Stingray Chevrolet of Plant City is in the 15th year of its charity Corvette raffle that takes place at the Florida Strawberry Festival. “Stingray Chevrolet is the source of the prize,” said Stingray’s Marketing and Social Media Manager, Norm Kniess. “The winning ticket will be drawn at 5 p.m. on March 10th, at The Florida Strawberry Festival.”
Each Corvette is specially designed just for the raffle. “I’m really excited about this year’s Stingray Chevrolet New Vehicle Raffle,” Steve Hurley said. “It’s hard to believe this is already the 15th year of the raffle. This vehicle for this year is the most expensive and best-equipped C8 mid-engine Corvette ever. Once again, it’s the highest level of trim for a Corvette Stingray being a 3LT, but unlike last year, it’s a hard-top convertible making it an even more expensive Corvette.”
All of the staff at Stingray Chevrolet look forward to the raffle each year. “The Hurleys have created a culture here at Stingray like no other,” Kniess said. “Unlike any other car dealership, we all are very giving people. The Hurleys are very philanthropic and never like to take credit for things they do in the community and they are very humble, which speaks volumes to their character. We love the Strawberry Festival and we get excited about the raffle as well as what the Corvette will look like each year.”
Every winner in the past lived full-time in Florida and only one split time living in Florida with having a residence in a different state. Five winners actually live in and around Plant City, so this is truly a hometown raffle. “Regardless of where the winner is from, the most important thing is the amount of the donation we are able to give to Plant City’s very own Unity in the Community nonprofit,” Hurley said. “We have given Unity just under $3 million from the Stingray Chevrolet Raffle.”
All proceeds from the raffle benefit Unity in the Community, Inc., a local nonprofit organization that supports 60 local charities in Plant City. A $5 minimum donation per raffle ticket is suggested but not required. There is no purchase necessary winner must be 18 years or older. The winner does not need to be present to win.
Unity in the Community’s mission is to bring people together by providing resources and services that promote economic development, educational opportunities, health/wellness initiatives, cultural awareness, and civic engagement. It’s focused on raising funds for those who need them the most in the Plant City area. Their all-volunteer board of directors plan and execute various fundraising events each year and disperse those funds to various charities, non-profits, and projects that align with their mission. The charity Corvette raffle is just one of the fundraisers the nonprofit does throughout the year. “Steve and Susan Hurley did the first car raffle 15 years ago and it was a Camaro because they wanted to raise money for Unity in the Community,” Kniess said. “The raffle tickets were just $5 and the Camaro was signed by professional wrestler, Hulk Hogan and that’s how it all got started. Since then, this event has gotten bigger and bigger and they have raffled off Camaros, and Corvettes and one year they did a big, lifted, red Chevy Silverado truck. The Corvettes have done the best and had the most interest, so that’s why it’s been a Corvette in recent years.”
The Hurleys hope everyone in the Plant City community will want to be a part of this year’s charity Corvette raffle. “I hope everyone will get a few tickets for their chance to win,” Hurley said. “It sure would be great to have another winner from our local area while supporting Unity in the Community. The funds raised from the raffle are donated to local charities and scholarships which is wonderful.”
If you would like to learn more about the Stingray Chevrolet charity Corvette raffle or if you’d like to enter the raffle, you can visit the dealership’s website at www.stingraychevrolet.com or call 813-359-5000. Stingray Chevrolet of Plant City is located at 2002 N. Frontage Rd.