Getty Bobby Labonte has continued to show support for children in need.
Bobby Labonte has kicked off the holiday season in a special way. The NASCAR Hall of Famer partnered with Herbalife for a huge charitable donation in North Carolina.
On November 17, the Bobby Labonte Foundation and Herbalife teamed up to build 60 bicycles for the YWCA of Winston-Salem. They donated these new bikes to YWCA’s Best Choice Learning Center and included helmets and bike safety lessons, courtesy of Brenner Children’s Hospital.
To add to the special event, the Bobby Labonte Foundation and Herbalife donated two oversized checks for $10,000 each. Both went to YWCA’s Best Choice Learning Center, which provides “K-8 academic enrichment and need-based scholarships along with nutrition education, healthy snacks, and hot meals.”
“My foundation works in partnership with the local community and community organizations to empower parents, families, and children to build a strong foundation for their futures. Encouraging kids to live a healthy lifestyle is one way to do that,” Labonte said in a press release.
“We are so grateful for partners like Herbalife who help make our efforts possible. They were excited to pitch in to support the Best Choice Learning Center too, which is an invaluable resource for so many families in our community.”
This Donation Continued an Annual Tradition
GettyBobby Labonte speaks during the Hall of Fame ceremony.
Labonte and his wife Kristin, a national champion cyclist, have put their love of cycling on display throughout the years. They have also helped pass on this love through annual donations to children in need.
The Labonte’s and their Foundation have donated scores of bikes to children in need over the years. 2022 is only the latest example as the couple helped promote an active lifestyle while continuing to show support for the Best Choice Learning Center.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Sports Medicine and @brennerhospital had the privilege of participating in the @BLabFoundation Bike Build at the @SalvationArmyUS Boys and Girls Club in Winston-Salem where kids received new helmets and bikes!
“Today has been an awesome day for the Best Choice Learning Center,” said Marilyn Odom, vice president of youth services at YWCA of Winston-Salem. “We are so appreciative of the Bobby Labonte Foundation and Herbalife’s donations of bikes and helmets, plus the $20,000 financial gift.
“These funds will enable us to continue to help children, while the bikes will help them stay active. We’ve also learned the importance of bike safety, and we are so happy about all of it.”
Labonte’s Foundation Has Also Held Other Charity Events
The bike builds are not the only way that the Bobby Labonte Foundation has pursued its mission. There have also been numerous charity bike rides that have taken place in the heart of North Carolina.
The Bobby Labonte Foundation charity bike ride began in 2011 with the goal of raising money for local charities in the Triad area — High Point, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. The annual event continued every year until 2020 when it had a hiatus due to COVID-19.
The ride returned in 2021 with a new route. The participants began in High Point and they rode all the way to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem. The 282 riders finished by taking a lap around the historic short track, which helped bring Labonte’s love of cycling and motorsports together.
“Hosting my foundation’s annual charity bike ride at Bowman Gray Stadium is a natural fit for us, and such an exciting one, too,” Labonte said in a 2021 press release. “I drove in my first modified race there in 2019 and couldn’t wait to return. Now, we get to welcome a new community to our effort, and we know both casual and serious cyclists will really enjoy the Roubaix-style finishing lap we have planned.”