PLANT CITY
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 5, NO. 38
YOUR TOWN
FREE
•
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018
A TASTE OF FLORIDA
Florida CANE Distillery has created a line of spirits made entirely with locally sourced ingredients, including the Plant City Strawberry vodka. See Page 6.
Courtesy of Brick City Bricks
PICKY EATERS
Plant City’s missing piece
Fancy Farms once again opened its fields to the community for the annual 4-H Strawberry U-Pick. See Page 12.
Brick City Bricks held its grand opening last weekend in downtown Plant City. Each day, 20 to 25 people lined up outside of the door in anticipation of the event and to receive LEGO freebies from owner Gregory Williams. “I told everyone, ‘I don’t even care if I make $1 today, just to see the line out the door was amazing.’ That made my day,” Williams said. Brick City Bricks will offer used LEGO sets, Minifigures modulars and more to the community. The store is preparing for its “May the 4th Be With You” special event and has already begun to host birthday parties and events. Despite the surprising lack of Kragle, Brick City Bricks appears to have found its forever home.
Breanne Williams Courtesy of Cassandra Banning.
Former City Manager Dave Sollenberger participated in the changing of the flag at the Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Former city manager pays tribute Former City Manager Dave Sollenberger returned to Plant City during the Florida Strawberry Festival and participated in the changing of the flag at the Veteran’s Memorial Park at Courier Field, which was created while Sollenberger was city manager. While in charge, Sollenberger said it was important the city honors its veterans and insisted the flag on display always be in great shape. The Rotary Club of Plant City Daybreak took the park on as its special project and continues to regularly change the flag.
Fancy Farms has partnered with 4-H for years and many in attendance said they’ve made it a family tradition to walk the rows and pick for the food bank.
Winners walk away with new car The winners of the Unity car raffle bought a ticket on a whim. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Breanne Williams
Jim Goldinger, winner of Stingray’s 2018 Unity car raffle, chose to take home a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse High Country.
Jim and Kathy Goldinger were the lucky winners of Stingray Chevrolet’s ninth annual Unity in the Community Vehicle Raffle. The couple won a brand new 2018 Corvette Grand Sport with ticket number 2018-13664. Instead of taking the Corvette, they decided to take home a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse High Country and a check of the difference, which was approximately $13,360.
The Goldingers are from Pennsylvania but have property in the Port Charlotte area. They were eating lunch at the Florida Strawberry Festival when they heard the audio recording advertising for the raffle. When they realized what it was about and what the money would go toward, Jim Goldinger bought a $5 ticket to support the cause. He said he never believed they would have won and is looking forward to returning to the festival for years to come. “I’m not a guy that buys tickets, I’m not a guy that gambles, I’m not a guy that likes to part with money, but I’ve got to tell you I was moved,” Goldinger said.