Semper Fi RACING

http://semperfictf.org/

Community Task Force

Mission Statement

To lend support to meet existing and emerging needs of the local community through volunteering time and talent. Our focus is the Tennessee Valley community, military veterans of all Services and their families. We honor and support citizens who protect our country.

SFCTF History

• In 2006, a small group of Marines, some retired, active and reserve, got together in Huntsville, Alabama. These veterans had a deep desire to continue being of service to their country after having honorably served their nation in the military and formulated a plan to be of service to the Tennessee Valley/ Northern Alabama community.

• Today, the Semper Fi Community Task Force (SFCTF) has grown into a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization composed of dedicated representatives from all services, their families, and community friends. SFCTF members apply the core values of courage, honor, and commitment practiced during their military service into their community through volunteerism. SFCTF members give back to the community through a long list of endeavors which includes, but is not limited to: tornado/ disaster recovery, youth mentoring, support to JROTC and Young Marines programs, family readiness support to local reserve units, limited financial aid, job placement for veterans including resume writing and distribution, and in certain cases, veteran home repairs. Our members also donate their time and talents to other service organizations such as local churches, civic organizations, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the United Way.

• SFCTF also acts as a conduit for companies, civic organizations, community groups, local churches, and individual citizens who want to use their resources to support wounded warriors and active duty military families.

New venture for 2016

• Quarter Midget Racing for children of deceased or wounded veterans …...our Fallen Warriors and Wounded Warriors

What is Quarter Midget Racing?

Quarter Midgets is Racing for Kids!!

What kind of cars are the kids using?

• Quarter Midgets have been around since shortly after WWII. The name comes from the fact that the cars are ¼ the size of a Midget race car and the tracks are ¼ the size of big car tracks at 1/20th of a mile. Midget race cars are open wheel race cars that originated in America in the 1930s. There are close to one hundred tracks located across America. At right is a picture of one of the Quarter Midgets going together in the Semper Fi Racing shop. As you can see the kids are well protected inside a high strength steel roll cage.

Quarter Midgets of America Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyraRN0LBCY

USAC Quarter Midget Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riEpOW-ONlA

Who will be racing?

This season we will sponsor two Gold Star children. Gold Star kids are children of Armed Forces members killed in combat.

As the program grows we will add more children of either Fallen or Wounded Warriors.

Where will they race?

Huntsville Quarter Midget Association (HQMA) Facility4275 East Schrimsher Lane

Huntsville, AL

What will they need?

The Semper Fi racing team is soliciting donations to fund racing for at least two children this season. While Quarter Midget racing is one of the least expensive forms of motor racing, there will be costs associated with needed equipment and fees.

Fees are paid by each racer to the sanctioning body, USAC and the family must also join HQMA.

The kids really need to have their own safety equipment such as driving suit, gloves, helmet, and neck and arm restraints. It's usually best for each driver to have their own radio in the car. Each driver will need a couple of sets of tires for the season and of course a few things will get bent and need to be replaced during a season.

Why do they need help?• Quarter Midget racing is not a drop your kid off kind of sport.

• Unlike baseball or soccer a child can’t just show up with a ball or glove and play while mom or dad goes off to the grocery store.

• Quarter Midget racing takes a commitment from mom, dad, grandparents, or somebody willing to work all day on race days. Also, someone has to commit to taking care of and prepping the race car each week.

• On race days, the cars must be loaded on a trailer and transported to the track. All of this takes several people.

• These children have either lost a parent that could have performed these functions or have a parent with physical limitations on their ability to perform these functions.

Who will do the work?

We have volunteers from the HQMA community that will prepare the cars each week and have them at the track for the kids.

Why should we do this?

• Kid's racing is fun. Quarter Midget racing is a blast and the benefits are virtually immeasurable. It's a family sport - all races are staffed and run by family volunteers from local tracks. Drivers develop physical skills such as coordination, timing, alertness and basic mechanical theory. Internal strength is developed through sportsmanship, self-reliance, accomplishment and recognition. Most importantly - it's just plain fun.

What is the goal of

• Give back to the sport, to the community, and to service members

• Give Gold Star kids as well as wounded warrior kids the opportunity to participate in a sport that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to with no cost to the family.

• Let these kids have some fun!!

Semper Fi RACINGCommunity Task Force

What will provide for the racer?

Our plan is to provide everything necessary for a child to go racing

• Provide a training car, all necessary equipment, and time on the track

• Teach the child about safety in a race car

• Teach racing procedures, entry and exit to the track, flags, lining up, starting a race, and restarting a race.

• Provide a volunteer pit crew to do anything that the parent is not capable of doing

• Provide a race car for 6 novice races.

• Provide a car and engine capable of competing in the age and weight appropriate class.

• Provide place and volunteers to work on the car between races

• Transport the cars to and from the race track

• Teach good sportsmanship

• Teach the child how to work on the car

• Have fun!

Semper Fi RACINGCommunity Task Force

How do we do that?

• The SFCTF racing team is currently building cars for two children to compete in the novice class during the 2016 HQMA season.

• We have two Gold Star kids that are currently training for the upcoming season. They will practice the cars this winter and be ready to race when the season opens in March of 2016.

What is the vision for the future?

• Ideally we would like to have four or five race cars for Gold Star or Wounded Warrior children

• We would like to have each of these cars painted (wrapped) in a theme corresponding to the major branches of the military services.

• Semper Fi Task Force and or the child can pick whatever theme they want on the car.

• As the project grows we would like to see the cars all arrive at the race track in a trailer with Semper Fi Community Task Force Racing for Gold Star and Wounded Warrior kids lettering along with sponsors logos.

To Donate

• Make a check payable to “Semper Fi Community Task Force”

• On the memo line of the check, please indicate :

“Donation for Semper Fi Quarter Midget Racing”

• Please mail your check to:

Semper Fi Community Task ForceP.O. Box 1061 Madison, AL 35758-5419

• All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged and are tax deductible

Thank You!

Thanks for helping these kids. As Americans, we all owe a debt to our fallen and wounded warriors. What better way to say thank you than by doing something that brings joy to their children!