McCormick and ARCA to host Florida Baptist Children's Home

During this time of the year, nothing seems to warm both the heart and soul more than seeing the delights of Christmas reflected in the eyes of a child.  Unfortunately not every child is able to experience the special joys that the holiday season brings.  Many children in disadvantaged situations can’t share in Christmas activities that are taken for granted by most children.  Fortunately for the residents of the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, someone from the ARCA racing community has came forward to bring them some seasonal good cheer.  For the past four years, ARCA Series driver Carl McCormick has provided the residents of the Florida Baptists Children’s Home with a rare behind the scenes look at stock car racing during the annual December ARCA test sessions at Daytona International Speedway.  Carl and the kids from the Florida Baptist Children's Home are pictured at left during their 2008 visit to Daytona.

“I have a window installation company in Jacksonville,” states McCormick “one day back in 2006,  I had a job at the Florida Baptist Children’s Home replacing a broken window.  After being around the children,  I just felt compelled to do something.  I wasn’t able to do much for them financially but I knew the one thing I had access to that could interest the kids was auto racing.  I called Joe Wells and Ron Drager for permission to bring the kids into the garage at Daytona and it just seemed to take off from there.”   The children are given a personal tour of the garage area by McCormick and are granted access to the cars and drivers that most race fans can only dream of.  The children also get to experience Daytona USA and are treated with racing souvenirs.  McCormick is quick to praise ARCA Series owner Andy Belmont for his assistance over the years.  “Andy has been great in helping with the kids,” remarked a grateful McCormick “this year Andy and Tom Lee of Lee and Cates Glass in Jacksonville are preparing lunch for the kids.  Andy is also providing them with hats, T-shirts and other racing memorabilia.  It really give you a great feeling to see how excited the kids get while talking with the drivers and looking at the cars.  You can really see the magic of Christmas in their eyes.”

“I experienced some pretty hard financial times while growing up in Westside” stated McCormick “I just want to do something to help these kids that are also caught up in some pretty hard times.” McCormick is a product of Jacksonville, Florida’s rough and tumble blue-collar neighborhood of Westside.  “I’ve had to struggle throughout my racing career for funding.  I sure as heck didn’t grow up with money,” remarked McCormick “but I have been blessed with some great friends in ARCA.   I wanted to use the connections that I have established to make sure that these disadvantaged kids get just a little break in life.  They already have the deck stacked against them and I hope I can do just a small bit to help even the odds.”  McCormick’s Westside neighborhood has seen a few of its residents overcome the odds, including the members of the seminal southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd and the late NASCAR racing icon Lee Roy Yarbrough.

The Florida Baptist Children’s Home was founded in 1901 in Arcadia, Florida by the Florida Baptist Convention to provide services for children that are victims of abuse, abandonment or neglect..  The Florida Baptist Children’s Home provides residential care, emergency care, foster care and adoption services in locations throughout the state of Florida. During 2008, they were able to provide assistance to over 5,000 children and families.  For 2009, they are hoping to increase the number aided to over 6,000.  If you would like to help this worthwhile cause, please visit their website at www.fbchomes.org.