KANSAS CITY, Kan. – With the four finalists for the prestigious Betty Jane France Award Humanitarian Award announced on Sunday at Kansas Speedway, voting is now open to choose the winner of a $100,000 grant toward a creative and important children’s cause.
This year’s finalists are:
• Carl Dakes of Harwood, Maryland, an 18-year volunteer representing the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, Inc., of Catonsville, Maryland. The foundation provides hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families.
• Sarah Kersey of Dublin, Ohio, a cancer survivor who represents Flying Horse Farms in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. The facility, where Kersey has served as a volunteer since 2010, provides transformative camp experiences for children with serious illnesses, at no cost.
• Cliff Preston of Gainesville, Florida, representing UF Health Shands. He has volunteered for more than 25 years as a “cuddler” to soothe hospitalized newborns in the NICU during a parent’s absence.
• Rex Reynolds of Hazel Green, Alabama, representing the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama. A former Huntsville, Ala., police chief, Reynolds grew up participating in club programs and has now served in a volunteer role for 13 years.
“The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award was named after my late mother, Betty Jane France,” said International Speedway Corp. CEO and Vice Chairperson of the Board Lesa France Kennedy during the introduction of the finalists. “She founded the NASCAR Foundation back in 2006.
“If you knew my mom, what you would know is that she had a special place in her heart for children and their special needs. She also recognized that there were so many NASCAR fans that gave back so much, and she wanted to recognize them as well. That’s the genesis, and that’s how the award started.”
NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton sees the award as an appropriate memorial to its namesake.
“Betty Jane is the heart and soul of the human factor in the NASCAR community,” Helton said. “Always was. Even before there was a NASCAR Foundation, Betty Jane would show us, tell us, teach us, ask us to remember your community, remember people who you can help, not just our fans but anybody that they touch.
“So the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, when you ask has it reached what we wanted it to, yes. What we expected it to. As soon as Betty Jane and the NASCAR Foundation created this award, we knew it was going to be something special for a long, long time. And it is. And it will be.
The award winner will be determined via an online fan vote from Sunday, Oct. 21 through Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. ET at NASCARfoundation.org/Award. The winner will be announced on Nov. 29 during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas.
The NASCAR Foundation will donate $25,000 to the charities represented by the award finalists, with the winner’s charity receiving a $100,000 donation.
Source: Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service
