Three Triad-Area Non-Profits to Benefit from Ride Proceeds
HIGH POINT, N.C. – (July 31, 2018) – The Bobby Labonte Foundation, founded by NASCAR champion race car driver and High Point businessman Bobby Labonte, along with 2018 charity bike ride title sponsor Thomas Built Buses, is excited to announce the three recipients of this year’s grants. High Point LEAP, Millis Regional Health Education Center, and Ready for School, Ready for Life will all benefit from the proceeds of the annual Bobby Labonte Foundation Charity Bike Ride on Saturday, September 8.
After much deliberation, Labonte, his wife Kristin, Foundation Director Stephanie Crafford, and the Thomas Built Buses team chose the non-profits, which align with the Bobby Labonte Foundation’s mission to support children and families in the Triad area.
High Point LEAP strives to empower children from early literacy through 12th grade who are living in poverty to succeed academically while developing skills to become 21st Century Leaders, and to strengthen their families through literacy programs and educational resources. The grant from the Bobby Labonte Foundation will address the risky behaviors that can lead to gang involvement, low academic performance and school suspensions that boys six to 18 years old from fatherless homes and low-income communities face, and combat these risk factors by engaging youth in their Boys2Men evidence-based program to help boys achieve academically, develop character and leadership skills, and grow in integrity in preparation for their roles in society.
Millis Regional Health Education Center is a non-profit regional health education center that seeks to teach school students, church groups, local organizations and individuals in the community about the human body and how to keep themselves healthy. The Bobby Labonte Foundation’s grant will be used to purchase new exercise bicycles for the center’s Wellness Discovery Room to help address childhood obesity and the health risks associated with obesity. Each year more than 8,000 students visit the Wellness Discovery Room to discover all the ways they can help keep their bodies healthy and strong. Future students will have a chance to try the new exercise bikes as part of an interactive lesson, teaching them how long they need to stay active every day to stay healthy. These exercise bikes will entertain and educate thousands of children every year while becoming a valuable part of the Millis experience.
Ready for School, Ready for Life is tasked with building a connected, innovative early childhood system of care to help improve healthy development of young children and their families. Today, no such system exists and, as a result, only 45% of Guilford County children arrive in Kindergarten ready for school. Their system-building work is focused on ten priorities that use a collective impact approach, working with 60+ agencies/organizations across Guilford County that contribute to and lead this work. Ready for School, Ready for Life will use the dollars provided by the Bobby Labonte Foundation to advance their early literacy strategy in High Point through Active Reading training, book distribution, and the expansion of the LENA Start program, which helps parents develop interactive talking habits with their children and provides parents with powerful resources.
“Selecting the charities is tough. We received so many great applications again this year,” said Bobby Labonte. “The organizations we selected hit home for us in so many ways, and really aligned with my foundation’s mission of helping build stronger futures for children and families. We’re really proud to have the opportunity to work with all of them this year. If you come to the charity ride, you’ll get to meet them. All of the organizations receiving grants volunteer and help us out, which is great.”
This year’s events will include a gallery exhibit, “The Bicycle: Art Meets Form,” at Theatre Art Galleries on Thursday, September 6. A VIP ride and luncheon will be held the morning of Friday, September 7, followed by an evening silent auction and cocktail party. The Charity Bike Ride starts at 7:30 am Saturday, September 8 and includes 40 km, 60 km, and 100 km options. The High Point Hospital Heart & Sole 5k begins at 8 am, following a course through downtown High Point. New this year is Hi Fest, High Point’s fall festival in celebration of diversity. Runners, cyclists and their friends and family can enjoy Hi Fest’s live music, vendor booths, and celebration from 9 am to 4 pm on September 8.
Tickets for the VIP ride and luncheon and the silent auction and cocktail party can be purchased on the Bobby Labonte Foundation website. All of the proceeds from the charity bike ride, the brunch ride, and the silent auction and cocktail party will fund the 2018 grants.
About Bobby Labonte Foundation
The Bobby Labonte Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by NASCAR champion and businessman Bobby Labonte in 2003. The Bobby Labonte Foundation vision is a cohesive community in which parents and families are empowered to fulfill children’s needs and together find joy, love and happiness. The Bobby Labonte Foundation works in partnership with the local community and community organizations to empower parents, families and children to build a strong foundation for children’s futures. For more information, visit www.bobbylabontefoundation.org or follow the Bobby Labonte Foundation on Facebook.
About Thomas Built Buses
Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Learn more at thomasbuiltbuses.com or at facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.
Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, N.C., is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America and a leading manufacturer of class 4-8 vehicles. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler company.
