1997 Stephen giving away a Mercedes-Benz peddle car to a Cancer Child at the Spring Training Base Ball game in Fort Myers, FL where we took them to see a Major League Game. Pictured here with Ms. Patty Berg Co-founder of the LPGA and the Patty Berg Cancer Center in Fort Myers. I picked up and brought Ms. Berg to the game to see the Kids and interact with them, both she and the kids had fun. This was the night we conceived the KRFL program. 1999 after two years of planning we took 48 Kids Racing For Life attendees to the October SCCA race at Sebring. This included cancer children, their siblings and parents. This was a CFR regional event, I had joined SCCA CFR in 1963 and again in 1967 when I returned from Military Service. In 1999 the FV guys were the first to step forward with cars, time and donations to help put on a show for the Kids 2002 saw such a drivers interest that some of the drivers painted the cars and put the kids logo on the hood and let the kids sign the hood so that they had someone to cheer for. By 2001 it had grown to almost 100 Kids Racing For Life attendees, but now we had T-shirts, hot food, and volunteers to help. Our Hero Drivers, Club racers, never had so much fun, signing everything from autograph books to t-shirts, to tennis shoes. In these first few years we lost quite a few of the children to cancer, such as this young man Michael Rice, whose parents thought so much of the program that they have volunteered for several years following his death. Both at the track and in fundraising. No child was too sick to have fun or to be loved by an Race Driver. Inception 1997 Birth in 1999 Thru 2002 Page #1 of 5
2003 Last Year at Sebring With 250 KRFL attendees 2 3 4 1 2003 1Saw a great compound area with a hot food caterer 2a powerful planning team 3Kids having a fun time at the track -- 4Sometimes you just lose it when you hear about one of the kids that didn t make it we never get use to the loss of one of Our Kids (5)but then we do get to love on them. (6)The people of Sebring went beyond by serving the Kids Racing For Life families and the workers a sit down dinner (for 300) of a half chicken and ALL the trimmings. They put on quite a party before we had to change locations. (7) The Florida Region guys were there also and invited us to move the program to Region 11.They said they wanted us. 5 7 6 2004 Saw the move to Florida Region (11) and Moroso Motorsports Park Scott Lewis Bud Merrill Peggy Barten Buzz Marcus Scott Lewis enjoyed taking the kids for a ride in his new Porsche, Bud Merrill spoke to the Kids telling them about how the races are run, Peggy was a hero driver to all the girls and they loved riding with her. Buzz talked to the Kids about being able to race while fighting cancer, they were awe struck about all his victories on and off the track, his Ferrari was a big draw for rides also. Page #2 of 5
2006 Kids in Florida 4 events in 10 months SCCA Spec Racer Driver Ron Inge, addresses the Kids and then spends a lot of valuable time making the Kids feel at home and welcome. His son, First Gear National Driver (Matt) in SFR and SCCA FS, with many victories already under his belt, took a lot of time to be with the Kids. This is the 7th year that Matthew Inge has worked with Zoeller Ministries and the KRFL event Chief Stewart Pete Magnuson Long time supporter of KRFL program, explains to the families what they are going to be seeing, how as Chief he controls everything that happens at the track. Florida Region Executive Mayor John M. Zuccarelli III Welcomes the Kids to a weekend of Fun at the track with Sand in their Shoes. We had them dropping out of the sky for the Kids Vic liked all the attention from all the girls. Racing Drivers are the BEST! They took time! They Care! Buzz Marcus held the kids attention like no one else. Buzz and his wife are both fighting cancer just like the Kids and he was able to talk to them like no one else could. At Homestead-Miami Speedway we had 250 attendees. Buzz Marcus, 66, has won more than 50 races in his 45-year career. A 3time SCCA Champion, other notable wins include the first IMSA 6-hour Enduro at Mid Ohio and the Vineland 4-hour in a Lola T-70. Marcus has also competed at the Daytona 24hour and the Sebring 12-hour and is currently a instructor for Justin Bell Events. SCCA First Gear FF Driver Robbie Hatfield chose this race to be his first. Spent time showing the Kids his new car, signing autographs, and talking to the families. Even an old racer turned Chaplain got to take the Kids For a ride at lunch time around the track. In 8 years, this was the first time Stephen Zoeller had the time at an event to share some track time with the Kids - It felt good. Page #3 of 5
THANK YOU FOR HAVING MADE 2011 A SUCCESS AND 2012 AND BEYOUND POSSIBLE. Remember KIDS Some Cars are Radical, some Kids are Radical, when you put them together your in for a Radical good time. The Radical Racing Group has been wonderful to the Kids, pictured on the right is Shane who was also at the first event held in Sebring see photo on top right of page 1. CANNOT FIGHT CANCER ALONE AUSTIN LEE BAUCOM 9/26/86 10/29/06 Photos are of Austin at Sebring International with PBOC on 8-9-10 Sept 2006 He had fun (look at the smiles) and touched all he met. Page #4 of 5
2012 14 th th Anniversary Zoeller Ministries Kids Racing For Life At Sebring With PBOC Matthew Loy 10/19/1996 12/26/2011 Matthew touched of so many people. Becoming personal friends with some of the drivers and teams. His mother will honor us this year by coming back and attending the event as do many of the parents that remember the fun their children had attending the Kids Racing For Life event. 2012 We are also trying to get the World s fastest Ford Mustang 5.0 street car for the kids to see. It set the record at 207.7 MPH for the flying mile. This will be my 22nd event in 14 years. The last three years I have learned a little more about what the Kids go through as I have fought two different types of Cancer, three surgeries, radiation and chemo. Last years event I spent Sunday in the hotel room with a fever and too weak to go to the track. Found out later that Matthew also had to leave Sunday before the car rides. This year we will again do everything possible to make this event the greatest spectacle they will attend. Since I am now cancer free, I hope that my efforts will be uplifting to the Kids and give them some hope for the future. At minimum I pray that this will be an event they will talk about forever. We will as usual start the weekend at the hotel with a pizza/pool party, custom t- shirts, meeting the drivers, seeing the cars, topped with an hour each day Saturday and Sunday actually riding in racing and sports cars on the famous Sebring International Raceway. Please call me if you know a family that should be a part of this event. Stephen C. Zoeller Page #5 of 5