Jimmie Johnson Foundation news 2010-10-07

Jimmie Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament Presented by Lowe's Raises More Than $525,000
Becomes charity's 4th-consecutive year hitting half-million dollar mark

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 7, 2010) -- The fourth-annual Jimmie Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament and Dinner Auction raised more than $525,000, the fourth-consecutive year that the charity has surpassed the half-million dollar mark.

All proceeds from the event will stay in the San Diego area to fund the 2010 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's Toolbox for Education Champions Grants, which range from $25,000-$100,000.

NASCAR drivers Kevin Harvick, Brian Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya, Boris Said and Casey Mears, along with former NFL player Jason Sehorn and IRL driver Oriol Servia, joined more than 150 guests for Wednesday's golf tournament at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego.

A dinner and live auction were held the previous evening with students from area schools displaying projects and supplies that were purchased through the 2009 Champions Grants.

"Once again we were amazed at how everyone stepped up and made this year's event a huge success. We had a record breaking number of guests at our dinner last night who were involved on every level," said Jimmie Johnson, the current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader. "Having the chance to hear from the students who received funding from last year's grants affirms our commitment to education."

The Johnsons started the week with a visit to Emerald STEM Magnet Middle School in El Cajon, Calif., Johnson's hometown. Students gave them a behind-the-scenes look at a STEM lab built with a $100,000 donation from the 2009 Champions Grants.

"Emerald had a grand idea to become a STEM science, technology, engineering and math middle school," explained Emerald Middle School principal Kathy Skube. "Technology is tremendously expensive and this is the worst budget times that we've ever seen. Through Chandra and Jimmie's generosity, we were able to create our two CAD STEM labs. And while we still have a long way to go, the foundation's kindness was able to springboard our students, our staff and our community around 21st-century education for our students."

In addition, Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's Toolbox for Education Champions Grants will be awarded to schools in North Carolina and Oklahoma -- where the Johnsons live and Chandra Johnson's home state. Funding for those grants will be determined through other foundation initiatives.

Applications for grants in eligible school districts in California, North Carolina and Oklahoma are being accepted through Fri., Oct. 15. For more information, visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org.

-source: jjf