Officials from the Bristol chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) proudly announced Thursday evening that it distributed a grand total of $804,560 in 2023 to support many of the rural-area child-focused agencies throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
“We’re so thankful to the people who supported and joined our effort to help us meet the needs of children in our region,” said Claudia Byrd, executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities Bristol chapter. “There's no greater blessing than to be here at the Night of Smiles to give away all of this money raised to assist area agencies throughout our community with their missions.”
Family Crisis Support Services of Norton, Virginia, received the prestigious Jeff Byrd Grant. Presented in honor of the late president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, the $50,000 award, which was established in 2011, is the largest single grant presented each year. Family Crisis Support Services, which offers advocacy, support groups, housing, emergency shelter, a 24-hour hotline, youth prevention and community education for victims of domestic violence, has been a vital resource in Southwest Virginia since 1982.
The annual Night of Smiles is the culmination of a year of SCC-Bristol fundraising events, including The Pinnacle Speedway In Lights, which opens for its 27th season tomorrow night, Friday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.
Long hailed as the premier holiday display in the Appalachian Highlands Region, The Pinnacle Speedway in Lights powered by TVA spreads across a five-mile route illuminated by more than three million lights among 250 displays. A trip through the light show sends guests down alongside historic Bristol Dragway and all throughout the property, culminating with a lap around the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway half-mile oval.
Organizations that received funding from Bristol Motor Speedway's Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities during tonight’s Night of Smiles event are as follows:
Abuse Alternatives
Appalachia Service Project
Bethany Christian Services of East TN
Boys & Girls Club of Central Appalachia
Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/ Carter County
Boys & Girls Club Greeneville & Greene County
Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/ Washington County
Boys & Girls Club of Morristown
Boys & Girls Culb of the Mountain Empire
Branch House (New)
Bread of Life Children's Ministry
Bristol Emergency Food Pantry
Bristol Faith in Action
Bristol Regional Speech & Hearing Center
Cap the Gap for Foster Care
CARE Center
Carter County Foster Care Association
CASA for Kids
CASA of Northeast Tennessee
Children's Advocacy Center of the first Judicial District
Children's Advocacy Center of Highlands Community Services
Children's Advocacy Center of Sullivan County
Child Advocacy Center of the 3rd Judicial District
Coalition for Kids
Crossroads Medical Mission
East Tennessee Christian Home and Academy
Family Crisis Support Services
Family Promise of Greater Kingsport
Girls Incorporated of Bristol
Girls Incorporated of Johnson City/Washington Co.
Girls Incorporated of Kingsport
Girls on the Run of Northeast Tennessee
Good Samaritan Ministries
Grace Manor (New)
Healing Hands Health Center
Holston United Methodist Home for Children
Hope House of Scott County
Isaiah 117 House
Jeremiah School
Jericho Shrine Center
Johnson County Safe Haven
Kingsport Family YMCA
Kingswood Home for Children
McClure River Valley Development
Morrison School
Morristown Hamblen Central Services
Mountain Kids Inc
Mountain Mission School
Mountain Region Speech and Hearing
Niswonger Children's Foundation
Ridin' High Therapeutic Horse Program
Rise Up
Saint Anthony's Bread Food Pantry
Santa Pal
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee
Shepherd's Inn
Sleep in Heavenly Peace (New)
Small Miracles Therapeutic Equestrian Center
SMILE Simple Methods of Loving Everyone
Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House Charities
Sullivan County Sheriff's Auxiliary
SYNERGY Foundation
TLC Community Center
Unicoi Family YMCA
Waiting to Hear
YMCA of Bristol
Young Life Bristol
Young Life Kingsport
Young Life Upper East Tennessee
YWCA of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest VA
For more information about the Pinnacle Speedway In Lights powered by TVA, please visit the BMS website.
The Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization committed to raising funds for distribution to children-based nonprofit organizations, was established in 1997. Since its inception, the chapter has raised more than $20 million, awarding grants to hundreds of qualified organizations in the 18-county area surrounding Bristol Motor Speedway. The board of trustees for the Bristol Chapter consists of 18 members, a diverse group of individuals from across the region with wide-ranging backgrounds. The trustees, two staff members and more than 300 volunteers are responsible for hosting numerous events at Bristol Motor Speedway and throughout the Bristol (Tennessee/Virginia) community. For more information about the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, visit speedwaycharities.org/bristol.
