Just 13 miles east of downtown Tampa, FL lies the quaint, suburban community of Seffner, FL. At first glance, it’s a beautiful little community with towering live oak trees, lakes, and strawberry farms. But as you take a closer look, you can see the struggles that this community endures every day. Like so many other suburban communities throughout the country, Seffner, Florida has been hit hard by drug addiction. In addition, the community of Seffner has seen an overall crime rate that is 6% higher than the national average. Jon Buckles of N-E-Where Transport & Reborn Ministries felt inspired to establish relationships with local government, businesses, schools, and the community at large. He recruited them to come together to create a venue where they could positively impact the youth in the Seffner and surrounding communities to give them hope for the future. And, just like that, the Hope Fest was born.

The mission of Hope Fest was to create a repeatable event designed to bring the Seffner and surrounding communities together, and to instill into the hearts of the young people who attend, that they have value. Jon Buckles and the other organizers of the event believe that they can inject hope into the spirits of these young people, and inspire them to change direction, overcome the obstacles that life has placed in front of them, and ultimately encourage them to become productive members of society. 

The Hope Fest is a day full of fun, food, games, guest speakers, and lots of entertainment. Upon checking in at the event, each young person receives a punch card with specific discussion topics geared toward their age group; elementary, middle, or high school. Topics include, but are not limited to: Apply Yourself in School, Respect Your Teachers, Honor Your Parents, Respect Police, etc. Booths are set up with a game or interactive exercise, and a guest speaker spends time discussing one of the topics on the punch card. Each young person has to be present for the discussion in order to get their card punched and to be eligible for prizes. The event relies 100% on local and surrounding communities and businesses for donated support of time, money, and resources in order to make the event a success. 

Tipping the scales at 402 galvanized pounds, one of the highlights of the Hope Fest is the spinning prize wheel, a 9-foot diameter wheel fabricated primarily of square tubing. The wheel is mounted atop a frame consisting of steel channel and mesh, complete with mounted wheels for easy transport. The steel was donated by Mas Tec of Tampa, the fabrication of the spinning prize wheel was graciously donated by Career Source of Tampa Bay, and the galvanizing was donated by a local galvanizer. Precise communication between the fabricator and galvanizer were instrumental in exceeding the expectations of the event organizers. Because of the unique shape of the prize wheel and its moving parts, it was imperative that proper vent & drain holes were strategically located throughout to avoid bare spots and/or excess zinc buildup. The smooth, uniform coating of the hot-dip galvanized surface truly enhanced the overall aesthetics of the prize wheel, but also provided event organizers with a sustainable product with little to no maintenance, that can be used over and over again for decades. 

Organizer Jon Buckles said the idea for the prize wheel started simply as a sketch on a piece of paper, but quickly became a reality through the generous donations of the community. The old African proverb says that it takes a village to raise a child, which simply means it takes an entire community of different people interacting with children, in order for a child to experience and grow in a safe environment. The future is looking brighter thanks to Hope Fest.