Marcie DeLoreto

The first applicant for the Honorary Mayor of Lehigh contest has filed with the Greater Lehigh Chamber of Commerce. This is the first year that the Chamber has sponsored the contest. For years, Lehigh Community Services ran the contest and at the end of the Spring Festival, the winner’s name was announced along with the honorary deputy mayor and the honorary city clerk.

Marcie L. DeLoreto, an insurance agent with Great Florida Insurance at 1456 Lee Blvd. has thrown her hat in the ring and hopes to walk across the stage on the last Friday night of the March Spring Festival to be crowned and pass the money she or he has raised on to charities.

Inke Baker, the assistant director of the Lehigh Chamber, said the two boards the board representing the Chamber, and the board representing Lehigh Community Services came together recently and decided to pass the sponsorship of the honorary mayor contest to the Chamber.

Baker said the contest is one to raise money for the Chamber. She said half of the money raised by the winner of the honorary mayor contest would donate it to Lehigh Community Services in Lehigh, an agency that helps people with food and utility bills. The other half of the money raised would go to the winner’s favorite charity.

DeLoreto she said the other half of the money she raises would go to St. Jude’s Hospital and an insurance fraud line.

Baker said the contest began this year on Jan. 1 and she encouraged those who want to compete in the contest to send an application letter and/or resume to her at the Chamber at 25 Homestead Rd. as soon as possible.

The earlier one files for the honorary mayor’s contest, the more time the person will have to raise money by hosting events. In the past honorary mayor contenders have held golf tournaments, barbecues, the sale of raffle tickets and just plain out asking for a donation.

Lehigh Acres is not incorporated and has no real mayor or city council; however, the honorary mayor attends civic events and appears at ribbon cuttings welcoming new members to the Chamber and to ribbon cuttings of new businesses.

The current outgoing honorary mayor is Oscar Gamble, who was in charge of the wound center at Lehigh Regional Medical Center, the organization that sponsored him. He has been transferred within the company and has left Lehigh.

DeLoreto said she is being sponsored by the insurance firm for which she is employed, Great Florida Insurance and its owner, Brian Lariviere. She is the manager of the franchised firm which is located a few doors from Ribs City on Lee Boulevard.

As for raising money, DeLoreto said she has a goal of around $1,500 in mind. It will come , she said from networking events, one of which she plans to have at her insurance office.

She is single and has been working as an agent for eight years, she said. She has lived in Lehigh for about a year.

“I really want my company and myself to become more involved in the community and I saw this as one way to do it,” she said.

The money raised would go to the treasurer of the Chamber and if the contest is run like it was for two decades before, the amount each contestant raises is kept secret until the night the winners are chosen at the Spring Festival.

This year the Spring Festival will be held the week of March 16-24. Applicants for the honorary mayor’s race have until the last Friday night to solicit money for the contest. Usually sometime around 6 or 7 p.m., the winner’s name is announced and a giant check is presented while the winner gets a sash with the words “Honorary Mayor of Lehigh Acres.”

Charlotte Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, said the contest has been held for 26 years. She said on the night of the announcement the winners of the deputy mayor, the person who raises the second largest amount of money, and the honorary deputy clerk, the person who raises the third highest amount, will be honored on the outside stage in Veterans Park.

“It’s always been a surprise until the announcement is made,” Nicely said.

She provided a list of previous honorary mayors from 186 to 2011 and they include: 1986 and 1987, Bingo Bill, 1988 Bob McKenna, 1989 Liz Eilf, 1990 Vicki Culver, 1991 Charlie Hodde, 1992 John Sweatlock, 1983 Pat Olivero, 1994 Krisity Lamphere, 1995 and 1996, Brenda Logan, 1997, Amanda Pursel; and 1998 Albert DelVecchio.

1999 and 2000 Mindy Clark, 2001, Ann Noack, 2002 Jim Phebus, 2003 Robin McClellan/Robert Anderson, 2004 Jim Phebus, 2005 and 2006 Laurie Jerriey, 2007 Julie Camp, 2008 Anthony Vocaturo, 2009 Mary Lou Land, 2010 and 2011 Oscar Gamble.

In the past the deadline to enter the race was always at the end of January, but Inke Baker said there was no official deadline this year.

“I guess you could say March 22 because the next night is Friday, March 23 and that is when we will name the next honorary mayor, the honorary deputy mayor and the honorary city clerk,” she said.

If during the honorary mayor’s year of serving, he or she is unable to continue, the deputy mayor becomes the honorary mayor.

When you send your application in to vie for the contest, you can also include a photograph for publication.