You don’t have to be homeless or without a job to find yourself at the local food pantry each week, waiting to collect basic rations that will prevent your family from going hungry.
In a time where even the employed are fighting to keep food on the table, Bartow Ford teamed with other Southern Ford Dealers to collect 11,317 non-perishable food items.
The items were part of the annual Sack Hunger food drive, a combined effort of Raymond James Financial, the Glazer Family Foundation, Southern Ford Dealers, and Kraft foods.
The Annual Sack Hunger Food drive collected a total of 15,253 pounds of non-perishable foods; providing 54,621 meals to Tampa-Bay area residents in need of assistance, a more than 80% increase in meals donated than 2010. (Raymond James)
Kristie Carter, Fleet Salesperson, played a tremendous role in raising the items. She is very passionate about the food drive, “No one should go hungry during the holidays, or any other time of the year. It’s times like these that you are thankful for what you have.”
Bartow Ford raised more than any other Ford dealership in its region with 2,583 food items. The proceeds from Bartow Ford were donated to Cahill Ministries Food Bank, in Lakeland Florida.
“I became aware of the VOICE’s needs through one of our service advisors, Brian Jones. After looking into it further I decided it would be a great opportunity to help the community,” stated Mike Maskolunas. “These vehicles are what keep this organization going, and without them the VOICE could no longer perform their duties.”
Since 1995 members of VOICE have donated over 35,000 hours to the Lake Wales community. The program has provided supplemental law enforcement services to the community as well, playing an essential role in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the community. The organization also assists with parades, funerals, citizen patrol throughout the city, and large public events.
Bartow Ford sponsored a team of clay shooters from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) in a charity clay shoot event held by the Tampa Bay Rough Riders, in April 2011.
Members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office team included: Major Larry Williams, Captain Kevin Widner, and Lieutenants Britt Williams and Rick Wright. Major Larry Williams also received the title of “Top Cop Shooter” for the highest shooting average of the competition.
“The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was honored to have a team, generously sponsored by Bartow Ford, participate in the Rough Riders’ 2011 Sporting Clays Tournament,” said Sheriff Judd. “I am proud of our agency members and their shooting acumen but am even more proud of their strong sense of civic duty,” he continued “The mission of the Rough Riders organization is honorable and selfless – positively impacting countless lives.”
This organization constantly perpetuates the memory of Theodore Roosevelt and the First U.S. Cavalry Volunteers, who later became known as The Rough Riders, and their involvement in the Spanish-American war. To read more about The Rough Riders’ history and events, visit www.tampa-roughriders.org
On Friday, May 27, 2011, 
