Archives for Charity category
“PIT ROAD PETS: NASCAR STARS & THEIR PETS, THE SECOND LAP” BOOK HITS SHELVES THIS WEEKEND
NASCAR Personalities and Fans All Part of Ryan Newman Foundation’s Second Charity Book
BRISTOL, TENN. (March 20, 2010) – For Stewart-Haas Racing driver Ryan Newman and wife Krissie, their six dogs aren’t just adored animals – they’re family.
This weekend, the Newmans will release their second book Pit Road: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, the Second Lap at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, which celebrates the NASCAR community and their beloved furry and sometimes even feathered families.
Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, the Second Lap, gives fans an intimate look at some of NASCAR’s most loved drivers both past and present, their families and their love for animals. Crew chiefs, broadcast personalities and the people who work behind the scenes at races each weekend are all part of this picturesque book.
“The book isn’t just the drivers,” Krissie Newman said. “We have the big personalities in the sport, but we also have a large contingent of the media broadcasters; we have the people who are behind the scenes like Jay Howard, who coordinates all of the pre-race activities; we have more team owners like Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick. This is the only book that encompasses every aspect of what racing is on a non-racing scale. And it’s really incredible to listen to the personal stories that they tell about their lives away from the racetrack.”
As the follow-up to the Newman’s first Pit Road Pets book which was published in 2006, The Second Lap even delves into the heart of NASCAR – its fans. Photographer Karen Will Rogers and a team of people traveled to three racetracks during the 2009 season – Bristol Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway – to meet and photograph NASCAR’s devoted fans and their pets.
“When we started planning our second book, it was really a no-brainer to include the fans,” Krissie Newman said. “The fans are really the heartbeat of this sport. NASCAR has the most unique and most dedicated fans out there, and we wanted to showcase them and their personalities and their love for animals in our book.
“In fact, it was a chance meeting with fans that really encouraged us to help animals and start the Ryan Newman Foundation. And I can’t tell you how many fans come up to either me or Ryan to tell us about their pets or who want us to meet their dogs. It just made sense.”
The book, which sells for $24.95, is available for purchase at www.RyanNewmanFoundation.org or at the racetrack on the No. 39 Ryan Newman souvenir trailer.
The proceeds from the first book helped build a regional spay/neuter clinic at the Humane Society of Catawba Count in Hickory, N.C. To date, The Ryan Newman Foundation S.N.I.P. clinic has already performed over 13,000 spay/neuter surgeries since their doors opened in 2007, preventing the death of hundreds of thousands of unwanted and stray animals.
With the release of The Second Lap, the Ryan Newman Foundation hopes to make an even bigger impact. One hundred percent of the Ryan Newman Foundation net proceeds will be donated to animal causes such as giving grants to families that can’t afford to spay or neuter their pets. The Ryan Newman Foundation also plans to build an animal education center in North Carolina that will serve as a model for animal welfare and education throughout the U.S.
For more information, visit www.RyanNewmanFoundation.org.
Mar 28, 2010 | | Books, Charity, NASCAR, Pets
I received this e-mail today. If anyone out there knows of a way to help Shelby and Laurinda please contact me or Laurinda.
Hi Debbie,
I saw something on NASCAR today about possible assistance with surgery for animals in need, and I just adopted Shelby, a 2 yr old Golden Retriever from our local shelter in San Luis Obispo on 9/1/09. She was kept by a breeder and has recently had pups, but was born with a deformed or congenital leg that does not work, no range of motion and “literally” hangs on her side as she attemps to jump up and climb stairs, all the while oblivious to her situation.
She is a wonderful dog, I love her dearly and she is acclimating very well to my 12 yr old Lab Mix and 7 yr old Kitty.
I would like to find out if there are any assistance programs to help pay for the amputation of the leg, as it is possibly going to cost around $3,000. and I just don’t have that kind of money, but couldn’t stand to see her stuck at the Pound with the possibility of not being rescued and being put down.
Here is her picture and any information on who I can contact or how to would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Laurinda
lkmctk@hotmail.com
Sep 06, 2009 | | Charity, Pets
Hamilton County Shelter Reports Increase In Dogs Hit By Cars
HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. — Reports of dogs being hit by cars are on the rise in Hamilton County and shelter officials said the economic downturn is partly to blame.
Workers at the Hamilton County Humane Society shelter said they have seen a sharp increase in the number of animals being struck by vehicles, 6News’ Jennifer Carmack reported.
“We’re observing more hit by cars this year than we had last year,” said David Landau.
Shelter workers said one of the reasons is that many families simply can’t afford to care for their pets anymore so they’re letting them go. And that means more dogs and other animals are out wandering, looking for food.
That was likely the case for Helen, a 5-year-old beagle brought in last weekend with two broken hips after being struck by a car.
“She’s in relatively good condition, despite her injuries,” Landau said. “She’s not under nourished, so we suspect she was someone’s family pet.”
A few days after Helen was hit, Henley, a 3-year-old shih tzu, was brought in with a broken back, likely from a similar accident.
As the shelter looked for ways to cover the cost of his surgery, the case caught the eye of a fellow shih tzu owner, race car driver Tony Stewart.
“Tony Stewart loves animals. He has dedicated a portion of his foundation to supporting organizations, which provide care for abused, endangered or homeless animals, as well as supporting programs that provide animal welfare through specific programming,” said Joni Thompson, executive director of the Indianapolis-based Tony Stewart Foundation.
Doctors said Henley, with the help of a device to support his hind legs, will have many happy years ahead of him.
As for Helen, she had surgery this week and is on her way to recovery as well. The shelter still needs to find her a home and a way to pay her $2,000 medical bill.
In the meantime, Lori Price and her family will foster the pup and help nurse her back to health.
“If everything works out, then maybe we can have her,” Price said.
More information about the animals and ways to donate can be found on the shelter’s Web site.
From: TheIndyChannel.com
Mar 22, 2009 | | Charity, NASCAR, Pets
Join us for a night of auction fun, food and excitment on Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009, for The NASCAR Foundation Partners for Paws Spectacular – A Live and Silent Auction hosted by NASCAR Drivers Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman. The event will take place at the beautiful Daytona Club outside the front stretch of Daytona International Speedway. Tickets are $20 per adult if purchased online before Jan. 28, which includes dinner, and children under 14 are free. Tickets are $25 after Jan. 28 or at the door.
NASCAR fans and memorabilia collectors won’t want to miss this event that features NASCAR VIP Experiences and over 100 autographed items from all your favorite drivers including Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr and many more!
Proceeds raised from the evening will benefit the Greg Biffle Foundation, Ryan Newman Foundation and Halifax Humane Society of Daytona Beach, three organizations that support improving animal welfare.
Join us for a night of auction fun, food and excitment on Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009, for The NASCAR Foundation Partners for Paws Spectacular – A Live and Silent Auction hosted by NASCAR Drivers Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman. The event will take place at the beautiful Daytona Club outside the front stretch of Daytona International Speedway. Tickets are $20 per adult if purchased online before Jan. 28, which includes dinner, and children under 14 are free. Tickets are $25 after Jan. 28 or at the door.
NASCAR fans and memorabilia collectors won’t want to miss this event that features NASCAR VIP Experiences and over 100 autographed items from all your favorite drivers including Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr and many more!
Proceeds raised from the evening will benefit the Greg Biffle Foundation, Ryan Newman Foundation and Halifax Humane Society of Daytona Beach, three organizations that support improving animal welfare.
Join us for a night of auction fun, food and excitment on Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009, for The NASCAR Foundation Partners for Paws Spectacular – A Live and Silent Auction hosted by NASCAR Drivers Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman. The event will take place at the beautiful Daytona Club outside the front stretch of Daytona International Speedway. Tickets are $20 per adult if purchased online before Jan. 28, which includes dinner, and children under 14 are free. Tickets are $25 after Jan. 28 or at the door.
NASCAR fans and memorabilia collectors won’t want to miss this event that features NASCAR VIP Experiences and over 100 autographed items from all your favorite drivers including Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr and many more!
Proceeds raised from the evening will benefit the Greg Biffle Foundation, Ryan Newman Foundation and Halifax Humane Society of Daytona Beach, three organizations that support improving animal welfare.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR TICKETS
Jan 08, 2009 | | Charity, NASCAR, Pets
Friday, November 21, 2008
The charitable organization of two-time Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winner Tony Stewart has awarded a $20,000 grant to Indianapolis-based Friends of Ferdinand, Inc. (FFI), a not-for-profit volunteer organization that works with owners and trainers at the state’s two horse tracks to identify and obtain thoroughbreds that are nearing the end of their racing careers.
Funds provided by the Tony Stewart Foundation will help FFI evaluate and retrain the horses, and find new, forever homes with devoted, caring owners.
More than 200 horses have been transitioned from the track into new careers as show horses, dressage competitors, pleasure and trail riders, equine therapeutic program partners, pasture mates and beloved companions.
Several thoroughbreds, the first horses to be christened “Tony’s Ex-Racers,” were brought into the FFI program Nov. 17 during the annual end-of-season paddock sale at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Anderson, Ind. Representatives of both Friends of Ferdinand and the Tony Stewart Foundation were on hand to take a look at available horses and select those destined to become “Tony’s Ex-Racers.”
“We are thrilled beyond words that the Tony Stewart Foundation has selected our program to receive its support,” said Friends of Ferdinand President Sara Busbice. “A grant this size is significant and enables us not only to continue but to expand the work we do with our Indiana thoroughbreds. Especially now, with the economy in such turmoil, support of this magnitude is simply incredible.”
A total of 10 horses will be brought into the program as “Tony’s Ex-Racers” – those obtained from the Hoosier Park paddock sale, and two or three others already in line to come off the track and into FFI’s care.
The organization is named in memory of the magnificent Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby Champion, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and 1987 Horse of the Year who earned more than $4 million during his career. In 1989 he was retired from racing and exported to Japan to stand at stud. Impossibly, a few years later, Ferdinand was slaughtered for human consumption.
Founded in 2003 by two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart, the principal purposes of the Tony Stewart Foundation are to raise and donate funds to help care for chronically ill children, drivers injured in motorsports activities and to support other charitable organizations in the protection of various animal species.
Nov 24, 2008 | | Charity, NASCAR
Kyle Busch done a good thing. But when it comes to Kyle Busch nothing he does is good enough for some people. Not even a $100,000 donation to a fellow man in need. The big complaint now is that Kyle made an announcement about the donation. He did it for the publicity. Don’t you think he could have found a cheaper way to get publicity? Does Kyle Busch really need any more publicity? All the people who hate Kyle give him all the attention he will ever need. He may be considered the most hated driver in NASCAR but he is definitely one of the most well known drivers also.
Kevin Harvick and Dale Jr. both donated to Sam Ard and asked others to do the same. How many people remember that? How many knew that he had Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases?
Kyle tied Mr. Ard’s record, then got on TV and announced a huge donation. Now it’s being talked about everywhere. People like us are arguing about whether or not Kyle was sincere or seeking attention. Kyle has won some people over and some still hate him.
But there is one thing no one can deny. People are talking about Sam Ard and his problems. All of the NASCAR community knows about his financial situation. Everyone knows what has and has not been done for one of NASCAR’s greats.
The question is: Is Kyle a selfish boy seeking attention or is Kyle a shrewd fund raiser who knows how to get people talking?
Think about it all you haters. How many of us were worried about Sam Ard last Friday?
Nov 04, 2008 | | Charity, NASCAR
Kyle Busch is considered the most hated driver in NASCAR. Some of have known for a long time that it is a title he did not earn. He has proved many time over that he has a heart of gold. He is generous, kind hearted and genuinely good. Saturday night Kyle stepped up and proved all his supporters were right and the haters are just that, haters. This goes beyond NASCAR and sports. This is about a young man with character, a good heart and an appreciation for those who have traveled the path before him. It’s time to give Kyle the credit he deserves and give Sam Ard the respect he earned.
Ards can’t put price on Busch $100,000 donation
By Jenna Fryer, AP Auto Racing Writer
November 3, 2008
07:12 PM EST
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sam Ard was unsettled late Saturday night, unable to sleep as he peppered his wife about things he couldn’t remember.
Were his parents still alive when he married Jo nearly 50 years ago? Were they doing a good job raising their children?
“He asked me ‘What if I go back racing?’ ” Jo Ard said Monday. “I said ‘If you go back racing, I’m going to hand you divorce papers. Nobody is going to let you go racing.’ ”
Ard’s racing days are indeed long over.
He’s 69 years old and suffering from both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. He’s not permitted to drive anywhere anymore, and no one is exactly sure how much Ard understands about the latest push to help his crumbling finances and mounting medical bills.
Kevin Harvick, a champion of Ard’s plight, donated a 2007 Chevrolet van last month to Ard’s family that solved the transportation woes that plagued the couple since Jo’s car died five months ago. Then the NASCAR Foundation and Motor Racing Outreach teamed for an online auction to benefit the Sam Ard Fund.
The largest gesture, though, came Saturday afternoon when Kyle Buschcommitted $100,000 to Ard moments after winning the Nationwide Series race. The win at Texas Motor Speedway tied Ard’s mark of 10 series victories in a season.
“Sam Ard is one of the pioneers of this [series], and to be tied with him at 10 wins is something that’s pretty spectacular and really, really special to me,” Busch said. “I’m going to try to help him out and see what I can do. It’s not much, but it’s something that can try to help.”
But to the Ard’s, the gesture was enormous.
Ard didn’t have a particularly long NASCAR career, but his three seasons netted him two championships in the second-tier series now sponsored by Nationwide. He never got rich from racing, and collected roughly 25 percent of the $378,765 he made in winnings before suffering severe head trauma in a 1984 accident.
Unable to secure a consistent income after the accident, the Ards blew through their children’s college funds to cover everyday expenses. Unlike every other major professional league, NASCAR does not provide a pension to its participants and has not been on the hook for Ard or any other former driver facing financial difficulties.
The NASCAR community has occasionally stepped in to help, and a 2006 plea to their peers by Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. led to a significant donation to Ard’s care fund. That gesture and Ard’s fight were the centerpiece of a 2007 Associated Press examination of NASCAR’s indifference toward financially supporting its veterans.
Jo used the money to pay off the mortgage on their doublewide trailer in Pamplico, S.C., repay debts and collect the two championship rings that Ard was forced to turn over as collateral on a loan. Then Ard was seriously injured in an April 2007, accident on an all-terrain vehicle that gobbled up the last of the money.
When the balance in the fund dipped below $200 earlier this year, Jo Ard had to close the account before Wachovia’s $35 monthly maintenance fee gobbled what remained. Social Security, Ard’s veterans benefits and the little bit Jo brings home from cleaning houses and taking care of some hunting dogs is the only money currently coming in.
So when Busch pledged his assistance, Jo Ard said the 23-year-old racer had no idea the magnitude of his gesture. She said she’ll use a chunk of the money to make their bathroom handicap accessible so Ard can use it alone.
“Kyle doesn’t know what he’s done. He really, truly does not know what he’s done to take the load and the pressure off of me,” Jo Ard said by telephone Monday. “We can do the bathroom. I can maybe get someone to come to the house and help me if I need them, because we’re here day in and day out because Sammy can’t be left alone. He falls. He can’t drive. He’ll tell you he feels fine, but every day is different.”
Ard watched Saturday’s race at Texas with his grandson, aware that Busch was chasing his 1983 mark for wins in a season. Jo was with her sister for a rare dinner out when son, Robert, called her.
“Mama, are you sitting down?” Robert told her. “Well, Kyle tied Daddy’s record, and I had someone call me and tell me that Kyle is going to give Daddy $100,000.”
Hours later, when a fidgety Ard kept Jo up talking until 2:30 a.m., she sensed he understood Busch’s contribution.
“I guess his mind was just thinking because he said ‘I’ve been praying that something could come along that we could pay the bills and you can get a car,’ ” Jo said. “So he’s aware of what’s going. I asked him what he wanted to do with Kyle’s money, and he said for me to do whatever I wanted. He just wanted a couple hundred dollars to put in his wallet.”
Many view the Ard’s predicament as NASCAR turning a blind eye toward its pioneers with its refusal to pay a pension plan to its athletes. NASCAR’s direct employees are eligible for both a pension and retirement fund, but drivers and crew members are viewed as “independent contractors” and aren’t covered for any sort of assistance.
The Ards have gone through stages where they’ve been angry at NASCAR and its antiquated policies. But Jo Ard isn’t bitter right now, instead so grateful to the community help they’ve received. Although the sanctioning body does not specifically contribute anything, individual high-ranking officials have made personal financial donations for his care.
“There’s been some good boys,” Jo said, “and we’re just so thankful for their help.”
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Nov 03, 2008 | | Charity, NASCAR
Tony Stewart is once again showing his generosity and good heart. He is truly an animal lover and a good man. Here is the article from the Tony Stewart Foundation.
Tony Stewart
Dog’s Vest Friend
In July 2001, Mrs. Susie Jean, at home in Atlanta, GA, was watching television footage of a police dog being fatally wounded in pursuit of a criminal suspect. Realizing that canine police “officers” need protection as much as their human officers, Susie began planning and networking that very night for what would become Vest ‘N Police Dog Protection (or Vest ‘N P.D.P), a non-profit organization that donates Kevlar vests to police dogs throughout the United States—free of charge. Through grassroots efforts, Susie has provided 208 vests to police dogs in 14 different states and she’s been dubbed “Dog’s Vest Friend”. Susie expressed, “My efforts are a small price to pay for our police dogs that protect their human partner as well as our communities.”
Now Tony Stewart and Susie have partnered to provide bullet-resistant & knife-resistant vests for all 30 dogs of the Indiana State Police K-9 Unit. These custom-made vests will be presented by Tony to the Indiana State Police on Thursday evening, July 24 at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP). The Tony Stewart Foundation extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to Jim England, President, J.D. Byrider and his staff for their hospitality in hosting our guests including Mrs. Susie Jean, her co-founder Mrs. Roz Schmitt and 28 members of the Indiana State Police with 10 of their K-9 “officers”—Kody, Gaston, Zeke, Hondo, Boss, Justice, Camo, Mojo, Andy & Shadow.
The 8:00 p.m. opening ceremonies for the USAC Midget & Silver Crown Double Header will feature a demonstration of the vest and the “sleeve assault” by a K-9 “officer” and his handler. Tony’s sister, Natalie Repenning, has graciously volunteered to play the role of the perpetrator!
Jul 25, 2008 | | Charity, NASCAR
I have written about several of the NASCAR drivers who have a foundation that helps pets and wildlife. Since Tony Stewart has been in the news all week I would like to tell you about his work for charity. Tony has a reputation for having a short temper and sharp tongue. He can be blunt and always says what is on his mind. What Tony rarely gets credit for is his generosity and tender heart.
Tony started his foundation in 2003. The mission statement reads as follows:
Founded in 2003 by Two-time NASCAR Champion, Tony Stewart, the principal purposes of the Tony Stewart Foundation are to raise and donate funds to help care for chronically ill children, drivers injured in motorsports activities and to support other charitable organizations in the protection of various animal species. The Tony Stewart Foundation will raise and donate funds to charitable interests, specifically those that support the aforementioned groups.
Tony has a deep love for animals and owns several. He provides a home for an iguana, a Chihuahua, two Tonkinese cats, and several deer. He recently donationed his monkey, Mojo, to the Lousville Zoo. Tony and his foundation have made significant donations to help animals over the years. He is a true animal lover and humanitarian.
I am focasing on his work for animals, but Tony is also one of the most generous people there is when it comes to others in need. He has given millions to charity and has also donated his time to those who need it. Be sure to check out The Tony Stewart Foundation.
Jul 11, 2008 | | Charity, NASCAR
Greg and Nicole Biffle will be receiving an award for their work helping animals. Below the new press release.
Two-time NASCAR Champion Greg Biffle, Laura J. Niles Foundation
And Animal Advocate Jana Kohl to Accept Lewyt Humane Awards
North Shore Animal League America’s Annual Luncheon
Hosted by CBS’s Dr. Debbye Turner
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Nationwide and Truck Series champion Greg Biffle will be honored by North Shore Animal League America for his work on behalf of homeless animals in America. Along with his wife Nicole, the racing superstar will accept the Animal League’s Just One award at the seventh annual Lewyt Humane Awards Luncheon on June 11at the Garden City Hotel, Garden City, N.Y.
The Just One award is conferred on individuals whose efforts help save the lives of innocent pets. The Biffles, through the work of the Greg Biffle Foundation, are being recognized for their ongoing support of life-saving animal rescues and spay-neuter initiatives, as well as for funding puppy transports from southern states to the Animal League shelter in Port Washington, the world’s largest no-kill facility. The couple established the foundation to create awareness and serve as an advocate to improve the well-being of animals.
Proceeds of the luncheon, named in honor of Animal League founders the late Alex Lewyt, and his wife Elisabeth Lewyt, chairperson of the board of directors, benefit North Shore Animal League America’s mission to rescue, nurture and adopt more than 20,000 homeless animals annually. For additional information about luncheon tickets and journal advertising visit www.animal-league.org or call 516-883-7900 ext 821.
Jun 10, 2008 | | Charity, NASCAR, Pets
