Charlotte Motor Speedway employees dug in for the community during the speedway’s second Day of Service on Wednesday. Full-time staff joined members of SMI Properties, the Performance Racing Network, U.S. Legend Cars International and zMAX in spending the day gardening, spreading mulch, painting, weed eating, trimming hedges, wiring, adding fencing, building structures and assembling care packages for those in need.
Speedway employees donned red Pit Crew shirts and spent the morning volunteering at The Church of God Children’s Home, My Father’s House, Opportunity House, Wings of Eagles Ranch and Youth Villages (Backpack Heroes). Additionally, volunteers partnered with Purple Heart Homes to build a ramp for a U.S. Armed Forces veteran in Concord.
At SMI Properties, a group of volunteers assembled 400 care kits for those in need, while others educated 97 children from the Boys and Girls Club of Concord as part of the speedway’s STEM experience at zMAX Dragway.
“Charlotte Motor Speedway is about working for our fans and for our community,” said Greg Walter, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s executive vice president and general manager. “We’ve added another 50 people to participate this year, so the wake that we’re making has been much larger. Asking for volunteers wasn’t a problem. Getting people to stay at the office to conduct business was a bigger issue, but even those folks were making hygiene kits and stuffing backpacks. Everybody on our team is making a difference.”
More than 170 employees were on site at locations as early as 7 a.m. to assist community members. In total, more than 2,000 volunteer hours were amassed in the effort from planning to execution.
“We are a completely volunteer-run organization, so without volunteers we wouldn’t survive,” said Christine Cronin, the founder of Wings of Eagles Ranch in Concord. “People at the speedway have done so much for us today. The magnitude is immense.”
Ed Hosack of Cooperative Christian Ministry agreed.
“The work that’s accomplished is months, if not a year’s worth of volunteer projects,” Hosack added. “It’s a tremendous blessing.”
TICKETS:
To purchase tickets to the Sept. 27-29 Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 and other upcoming speedway events including Pennzoil AutoFair, the NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals and the Can-Am World Finals, fans can call the speedway’s ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
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