Wahoo’s Baja Support Run IV Provides Thanks and Giving at Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
A Long List of Giving Corporate Supporters and Race Teams Aid In Large Charity Effort for Children’s Orphanage
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., — For the orphaned children and staff members of Rancho El Milagro (www.ranchomilagro.org) in Ensenada, Baja, Mexico, the “Thanksgiving” holiday came early last week thanks to the advent of the Wahoo’s Baja Support Run IV, a unique charity event held in conjunction with the 43rd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. Now in its fourth year, the 2010 effort set new records for corporate and private contributions, with more than $17,000 in aid being donated for much-needed food, supplies and building construction projects.
On Tuesday, November 16th, a local police escort led the 40 foot Magnaflow tractor trailer filled with supplies, four Baja 1000 race trucks and a long line of race support trucks and crews from downtown Ensenada through city streets and up the highway to the children’s home.
Once there, nearly 80 crew members and volunteers from event sponsor teams including the #13 General Tire/Wahoo’s Trophy-Truck entry of Ed Stout, the #71 General Tire Trophy-Truck team of Rick Johnson, the Azunia Tequila/Wahoo’s TrophyLite team of Jim Riley/Rick D. Johnson and the #601 Torchmate/Magnaflow/BFGoodrich team of Bill Kunz/JT Taylor set up a human chain to unload the tractor trailer of several tons of food, cleaning supplies and toiletries.
The enthusiastic group of volunteers was divided into individual work crews to spent four hours painting dorm rooms and several fences, attending to badly needed landscaping work and assembling two special surprises for the children’s recreation room – a new “foosball” table and new flat screen television/DVD player donated by Baja Support Run supporter OnAirr and Marcus Valdas. Racing For Christ (RFC) chaplain Steven Hansen then led the group in prayer before lunch was served by Wahoo’s Fish Taco co-founder Wing Lam.
Afterward, the children each received specially made backpacks from Hostyle Racing that included several AOK sweatshirts and custom yo-yos, General Tire t-shirts, and toothbrushes, toothpaste and school supplies donated by Agave Motorsports. The race teams also signed special posters made by Blue C Advertising.
In conjunction with last week’s Support Run, the generous support of Nick Baldwin’s Acts of Kindness (AOK) organization (www.aoknick.org) that included grounds maintenance and kitchen tools. Mark and C’Ann McMillin, Erik Harp, Doug Booth and Scott Drummond made it possible for local contractors to oversee badly needed repairs including re-roofing several buildings, bathroom remodeling and the construction of the water dam on the Rancho El Milagro grounds itself.
AOK and Baldwin also worked with San Juan Capistrano, California’s Buy My Bikes company on the donation of several bicycles and Jeff Goulding in donating 60 pairs of Gee Wa Wa shoes to the orphanage to be delivered in time for Christmas.
For 2010, Magnaflow Performance Exhaust, 4Wheel Parts and Hostile Racing added their resources to the Baja Support Run IV, which enjoys primary support from Wahoo’s Fish Taco, Monster Energy, Azunia Tequila, Blue C Advertising and Alpine Star. In addition, the fourth annual event received additional financial support from the #1313 Herzog Electric Protruck team and also the #3 Riveria Racing team of Mark Post/Ryan Arciero.
Coverage of the Wahoo’s Baja Support Run IV will include several new online video productions produced in association with Jim Cook of Air, Land and Sea Films and specially created in-store promotions via Wahoo’s Fish Taco throughout Southern California. The unique event will also be featured in the NBC television coverage of the 2010 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 being produced by Aura 360 as well as several feature print articles including OC Metro magazine, OC Metro.com and Dirt Sports magazine.
The Wahoo’s Baja Support Run began in 2006 and was created by event founder Marty Fiolka and Blue C’s Eric Morley. Originally designed with three race teams helping three charities, the program has now evolved into a single focused effort that supports a larger annual effort at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. Monster Energy’s Robert “Scotty” Scott and Wahoo’s Lam have supported 
the program from the beginning.
“Wahoo’s takes great pride in being part of many charitable events throughout the year,” explained Lam. “However, this annual event represents something special because of our proud role as its title sponsor and especially because of the hard work and giving spirit that Marty Fiolka, Eric Morley and all the corporate and team supporters pour into it every November. Without question, the massive effort put forth in 2010 not only raises the bar to new levels, but, most importantly, will positively influence the daily lives of these children for a long time to come.”
Photo Credit: Art Eugenio AEugenioPhoto
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Contact: Eric Morley
eric@bluecusa.com
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Category: Press Releases
