Baltimore, Maryland. October 22, 2018
$100,000 to be Awarded By NASCAR to Charity of Finalist With Most Fan Votes.
NASCAR announced the four national finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Eighth Annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award on Sunday at Kansas Speedway. Carl Dakes, a volunteer for the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation based in Baltimore, Maryland, was named as one of the finalist. The award, named in honor of the foundation’s late founder and chairwoman, honors NASCAR fans who are also accomplished volunteers working for children’s causes in their communities throughout the United States. The award winner will be determined via an online fan vote now underway and running 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 overall winner’s charity receiving a $100,000 donation.
Carl Dakes was nominated by Believe In Tomorrow and was selected from among several thousand applicants by the NASCAR Foundation. Carl, who owns the Dakes Company based in Crofton, Maryland, has donated thousands of hours of painting services to Believe In Tomorrow’s nine pediatric hospital and respite facilities that serve critically ill children and their families. The Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation is known as a national leader in the area of support housing services for critically ill children. If Carl receives the most online votes, Believe In Tomorrow has pledged to use the $100,000 prize to help expand the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By The Sea in Ocean City, Maryland.
Believe In Tomorrow is credited with establishing the first pediatric respite program in the United States in Ocean City Maryland in 1986. Since then, the Foundation’s pediatric housing program has serves thousands of critically ill children, often making what many parents describe as a positive “turning point” during their child’s illness. Believe In Tomorrow respite housing allows patients and their families the opportunity to renew their energy, heal, and enjoy the gentle cadence of normal family life during their respite stays.
Believe In Tomorrow is looking for help to drive the vote, and Carl, across the finish line as the winner in this voting contest. Anyone is eligible to vote by going to the NASCAR website, NASCARFoundation.org/Award, and voters are encouraged to vote each day during this four week period. “We need to mobilize an army of volunteer voters who support the Believe In Tomorrow mission, said Carl Dakes. “I am asking everyone in Maryland to commit to voting each day for four weeks… and to creating a network of voters that can be encouraged each day to vote,” he added.
For more information on the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation go to www.believeintomorrow.org.
Media Contact: Brian Morrison media@believeintomorrow.org or bmorrison@believeintomorrow.org. office: 410-744-1032 cell: 410-615-7690.