Ave Maria Receives Top Recognition at 2025 Sand Dollar Awards
NAPLES, FL., – September 30, 2025 – Ave Maria, the top-selling master planned community, has once again earned top honors at the 2025 Sand Dollar Awards presented by the Collier Building Industry Association (CBIA). This year, Ave Maria and its developer, Barron Collier Companies, took home multiple awards including Community of the Year (under $500,000 category), Best Overall Campaign by a Developer/Community, and Best Special Event, Shamrock Festival. These awards reflect the company’s continued commitment to fostering a vibrant, connected and engaging community experience for residents.
As the fastest-selling new home master-planned community in Collier County, Ave Maria has been the CBIA Community of the Year (under $500,000 category) since 2015. The community is consistently recognized as a top 20 Master-Planned Community in the United States and a Top 20 Place to Retire. With a vibrant Town Center, top-rated schools, and many amenities, Ave Maria appeals to young professionals, growing families, and retirees as an attainable choice to build a new home in Collier County.
The “Real Stories from a Big Kind of Small Town,” campaign was recognized as the Best Overall Campaign by a Developer/Community. The goal of this recent campaign was to highlight the community’s genuine spirit and character through authentic experiences of Ave Maria residents displayed through print, digital tactics, TV and radio commercials, and organic social media posts. “The ‘Real Stories’ campaign allowed residents the opportunity to voice their delight about discovering the unexpected affordability and lifestyle in our community,” said Michelle Mambuca, marketing and public relations manager for Barron Collier Companies. “These awards reflect the passion and purpose that drives everything we do. The lifestyle here truly fosters a sense of community, and we are grateful for the continued support of our residents and partners.”
Furthermore, the inaugural Shamrock Festival event received the Best Special Event Sand Dollar Award. The event brought together in-town businesses and Ave Maria residents and visitors to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Over 2,500 people attended the celebration while enjoying live music, family-friendly activities, give-a-ways and more. The 2026 Shamrock Festival is scheduled for March 14 from noon – 5:00 p.m.
These awards highlight Ave Maria’s ongoing success in providing a high-quality living experience for its residents and underscore Barron Collier Companies’ dedication to excellence in all aspects of development and marketing.
ABOUT AVE MARIA, FLORIDA
Ave Maria has sold over 5,500 new homes to date, has been named a Top 20 Master Planned Community in the United States, 2015-2025 Community of the Year, the Top Selling Single-Family Home Community in Collier County, a Blue Zones Certified Community, and its active adult community, Del Webb Naples, has been named a Top 20 Places to Retire. Located in southwest Florida, Ave Maria is a self-sustaining town including shopping and dining, employment opportunities, parks and recreation, and is zoned for all A-rated Collier County public schools. At its build out, the town will include up to 11,000 residences, and 1.8 million square feet of retail, office, and business park uses in its 5,000 acres. Ave Maria is located at the intersection of Oil Well and Camp Keais Roads in Eastern Collier County. The main entrance, on Oil Well just west of Camp Keais, leads to the Town Center. Take I-75, exit 111, follow the signs east to Ave Maria, approximately 25 minutes. For more information, please visit https://www.avemaria.com/ or call 239-352-3903.