At the Races...

Last weekend volunteers, staff, and interns of the East Georgia Chapter joined forces with Pro Stock Racer Steve Johnson at the National Hot Rod Association dragway race in Commerce, Georgia to raise money for disaster relief operations throughout the southeast.

For three days, they stood in the heat and rain collecting donations and listening to stories from people affected by the tornadoes last month. With their tent erected on the main road to the entrance, they were in prime location to speak to race fans as they passed by.

Steve Johnson and his crew were set up on the opposite side of the venue. Not only did Johnson and crew promote American Red Cross by sporting the logo on their jersies and on the motorcycle, but they also collected donations. Furthermore, those jersies were sold to corporate backers and the money went straight to the relief efforts.

On Saturday, Johnson and other pro racers signed autographs in front of the American Red Cross tent. Johnson used a matress as a makeshift table, but it served a point. A sign that read "if you have one of these stop and donate" sat atop the matress to remind passerbyers that some people affected by the tornadoes don't have their own mattress, much less a home. It worked. People stopped to donate even if they didn't want an autograph.

All in all, thanks to the tireless efforts of Johnson and the East Georgia Chapter volunteers and staff, $11,000 was collected from donations alone in three days. ($600 was raised in one hour on Sunday!) It will certainly go far in the relief efforts.