It was the night we have all been waiting for: the big reveal. The energy at the Grove City Bar & Grill on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, was electric. People packed the place, everyone buzzing.
Candidates for the 2026 Mayor 4 a Day had spent weeks working their hearts out: hanging disco balls, fundraising, campaigning till they dropped. All to support the Englewood community.
The atmosphere was pure celebration. Laughter floated through the tiki lights. Candidates made the rounds, shaking hands, sharing stories, soaking in the moment.
The Englewood Chamber couldn’t have picked a better spot; the food, the service, that tiki bar flair, it all just worked. Amy Gonzales and Michael Dalke were the hosts for the evening and kept things lively, building suspense for the big moment.
So, who earned the title of honorary Mayor 4 a Day 2026 of Englewood?
Here are the three outstanding runners-up, in no particular order:
Todd Dunn, Englewood Fireman Benevolent Fund—$12,477.60 raised
Victoria Macri, Operation Healing Heroes Take a Vet Fishing—$6,590.67
Shea/Kris Hartley, Suncoast Humane Society—$10,052.06
The finalists:
Courtney DeFilippis for TLC The Learning Center for Dyslexia
Karen Harvey for Englewood Helping Hand
And the winner? Courtney DeFilippis, representing TLC The Learning Center for Dyslexia, brought in a staggering $25,741.57. That money will go directly to supporting kids who need it most, and Courtney gave it everything she had.
Karen Harvey, championing Englewood Helping Hand, wasn’t far behind with $20,167.
What a night. The total raised for the nonprofits through the 2026 Dash for the Cash reached $75,029, a powerful addition to previous years: $66,286 in 2025, $100,000 in 2024, $41,000 in 2023, and $57,800 in 2022. Since 2022, that’s $340,115 poured straight back into Englewood.
This year, each of these five dedicated candidates was a winner, raising funds for their nonprofits.
Congratulations, Mayor Courtney! You’ve earned that sash, and we can’t wait to see you in the Pioneer Day Parade on Monday, September 7 at 9 a.m. And congratulations to the Englewood Chamber for running a spectacular event and making it all look easy.
Michael Dalke summed it up best: with all this generosity, maybe we ought to start calling our town “Angelwood.” Couldn’t agree more. See you next year, Englewood.
