Central Florida Business Ends Long-Standing Relationship with Lake County Schools Over AR-15 Raffle

EUSTIS, Fla., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevco Builders president and CEO, Joe Ziler has decided to end the award-winning custom-home builders long-standing community partnership with Lake County Schools following a debate regarding the raffling off of an AR-15 rifle by one of the district schools.

Kevco Builders has been instrumental in supporting many district initiatives including the funding of SpeakOut, an anti-bullying and suicide prevention hotline students can use to anonymously report instances of such behaviors and seek help.

Joe Ziler put forth the money to wrap two Lake County Sheriff's Office vehicles and six Lake County Schools maintenance vehicles with the SpeakOut branding. In addition to vehicle wraps, Kevco Builders donated over 10,000 SpeakOut lanyards to be given to students. This initiative costs upwards of $100,000.

The raffling off of multiple AR-15 rifles by a district school caused Joe Ziler and Kevco Builders to re-evaluate their core values and those of the organizations they support to ensure they are in alignment. 

Following this assessment, Ziler reached out to Lake County Schools with the hopes to reach an agreement to denounce such activities by the schools. Representatives from the school district stated that the district has no oversight regarding what the booster clubs can and cannot do.

At this point, it was determined that Kevco Builders would no longer be able to support Lake County School's initiatives ending their long-standing community partnership.

For more information regarding the SpeakOut initiative, visit https://youtu.be/YFjIKXyprvE

Media Liason
Joe Ziler, CEO
[email protected]

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SOURCE Kevco Builders