The Catskill Chronicle

MONTICELLO, NY (June 29, 2012) – On May 19 and 20, Guardian Angel Motorsports (GAM) and Monticello Motor Club (MMC) joined forces recently to host the Inaugural GAM/MMC Charity Gala and Performance Driving Experience, raising over $100,000 to support GAM’s Kids In Need, the Saving Teens Collaborative and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Seventeen drivers opened their hearts and their wallets, participating in two days of spirited driving on MMC’s world-class 4-mile circuit. The event also included a 5-star dinner and charity auction. In return for hosting the event, MMC had the honor of selecting a local not-for-profit organization to receive a portion of the funds raised to help disadvantaged children in the community.

Monticello Motor Club directed the $18,500 donation to help provide at-risk Sullivan County youth access to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts’ free school programs, including transportation and lunch.

“We were thrilled to be a part of this incredible event and look forward to many more in the future,” said Ari Straus, President of MMC. “Through the generosity of our members and the dedication of GAM, disadvantaged local kids right here in Sullivan County will benefit from the arts and history programs available Bethel Woods.”

MMC members Bruce and Linda Ledoux co-founded Guardian Angel Motorsports after discovering their child had a unique genetic disorder just over three years ago. GAM, a 501c3, has evolved into a team of like-minded people who share a passion for motorsports and devotion to help kids in need, raising  hundreds of thousands of dollars for individual families, as well as children’s charities including Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, Franciscan Hospital Boston,  Cops for Kids, Saving Teens, Starlight Foundation, Angel Flight, and many others.

Mike Kerouac, President of Guardian Angel Motorsports and also an MMC member stated, "We are honored and privileged to have such a strong partner in Monticello Motor Club. The generosity and support they provided as co-host of this event was simply tremendous. We all share a passion for motorsports, but most of all we recognize the opportunity to give back to our communities by helping the many challenged kids that struggle coping with the everyday world."

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit performing arts center and museum at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel, New York. As a public charity, donations and grants enable Bethel Woods to offer scores of affordable educational and community programs to 40,000 people annually, including musical performances, lectures and films, interactive arts activities for children and their families and curriculum-based educational programs. This can only be accomplished with support from charitable organizations, community members and businesses such as MMC and GAM.

“We are grateful to Guardian Angel Motorsports and to Monticello Motor Club for this marvelous contribution and for recognizing Bethel Woods’ commitment to engaging people in the arts and civic life,” said Bethel Woods CEO Darlene Fedun. “This gift will assist us in introducing even more of our county’s young people to cultural opportunities designed to improve their abilities to succeed academically, socially and economically – all contributing to the vibrancy of our community.”