RICHMOND, VA (April 26, 2013) – Five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson selected two more charities to be featured on the 2013 Jimmie Johnson Foundation Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope.
Denver Kids, Inc. and Miracle League of Pensacola were chosen to appear on the helmet that Johnson will wear during race weekend activities at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn on Aug. 18, 2013. Each organization also will receive a grant of $10,000 and a special Blue Bunny ice cream party.
Denver Kids’ mission is to help Denver Public School students, grades K-12, who face the personal challenges of higher risk environments to successfully complete high school, pursue post-secondary programs and become contributing members of society.
Denver Kids, nominated by employee Andy Tiehen, provides one-on-one educational counseling for more than 1,000 students living at or below poverty in the Denver area.
“These students have a graduation rate around 35 percent, but with Denver Kids, Inc., they are graduating at 91 percent” stated Tiehen. “We need more mentors, specifically male mentors, and the publicity and financial support we would receive through a spot on Jimmie’s helmet would be invaluable.”
The Miracle League of Pensacola provides a safe, organized baseball league and facilities for Gulf Coast children with mental and/or physical challenges where every player plays, every player hits, every player gets on base, every player scores and every player wins – every inning. Currently they serve nearly 200 players ranging in age from 4 to 64 years young.
Paul Hinson, a volunteer umpire for the organization, nominated The Miracle League of Pensacola for the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope, saying, “We accept all players, regardless of their challenges, there are players confined to wheelchairs, players with Down Syndrome and players with attention and learning disorders.”
The League pairs up an able bodied person with each player, enabling the people of the community to form a bond with the players and also to see the happiness that the players gain by being able to play the game of baseball.
Denver Kids, Inc., located in Denver, Colo., and Miracle League of Pensacola, located in Pensacola, Fla., join Chelsea’s Hope, Me Fine Foundation, Against Abuse, Inc., Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Make-A-Wish Iowa as charities that will be featured on the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope.
The Helmet of Hope program, which began in 2008, allows fans, consumers and media members across the country to nominate their favorite charity to receive a $10,000 grant, special recognition on Johnson’s race helmet and a Blue Bunny ice cream party. This year’s Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope campaign will run during six NASCAR Sprint Cup race weekends beginning at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on April 13th and culminating at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 26th. Johnson will draw two charities each week to be included on the helmet, for a total of 13 charities. To date, the program has contributed more than $430,000 to 61 different charities.
Nominations are currently being accepted at www.helmetofhope.org. For more information about the most recently selected charities, visit www.denverkidsinc.org or on Twitter, www.twitter.com/DenverKidsInc and http://miracleleaguepensacola.net-at-hand.com.
About the Helmet of Hope
In its sixth year, the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program gives fans and media members across the country the opportunity to nominate their favorite charity to be featured on five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson’s Sprint Cup helmet for the race at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 2013. The title sponsor for Helmet of Hope is Blue Bunny Ice Cream. In addition to being featured on the helmet, each charity selected also receives a grant of $10,000 and a Blue Bunny ice cream party. To date, the program has contributed more than $430,000 to 61 different charities.
About the Jimmie Johnson Foundation
Chandra and Jimmie Johnson launched the Jimmie Johnson Foundation in February 2006. Johnson, the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, drives the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS in NASCAR’s top series. The mission of the foundation is to assist children, families, and communities in need throughout the United States. The foundation has committed more than $5.6 million to various charities. For additional information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, please visit www.JimmieJohnsonFoundation.org.
About Blue Bunny
Wells Enterprises, Inc., maker of Blue Bunny ice cream, is the largest privately held, family-owned ice cream and frozen treat manufacturer in the United States. The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, the Ice Cream Capital of the World. Wells produces more than 1,100 ice cream and frozen novelty products, including its signature brand, Blue Bunny®, and super premium brand, 2nd St. Creamery™. Wells also manufactures licensed frozen treat brands including Yoplait® frozen yogurt, Weight Watchers® frozen novelties, and the iconic Bomb Pop™. Visit WellsEnterprisesInc.com.
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CONTACT:
Mary Barr Gallivan, Jimmie Johnson Foundation
704.453.2897
mbarr@jjracinginc.com
Kristine Curley, True Speed Communication
816.679.5091
Kristine.curley@truespeedcommunication.com
Liz Croston, Blue Bunny
712.548.5522
escroston@bluebunny.com