| | DOWN TO THREE | Humanitarian Finalists | |
| | By Tom Jensen / SPEED.com HARRISBURG, N.C. -- The Home Depot and NASCAR have named the finalists for the first-ever NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The award is the first of its kind open to any member of the NASCAR community who has shown extraordinary dedication to serving others and improving communities through meaningful service efforts.
The three finalists are: Spencer Lueders, project creator, director and team member of 24 Hours of Booty; Don Miller, project creator and director of Stocks-for-Tots Charity Event; and Kyle Petty, driver for Petty Enterprises and co-founder of Victory Junction Gang Camp.
The recipient of the NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards luncheon in New York City on Nov. 29. The award recipient will receive a specially designed crystal award, a $100,000 donation made by The Home Depot to the recipient’s charity of choice and a playground in the city of their choice built by volunteers from NASCAR, The Home Depot and KaBOOM!, the company’s national nonprofit. The other two finalists will receive a $25,000 donation each to their non-profit charity.
All active employees within the NASCAR industry – drivers, owners, team and track employees, licensees, media partners, sponsors, and motorsports media – were eligible to receive the NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award. Nominees were assessed based on their community commitment and dedication; impact on the community; and charitable giving of their time and talents. A blue-ribbon committee comprised of representatives from NASCAR, The Home Depot and motorsports media selected the three finalists.
SPENCER LUEDERS: NASCAR’s Competition and Patent Counsel, Lueders started 24 Hours of Booty in 2002 by riding the “Booty Loop” in Charlotte by himself to raise local awareness for cancer. Today, it has evolved into a 24-hour road cycling charity event which aims to increase public awareness and support for cancer research and programs, while raising funds to support the Lance Armstrong Foundation and local cancer organizations. It is the only 24-hour event of its kind in the country. To date, the annual event has raised more than $1.3 million.
DON MILLER: Penske Racing’s executive officer, Miller initiated the development of Stock-for-Tots as a holiday event and fundraiser for Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), an organization whose mission is to continue to help and provide education, counseling and intervention programs for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Miller continues to be intimately involved in the event which brings together stock car racing and its fans to collect toys and raise funds for SCAN. Since 1989, the event has raised more than $400,000 and distributed nearly 40,000 toys to children in North Carolina and is now the largest fundraiser for SCAN.
KYLE PETTY: driver for Petty Enterprises, founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp, along with his wife Pattie, in honor of their late son Adam. Victory Junction is a year-round camp located in Randleman, N.C., whose mission is to enrich the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering while in a safe and medically sound environment. The camp offers disease-specific sessions during the summer to create supportive peer groups for children encountering the same health issues. Currently, Petty serves as vice chairman on its board of directors.
| | Posted November 30, 2007 , 1:59 pm EST
| | | | | | |
