Hard Hats and a whole lot of Heels

By: Elizabeth Sheeks, Habitat PR Intern This weekend, Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland will be having one of the most enjoyable events happening in Cleveland this spring – Hard Hats and Heels 2016!

Toyota of Cleveland is partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland and hosting the third annual Hard Hats and Heels event in conjunction with Habitat’s Women Build 2016 initiative. Hard Hats and Heels will take place on Saturday, April 2 at Toyota of Cleveland beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Toyota of Cleveland has been a title sponsor for the Women Build initiative and has hosted Hard Hats and Heels since their inception in 2014. Toyota of Cleveland’s General Manager, Monté Burney, and his family recently moved to Cleveland from Montgomery, AL.

“I’m honored and excited to be working with an amazing family-owned automotive group with Bowers Automotive and look forward to growing a customer-focused team, developing future leaders within the business and making Toyota of Cleveland one of the best places to purchase and service your vehicle,” said Burney. “I’m most excited for my wife and I to share Cleveland and Chattanooga with our daughter, Bella.”

Toyota Motor Corporation’s mission is to build more than just great cars; they want to help build great places to live. “Any way we can use our platform to garner exposure for a great cause we will; it’s all about being a great steward of the resources you’ve been blessed with in order to help others,” said Burney.

Hard Hats and Heels takes place in Toyota of Cleveland’s Maintenance Shop ─ making it this event unlike any other. The event will be catered by Tasteful Gatherings and will have adult beverages provided by Tarver Distributing and Ooltewah Discount Liquors. The event includes a time of raffles, a silent auction and a live auction Hard Hat Fashion Show. The evening will also feature jazz music by local musicians, Shawn Perkinson, Shaun Sneed, Patrick Keeling and Dan York.

The event’s live auction portion will feature high-value items including: a Whirlpool Custom Double Oven, a Tennessee Titans sports package, Bristol Speedway tickets and a 7-day vacation to the Royal Haciendas Resort in Cancun, Mexican. The silent auction portion includes over 50 prize packages donated from local businesses. The raffle items are some of the best offers of the evening. In addition to the twenty-eight different raffle items offered, there will be a drawing for a $1,000 cash prize, presented by Cleveland Insurance and Grange Insurance. For every $2.00 raffle ticket that is purchased, the guest will automatically be entered into the cash prize drawing.

All of the proceeds from this event will go toward building the homes of Amber Smith and LaTonya Clark – the two future homeowners who are a part of the Habitat Homeownership Program. Both of these women have worked extremely hard to provide the best life possible for their family.

“I believe Habitat is important to any community,” said Burney. “Habitat for Humanity ofCleveland is doing a great work within the community and that’s evident in the passion and amount of work they’re pouring into this fundraiser.”

 Tickets for this event are $50 per ticket or $400 per table (8 seats). Purchase your tickets HERE!

For more information about the great work Toyota of Cleveland is doing in our community, visit: www.toyotaofcleveland.com

Toyota of Cleveland

3560 Village N Blvd McDonald, TN 37353 (423) 339-1138

A Small Seed of Faith: Tami Croft

By: Elizabeth Sheeks, Habitat PR Intern “All some people need is just a little seed of faith – someone who believes in them. Habitat is just that. It’s that faith that keeps me coming back.”

Tami Croft is no stranger to Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland. She started off as a homeowner in the Habitat program and decided to give back to Habitat for Humanity by volunteering in many roles. She became a family advocate, began serving on the Family Selection Committee and and is currently serving as the front desk receptionist. Croft continues to pour out endless time into the families that are part of our program through her great work as a volunteer.

About ten years ago, Tami Croft and her family were accepted into the Habitat Homeowner program. She completed all of the sweat equity hours and took part in all of the education classes that the program requires before you can own your own home. Once Tami and her two children moved into their home, she knew her involvement with Habitat was not supposed to end there.

“I don’t come from wealth, but that is not the only thing it takes to give back. I knew that I was passionate about giving back to Habitat – so I’ve tried to do that.”

Croft serves at Habitat Tuesday through Friday in the administrative offices and as a family advocate full-time. Most often she spends her weekends and evenings helping Habitat for Humanity’s community outreach efforts at different schools, campuses and surrounding areas with our Family Services Coordinator, NaCole Harris-Massengill.

Tami is one of the most dedicated and faithful family advocates that Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland has had the privilege to work with. She greets every homeowner she works with with the upmost care and intentionality. She walks with them from the beginning process of qualifying for a home, all the way through the move-in to help with any questions, suggestions and simply to be a guide. In almost every case Tami becomes one of their most treasured friends.

“I just get so excited for these families. I have been through the exact process that all of these families embark on; I can relate which makes it so much more rewarding. I’m not there to tell them what to do or not to do. I just want them to know someone is always fighting for them. I aim to be their friend, and I continue to plant the seed of faith that Habitat started.”

Through one conversation with Tami, it is so easy to see the pure joy and emotion that radiates to anyone that is around. There is something special about someone that chooses to spend their time giving back to others, and putting God’s love into action.Tami Croft is one of the best examples of exactly that.

“Habitat believed in me and now all I want to do is be a part of that same process for someone else, because my life was forever changed.” -Tami Croft