Blog

During the holidays a group of Dimmitt employees spent the morning working at the Salvation Army for their annual Angel Tree Program. Through this program, The Salvation Army works to ensure that every child can experience the joy of new toys and clothing at Christmas. To help make this possible for thousands of children in need, The Salvation Army calls on the community to help provide the new toys and clothing that will be distributed to families in time for the holiday. One of our GM's said,"It was such a great feeling being able to pack a bunch of presents into a shopping cart and help deliver it to families in need knowing that their children will be getting gifts this year!" The Dimmitt family is always looking to find programs like these to help our community grow and we can't wait till we do it again next year.

This week Dimmitt teamed up with Quantum Leap Farm to support the Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital. Each year they host their holiday party at Quantum Leap Farm to celebrate the season and reflect on their achievements over the past year. These guests have served our country in all branches of the military and participate in Quantum's At E.A.S.E. mental and behavioral health program. The Dimmitt employees rallied together to stuff over a 100 gift bags filled with personal items such as socks, undershirts, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste etc.. We're delighted to celebrate with them this year and look forward to doing so every year! [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="302475,302476,302477,302478"]

Between November 20-21 st the Salvation Army in conjunction with community partners and volunteers distributed over 9,000 Thanksgiving turkeys and food baskets.  In all, families received over 175,000 lbs of food to enjoy this Thanksgiving.  All this giving was made possible by a very generous donor who works throughout the year to compile resources and help local families in need. At Dimmitt, we are very grateful to take part in this event which helps out our neighbors and members of our community in need.  The impressive turn out from our Dimmitt Team is a true testament to the Dimmitt Cares mission and vision of supporting and serving our community.  The holidays provide us all with the opportunity to not only appreciate what we have, but also to appreciate what we can give.  Be it our time, our resources or our outreach, giving truly is the greatest gift.

A sellout crowd of 140 patrons―many new to ServiceSource―revived dance crazes from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s with lively, rhythmic renditions of the Stroll, Bop, Cha-Cha, Conga Line, Twist, Limbo, Calypso, Disco, YMCA, and more at Friday evening’s Dancing Through the Decades, Abilities Guild’s Annual Gala. After cocktails, silent auction bidding, and a steak dinner at the Belleair Country Club, guests wasted no time swarming the dancefloor and struttin’ their stuff dressed as Arthur Murray, Pink Ladies, Go-go girls, hippies, and Disco Deney Terrio and dancing to the electrifying sounds of Sequel and DJ Jeff. This Dancing Through the Decades event benefits military veterans with disabilities served by the Veterans Mall. And the best news is it netted a record $27,000. Outstanding! “Very gratifying to see people so passionate about your mission,” said program development executive Frank De Lucia, “that they take it upon themselves to recruit new volunteers, secure underwriting, assume responsibility for every phase of operation, and do so with utmost transparency and accountability.” Dimmitt is very proud to sponsor such a great event that is helping the veterans and their families in our community! Please feel free to stop by the Veterans Mall or visit their website to see how you can help. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="302459,302458"]

At Dimmitt Automotive Group, we strive to make a difference in the community but we also make sure our associates are taken care of (this is one of the reasons why we are an employer of choice!) This week we held a health fair at both of our locations in Clearwater and St. Pete. These fairs featured local partners as a part of our effort to promote a work environment that supports the associates' everyday choices in living a healthier and happier life as well as support local businesses! Some of the following services that were available at no cost to the associate were: flu shots, biometric screenings, skin screenings, fitness, financial wellness, and massages. Associates and their families had a great time learning and most importantly making sure they are healthy! [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="302423,302422,302421,302424,302425,302426"]

Nineteen teams of eight fundraising superheroes each took to the streets in fully-stocked, chauffeured vehicles to complete tasks, conquer challenges and earn points toward the grand prize. While these 19 competitive groups fought hard for the bragging rights to be the winners of the third annual Amazing Raise scavenger hunt, the real winner was Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center ( SPARCC), whose mission is to stop domestic and sexual violence in our community. One of the stops on the race was the Dimmitt Sarasota Studio! Here is the clue they were given: “The Sarasota Studio” is where you’ll want to go… their luxury autos will be the main show. You can see inside their storefront from the BBQ joint next door, but the picture’s even sweeter from their showroom floor. It’s not too late, just get to State. Dimmitt Automotive Group would like to thank everyone who came to the event and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and launches. Add us on Instagram and Facebook to stay connected and up to date on future events: Instagram & Facebook [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="302363,302366,302365,302364"]

This week we had the opportunity to host the Big Red Bus. As soon as the bus parked we had Dimmitt employees lined up to donate their blood. While we were waiting our turn we learned some very staggering numbers about blood donation and how badly they need donations. Here are some of the stats: An estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10 percent of that eligible population actually do each year. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood A single donation can potentially help more than one patient. We will be hosting the Big Red Bus a couple times a year so check our website and social media channels for the next date. Every donation helps! *All facts in this blog came from http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-facts-and-statistics

On Thursday 2/21 the Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel, FL) football team had a home conference game against Wharton (Tampa, FL). It was a great game with lots of action from both sides! This game was also a part of a September initiative from high school football teams across America that are raising funds to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fight childhood cancer with every touchdown scored. As we near the end of this campaign, there has been more than $98,000 raised by these high school teams. Audi of Wesley Chapel was there in attendance for this great rivalry football game with a beautiful car display and handing out t-shirts to the crowd! We are proud to help support these kids and this community.

[gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="302331,302328,302330,302329"] This we ek at Dimmitt Automotive Group, Management hosted an EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION COOKOUT in our  Clearwater and St. Petersburgh locations. It was fun for all as we celebrated and thanked our associates for everything they do. Exciting events like these, are just a small token of our appreciation. As an organization, we truly appreciate the commitment and loyalty our team of associates displays in providing a superior total guest experience day in and day out. As an employer of choice in the Tampa Bay area we are always looking for the best and the brightest to share in the continued success of the Dimmitt legacy. Learn more about our career opportunities today: http://dimmittstaging.wpengine.com/careers/

On behalf of the Dimmitt family, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. As you are aware, the state of Texas has been devastated by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. The National Weather Service said the flooding "will likely be the largest economic U.S. natural disaster". The impact on the state is massive, with over 200,000 homes damaged by the floods and an estimated cost of 160 billion. Makeshift shelters are being creating throughout the affected areas to house the thousands of families left homeless. For many of those families, the difficult road to recovery has just begun. The threat from Hurricane Harvey is far from over, as extremely dangerous flooding continues in Texas and parts of Louisiana. Getting help in some areas will be challenging for some time due to devastating floodwaters and closed roads. This is a heartbreaking and challenging situation for those in the storm’s path. The American Red Cross is working around the clock to provide safe shelter and comfort for the hundreds of thousands of people impacted by this disaster. It is with heartfelt hope that we ask you, our friends and family, to join us in offering a token of support to those suffering and in desperate need of help. Dimmitt Automotive Group has established a Hurricane Harvey Relief fundraising campaign through The American Red Cross and will be matching donations made through our campaign, up to $5,000*. All donations will go directly to helping those in need from this epic disaster. Donate Here When communities stand up to help others, we can bring hope to families even in their darkest moments. We thank you for your support. *maximum accumulative donation by Dimmitt Automotive Group.

Dimmitt Automotive Group is proud to be a participant in the 2017 Superheros On Parade Art Affair Wednesday, July 19th, The Sarasota Studio, a Division of Dimmitt Automotive Group, hosted the unveiling of, Bentley, the custom painted Southeastern Guide Dog puppy sculpture. Bentley was joined by other painted puppies in an event to showcase and support Southeastern Guide Dogs. Learn more about the amazing services provided here: www.GuideDogs.org. Southeastern Guide Dogs states, " Our guide and service dogs are true superheros, trained right here in your backyard and working across the nation." And we couldn't agree more.  Dimmitt Automotive Group is honored to a part of this much needed and truly remarkable organization. And, if we do say so ourselves... Bentley is adorable!

About a dozen team members of Dimmitt Auto Group eagerly participated in Community Values Day on Sunday, June 4th at Quantum Leap Farm in Odessa, Florida. Community Values Day allows Dimmitt associates to impact others throughout the community through service and engagement. Quantum Leap Farm specializes in offering equine-assisted therapies, and those of the other “resident” farm animals, to help visitors focus on their abilities and not their disabilities. Their mission statement reads; “Quantum Leap Farm empowers children and adults of all abilities to grow strong, achieve therapeutic goals and overcome challenges through equine-assisted therapies.” As anyone who is familiar with horses can tell you, these animals and people can develop some very special relationships. Quantum Leap Farm hopes to demonstrate the power of those relationships to its visitors. You can learn more about this amazing local facility by visiting their website at www.quantumleapfarm.org/. Dimmitt Auto Group associates volunteered their time in a wide-variety of ways including assisting with arts and crafts, face painting, ponies rides and helping to prepare and serve a delicious barbecue lunch for visitors. They were rewarded with grateful smiles, laughter, and memories that won't soon be forgotten. The event was open to the public for children with cancer and their families. Though it was for just a day, it gave our team a chance to make a difference in the lives of these children and those who love and care for them. While Dimmitt Auto Group has partnered with Quantum Leap Farm in the past on other special events, this is the first community service function in which we have teamed with them. This is the latest in a series of civic events and charitable causes the Dimmitt Auto Group embraces to make a difference in the communities we serve. As a family and community-focused company, we understand our responsibility to the region that has supported us for so long. As we continue to grow through our terrific team, we look forward to committing resources and encouraging the volunteer efforts of our staff to make our area a better place to live. You can learn more about Dimmitt Auto Group at our website at dimmittstaging.wpengine.com/. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="302244,302245,302246,302247,302248,302249"]