CLEARWATER, Fla. (October 14, 2017) – Hundreds of box car racers returned to the streets October 14 for the eighth-annual Achieva Box Car Rally, creating one of the biggest community events in downtown Clearwater and raising thousands of dollars for Pinellas County classrooms.
More than 60 teams participated in this year’s rally, racing homemade gravity-powered race cars through downtown Clearwater. The racers represented schools, businesses and families, many of whom are returning competitors.
The event gathered over 2,500 spectators, for 280 box car heats and races, in addition to live entertainment, food trucks and a kids’ carnival zone, among other family-friendly activities. Awards ranged from fastest time to “Best Team Name,” a prize that went to the team from Palm Harbor Middle School, “The Car That Smiles Back.” The award for “Best Team Theme” went to the “Shark Attack” car.
“The Box Car Rally is a highlight each year for Achieva, and a great opportunity for the community to come together and have a great time for a great cause,” said Gary Regoli, CEO of Achieva Credit Union. “One of our core principles at Achieva is to do the right thing, so being able to give back to the community and help our local classrooms is a wonderful way to do that.”
The Achieva Credit Union has held the Box Car Rally every year since 2010. In total, the foundation has contributed more than $175,000 through the event to benefit Pinellas County schools since 2010. These direct grants are administered by the Achieva Foundation, a 501(c)3 Corporation. Overall, the foundation has raised over $255,000 for local school classrooms through their sponsorship of community events.
ABOUT ACHIEVA: Achieva Credit Union was founded in 1937 in Pinellas County. Today, it is rated a Superior 5-Star credit union by Bauer Financial and has more than $1.5 billion in assets and 24 branches serving more than 150,000 members. Anyone who lives or works in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties, or whose family member has an Achieva Credit Union account can bank with Achieva. For more information about Achieva, visit www.achievacu.com.