One of the highlights of every Fourth of July celebration in Lutz is the crowning of the Lutz Guv’na, an annual campaign where whomever raises the most money wins the title.
Suzin Carr was this year’s winner, becoming the first person to claim the title twice in a competition that dates back to 1991. She won her bragging rights by collecting more money than her competitors, Karin D’Amico, Lauren Leahey and Susan Gulash.
The quartet of candidates raised $12,596 in this year’s race. The proceeds were doled out to a number of local organizations during a gathering on Oct. 7 at the Lutz Baptist Church, located on the corner of U.S. 41 and Crystal Lake Road.
Besides being Guv’na for the second time, Carr also has the distinction of holding the honorary title during the Lutz centennial.
Each Guv’na candidate identified charitable causes of their choice.
As the winner of the contest, Carr donated $407.50 of the proceeds to the Old Lutz School and $407.50 to the Lutz Patriots.
Gulash designated Girl Scout Troop 735, which received $50; Leahey picked Friends of Joshua House, which received $78; and D’Amico chose the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, which received $350.
Of the remaining proceeds, $1,253 was earmarked for the Lutz Civic Association and the $10,500 was divvied up among these organizations:
• Boy Scout Troop 12 — $400
• Girl Scout Troop 13 — $400
• Boy Scout Troop 339 — $400
• Girl Scout Troop 735 — $400
• Cub Scout Pack 212 — $400
• Boy Scout Troop 212 — $400
• Lutz Cemetery — $350
• Learning Gate — $400
• Books for Troops — $350
• GFWC Little Women —$400
• Lutz Chiefs — $400
• Lutz Patriots — $350
• Friends of the Library — $350
• Civil Air Patrol — $400
• Lions Club — $350
• GFWC Junior Women — $400
• Old Lutz School, — $2,000
• Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club — $1,250
