The new mayor of Riverview will not be drawing up plans for invading Brandon (who would want it?) or raising taxes — it’s an honorary post, after all — but the three candidates for the title are waging their own campaigns for local charities.
With the winning candidate the one who raises the most for charity, the campaign is well underway.
Clifton Kennedy, Riverview’s current honorary mayor, raised $8,000 last year for his charities, Rotary and Honor Flight. His advice for the candidates?
“Have fun. It’s not a real election, and the real winners in this are the charities,” said Kennedy.
The candidates have six weeks to plan, implement and host a variety of fundraising efforts for their charity of choice. Every dollar raised equals one vote.
In alphabetical order, the candidates are:
Christine Ans
Charity: Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview Foundation
“I am very passionate about Rotary, and we benefit many, many local organizations,” said Ans, president of the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary Club. Ans, 47, is also a publishing representative for Usdorne Books.
“We give away thousands of dictionaries every year to local fourth-graders, we support Honor Flight, the YMCA and a host of other charity organizations,” she said.
[An Honor Flight is conducted by nonprofit organizations dedicated to transporting as many U.S. military veterans as possible to Washington, D.C., at no cost to the veterans to see the memorials of the respective war(s) they fought in.]
“I decided to run this year because [the Rotary and our charities] needed a boost,” Ans said.
Fundraisers: July 12, Winthrop Summer Nights – a taste of Winthrop with music at Winthrop Town Centre. A poker run is also planned. For more information on Christine’s campaign and events, call 813-368-2699.
Christian Beiter
Charity: YMCA’s Camp Cristina and Honor Flight
“The money is being raised for swim lessons for underprivileged children,” said Beiter, 34, who also sits on the board of directors for Camp Cristina.
“The response so far has been awesome with lots of people offering support,” said Beiter, who is also president of the South Shore Young Professionals group.
Fundraisers: June 27, Poker Tournament at Summerfield Crossing Golf Course. A scavenger hunt and Young Professionals contest are also in the works.
For more information on Christian’s campaign and events, call 813-325-5626.
Stacy Self
Charity: Hand to Hope
Stacy Self’s charity is close to her heart: She founded Hand to Hope in 2010 after her dad was hit by a car. Given little chance of survival, her father pulled through with Stacy helping provide care for him.
Seeing what other families who are caregivers go through, Self, 39, founded Hand to Hope to give the families a respite from 24-hour care and let them know what services were available to them. The group has helped more than 200 families.
“I started it because I realized there wasn’t anything out there for caregivers,” said Self, who won the South Shore Honorary Mayoral race in 2010.
Fundraisers: July 11, Murder Mystery Night in Sun City Center.
For more information on Stacy’s campaign and other fundraisers, call 813- 846-2805.
The winner will hold the title of Honorary Mayor of Riverview from January 1 through December 31, 2015, and will also be appointed to the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for the same period of time.
The race results will be announced at the GRCC Monthly Membership Meeting Luncheon on July 22. After last-minute donations are collected, the winner will be proclaimed at the end of the luncheon.