(Photo credit: Homestead-Miami Speedway)
Homestead-Miami Speedway celebrated the gift of giving this holiday season, as the championship track delivered presents to Patches nursing center in Florida City and to the Speediatrics unit at Homestead Hospital — a tradition that began in 2007.
In the 10th anniversary of the holiday toy delivery, the Speedway brought Santa Claus to each of the facilities to gift the wrapped presents to pediatric patients.
The Speedway staff and Santa Claus’ first stop in town was to Patches, a non-profit organization, which serves children with medical needs such as pulmonary management, medication and growth and development issues. Homestead-Miami Speedway donated more than 75 gifts to the children who ranged in age from newborns to teenagers.
From the nursing center, Santa then headed to Homestead Hospital where he interacted with children in the Speediatrics unit, also known as the Betty Jane France Children’s Emergency Center. The Speediatrics unit is the only emergency center in South Miami-Dade County dedicated to children. At the unit, the children were given teddy bears and gift cards by Santa.
The gifts delivered to the two facilities were donated by Homestead-Miami Speedway’s charitable arm, Driving for a Cause.
“With every opportunity we have, we look to give back to those who need it the most, especially those in our own backyard,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway president Matthew Becherer. “While we have the pleasure of crowning NASCAR champions at Ford Championship Weekend each November, there is still nothing like putting a smile on a child’s face during the holidays.”
