HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses served as title sponsor for The Bobby Labonte Foundation’s Charity Bike Ride here in September, helping to raise $50,000 for three local nonprofit organizations.

This year’s events included a “Bicycle Art Meets Form” gallery exhibit at Theater Art, a VIP ride and luncheon, and an evening silent auction and cocktail party, in addition to the Charity Bike Ride, which included 40-kilometer, 60-kilometer, and 100-kilometer options. More than 250 cyclists participated in the event.

“We are proud to welcome Thomas Built Buses to the Bobby Labonte Foundation’s Charity Bike Ride this year,” said Bobby Labonte, NASCAR champion racecar driver and High Point businessman. “The company’s focus and the employees’ personal commitment to the community are inspiring. We are really excited to have a partner to work alongside us in doing something great. It’s the bicycle that brings us all together, but this is really about helping people right here in our hometown.”

All of the proceeds from the events will fund grants for High Point LEAP; Millis Regional Health Education Center; and Ready for School, Ready for Life.

High Point LEAP strives to empower children from early literacy through 12th grade who are living in poverty to succeed academically while developing skills to become 21st century leaders, and to strengthen their families through literacy programs and educational resources.

Millis Regional Health Education Center is a nonprofit regional health education center that seeks to teach students, church groups, local organizations, and individuals in the community about the human body and how to keep themselves healthy. The foundation grant will be used to purchase new exercise bicycles for the center’s Wellness Discovery Room to help address childhood obesity.

Ready for School, Ready for Life is tasked with building a connected, innovative early childhood system of care to help improve healthy development of children and their families. Today, no such system exists and, as a result, only 45% of Guilford County children arrive in kindergarten ready for school. Ready for School, Ready for Life will use the Bobby Labonte Foundation contribution to advance its early literacy strategy in High Point through active reading training, book distribution, and expansion of the LENA Start program, which helps parents develop interactive talking habits with their children.

In addition to the main events, Thomas Built Buses built 30 bicycles and distributed them to the local YMCA of High Point and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point. Representatives from Thomas Built Buses and the Bobby Labonte Foundation distributed the bikes and visited with organization youth to discuss the benefits of health and wellness.

“The families of the High Point community are very important us,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “Over the past 100 years, the town of High Point has been instrumental in our growth and success. As a member of this community, we are privileged to be able to give back a portion of what has been given to us. We are honored to partner with the Bobby Labonte Foundation’s Charity Bike Ride this year and to support families in our area.”

During a reception at the Briles House in High Point on Nov. 5, Bobby and Kristin Labonte presented representatives from the nonprofits with their share of the proceeds from the charity bike ride.

The Bobby Labonte Foundation’s Charity Bike Ride began in 2011 to advance the foundation’s mission to support children and families in the Triad area. This is the first year Thomas Built Buses has joined the event as the title sponsor.

To find out more about the 2018 Bobby Labonte Foundation Charity Bike Ride, visit bobbylabontefoundation.org.