There are a handful of organizations that raise money and awareness for individuals with Down syndrome. You might recall Jennifer and I promoting the Buddy Walk last October. The Buddy Walk raises money to fund local family events and financially assist children to attend summer camps.
The LuMind Foundation (formerly the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation) is an organization that supports medical research for Down syndrome. While there is no “cure” for Down syndrome, there is very compelling research that is starting to uncover how the brain plaques in individuals with Down syndrome that often impairs cognitive abilities are similar to the brain plaques found in individuals with Alzheimer’s.
Some recent research is starting to discover how new pharmaceutical compounds can help restore certain chemical levels that help contextual learning and memory. There are several concurrent studies, each with their own twist, but each showing similar positive results.
How do we ensure these studies continue? The answer is simple...funding.
To raise money to help fund those studies, the LuMind Foundation is organizing the very first Race for Research road rally here in our backyard of Charlotte, NC, June 16 – 18.
The Inaugural Race for Research is a three-day road rally that will have close ties to the NASCAR community. If your first reaction is, “Why is this three-day event on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday?” The answer is simply because of the tie to NASCAR, the people involved and how the people involved in the rally work on the weekend.
What is the Race for Research?
- A three-day, road rally with “pit stops” along the way
- Each pit stop will contain a "challenge" and will have media coverage to promote Down syndrome awareness (think of it as The Amazing Race with speed limits, minus the backpacks, red-eyes and strange food)
- While the pit stops are known, the route (likely scenic back roads in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee) to get from point-to-point will not be given to the participants until the morning of each day
- There might also be landmarks to record along the way ("After turning onto Main Street and traveling 3.7 miles, what is the name on the white cemetery gate?")
- This is why you need a co-pilot/navigator
Where are the pit stops?
DAY 1 - JUNE 16
1 Richard Petty Museum (Yes...Richard is supposed to be there)
2 Childress Winery (Yes...the "other" Richard is supposed to be there)
3 Bowman Gray Stadium/LUNCH (likely no famous guys named "Richard" there)
4 Martinsville Speedway (with laps)
5 Woods Brother Racing (shop tour)
6 Love's 399 Travel Stop I-77 Exit 1 (fuel up)
7 Cracker Barrel Restaurant (eat)
8 Holiday Inn Bristol Conference Center (sleep)
DAY 2 - JUNE 17
1 Bristol Motor Speedway (laps....sweet!!)
2 Hickory Motor Speedway (more laps)
3 Front Row Motorsports/LUNCH (eat)
4 Dale Earnhardt Museum (pay respects)
5 Earnhardt Tribute Plaza (pay more respects)
6 Sam Bass Gallery (renowned motorsports artist)
7 Charlotte Motor Speedway (more laps!!)
8 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Concord (more sleep)
DAY 3 - JUNE 18
1 Roush Fenway Racing (shop tour)
2 Richard Petty Motorsport (maybe Richard will be there again...or not)
3 NASCAR R&D (tour)
4 Hendrick Motorsports (shop tour)
5 NASCAR Hall of Fame (end of rally and HUGE media event...more info to come)
6 Race for Research Auction & Celebration (awards and auction)
Why the affiliation with NASCAR?
Adam Ragan, older brother of third-generation NASCAR driver, David Ragan, has Down syndrome. Jeremy Wallace, an employee of NASCAR Media (whose son has Down syndrome), and David Ragan put their heads together and realized a fundraising opportunity might exist that was "car related"...perhaps even with a NASCAR spin (no pun intended). Enter the LuMind Foundation, consultative services by a firm that specializes in the organization of professional road rallies, a couple corporate sponsors and--voila--the Inaugural Race for Research was born.
How can I help?
- Create a team and participate
- Find yourself a co-pilot/navigator, develop a team name, register your team, create a fundraising goal and start raising money (to keep the event manageable, they are capping the event at somewhere between 25 and 50 cars...so register soon)
- You don't have to have an exotic, classic or hot rod, the family SUV will do just fine (no motorcycles, though)
- Team creation is $250, fundraising goal is a minimum of $500
- Sponsor my team (Brayden's Bunch)
- Even a donation of $5 will go a long way in helping us reach our team goal
- Donations can be made on-line, via personal check or cash (don't forget Corporate Matching Gifts...if your employer matches charitable donations, check the corporate policy and submit the necessary forms to increase your donation)
- See me out and about and don't have any cash on you, not to worry, I can swipe your credit card and give you a receipt for tax purposes
- Speaking of tax purposes, all donations are tax deductible
On-line donations can be made here, then click the Donate Now button and follow the on-screen instructions.
What about the Buddy Walk?
Finally, when talking about this effort we are often asked, "Are you going to have a Buddy Walk team this year, too?"
The answer is simply: Absolutely.
This rally supports medical research; the Buddy Walk supports local family programs and camps. Both are equally important. When it comes to my son and bettering his future, I find no shame in soliciting funds multiple times a year to help provide him, and others like him, the resources he needs now and into the future.
Keep an eye out for information regarding he Buddy Walk in the next couple months.
If you prefer to mail a check or cash directly to the LuMind Foundation, use the form below (you can right-click and download/print the form and mail it, with your check, to the address shown:
It's that time of year again...time to gas up and hit the road!
