 Racing
for the Rainbow
Children's Charity
by Nika
of racerchicks.com
On
occasion after the rain stops and the mist
hangs low in the air, we are treated to an
arch of colors illuminating the sky. But many
children, due to physical or mental
disabilities, will never get the chance to see
such natural beauty. Their lives are filled
with rainstorms instead of rainbows; arduous
challenges instead of satisfying achievements.
Racing for the Rainbow is trying to change
that. Established last year by Gary
Christopher & Associates, the We Make A
Difference Foundation’s major goals are to
raise the quality of life for chronically ill
or disabled children through educational
activities and provide opportunities to help
children raise their self esteem. The
Foundation works with three charities to reach
those goals—the Rainbow Babies &
Children’s Hospital (Cleveland, Ohio), the
NFL Alumni Association (Cleveland Chapter) and
the Northern Mariana Sports Challenge and is
constantly expanding so local event hospitals
and associations can benefit as well.
 So,
what kind of a difference can be made in just
a year? A year can transform a dream into a
tangible program that will make a difference
in the lives of children everywhere. When told
about a woman who had to sell candy bars to
raise funds for her son’s treatment, Gary
Christopher was motivated to somehow make a
difference. Today, Racing for the Rainbow is
the official charity of the Speedvision World
Challenge and uses motorsports to bring
awareness to the issues of our disadvantaged
children. “We’re proud to be a supporter
of the We Make A Difference Foundation, and,
specifically, their initial charitable
event—the Racing for the Rainbow raffle,”
said Mitch Wright, Speedvision World Challenge
General Manager. “Helping children is
something everyone can get behind. The We Make
A Difference Foundation is set up to do just
that—help kids.”
Speaking
with the 2000 World Challenge Driver’s
Champion, Michael Galati, we asked why he felt
this charity is worthy of his support. “As a
father myself,” he said with pride in his
eyes, “Racing for the Rainbow gives me the 
opportunity to help children.” In true racer
fashion he added, “I hope to steer them in
the right direction – to show them hard
work, honesty and staying focused on the right
track is a way for them to succeed, no matter
what obstacles are in their way.” In a
racing career that has spanned more than 13
years, Michael has won many championships and
has finished in the top three positions more
than 90% of the time. Michael has shown by
example that goals can be achieved through
hard work and dedication.
Racer
Shauna Marinus also spends her time as a
spokesperson for Racing for the Rainbow.
"After seeing the commitment and
dedication Gary Christopher has and his level
of involvement in the Make a Difference
Foundation I felt honored to be a part of
it.” Shauna is racing in both the Touring
Class of Speedvision World Challenge and in
the SCCA Nationals in a Tri-Point Engineering
Mazda Protégé for TC Kline Racing. This
doesn’t leave her with much free time. “ I
do what I can to support it and raise money
for the cause and I truly enjoy spending time
with the kids. The look on their faces when
they sit in race cars is truly
priceless." Shauna first encountered such
a sight after a group of children were guests
of Racing for the Rainbow at the San Diego
Grand Prix a program Gary would like to see
expanded to other events.
With
Racing for the Rainbow being fresh and young
– the slate is clean for developing
wonderful programs for today’s children.
Programs include scholarships, youth race
teams and an educational and interactive
website. “We can make a difference whether
as a person or corporation, we can brings
kid’s issues to the forefront – give self
esteem back to the kids of today” said Gary
Christopher. Sponsors for Racing for the
Rainbow so far include companies such as Tops
Friendly Markets, Stoddard Porsche and Pepsi
Co. “Although (sponsorship) allows us to
operate this highly successful program there
is so much more than can be done.” The
monies raised through raffles, shirt sales and
general donations go to where the impact
greatly affects the children involved.
Recently children in a local hospital
rehabilitation department were treated to a
“toyfest” with play items chosen
especially by the physical therapists that
work there.
 Probably
the most famous ambassador for the Racing for
the Rainbow is Jessie the wonder dog. This
Lab-mix was picked up from the local pound
only to have a brush with the deadly Parvo-virus
10 days later. She survived and is now one of
the most respected certified therapy dogs in
the program. This barksperson can be seen
bringing joy and amusement whether at the
local hospital or racetrack. “This is
something we’d like to investigate
further,” Gary said. “It takes 2 years of
training for a therapy dog to be certified –
but the rewards are worth it. We hope we can
get the charity more involved in this area”.
Where
is Racing for the Rainbow headed for in the
future? Well, the “sky’s the limit,”
said Gary. And indeed, where else would you
look for a rainbow?
For
more information on how you can be a part of
Racing for the Rainbow Foundation feel free to
contact www.racingfortherainbow.com
or Gary Christopher at 440-933-7258
For
comments, feedback and just plain greetings,
feel free to e-mail me at nika@racerchicks.com
or AOL IM "racernika"
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