Sports - Petty and friends help Double H

Legendary NASCAR drivers Richard and Kyle Petty were joined by former NFL star Herschel Walker and supermodel Niki Taylor, as well as over 100 people from across the country donating time and money to be a part of the motorcycle ride.

Amidst the camera crews, celebrities, and star struck fans, was the real focus of Petty’s Charity Ride - the children. Proceeds from the ride benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, NC, a racing theme camp developed by the Petty family in honor of Kyle’s son, Adam, who died tragically in a racing accident in 2000.

“Our camp is for chronically ill children that can’t go to a regular camp,” said Richard Petty. “When they come to our camp they can do everything and go home with a different outlook on life, and say ‘I’ve done that and now I want to try this’”.

The rider’s stay in Saratoga also included a charity dinner Sunday evening at the Saratoga Automobile Museum to benefit the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzurne, a sister camp to the Victory Junction camp and fellow member of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Association.

Newman’s camps cater to seriously and chronically ill children by providing a full camp experience to children who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend regular camps. All camps provide a full medical staff to ensure the children’s safety and are free of charge to all campers.

“It’s wonderful to have Richard and Kyle here,” said Max Yurenda, CEO of the Double H Ranch. “There is no greater mission than to change the lives of these kids and make a difference in their lives, it’s a shared mission we all have”.

Monday morning’s festivities concluded with a $12,200 check presentation to Yurenda and the Double H Ranch, enough to provide sponsorship to eight campers with a cost of $1500 per camper each session.

The Double H Ranch provides camp sessions year-round, including eight summer sessions accommodating 126 campers per week-long session. Campers are treated to land and water sport activities, arts and crafts, and camping and hiking throughout the sessions. During the winter sessions, the camp offers a full array of adapted winter sport activities.

Judging by the happy faces of the children standing beside Yurenda, it’s clear that the campers truly enjoy their experiences. “It’s awesome, we do a lot of things like the ropes course and arts and crafts,” remarked eleven year old Sivhan Shea, as she smiled joyfully in the sun beside her sister Fiona, age 9.

Kyle Petty echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of the community in the success of these camps. “You have a great group here at the Double H Ranch,” said Petty. “People forget that there is a camp right down the road and you take it for granted. Anytime you can do a fundraiser that draws attention to the camp, then local people get excited and you keep the community involved”.

It’s clear that everyone benefits from the Charity Ride, from the children who are able to attend the camps based on monetary support to the riders themselves. “We’ve got a couple hundred riders here from all walks of life all over the United States,” said Richard Petty. “They come together to have a good time doing the ride, but also know they are helping the camp”.

Over the last 12 years, Petty’s Charity Ride has logged more than 45,000 miles and raised over $9 million for charity. Typically riding throughout the western portion of the country, this year marks their first trip to the Eastern Seaboard, where the riders began in Bar Harbor, ME July 14^th and will end in St. Augustine, Fla on July 20^th.

The riders made one pit stop in Woodstock, Vt before landing in Saratoga Springs, and will continue the trip with overnight stops in Gettysburg, Pa., Hot Springs, Va., and Augusta, Ga. before arriving in Florida.

Anyone interested in supporting these camps can do so through donations, volunteering, and becoming active within the community. “Anybody can take the lead role, from guys like Herschel Walker to guys like me that ride around in circles,” said Kyle Petty.

On the local level, Yurenda adds, “There are many ways to help, its not just about writing checks. We are a community organization and volunteerism is our lifeline”.

The lasting impressions left with the children attending Victory Junction Gang Camp or the Double H Ranch are likely indescribable. Through their experiences, campers pick up on the hard work and determination to never give up that have made the Petty’s so successful in NASCAR and in charitable causes.

Although motorcycles may be new to the track, Saratoga will undoubtedly remain happy to have hosted a great group of riders working for a worthwhile cause.