STINGRAY CHEVROLET CAR RAFFLES RAISE MORE THAN $3 MILLION FOR UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY

By Jonathan Hurst

BRANDON NATIVE SERVES WITH U.S. NAVY HELICOPTER SQUADRON SUPPORTING MARITIME MISSIONS AROUND THE GLOBE

By Petty O fcer 3rd Class Andrew Hanchar, Navy O fce

For the 14th time, Stingray Chevrolet has successfully run its New Vehicle Raffle benefitting Unity in the Community.

On March 12, the May family were the recipients of a new C8 Corvette, as one of the 20 tickets they purchased was drawn as the winning ticket at the Strawberry Festival.

With tickets costing $5 each, there were between 60,000 to 70,000 tickets in the drawing this year, which was done live in front of a crowd at the Strawberry Festival and livestreamed on Stingray Chevrolet’s Facebook page. This year’s winner, James May, purchased 20 tickets but had not even consider winning and just wanted to help Unity in the Community continue their great work.

While all past years of this rafe are considered successful, this year broke records, as Stingray Chevrolet and owner Steve Hurley were able to generate $363,000 for Unity in the Community. In total, Stingray Chevrolet has donated almost $3,000,000 to the organization over the 14 years that this rafe has been held.

“We have given $2.945M over the 14 raffles to Unity in the Community. Ironically, that could have never happened without the help of the community itself here in Plant City. Without the Florida Strawberry Festival, our Unity board members, all of our volunteers at the festival, our outstanding radio media partners and so many more, the rafes could never have happened,” Stingray Chevrolet owner Steve Hurley shared.

Unity in the Community is a Plant City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in need through donations to diferent local charities such as Plant City United Food Bank and Lots of Hugs Summer Reading program. Additionally, Unity has 13 scholarships that it gives out annually to local high school students. Unity has a board comprised of up to a dozen local business owners and its founder, Joyce Jordan Hooke.

Hurley also serves on the Unity board and was brainstorming ways to be able to raise more funds than they had in the past, and he contemplated simply donating a car. After some more thinking, he came to the realization that through a legal new vehicle rafe, they would be able to generate three to four times the value of the car.

“I am just proud of all of the great people in Plant City who are able to help make this rafe happen each year,” said Hurley.

For more about Unity in the Community, visit its website at www.unityinplantcity. org. Stingray Chevrolet is located at 2002 N. Frontage Rd. in Plant City. Visit www. stingraychevrolet.com.

Petty Ofcer 2nd Class Makeisha Villery, a native of Brandon, serves with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 78, operating out of San Diego, California. The squadron’s primary mission is to conduct sea-control operations in open-ocean and coastal environments. This includes hunting for submarines, searching for surface targets over the horizon and conducting search and rescue operations.

Villery, a 2016 King High School graduate, joined the Navy three years ago. “I joined the Navy to further my education and be able to support myself with a career at the same time,” said Villery.

Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those she found growing up in Brandon. “Having a good work ethic and always striving for greatness were taught to me as a child,” said Villery. “In the Navy, you never give up and never surrender. We do not stop until the job is done.”

Today, Villery serves with the helicopter squadron that flies the U.S. Navy’s MH60R Seahawk helicopters. The MH-60R is a twin-engine helicopter used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, drug interdiction, anti-ship warfare, cargo lift and special operations.

With 90 percent of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the inter- net relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy ofcials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.

“Our mission remains timeless — to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence and committed to superior leadership at every single level,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations. “This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy.”

Villery has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“Within two years of serving, I have been promoted twice,” said Villery. “Knowing that the hard work and dedication I am putting in is paying of is a big accomplishment.”

Villery is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“My mother, Kim; my brother, Ty; and my fiance, Kievonze, have all supported me through every decision I have made,” said Villery. “They ofer a sounding board for ideas and decisions I have to make. Having family back at home makes the job that much more important and special.”