Geving and fellow students cap community service project trip to New Orleans a true “success”

PENNGROVE, CA (2-22- 09) – Northern California Sprint Car Champion Alissa Geving, 17, of Penngrove has returned home with her fellow students following a community service project in New Orleans that was capped off as a true “success” and described as “life changing” by those who participated.

In the days that Geving and her colleagues from Ursuline and Cardinal Newman High School spent donating their time in the city that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, the group donated their time, assisting with the ongoing rebuilding effort that continues in the region. Not only did the group spend plenty of time trading their pencils in for paint brushes and various tools of construction, they also took time to visit with many children. Children who’s lives have been changed forever after losing everything, including friends and loved ones.

Hurricane Katrina is known as the costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. It caused severe destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas The most severe loss of life and property damage occurred in New Orleans.The storm is estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion dollars in damage, making it the costliest tropical cyclone in U.S. history. Efforts to rebuild the region continue today and it is the efforts of many charitable organizations and volunteer groups that are making progress in assisting residents in getting back to a normal way of life.

Titling their project, “Gold Coast to the Gulf Coast” Geving and her fellow student spent the last several months collecting donations and holding fundraisers to make the trip, a community based Senior Service Project that included Cardinal Newman students Pugs Brown, Jacob Gowan and Justin Gleason along with Ursuline High School’s Alyssa Ramazotti and Geving.

“This trip has been phenomenal, and it couldn't have happened without such a wonderful group of leaders to guide me and everyone who contributed to getting us to New Orleans. This trip is life changing without a doubt,” said Geving, who was touched particularly by a young girl whom she met in the late stages of her trip.”

While visiting the Cathedral Academy in the French Quarter, the service group donated goodie bags they had created the night before to some 38 children in the class. It was during this segment of the trip that Geving realized first hand how many lives in New Orleans were changed forever and witnessed true courage and compassion from youngsters who lost everything, some of them even lost loved ones.

“I met a lot of great children but one really bonded with me,” said Geving. “She and I persisted through her homework in an empty room while every other child was playing outside with the rest of the group. She told me her story, and right then and there was when I could finally put everything into perspective. I realized that these children suffered extremely and you never would have guessed that by looking at them.”

During her 17 years, Geving has experienced what most of us have had in life. She has a mother and father at home who fully support her dreams and endeavors, a 4.0 grade average at a well known school and lives in community that is considered safe and desirable where she is surrounded by great relatives and friends. During his recent community service trip all of the students witnessed true devastation. They saw piles of rubble that were once homes that housed children, families and seniors. They met individuals that endured the pain and suffering of the devastating storm and others that were true heroes at the time of need, such as fireman and public safety representatives. In the end the group learned how great life can be for many of us and at the same time, how others lack many of the life luxuries we possess, yet can still don a smile and show compassion for the one thing maintain – life.

“I want to thank each and every person and business that donated to this effort,” said Geving. “All of us are very grateful for the contributions that made this project possible and made it a true success. Like I said, this was a life changing event for all of us and we will never forget this experience. At the same time, I know the little time we spent there we made a difference in the lives of others and we can surely appreciate the lives we live day to day. Thank you to everyone helped us accomplish this goal.”

Now that she has returned from her charitable trip to New Orleans, Geving will focus on completing her senior year at Ursuline High School and begin her third full season of sprint car racing with appearances at Petaluma Speedway, the Civil War Sprint Car Series and the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series. Geving is expected to return to the weekly All Pro Series at her home track while visiting select events in the Civil War Series and the Golden State Challenge while juggling hr busy schedule as she sets her sights on college in the later months of the season. To view a blog of Geving’s trip to New Orleans and read the daily comments from all of the students visit the Santa Rosa Press Democrat Newspaper blog at www.pressdemocrat.com.

Off track; sprint champion Alissa Geving bound for New Orleans to assist with hurricane relief efforts

By Bill Sullivan

PETALUMA, CA (2-1-09) – While many people assume that race car drivers do nothing but think, eat and breath the sport of racing, such is not the case. Many of today’s top talents spend a good portion of their time helping others and volunteering for various charitable efforts. Recently crowned Petaluma Speedway champion Alissa Geving, 17, of Penngrove, California is no exception to such traits. Later this month, Geving will leaving her helmet here in California as she travels to New Orleans to contribute to the ongoing relief efforts of Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States. It caused severe destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas The most severe loss of life and property damage occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana, which flooded as the levee system catastrophically failed, in many cases hours after the storm had moved inland. The federal flood protection system in New Orleans failed at more than fifty places. Nearly every levee in metro New Orleans was breached as Hurricane Katrina passed just east of the city limits. Eventually 80% of the city became flooded and also large tracts of neighboring parishes, and the floodwaters lingered for weeks. At least 1,836 people lost their lives in the actual hurricane and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. The storm is estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion dollars in damage, making it the costliest tropical cyclone in U.S. history. Efforts to rebuild the region continue today and it is the efforts of many charitable organizations and volunteer groups.

Later this month Geving will travel to New Orleans with four fellow classmates from Cardinal Newman and Ursuline High School to assist with the ongoing relief and construction efforts. The effort is titled “Gold Coast to the Golf Coast” and is a community bases Senior Service Project organized by Geving and fellow students Pugs Brown, Jacob Gowan, Justin Gleason and Alyssa Ramazotti. In addition to volunteering with construction efforts the group will also be working with a specific group of children, providing them with toys and the gift of friendship which will be a great element of the project.

“Due to the poor relief efforts in New Orleans, many families are still homeless and our group feels that we have love and hard work to give these familiers,” reads a statement from the group that was sent to various members of the community in a fundraising effort. In the coming days additional fund raising events in the North Bay area will continue to take place for the project as well.

“I think its important for all of us to help others in need during our lives,” said Geving. “This project means far more to us then a good grade or a note on our transcripts. Its about reaching out to those who need our support and will continue to do so for years to come. Times are tough for all us right now but I think many of us tend to forget the fact that there are many people who lost their loved ones, their homes and virtually everything with little notice at all. By working together, we can all make a difference.”

When she is not focusing on her above 4.0 grade average at Ursuline High School, Geving spends much of her time racing sprint cars. In 2008 the third generation driver led the point standings at here hometown track of Petaluma Speedway for the majority of the season to become the youngest female driver in the nation to claim a sprint car championship. During here campaign she finished in the top five nearly every single night. The local fan favorite won two feature events during her chase for the crown. . In addition to the track championship, Geving also claimed the 2008 Rookie of the Year Award in the traveling Civil War Sprint Car Series this past season.

Many members of the racing community have inquired about becoming involved with the fundraising efforts for the “Gold Coast to the Gulf Coast” Senior project. Those wishing to contribute to the project or send regards may do so by mail to the office of Chicko Motorsports, c/o Alissa Geving, 400 East Todd Ave, #Ste. A, Santa Rosa, CA. 95407.

Following her charitable trip to New Orleans, Geving will return to begin her third full season of sprint car racing with appearances at Petaluma Speedway, the Civil War Sprint Car Series and the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series. Geving’s full racing schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

Dream becomes reality; Penngrove’s Alissa Geving officially crowned at Petaluma Speedway champion
By Bill Sullivan

Alissa Geving was recently crowned the 2008 Petaluma Speedway All Pro Sprint Car Champion at the annual awards banquet in Herzog Hall in Petaluma.

PETALUMA, CA (1-10-09) – Among hundreds of racing fans, friends and supporters that packed into Petaluma’s Herzog Hall, a childhood dream and nationwide record both became reality last week for Penngrove teenager Alissa Geving. On this special night the young open wheel racer officially followed in the footsteps of her father Gary Geving as she was crowned the 2008 Petaluma Speedway All Pro Sprint Car Champion. Geving, 17, is the youngest lady racer in the nation to claim a season title in a winged sprint car.

“There were so many people that helped me accomplish this goal that I could not possibly thank all of them here,” said Geving, who donned the official Petaluma Speedway Championship jacket after a warm welcome by her colleagues and fans. “This title means so much to me. I grew up at Petaluma Speedway watching my Dad race every week. There was nothing I wanted more then to one day be a sprint car champion. It was a goal I set for myself and I did it, I became a champion like he did.”

In 2008 Geving led the point standings at Petaluma Speedway for the majority of the season and finished in the top five nearly every single night. The local fan favorite won two feature events during her campaign. Unlike other tracks, Petaluma Speedway required its weekly drivers to compete in special events, such at the Golden State Challenge and the Civil War Series when they come to town. Drivers were awarded standard weekly points for their performances in those high caliber events while most tracks permit their track regulars to have a night off during the special events. For Geving, such added adversity never set her back as she performed well with the visiting 410 GSC Series as well as the Civil War series aboard her Matt Cordeiro, Pit Stop USA, and Auto Repairs Unlimited Maxim Sprint car.

At the completion of the 2008 Petaluma Speedway All Pro Series championship campaign, Geving claimed the season title just two weeks shy of her 17th birthday by 84- points over veteran driver and former champion Art McCarthy of San Jose. During the year she claimed eight top five finishes in eleven races and was a feature winner on her hometown track a total of two times.

“I was a bit disappointed at the end of the season that we didn’t win as much as I really wanted to,” said Geving. “But the championship was my ultimate goal at the start of the year and I accomplished that so I am extremely happy. We won this title back in September but tonight it feels very real being here with my Mom and Dad at the same place he was when he won his first championship.”

Two years ago, Geving became the youngest female in the world to ever win a feature event in a full sized sprint car. Saturday night it is believed that at the age of only 16 she becomes the youngest lady racer to ever win a championship title in a winged 360 powered sprint car. In addition to the track championship, Geving also claimed the 2008 Rookie of the Year Award in the traveling Civil War Sprint Car Series. This is Geving’s Senior year at Ursuline High School where she is an honor student, boasting a grade average above 4.0 and will travel to New Orleans next month for a community service project where she and her fellow students will assist Habitat for Humanity in the reconstruction of homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Alissa Gevings’ title sponsors include Pit Stop USA, Matt Cordeiro Enterprises, Tillett Tool and Auto Repairs Unlimited. Additional sponsors include Flowmaster, A1A Performance Muffler, Parker Stores, Kalembas Tire Center, Rossi Auto Body, Afex Graphics, Simpson Racing Product ALC Machine ,21st Century Health Club, Butler Specialties, Vanlare Steering Repair, Jeremy’s Chair Repair, Hose Doctor, Fast Lube Plus ALC Machine and Butler Built Safety Seats. Geving’s public relations are furnished by Bill Sullivan and Sullivan Images in collaboration with Steve Lamothe of Steve’s Racing Photos.

“I have to thank each and everyone of my sponsors,” said Geving. “Without their strong financial support and motivation this season would not have been possible. As everyone knows racing is not economical and it is the dedication of my sponsors that kept this team competitive and prepared week after week.”

At this time Geving is focusing on her community service trip to New Orleans in the coming -weeks. She and her Chicko Motorsports Team are reviewing the recently released schedules for Petaluma Speedway, The Civil War Series and the Golden State Challenge Series to determine their appearances for the season to come. Look for her official plans to be announced as the season nears.

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