Tribe Donates $25,000 to Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp

Motorcyclists Celebrate 13th Annual Charity Ride Across America

By Felix DoBosz

HOLLYWOOD — On the afternoon of July 20, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino roared to life, welcoming a motorcade made up of almost 300 custom touring motorcycles and their riders. Seminole Paradise signified the completion point of the 13th annual Chick-fil-A® Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. Hollywood, Fla. was the seventh and final stop of this fund raising ride, which started out 2,600 miles north in Bar Harbor, Maine on July 14.

Kyle Petty remains one of the most popular NASCAR drivers and is also founder of the ride; he is the son of the legendary NASCAR and Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty. The Victory Junction Gang Camp, founded by Kyle and wife Pattie Petty, is dedicated to the memory and honor of their son Adam Petty.

Adam was a fourth generation NASCAR driver who was killed in May 2000 in a tragic practice run for the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series race in New Hampshire. In honor of his son, Kyle changed his car number to #45, his son Adam’s number. When he races in the NASCAR circuit he drives the #45 Marathon Petroleum Company Dodge Charger for Petty Enterprises.

Kyle Petty combined his love of motorcycles with his deep compassion to help people when he opened the Victory Junction Gang Camp on 72 acres of land in Randleman, N.C. The camp “enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically sound environment,” according to www.victoryjunction.org.

The $34 million facility features an auto racing architectural theme and includes more than 44 buildings. More than 4,400 eligible children have attended the 10 week camp since its opening in June 2004. Children attend the camp free of charge thanks to the ongoing financial support of the charity ride, corporate sponsors, foundations and generous donors.

The Chick-fil-A® Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America collects donations from sponsors, business and ordinary people along the way. Generous Americans, families and kids line the roadway from town to town donating money for this worthy cause, as the motorcade parades down the main streets of their town.

Now in its 13th year, the ride has logged more than 45,000 miles, more than 5,350 riders have gone on the ride, and they have donated more than $9 million to charity. Some of the big name celebrities on the ride were: Harry Gant, retired Winston Cup champion; Steve Park, NASCAR driver; Herschel Walker, former professional football player, Niki Taylor, model and Burney Lamar, NASCAR driver.

Tribal citizens joining Hollywood Council Representative Max B. Osceola Jr. on the long charity Ride were Joe Osceola Jr., Vince Micco, Loretta Micco, Barbara Butera, Chris Osceola, Alicia Micco and Tina Lacey.

Max Osceola welcomed all the riders to “Paradise” at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino before presenting Kyle Petty with a donation check.

“About 50 years ago we were rich, we just didn’t have any money,” he said. “We were rich in what was important; we were rich in family, culture and history. So we’ve been blessed and now we’re blessed economically.”

“There is a saying; ‘You can’t buy happiness,’ ” he continued. “Well every rider here brought happiness for all the children at Victory Junction and that deserves a big round of applause. So to help the cause, the Seminole Tribe of Florida wants to give Victory Junction [camp] a check for $25,000.”

Kyle Petty said, “God bless you guys and thank you guys for all y’all did this year. We are richer today and blessed more today to be here on this stage with this fine group of folks.”

In the more appropriate Hard Rock tradition, Max Osceola was happy to present Kyle Petty with shiny new electric guitar to wild cheers and applause from the audience. It featured the Seminole Hard Rock and the Kyle Petty Charity Ride logos.

Following this, Grammy and Nammy award winning rock musician Micki Free serenaded the crowd with some famous classic rock riffs while people enjoyed catered food from the Renegade Barbeque Company.

When asked how the ride went, Max Osceola said, “It was awesome, it was tiring but it was fun and it’s for a good cause. The $25,000 donation goes for the Victory Junction Camp for the chronically ill or terminally ill children that have afflictions can feel normal.”

“This ride is extremely well organized all the way down to the hour on everything we did,” said Tribal citizen and participant Chris Osceola.

When asked where he thinks the charity ride will be headed through next year, Petty said he hasn’t even begun to plan yet.

To learn more about this charity and make a contribution please visit www.victoryjunction.org or call (877) VJG-CAMP.