ongoing support of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and DUI prevention, Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz was honored to provide the briefing dinner for #SaturationSaturday Aug. 24, an event organized by MADD Southwest Florida that included the Cape Coral Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Fort Myers Police Department and the Sanibel Police Department. The operation was a saturation patrol, focusing on identifying and taking impaired drivers off the road as well as targeting areas with traffic issues that cause crashes. #SaturationSaturday on Aug. 24 resulted in statewide DUI prevention activities by more than 60 law enforcement agencies. Launched by MADD, the first Saturation Saturday was held in Missouri in 2016 as a night of increased law enforcement patrols and sobriety checkpoints designed to reduce incidents of drunk or drugged driving. It coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which runs from Aug. 14 through Sept. 2. One of the cornerstones of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving is increased, high-visibility law enforcement to both catch drunk drivers and to deter others by sending a strong message that if you drive drunk, you will get caught. In addition to supporting sobriety checkpoints throughout the year, the firm is presenting sponsor for Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s Walk Like MADD 5K walk and run that raises money to ensure no one in our community suffers from the impacts of impaired drivers. Walk like MADD will be at JetBlue Park at Fenway South Sept. 28. CLICK HERE for information or to sign up to participate.

Community Support in 2019 For over 50 years, the attorneys at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has been actively involved in the communities where we live and work. We have proudly donated our time and resources for the benefit of many worthy organizations. In September, we sponsored The Shape of Things Exhibit at the Alliance for the Arts, an abstract world of shapes in a thought-provoking exhibit of contemporary arts from intricate, color rich collages and acrylic paintings to graceful carved marble sculpture and silhouettes by artists Carve Stone and Pat Zalisko. This month, Christopher Smith participated in career day at Bayshore Elementary School in North Fort Myers, with the firm donating 300 gift bags to students. The firm also decided in late June to collect school supplies for students and teachers at Diplomat Elementary School in Cape Coral, and within a couple of weeks, the staff had collected a few hundred dollars of school supplies for teachers and students that were presented in August.