Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities Distributes
$554,000
Infineon Raceway Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities Distributes
Record $554,000
SONOMA, Calif.- The Infineon Raceway Chapter of
Speedway Children's Charities will distribute a record $554,045 to 54
qualified youth organizations in Sonoma County for the 2005 season.
The figure represents the largest single-year distribution since the
Sonoma chapter was formed in 1996 - the prior record of $458,000 was
established in 2004. Moreover, the Sonoma chapter has distributed more
than $1.2 million since 2003 to 121 youth groups in Sonoma County.
The chapter's Board of Trustees recently approved the
distribution of funds at its annual meeting. Speedway Children's
Charities is the primary charitable arm of Speedway Motorsports, Inc,
which owns and operates Infineon Raceway.
"Speedway Children's Charities is making a significant difference to
non-profits in Sonoma County, and as someone who struggles with city
budgets and meeting the needs of the community, I appreciate the
generosity of the motor racing community," said Jane Bender, who serves
on the Speedway Children's Charities Board of Trustees and is also the
mayor of Santa Rosa.
The monies awarded in 2005 were generated through a
combination of Infineon Raceway events, plus a donation by Sonic
Automotive Corporation. This year's fundraising events included the
Raceway Builders NASCAR Grand Marshal's Banquet, NHRA Tour de Charity,
Sonoma Valley Vintage Race Car Festival, Classic Sports Racing Group's
Charity Challenge and the IRL IndyCar(r) Series Grand Marshal's Banquet.
The chapter also held memorabilia auctions at its AMA Superbike, NASCAR
and NHRA events.
Speedway Children's Charities is a non-profit organization with the
purpose of raising funds to be distributed to qualified children's
organizations. Founded in 1984 by Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway
Motorsports Inc., Speedway Children's Charities originated at Lowe's
Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
Fifty-four youth groups will receive funding from Speedway Children's
Charities in 2005:
ANOVA Center for Education; Boys & Girls Club of Rohnert Park; Boys &
Girls Clubs of Petaluma; California Parenting Institute; Canine
Companions for Independence; Court Appointed Special Advocates; Climate
Protection Program; Community Action Partnership; Every 15 Minutes;
Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center; Grandparents Parenting Again;
Horse Sense; Kenwood Education Foundation; Kid Street Learning Center;
Kid's Scoop; KRCB Public Radio; La Luz Center; Loving Paws Assistance
Dogs; Luther Burbank Center for the Arts; Matrix Parent Network;
McDowell Drug Task Force; Northern California Center for Well Being;
Camp Okizu Foundation; Old Adobe School;
Operation Youth; Petaluma People Services Center; Redwood Empire Food
Bank; Routes For Youth; Safari West Wildlife Foundation; Santa Rosa
Symphony; Schell-Vista Volunteer Fire Association; Social Advocates for
Youth; Sonoma Children's Cancer Foundation; Sonoma Community Center;
Sonoma County Public Library Foundation; Sonoma County Regional Parks
Foundation; Sonoma Valley Education Foundation (7); Sonoma Valley
Mentoring Alliance; Soroptimist International; The Living Room;
Salvation Army; Twin Valley Aquatics; Valley of the Moon Boys & Girls
Club; Valley of the Moon Children's Foundation; Valley of the Moon Teen
Center; Volunteer Center of Sonoma County; Willmar Center for Bereaved
Children; YWCA of Sonoma County.
"Small community-based non-profits greatly depend on the generosity and
support of private foundations. Speedway Children's Charities has made
it possible throughout the years for many of our riders to be able to
change their lives through the extraordinary benefits of therapeutic
horseback riding," said Robert Pope, Co-founder and Executive Director
for Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center.
For more information on the Sonoma chapter of Speedway Children's
Charities, email Denise Silver at dsilver@infineonraceway.com.
