The Chance to Win a New Car while Supporting the Efforts of the Polk County Medical Foundation and We Care of Polk County
If you had a chance to win a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GLS and help residents of Polk County live a healthier life, would you seize the opportunity? Well, thanks to a medical foundation that provides critical support and care for the uninsured and low income residents of Polk County, you have that chance. “This is the first time we’ve done this,” says Jackie Courtney, executive director of the Polk County Medical Foundation. “We’re hoping to increase our available funds with this raffle.”
The foundation is not about to get into the business of selling new autos or providing competition to local car dealerships. The Elantra will be the top prize during a random drawing at the conclusion of the foundation’s 3rd Annual Casino Night fundraiser, an annual event that will be held at the Lakeland Yacht Country Club at 929 Lake Hollingsworth Drive.
The fundraiser’s drawing will be on Saturday, October 12, and anyone who purchases a raffle ticket for $25 between now and then will get an opportunity to win the Elantra. “The winner does not need to be at the Casino Night to win,” Courtney says. If someone purchased a ticket but can’t attend the fundraiser itself, and their ticket is chosen, they will be notified no later than October 19 through the contact information they provided on their ticket.
The Elantra, which is being supplied by Red Hoagland Hyundai of Winter Haven, can be picked up any time after October 12. Courtney notes that there will be a maximum of 1,500 tickets sold for the raffle— and the foundation is very hopeful that each and every ticket ends up in the hands of the public. “If we do sell all 1,500 tickets, we would raise around $20,000,” she states. “So we really need to push for this. Proceeds will go toward our work through We Care of Polk County.”
The Polk County Medical Foundation supports numerous community projects through the We Care program. Both are non-profit organizations that provide needed medications, medical equipment, and diagnostic studies to residents in need. “We Care gives free specialty medical care to the low income and uninsured of Polk County,” Courtney explains. The program uses doctors who volunteer their time and expertise to assist the county’s neediest residents, and provides the people it serves with equipment they might not otherwise be able to afford, including scooters, crutches, and walkers.
The foundation also sponsors an ongoing series of lectures and symposiums on health topics, provided to the community for free. The lectures aim to educate residents on a wide variety of medical conditions and what they can do if they’re coping with one of them. The foundation also provides scholarships to local students.
It’s that kind of ongoing charitable and educational work that anyone can support simply by purchasing one of the raffle tickets. And who knows, Courtney adds, they might just be the lucky winner and take home that Elantra. “The color will be determined at the time of the drawing,” she points out. “That will depend on what colors the dealership has left.”
To purchase tickets, call the foundation at (863) 644-4051. For a copy of the official rules, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Rules Request, Car Raffle, Polk County Medical Foundation, 4315 Highland Park Blvd., Suite B, Lakeland, FL. 33813.
Courtney notes that in addition to the suspense of the raffle, anyone who attends the Casino Night fundraiser is guaranteed to have a good time. It runs from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. “This is the third year we’ve done it,” she says. “Last year we had 125 people, and this year we hope to welcome 150 guests. There will be music, food, and a silent auction.” There will also be casino games played with fake currency— no real gambling, Courtney says, just a lot of fun. “We give away a lot of free gifts during the night, so the car is just one way guests can go home a winner.”
CREDITS
story by MICHAEL W. FREEMAN