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When I came here in 2016 and opened The Great Chicago Fire Brewery. One of the first people I met was Johnny Nave ( a former police officer) and his girlfriend Carley (they are now married) Johnny was that person that was always helping someone. He would bring meals to my night staff at Chicago Fire. We got to be good friends. Rode motorcycles together had holidays at his parents’ house and just hung out. All through that time, if someone asked Johnny for something, he always found a way to make it happen. In November of 2018 I called Johnny with a crazy idea. I had just bought a building on the very edge of what is considered downtown Leesburg Florida. It was an old furniture warehouse that was currently being used for a sheet metal business.I asked Johnny to come by and have a look and told him my vision. (look in the discussion for the first thing he saw when he walked in) We were riding with a group that supported Military, Veterans and First Responders. There are many great social clubs that support our Veterans, but not combine with our other protectors, First Responders. I said let’s turn this into a social club that supports both. With no hesitation at all, he said let’s do it! The Military Fire Police Support Association was born! We had 5 months till Leesburg Bikefest to get open. Every day after putting 8 hours in at work, Johnny would come to the property and work till late in the evening. Cleaning, painting laying floors in the bathrooms, whatever needed to be done. I would get other things done during the day. The first band was setting up on our new stage when the city signed off on our temporary operating permit for Bikefest.
We still had not officially opened yet, that came on July 4th. 2019. Every event, Johnny was there helping and supporting the cause. There came a point where I had health issues and could not physically run the day-to-day operation of “The Warehouse” No questions asked Johnny as the President of the MFPSA stepped up and ran the place while having a full-time job for the next year till I was able to return. Still along the way helping anyone who needed it.
NOW JOHNNY NEEDS OUR HELP…… Johnny has cancer and even with his insurance, there are bills that insurance doesn’t cover, huge deductibles and on top of it, their landlord decided to sell the property they were renting form underneath them. Currently trying to find a new home is a lot of work and a very expensive process, with deposits and all the other fess that goes with it. Johnny’s home he helped build, the MFPSA aka The Warehouse is now taking its turn to give back what Johnny has given to us. We will be holding a benefit for Mr. Johnny Nave on Sunday, January 5th starting at 1pm. It will be a spaghetti dinner with meatballs and garlic bread, live music, raffles, 50/50 and more. The donation at the door will be $10 per person. I have also set up a link to make donations. No fees come out of your donations on this platform. https://tinyurl.com/Support-Johnny-Nave
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
312 S. 2nd Street, Leesburg, FL, United States, Florida 34748
