Rheem and its racing partners, Richard
Childress Racing and Eddie Sharp Racing, will commemorate National Breast
Cancer Awareness Month (October) by sponsoring Rheem Chasing the Cure - a
charitable program benefiting the Young Survival Coalition.
For the second year in a row,
Rheem
and its racing partners, Richard Childress Racing and Eddie Sharp Racing, will
commemorate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) by sponsoring
Rheem Chasing the Cure - a charitable program benefiting
Young
Survival Coalition.
Established in 1998, YSC was the
first nonprofit organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young
women diagnosed with breast cancer. Each year, approximately 70,000 men and
women ages 15 to 39 are diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and breast
cancer accounts for roughly 15% of all cancers in this age group.
The multifaceted Rheem Chasing the
Cure program will feature special pink and black paint schemes on the No. 29
Rheem Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet
Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a video contest for Rheem
Racing Facebook fans, Rheem Chasing the Cure themed merchandise - including an
exclusive silk scarf designed in YSC’s colors - and more.
Rheem and ESR debuted a pink and
black paint scheme on the No. 33 Rheem Chasing the Cure Chevrolet Silverado,
driven by Cale Gale, for the Oct. 6 Camping World Truck Series “Coca-Cola 250
powered by fred’s” at Talladega Superspeedway (Ala.); the truck will run again
on Oct. 27 in the “Kroger 200” at Martinsville Speedway (Va.). Driver Gale will
wear a custom-designed pink and black firesuit in both races.
“The women and men of Rheem are
pleased to use our partnerships with Richard Childress, Eddie Sharp and their
fine organizations to support the valuable work of YSC. Through the efforts of
YSC and those of so many other worthwhile organizations, we are confident that the
chase for a breast cancer cure will have an eventual happy ending,” said
Ed
Raniszeski, Rheem corporate director, strategic relations.
Rheem and RCR will feature a
similar pink and black paint scheme on the No. 29 Rheem Chasing the Cure
Chevrolet, driven by Kevin Harvick, for the Oct. 28 Sprint Cup Series “Tums
Fast Relief 500” at Martinsville Speedway. Harvick will also wear a Rheem Chasing
the Cure pink and black firesuit in this race.
Facebook contest
Rheem launched a contest Oct. 1 on its
Rheem
Racing Facebook fan page to garner support for breast cancer
awareness. The contest encourages breast cancer survivors to share a 30- to
60-second video testimonial that details their “victory” over breast cancer.
Rheem, RCR, ESR and YSC will select five semi-finalists from the entries
received through Oct. 21.
Then, Rheem Racing Facebook fans
have until the end of the month to vote for their favorite video. The video
with the most votes at the end of the month will be this year’s winner. Rheem
will award the winner and an adult companion with a VIP trip and racing
experience in 2013.
Rheem also offers Chasing the
Cure-themed merchandise for the program. This year’s merchandise will include a
beautiful pink silk scarf with a subtle YSC logo that will be available for a
limited time on Rheem.com for $20, plus shipping and handling. NASCAR fans will
quickly recognize the scarf as women throughout the sport will be wearing it at
various races during October.
In addition, Motorsports Authentics
has developed commemorative men’s and women’s T-shirts and hats, and Lionel
NASCAR Collectables created a special die-cast car. Chasing the Cure apparel
and die-cast cars will be sold at all NASCAR races through the remainder of the
2012 season, while supplies last. Proceeds from Rheem Chasing the Cure
merchandise sales will be donated to YSC.
“YSC feels honored to partner with
Rheem on its Chasing the Cure program,” commented Jennifer Merschdorf, CEO of
Young Survival Coalition. “We are grateful for the commitment Rheem, RCR and
ESR have shown to the quarter of a million women living in the U.S. today who
were diagnosed before their 41st birthday and to raising awareness among NASCAR’s
fans and the greater general public that young women can and do get breast cancer.”
In addition, Rheem employees will
be fully engaged with the Chasing the Cure program through an employee photo
contest, open to Rheem employees and their immediate family members, and
fundraising activities. For more information on the Rheem Chasing the Cure program,
visit
www.facebook.com/rheemracing.
Links