2020 Racing For A Cure
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When:
Wednesday, October 21st, 2020
Where:
Monticello Motor Club, Monticello, NY
Presented By:
Hotaling Insurance Services
Benefiting:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Total Raised:
$225,746
Connect With Our Racing Committee Members!
- Brian Kaminskey* – NEBR
- Rob Catalanotto – NEBR
- Pete Spinella – One 11 Competition
- * Kids for Kids Founder & Board Member
This year’s Racing For A Cure event was an absolute blast and a gave a big boost to our fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Thank you to the Sponsors, Attendees, Donors, Volunteers, Committee Members, and everyone involved. You are what make events like these and the work we do possible.
A Day of High-Adrenaline Racing
In just it’s third year at the Monticello Motor Club, our Racing For A Cure Event has attracted support from participants across the Tri-State as it is one of our most unique and exclusive experiences. We had five teams of 10 racers each supplied with a BMW and MINI Cooper at various stations including a drag race, rat race, slalom, autocross sprint and more. In addition to the main track competitions, guests enjoyed off-roading with MMC’s Polaris RZR ATVs and going head-to-head on the karting track. A special addition to this event came as a benefit of the pandemic in which members of our Kids for Kids Junior Committee and Monticello’s Varsity Track Team were able to represent and show off their skills. Brian Kaminskey Jr., Johnny Kaminskey and Luke Kaminskey, joined by Avery Caiola, Massimo Risi, Jacob Naclerio, Bridjet and Colin Duffy, combined their own passion for racing with fundraising and collected over $1,700 in donations from their head to head challenges with our guests.
Before the day was done, a few lucky attendees got to experience the track at race speeds courtesy of Brian Kaminskey, Pete Spinella and the One 11 Competition Ferrari Racing Team. Pete and his crew prepped four awesome Ferrari Challenge Cars along with an extremely rare Ferrari Enzo FXX generously donated to the event by friend of Kids for Kids and member of the One 11 Competition Ferrari Racing Team, Alfred Caiola of Caiola Real Estate Group. Alfred is a dedicated supporter of Kids for Kids and our partnership with St. Jude. He was happy to share in this experience with his son Avery who is closely following in his footsteps both on the race track and in philanthropy. Alfred had this to say about the ultimate message of the day at Monticello:
A Winning Team of Sponsors
We are incredibly thankful to all of our Sponsors at this year’s Racing For A Cure Event. Our Presenting Sponsor Bobby Hotaling of Hotaling Insurance Services who made his commitment early on in the year remained steadfast in his desire to see this event be a tremendous success. Even during the height of the pandemic when our racing event faced continual postponements, Bobby and his team raised $10,000 in support of Kids for Kids and St. Jude in giving one special employee a haircut! We saw some very creative fundraising come from being quarantined and this one took 1st Place! Click Here to check out this fun video on our YouTube Channel and subscribe while you’re there!
With Bobby’s support and the leadership of Brian Kaminskey, Kids for Kids Founder & Board Member, this event was bound to sell out and surpass all expectations! Brian, Rob, and Pete hit our fundraising goals at full speed recruiting an amazing lineup of sponsors and filling all 50 Racing Seats for the day. Our Gold Sponsors for the day are true heroes of Kids for Kids and St. Jude, Alfred Caiola of Caiola Real Estate Group, Ryan Dempsey of East End Group, and Brian Kaminskey of NEBR & Kamin Motor Group. Silver Sponsors included Soojin Kim & Alexis Greene of Experience Auto Group and Jimmy John’s Jimmy Liautaud. The support did not stop there as all meals, beverages, and areas of the course were each sponsored by both longtime supporters and brand new donors. The main event space of Monticello’s Collector Car Gallery was a setting that provided guests with the most unique meals. Attendees enjoyed breakfast and dinner alongside Ferraris, Porches and more top-of-the line automobiles. Our Breakfast Sponsors included Bob Giambalvo from Giambalvo, Stalzer & Co., and Andrew Perry of UBS. And Dinner was sponsored by Hattie & Wayne Rollins from DPF Regeneration and JT Scheriff of BDO. Kids for Kids Supporter and Brian Kaminskey’s fellow Ferrari Racing Teammate, Peter Castellana of Western Beef Racing, was recognized as our Beverage Sponsor while also heating up the track as one of our drivers for our Hot Laps taking place after the team competitions. Cate Moran and ABM Aviation sponsored the Karting Track while Albert Sotomayor of Evolve Graphics and Sara Shabana of BDC Builder Automotive supported as our Pit Lane Sponsors. Thank you to all of our incredible, caring Sponsors mentioned above – this event would not have been possible with each of them.
Winners, Awards & Memories
Throughout the day our participants in their five racing teams competed in different skill and speed-based competitions, they were scored and ranked independently and as a team to win some fun prizes. Special thanks to our Trophy Sponsor, Morgan Duffy of Hayden Wood Insurance and Hayden Wood Racing. Our Overall Top 3 Teams were ranked with the Silver Team placing 3rd for the Bronze Medals. Racers included Anthony Giallanzo, Ann Durban, Jose Abreu, Tommy Brunton, Frank Scire, Todd Marcus, and Brian Kaminskey Jr. Placing in 2nd for the Silver Medals was the Green Team with Brad Gruber, Ryan Dempsey, Joseph Capone, James Funfgeld, James Rosa, and Andrew Ferrera. And finally, our 1st Place Overall Top Team on the day was the Red Team led by the our MVP Rudin Pistoli and included Bob Giambalvo, Larry Giambalvo, Vinny Vesce, Albert Sotomayor, Denis Xhari, Marcelo Renzi, Nail Capri, Steve Palladino, Bledar Karafili, and Avery Caiola. In addition to the MVP Award, we recognized several racers for their skills.. or lack there of! Taking home the Darwin Award, meaning he would do what it took to win on the track was Joseph Capone of Total Fire Protection. Watch out for Brad Gruber on the road, he won Most Likely to Get a Moving Violation. Alternatively, Steve Kaminskey Sr., father of Brian Kaminskey and grandfather to Brian Jr. and Johnny, took his time on the track which is something his son and grandsons seem to have not inherited! He won the Least Likely to Get a Speeding Ticket Award and Morgan Duffy took home the Cone Killer Award as he racked up the most cones throughout the course. The award we appreciate most went to the Hass Salame as the Workers’ Choice Award for his enthusiasm and excitement for every competition in the day. It was Hass’ first time joining us for the event and we are sure he will be earning some more accolades in the events to come!
The Best Prize Of All
Reflecting on this event and his immense passion for supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Brian Kaminskey shared the following message with our team and supporters. Our Kids for Kids Family is grateful for the Kaminskey’s and all that they do for this event, the Junior Committee and all year round.
“Racing For A Cure represents the true spirit of The Kids for Kids Foundation. The Kids for Kids Foundation was built on bringing great people together to raise money for organizations that support children and families struggling with medical challenges. Our goal has always been to inspire the next generation of humanitarians. It’s an amazing feeling when you set out to inspire the next generation and the next generation ends up inspiring you!
Not only did the Junior Committee and Monticello Varsity Racing Team have a chance to share their passion of racing with so many generous Donors and Sponsors, but they had a chance to showcase their skills, bring awareness, and raise money for the children of St. Jude. I believe that passion is the fuel to success! Racing For A Cure is a great example of pursuing your passions to inspire and help others. Our passion for charity, cars and inspiring others made this event such a great success.
Being part of Kids For Kids, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing so many great events and achievements. I have to say the greatest achievement for me personally is watching the next generation ‘our children’ share our passion of giving back and compassion for others. I’m so proud of my sons, our Junior Committee and thankful for everyone that made this day possible. Together we look forward to the continued success of Kids for Kids and the Junior Committee.”
Get Involved
The best part is donations towards this event are still coming in! If you’d like to help the children and families seeking care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, please donate here. And don’t forget to share this link with others in your network. Your donations are what empower us to support St. Jude and ensure the children there get the medical care they desperately need. Without your kindness, this would not be possible.
Looking to participate in next year’s Racing for a Cure? Let us know you’re interested in attending and sign up for updates here, and be sure to keep an eye out for other upcoming Kids for Kids events and fundraisers.
