The Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) will build on its reputation as a family-oriented, charitable organization next month when it hosts a Wigs for Kids donation event during PDRA Drag Wars, Sept. 5-7 at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson, N.C. The event was chosen because September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
“We are super excited to do an event like this at a drag race and it goes to show how the PDRA is such a family-oriented organization,” said Judy Franklin, co-owner of the PDRA. “We are more than just a racing series, we are about helping others.”
The PDRA has previously held fundraisers and raised awareness for causes like Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Make-A-Wish, and the official charity of the PDRA, Shriners Hospitals for Children.
“Crystal Corbin, our head of registration, suggested we do a Wigs for Kids event at GALOT,” Franklin said. “I reached out to Dana Strickland at GALOT to get her take on the idea and she loved it! Her daughter, Janalee Strickland, and GALOT employee Lyndsey Teachey are both hair dressers and Dana offered for them both to do the haircuts for this event.”
Wigs for Kids was founded in 1981 by Jeffrey Paul, a Certified Cosmetic Therapist whose 15-year-old niece was devastated by her hair loss caused by leukemia. Today, Wigs for Kids is a cooperative effort among Certified Cosmetic Therapists throughout North America who share a common goal: helping childhood cancer patients look themselves and live their lives. For more information on Wigs for Kids, please visit www.WigsForKids.org.
“After a lot of research, I decided we should do this event to benefit Wigs for Kids,” Corbin said. “They are a nonprofit that provides hair replacement systems for children at no cost to the family. We’ll be accepting hair donations from eligible donors on Saturday, as well monetary/cash donations throughout the weekend. Wigs for Kids does require any hair donation to be at least 12 inches and not colored or permed.
“I will be donating my hair on Saturday and encourage anyone else who is eligible to join me,” Corbin added. “It is said that it takes 20-30 ponytails and $1,800 for each hair replacement system. Our goal is to raise at least $1,800 to be able to sponsor at least one hair replacement system.”
Donors interested in participating can sign up at the PDRA registration trailer upon arrival at the track or by reaching out to Judy Franklin on Facebook. The donation event will take place on Saturday afternoon during PDRA Drag Wars at GALOT. The event will be open to racers, crew members, track officials, sponsors, media, and spectators. The PDRA souvenir trailer will also release a special-edition Childhood Cancer Awareness T-shirt at the event, with all proceeds going to Wigs for Kids.
This story was originally published on August 7, 2019. 
