Brevard Sheriff’s Office Charity Receives $73,000 Donation From Boniface Hiers Automotive Group

By  //  August 10, 2022

PHILANTHROPY SPOTLIGHT

WATCH: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announces “Dream for the Badge,” an initiative of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Charity that enables children with terminal illness and adults with different abilities to experience a day as a law enforcement officer. You can help support this great cause by visiting DreamfortheBadge.com.

Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and BCSO charity partner together to launch a new initiative that makes dreams come true for children with terminal illnesses and adults with different abilities

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – AJ Hiers of the Boniface Hiers Automotive Group has done it again.

This past Friday, I was blessed to be presented with a check for over $70,000 by AJ after he and his team facilitated the raffle of a 2021 C8 Corvette Giveaway!

Raffle tickets for this incredible car were sold throughout last year at multiple community events, on the event website and also at multiple businesses throughout Brevard County.

As a result of the car raffle that took place on July 9 and the graciousness of A.J. Hiers, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Charity made approximately $73,849.42 to help support our “Dream for the Badge” program.

I would like to personally thank A.J. Hiers and the entire Boniface Hiers team for being such amazing partners with our agency and charity and also for all they do to help take care of homeless pets at our Animal Care Center.

As I always say…It takes a community to protect a community, and no one subscribes to that philosophy more than our great friend AJ Hiers and Boniface Hiers Automotive Group.

BREVARD SHERIFF WAYNE IVEY: I was blessed to be presented with a check for over $70,000 by AJ after he and his team facilitated the raffle of a 2021 C8 Corvette Giveaway. As a result of the car raffle that took place on July 9 and the graciousness of A.J. Hiers, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Charity made approximately $73,849.42 to help support our “Dream for the Badge” program.
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DREAM FOR THE BADGE

One of the things I learned a long time ago is just how blessed I am to be able to do this job…not just the job of Sheriff, but the job of serving as a law enforcement officer.

Serving as a law enforcement officer is a job that I dreamed of as a child and was extremely fortunate to achieve.

Sometime back though I realized that no matter how much some children may dream of one day wearing the badge, it is a dream that may never come true because of perhaps a terminal illness or a different ability that keeps them from being able to serve in our profession.

For some, children and adults alike, the dream of wearing the uniform was always out of reach…maybe because time was too short because of a terminal illness, a birth defect, or their different abilities somehow prevented them from being qualified for the job.

While up to now that may have always been true, it’s not anymore!

Now, every kid with a terminal illness, a birth defect, or other factors that prevent them from achieving their dream of serving as a law enforcement officer will have the chance to serve for a day as a Deputy Sheriff with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office or as a Police Officer with a local Police Department.

The opportunity to serve for a day as a Law Enforcement Officer is being made possible as part of an initiative started by our agency in partnership with our not-for-profit, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Charity and local business leaders who are committed to making dreams come true.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, at right with Junny, announced “Dream for the Badge,” a new initiative of the BCSO Charity that will enable children with terminal illnesses and adults with different abilities to experience a day as a law enforcement officer. Supporting this exciting program, and pictured above, are Automobile Dealer AJ Hiers, Palm Shores Mayor Carol McCormack, Titusville Police Chief John Lau, Jessica Andre of Frogbones Shooting Center, Hotelier Tom Hermansen and Philanthropist Darcia Jones-Francey. You can help support this great cause by visiting DreamfortheBadge.com and purchasing raffle tickets to win the brand new Chevy Corvette.

“Dream For The Badge” gives kids and adults as described above the chance to be a cop for a single day as they put on their custom-made agency uniform, equipment and the badge they always dreamed of.

After they are sworn in they will get to hit the streets with a real Deputy Sheriff or local Police Officer to respond to non-violent calls, ride in airboats, tour our Aviation Unit, ride in our SWAT vehicle and of course, learn to eat donuts or “power rings” as we now call them.

The initiative is funded by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Charity through generous donations and partnerships with our local business leaders, Boniface Hiers, Frogbones Family Shooting Center and the Cocoa Beach Hotels Association. You can help support this great cause by visiting DreamfortheBadge.com.

To apply for the opportunity to achieve the dream, please send a brief summary by email to Lindsey@BCSOcharity.org that provides details about the child or adult applicant and their specific story of how they have always had a Dream for the Badge.

– Sheriff Wayne Ivey

BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF WAYNE IVEY: Our very first Dream Deputy was Jeff York, second from right, who is 59 years old and lives with his sister and her family, who look after him each and every day at their home. (BCSO image)
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