LAKELAND, Fla. — A handmade fire pit, a fancy guitar, and gift certificates for fishing charters and even gator hunts.
Soon, all of it will be auctioned off and raffled to benefit two people Tracie Allred and her husband Jeff don’t even know.
“The feeling is amazing,” said Tracie. “I can’t even describe it.”
“I got chills when you said it. The biggest thing is going to be, too, we don’t know what to expect,” Jeff added.
The recipients of the kind act the Allreds are helping facilitate are two Polk County sheriff’s deputies.
In late April, Lt. Chad Anderson and Deputy Craig Smith were responding to a suspicious vehicle call near Lakeland when they were shot by a sovereign citizen, according to Sheriff Grady Judd.
During a news conference after the shooting, Judd said the two deputies were lucky to survive. Though they’re out of the hospital now, they still have a long recovery ahead of them, which is why the Allreds wanted to help.
“It touches my heart, and that’s why I do it,” Tracie said.
They decided to assemble and host a community benefit, as they’ve done in the past for other local officers.
It’s set for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature a DJ, food trucks, activities for kids, and — most importantly — fundraising for the two deputies in the form of auctions, raffles, and donation boxes.
“The community can come. They can bring anything they want to put in these boxes. We don’t know what’s in them. We don’t open them. They go home with the deputies,” said Tracie.
“We might pay an electric bill for six months. Might pay a car payment. Might buy groceries. Might – you don’t ever know what you can do for them,” her husband added.
All they need now is for the community to show up ready to help them help the two deputies.
The benefit will take place at the Smith Family Ranch, which is north of Lakeland. All are welcome, and it’s free to enter. If you plan to bid in the silent auction or buy tickets for the raffle, it’s cash only.
To read more about the benefit, click here.
According to the Allreds, both deputies are set to attend.
