|
Reprint Courtesy of the Arlington Star-Telegram
Charities get revved up over Speedway awards
Arlington, Texas — December 3, 2003
By Jessica Deleon
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
A 40-foot Christmas tree wasn't the only thing lit up Tuesday
night at the Texas Motor Speedway's Speedway Club. The faces
of charity officials looked pretty bright, too.
Members of 152 local and national nonprofit groups received
a record $425,000 in grants at the Speedway Children's Charities'
annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Last year, the organization
awarded $416,490. Leaders of organizations from Tarrant, Denton,
Collin and Dallas counties said the money is much needed in
the current economy.
In addition to the grants, the event included the arrival
of Santa Claus on a motorized bar stool. Aaron's Dream Team,
the first all-female NASCAR pit crew, assisted Santa.
"This is a fantastic gathering," said Judy Atwood,
board chairwoman of the Arts Council of NorthEast Tarrant
County and one of about 600 guests at the event. "I'm
just amazed at how many people in this room are giving."
Brenda Villagomez, program instructor with Girls Inc. of Tarrant
County in Arlington, agreed. "It was awesome to see so
many charities here," she said.
"It's just unbelievable." Speedway spokeswoman
Sarona Winfrey said before the festivities. "People,
they want to do things that help kids. All of these things
go to things that help kids, specifically and directly."
For example, Junior Achievement of the Chisholm Trail will
distribute kits that teach elementary school students about
business and finance. The River Legacy Project in Arlington
will pay for teachers' salaries and supplies at its nature
school. Hurst-based Celebration Shop will make compact discs
and tapes of therapeutic music for patients at Cook Children's
Medical Center in Fort Worth. Recipients, such as Celebration
Shop President Jim Newton, said they are grateful for the
funds. "Oh, absolutely," he said earlier Tuesday.
"It has been tough the last few years for nonprofits."
Speedway Children's Charities has given $2.3 million since
1997 to more than 200 organizations. Its fund-raising events
include an auction of NASCAR racing memorabilia, a dinner/silent
auction and a driving school. The organization does not disclose
the amount of individual grants. Phillip Rodriguez, manager
of Cenikor Prevention Network, said it was exciting to receive
the grant during the Christmas season. His organization, a
branch of Cenikor Foundation, a Fort Worth-based alcohol-
and drug-treatment center, will spend the grant money on equipment
used in puppet shows for students. "This is a seed being
sown into children's lives," Rodriguez said. "This
is going to be a smile on so many children's faces."
Arlington-area grants include:
Arlington Museum of Art
Boys & Girls Clubs of Arlington
Dental Health for Arlington Inc.
Girls Inc. of Tarrant County
Green Oaks School
River Legacy Foundation
The Women's Shelter
Theatre Arlington
SPEEDWAY CHILDREN'S CHARITIES GRANTS
The Speedway Children's Charities (SCC) Texas Chapter distributed
grants to these children's charities in Tarrant, Dallas, Denton
and Collin counties.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 Star-Telegram, Inc.
<< BACK TO NEWS
|
