Key information and considerations from this Glaros Law legal insight.
Community involvement took on record-setting proportions in East Hillsborough this summer when Steve Glaros of Law Offices of Steven J. Glaros & Associates was named the 2026 Honorary Mayor of East Hillsborough.
Glaros earned the honorary title after raising $121,746.56 for three local charitable organizations during the 2026 Honorary Mayor’s Race. His fundraising total established a new record for the annual community campaign and helped contribute to an even larger milestone: the two candidates participating in the 2026 race collectively raised $169,643.99 for five local charities.
The Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce 2026 Honorary Mayor’s Race recognized Glaros as the 20th Honorary Mayor of East Hillsborough following the conclusion of the campaign in July.
For Glaros, whose law practice has served families throughout the Tampa Bay area for more than two decades, the campaign offered an opportunity to extend his community involvement beyond the legal services provided through his Brandon office.
Despite the title, the Honorary Mayor of East Hillsborough is not an elected government position. The Honorary Mayor’s Race is a non-political fundraising competition supported by the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce.
Candidates select local charities or nonprofit organizations they want to support and then spend the campaign organizing fundraising events, conducting community outreach and encouraging residents and businesses to participate. At the end of the campaign, the candidate who raises the most money receives the title of Honorary Mayor for the year.
The structure transforms a friendly community competition into direct support for organizations serving people and animals throughout East Hillsborough and the surrounding Tampa Bay area.
The 2026 race officially began June 1 and included a month of fundraising events and community activities before concluding June 30. The results were celebrated during a July 13 wrap-up event at The Boulevard at FishHawk in Lithia.
The scale of the 2026 campaign set it apart from previous years.
Steve Glaros raised $121,746.56 during his campaign, establishing an all-time record for the amount raised by an individual candidate in the Honorary Mayor’s Race.
According to the Osprey Observer’s coverage of the record-setting Honorary Mayor campaign , the funds raised through Glaros's campaign benefited three organizations: High 5 Inc., Impact Program Inc. and Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary.
Each organization addresses a different need within the community, allowing the campaign to support children, families, youth development and animal welfare.
High 5 Inc. provides programs and opportunities designed to support young people in the community. Its work includes youth programming, mentorship and activities intended to provide children with safe and constructive environments in which to learn, participate and grow.
By including High 5 Inc. among his campaign beneficiaries, Glaros directed a portion of the campaign's fundraising toward programs serving local youth and families.
The organization was one of three beneficiaries sharing in the funds generated throughout Glaros's month-long campaign.
Impact Program Inc. was another beneficiary of the 2026 Glaros campaign.
The organization focuses on youth education, prevention and character development, providing programs intended to help young people develop skills and knowledge that can contribute to healthier decisions and stronger futures.
Its inclusion in the campaign expanded the fundraising effort's support for children and families throughout the East Hillsborough community.
The third organization supported by Glaros was Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary.
The nonprofit provides care for animals while promoting responsible pet ownership and community involvement. Its work adds an animal welfare component to the broader community causes supported through the Honorary Mayor campaign.
Together, High 5 Inc., Impact Program Inc. and Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary represented three distinct areas of community service connected through a single fundraising campaign.
The Honorary Mayor’s Race is designed to encourage community participation rather than relying solely on individual donations.
Throughout June, Glaros's campaign included several events created to bring residents, businesses and supporters together while raising money for the selected charities.
Activities included the Mayor’s Summer Splash Bash, music bingo, a Chef Soiree and Online Auction and an Amazing Race-style event.
The variety of events allowed members of the community to participate in different ways while maintaining the central purpose of raising funds for local nonprofit organizations.
That community-driven structure is an important part of the Honorary Mayor program. Local businesses, residents, volunteers and nonprofit organizations have an opportunity to work together, turning individual events and contributions into a much larger collective result.
Glaros was joined in the 2026 Honorary Mayor’s Race by Chris Ciulla, owner of Voodoo Brewing Co. in Valrico.
Ciulla raised $47,897.43 through his campaign, which supported Forgotten Angels and ECHO, the Emergency Care Help Organization.
His fundraising resulted in another first for the program. Ciulla became East Hillsborough's first-ever Deputy Mayor, creating a new distinction within the Honorary Mayor tradition.
Combined, the campaigns raised $169,643.99 for five local charitable organizations.
The total represented the largest collective fundraising amount in the history of the East Hillsborough Honorary Mayor campaign, according to the Osprey Observer.
The final numbers demonstrate how quickly individual donations, sponsorships, fundraising events and volunteer efforts can accumulate when businesses and residents participate in a shared community initiative.
While the Honorary Mayor title provides a focal point for the annual campaign, the lasting impact of the race can be measured by the organizations receiving the funds.
Glaros's campaign supported High 5 Inc., Impact Program Inc. and Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary, while Ciulla's campaign benefited Forgotten Angels and ECHO.
Forgotten Angels provides assistance to young adults transitioning out of foster care, including support involving housing, education, employment preparation and independent living skills.
ECHO assists individuals and families experiencing hardship by providing access to food, clothing, household necessities, workforce development and other resources intended to help families move toward greater stability.
The five organizations supported during the 2026 campaign serve different populations and needs, but each contributes to the broader network of nonprofit services available throughout East Hillsborough and the Tampa Bay region.
The 2026 Honorary Mayor campaign represents a significant community milestone for Steve Glaros and Glaros Law.
The Law Offices of Steven J. Glaros & Associates serves clients from its Brandon, Florida office in matters involving family law, personal injury and estate planning. The firm's work regularly involves individuals and families facing significant transitions, from divorce and parenting matters to injuries and long-term family planning.
The Honorary Mayor campaign provided a different avenue for community involvement by bringing businesses, residents, nonprofit organizations and volunteers together around organizations serving local needs.
Raising more than $121,000 through a single candidate's campaign also illustrates what coordinated local participation can accomplish. The result was not attributable to one person alone. Fundraising at that scale depended on donors, sponsors, volunteers, businesses, event participants and the organizations that helped bring the campaign together.
The Honorary Mayor’s Race has become an annual tradition connecting local business leadership with charitable fundraising.
Rather than campaigning for governmental authority, candidates compete to generate support for nonprofit organizations they believe are making a difference in the community.
The model provides participating charities with more than financial support. The campaign also gives nonprofit organizations additional community exposure, introduces their work to residents and businesses and creates opportunities for new relationships that can continue after the race ends.
For the 2026 campaign, that model produced record results.
Steve Glaros concluded the race with $121,746.56 raised for his three selected charities and the title of 2026 Honorary Mayor of East Hillsborough. Chris Ciulla raised another $47,897.43 and became the community's inaugural Deputy Mayor.
Together, their campaigns generated $169,643.99 for five organizations serving East Hillsborough residents, families, young people and animals.
For more information about the program and the final fundraising results, visit the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce Honorary Mayor’s Race or read the Osprey Observer report on the record-breaking 2026 campaign .
Steve Glaros of the Law Offices of Steven J. Glaros & Associates was named the 2026 Honorary Mayor of East Hillsborough after raising $121,746.56 for local charities during the annual Honorary Mayor’s Race.
Steve Glaros raised $121,746.56, setting an all-time individual fundraising record for the East Hillsborough Honorary Mayor’s Race.
Glaros's campaign benefited High 5 Inc., Impact Program Inc. and Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary.
Steve Glaros and Chris Ciulla collectively raised $169,643.99 for five local charitable organizations during the 2026 campaign.
No. The Honorary Mayor’s Race is a non-political charitable fundraising competition supported by the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce. Candidates raise funds for selected charities and nonprofit organizations, and the candidate who raises the most receives the honorary title for the year.
