Community

The Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation is a non-profit organization with the goal of “improving the lives of children in Martinsville and Henry County, Virginia.

Founded in 2001, the Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation operates separately and independent of Martinsville Speedway. The speedway’s only involvement with the organization is in a fund-raising capacity.

“The children of our community are the future of our community,” said Martinsville Speedway president W. Clay Campbell. “Anything that any of us can do to help improve the lives of our young people will make everyone’s life better down the road.”

The Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation was the idea of Campbell and his wife Kim. They were looking for a way for the Speedway to help reach out to help the less fortunate youngsters in the Martinsville and Henry County area.

The missision statement of the foundation is: Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation is a non-profit foundation directing its efforts toward helping children in need. The foundation raises funds through donations and events to be distributed to other non-profit children’s organizations or special projects. The organization is committed to improving the lives of Children in Martinsville and Henry County, Va.

A three-member, independent board of directors oversees the Martinsville Speedway Children’s Foundation.

Martinsville Speedway is proud of its long involvement in the Martinsville and Henry County community.

Following are a few of the things the track and its staff do in partnership with the community:

Independence Day Celebration: Martinsville Speedway partners with many area businesses and local governments to produce an evening of free entertainment for the people of the area. The event includes a dozen carnival-type rides for children, a regional musical act, and a national act. The event concludes with a half-hour fireworks display.

This year the speedway and the Henry County-Martinsville United Way is partnering in a food drive during Celebration.

Christmas Toy Drive: The speedway and the Grace Network work together on a toy drive at the track in early December. Thousands of toys and many more thousands of dollars have been raised over the years.

After-Prom Party: Martinsville Speedway’s infield area is the site for Martinsville High School’s after-prom party, providing a safe, secure area for the event, that has grown in popularity with the student body.

Involvement with Martinsville Music Department: For several years the Speedway has worked with the high school’s music department through band director Kevin Lewis to involve the school’s bands with the track. Most every year one of the bands plays in prerace for at least one of the track’s races.

Martinsville High School Booster Club: The Martinsville High School Booster Club helps with event-weekend parking as a fundraiser.

March Of Dimes Annual Walk: The Speedway hosts the MDA’s local fund-raising walk each spring.

SPCA Walk: The Speedway this spring hosted for the first time a walk to raise money for the Martinsville-Henry County SPCA.

Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class: The Speedway traditionally hosts and leads the first session of the Martinsville and Henry County Chamber of Commerce’s leadership class.

YMCA Walk: The Martinsville-Henry County YMCA hosts a walk each summer to raise funds for children’s programs.

Red Cross Blood Drive : Every September the Red Cross hosts a blood drive in the infield at the speedway.