GREENSBORO, N.C. — You know Richard Petty as The King of racing. He's easily identifiable with his signature boots, blue jeans, and that cowboy hat. But something else you notice instantly is his smile. He's one of the friendliest people you'll meet.
The King of racing is also the king of hearts. For years his foundation, the Petty Family Foundation has raised money for the community. The Blue Jeans & Boots fundraiser is one of the many events, and this year, it's back!
The event which includes a slew of auction items is May 19, 2021, at Richard Petty's home, Reverie Place, but you don't have to be there to help the foundation make a difference in the community. Here are a few examples:
From PROEHLIFIC PARK:
The relationship between the Petty Foundation and the P.O.W.E.R of Play Foundation stems from a true passion to be able to give back to less fortunate children. The Petty’s have supported our Foundation for many years. Their donation for our all-inclusive playground played an integral part in allowing Ricky and Kelly’s dreams to come true. Being able to see children, no matter their physical abilities, play, laugh, and just be kids is at the core of why we wanted to have the playground become a reality.
Our Santa’s Helpers program has also benefitted from the Petty Foundation’s generosity. We have been fortunate to make sure that so many children in our community wake up to see that “Santa” made their wishes come true on Christmas morning. This past year we were able to provide gifts for 322 children. They received bikes, clothes, games, and even tablets for school.
From GREATER GREENSBORO MARINE CORPS LEAGUE DETACHMENT- 260:
"We take those donations and help the servants center...which helps take care of homeless vets and transitions them from homeless to housing, from buying beds to making sure they have medical needs met and even paying for the new HVAC system," said Jim Hayes of the GGMCL.
The group also pays for vets with PTSD to go to Horsepower. It's a therapy used to help the vets.
"These are fellow veterans that have different issues many are combat-related. We say once a marine always a marine. We don't forget each other," said Hayes.
Every year, the group holds a golf tournament as their main fundraiser. Between donations, products, and goods, the GGMLD has given out $292,094 over the years.
TO DONATE ON-LINE
PLEASE GO TO: https://www.mcl260.info/golf-tournament
The group will be doing a flag-raising on May 31 at 8 AM at the Friendly Center if you would like to join them.
The list of organizations the Petty Family Foundation has helped in the past include:
- Victory Junction
- Randolph Community College
- Operation North State
- Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Disaster and Hardship Relief
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Hospice of Randolph County
- Ricky Proehl P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation
- Local Youth Athletic Programs
- Veteran Organizations
You can donate to the Petty Family Foundation at any time through their webpage.