11 30 07
6th
ANNUAL MICCOSUKEE RESORT & GAMING “HOT RODS & REELS™” CHARITY
FISHING TOURNAMENT A HUGE SUCCESS
NASCAR
STARS & FANS TEAM UP, RAISE MORE THAN $100,000 FOR
THE
DARRELL GWYNN FOUNDATION
DGF AND
CHEVY RACING DONATE WHEELCHAIR TO
13-YEAR-OLD BOY
MIAMI – November 30, 2007 – Like
its five predecessors, the 6th Annual Miccosukee
Resort & Gaming “Hot Rods & Reels™” charity fishing tournament
was a huge success. Unlike its predecessors, it raised more
money than ever, generating more than $110,000. The annual
event, held Saturday November 17th at 7:30 a.m.,
brought twenty of NASCAR’s top drivers out to fish with their
fans and provided the perfect mix for outdoor sports
enthusiasts: fishing for trophy bass, the opportunity to win The
Miccosukee Million, and the ability to be part of an important
cause.
The fundraiser for the Darrell Gwynn
Foundation to Cure Paralysis and the Betty Jane France Pediatric
Center, Speediatrics,
at Homestead Hospital was held at Homestead-Miami Speedway's
infield lake as part of the Ford Championship Weekend and
Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week.
“We are grateful to the Homestead-Miami
Speedway, our sponsor – the Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, our
celebrity participants and of course, the wonderful fans who
woke up with the sun to spend time on the lake with the best
racers of today to make Hot Rods & Reels better and better every
year,” said Darrell Gwynn, president of the Darrell Gwynn
Foundation (DGF) and event founder. “This event, in conjunction
with Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week, helps raise
awareness of how to prevent paralysis and efforts to find a cure
in a unique and fun environment.”
The highlight of the event featured a
wheelchair donation to13-year-old Jonathon Gorenflo, courtesy of
DGF and Chevy Racing’s Wheelchair Donation Program. Jonathon
suffers from cerebral palsy, and is one of seven handicapped
children adopted by his family. The donation took place at the
culmination of the event, and the nationally syndicated
television program NASCAR Angels taped the presentation for a
future episode.
Hot Rods & Reels™ took place on the
Speedway's 18-acre infield lake, which is 60 feet deep and
stocked with trophy-size peacock bass and largemouth bass.
Fourteen-year old Alex Lambert surprised the seasoned fishermen
by capturing the largest fish, weighing in at 2.5 lbs. Alex won
the chance to select an envelope worth $1 million. With nearly
6.5 pounds of fish in the boat, NASCAR great Richard Childress
and his boat companions came away as the winning team based on
total weight.
“With the participation of NASCAR
celebrities Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Darrell Waltrip, Greg
Biffle, Jeremy Mayfield, Martin Truex, Jr., Ryan Newman, Richard
Childress, Kyle Petty, Tony Raines and Scott Wimmer, we knew we
couldn’t lose,” added Gwynn. “These guys are true champions –
we count on them every year, and they never let us down.”
# # #
The Darrell Gwynn Foundation is a
non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to preventing
paralysis when possible, providing support for individual’s
living with paralysis and ultimately finding a cure for
paralysis. To expedite specific cures, the Foundation assists
in the funding of targeted research.
The Betty Jane France Pediatric Center,
Speediatrics, at
Homestead Hospital is a completely renovated pediatrics unit
designed with a motorsports theme. The only dedicated pediatric
unit in deep South Miami-Dade, its design is to make children
feel as comfortable as possible during a hospital stay.
The 6th Annual Miccosukee Resort & Gaming
“Hot Rods & Reels™” NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Drivers & Teams Charity
Fishing Tournament took place during the Ford Championship
Weekend, November 16-18th at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, home
of the season-finales for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and
Craftsman Truck Series.
Joining Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in
sponsoring this event were Bass Pro Shops, Hook & Tackle,
Sprint, Bass Online and the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
# # #
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