April 4, 2025 • 53 mins
We are so excited to have Mickelina Monico back on the Fremont Podcast for a return visit. Two years ago, Mickelina joined us with her father Mark as they shared where they were in the beginning of their journey for Race for Research. In this episode, Mickelina joins us again as she is preparing to host her third annual fundraising gala. Tune in for an inspiring update and projection for Mick an her efforts towards cancer research.
Mickelina shares her journey from reviving a family fundraising tradition to raising over a quarter million dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through her Race for Research galas. Her passion for psychology and neuroscience has shaped her career path towards becoming a psychiatrist while maintaining her commitment to philanthropic work.
• Balancing college life at St. Mary's College of California with running a successful nonprofit
• First Race for Research gala surpassed its $50,000 goal by raising $100,000
• Second annual event raised $130,000 despite losing partnership with the original racetrack
• Racing drivers serve as "celebrity waiters" during the gala, competing for tips to raise additional funds
• Visiting St. Jude Hospital in Memphis provided profound insights into how the hospital creates hope
• The "Live Charitably" philosophy extends beyond donations to everyday acts of kindness
• Third annual event scheduled for May 9th at Tachi Palace Casino Resort with capacity for 400 attendees
• Event features silent auctions, celebrity waiters, and inspiring speeches from St. Jude patients
For more information about Race for Research, follow @sjraceforresearch on Instagram, Race for Research on Facebook, or visit raceforresearch.com.
For info about the the 3rd Annual Gala.
To follow on Instagram.
If you would like to contact The Fremont Podcast, please text us here.
Petrocelli Homes has been a key sponsor of The Fremont Podcast from the beginning. If you are looking for a realtor, get in touch with Petrocelli Homes on Niles Blvd in Fremont.
Ohlone College Flea Market happens every second Saturday at the lower parking lot at Ohlone College. You can find out more information about them not their webpage or on their Instagram.
Minutemen Press in Fremont is your community city go to for all your community print and design needs. What ever you want to print or customize, Minutemen Press is here for you. You can find them at 44141 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Ooh, oh yeah.
Every day is a new day here inFremont.
All the things you need arehere today and you meet some new
(00:25):
people might as well and waveand say hey something where
people can see you and you cansee your guests, because that
makes a difference.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
So yeah yeah well, I feel like definitely putting
something that you're.
I'm going to oh yeah, sure,sorry, no, no, you do you, I'm
just going to adjust everything.
So you're good.
Is that good?
That's perfect, Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
But I feel like, if you're going to put in how do I
say this the quality into somework, yeah, you have to be
interested in the work thatyou're doing exactly in order to
to make it your best right, youknow what I mean because
otherwise it's just whatever it,just something has to go out
(01:20):
and that's never going to be.
That's right.
Yeah, never going to work.
Well, that's right, yeah, nevergoing to work.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Well, and so in this case, what I want to do is I
just want to be able to um, likeI want to kind of stay on a
regular rhythm.
I don't want to.
I don't want to just be like,well, whenever I feel like it,
I'm gonna put an episode out.
Uh, I just don, and now I justneed to like stop doing it again
(01:45):
.
So in this case, I can have agoal, Like in my mind, a goal
would be at least twice a month,you know, maybe one on the
first and one on the 15th, orone, you know something like
that.
And then if I do more than that,then great, and if I do fewer
than that, then it's okay.
Just because I want to, youknow, space things out well in a
(02:06):
manageable, manageable time.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Well, I mean, I think it's the same way for things
that I go through with Race forResearch.
We have outside lives of ourpassions you know, unfortunately
, but it's just.
It's what allows us to do stufflike this.
So, as much as I wish I couldquit school and just do race for
research I totally would, butit's what's gonna allow me to do
(02:33):
it long term.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So most people and most of the non-profits that
I've talked with in even fremontand I've interviewed, it's run
mostly by volunteers like Likeyou have a few people that are
employed, but even you know whatthey're employed, you know the
amount that they're employed foris not enough really to keep
them, you know, functioning on areally high economic level, you
(02:57):
know.
So there it is.
It is when you, when you decidethat you're going to volunteer
for something and you're goingto do something, you kind of
want it to be something that youjust really love and that you
are able to make.
You know your thing.
So, um, what you've done withyour uh, with your race for
research?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
All of our board members do not get paid anything
.
And we've tried to becauseobviously all of them come to
our event.
And we've tried to say you know, board members will give you
your table or tickets at cost.
But our board members are just.
They say no, we want to pay thefull amount because that's why
(03:37):
we're doing this is becausethat's the exact purpose is to
raise money for St Jude.
It doesn't feel right to raisemoney for St Jude.
It doesn't feel right and youknow it's.
I would love eventually in thefuture, if this is something
that does happen to take offthat big, to be able to pay them
back for all of the work thatthey've done.
But as of right now, they justdon't want it because their
(03:58):
hearts are just so in it.
And I love it I mean I want togive them something for it, but
they just refuse.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
That's awesome.
Yeah, yeah, good for you tohave a board that is thinking
that way.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They're awesome.
That's great.
They're the best.
That's awesome, cool, yeah,well we're going to.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
I mean, we have some great footage here already, but
I'm going to get started.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
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I'm excited to just kind ofcatch up and have a casual
conversation.
I know it's been two years, twoor three years.
(05:20):
So yeah, I just checked.
So your episode when werecorded our first conversation
came out on March 3rd of 2023.
Oh my gosh, yeah, so this isMarch 7th that we're recording
this, so it's almost exactly twoyears ago.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
That's crazy.
Yeah, yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So yeah, so I'm excited about hearing everything
that's happened since then.
It's so good to see you.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I know.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
And we got you on camera so everybody else can see
you as well.
You look great.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Thank you.
Yeah, I know, I was listeningto a little bit of my podcast
from two years ago.
And I was like, oh God, thistime I really need to redeem
myself.
No, it was good.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I think everyone who hears themselves on audio
recordings or whatevereveryone's like.
Oh, that's the way I sound, oh.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I hate it.
Oh God, my voice.
Yeah, that's me, that'sdefinitely me.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Well, I became a critic for a number of reasons.
I was a critic of my own, likethe way that I ask questions or
the way that I leadconversations.
Even the way that I talk, I'mlike, oh man, why did I say that
again?
Why do I repeat myself so much?
And so I've become a critic.
But the only way you can reallybe a good critic is by going
(06:41):
back and listening to yourself,and you have to deal with a lot
of that.
Oh man, do I really sound thatway?
So, so it is nice to actuallyhave an editor where they can
just be.
They're the ones listening toyou.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
You're not the one.
Oh, you don't have to do it.
I don't have to do it.
Yeah, an hour.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Right and go back and say let's cut that out and cut
that out, you know, and soanyway, yeah, so when last time?
So we determined it was twoyears ago, yes, um, so we were
here last time.
I don't think that you had hadyour first fundraiser.
No, you like, we were talkingabout, like when your dad used
to do it, and it was somethingthat yes had not been done for
(07:15):
decades.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Right or at least god , like 20 years, I think he's
gonna listen to this.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
He's gonna be like hate you for that he, he's like
it was at least a century ago.
I'm just kidding.
Oh my gosh, he's going to.
Yeah, I'll tell him.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I won't tell him when this comes out, don't worry.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
That's right.
So I just remember us havingthis conversation and talking
about this dream and vision thatyou had of picking up something
that your family had been doing, you know, years before, and
you were wanting to start doingit yourself yeah, and so you had
not had your first uh gala,your fundraising event for this
(07:57):
race for research, um, and Ithink that, like on instagram,
we might have done a follow-upwhere we're like, oh great, this
is how much you raised, but wedidn't bring a lot of attention
to it.
So I'm super excited to haveyou on here, because you've
already been through one year.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
This one coming up is a third.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Third Wow.
I know.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
That's awesome.
So first of all, tell me what'snew in your life since we last
talked, and then let's talkabout, like, how the last two
fundraising galas have turnedout for you.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
What's new.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
What's new in your life?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Minus race for research.
Yes, just like in life, likewhat are you doing?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
What are you doing with your spare time?
Well right now you don't havespare time, I know.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I got accepted into St Mary's College of California
in Moraga, and so I'm there on ascholarship.
I'm an undergraduate and I'mstudying behavioral neuroscience
.
So once that's over I'm hopingto go to med school and then do
my residency and eventuallybecome a psychiatrist.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
That's what I'm studying for right now.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
So a quick question on that then, like what inspired
you to choose that route?
Psychiatry, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I have just always had.
I feel like it's very commonright now for a lot of people to
be very interested inpsychology and I that was.
That was me, um, in high schooland I took literally every
single psych class.
I was at Livermore high schooland, um, I took an ROP class
where I worked with second gradechildren, Um, and it was called
(09:38):
developmental psychology ofchildren.
So I did that every morning.
I got to work with secondgraders in their classroom and I
just I think that combining mylove for, for combining my
passion for, I think, helpingpeople and being so exposed to
(10:01):
St Jude and sick children orchildren in need, Um, and
meshing that with my passion forpsychology, and the human brain
.
I, I've just always wanted to dosomething within psychology,
and you know I want to make adecent living, so, um, no, but
(10:23):
seriously we have to do that.
Yeah, um, it's important but inall seriousness, I've always
been extremely interested in thebrain okay, as well brain
chemistry and neurobiology.
I am a total nerd for all ofthat.
I'm not gonna lie, I'll own it.
Um.
So psychiatry, just kind of itjust pointed in my direction and
um to be introduced to saintjude and have all of that, you
(10:48):
know, tie in with this,pediatric psycho psychiatry is
exactly where I want to be.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
That's cool.
I love that yeah, very cool isthere anything that you, I know,
I know you're?
I mean, you're fresh intocollege, right, so is there
anything that surprised you asfar as, like, choosing this path
or getting into college,anything that like?
Speaker 3 (11:10):
you know?
Yeah, I would say you know.
I submitted my application.
I got accepted as a psychologystudent and mid first semester I
my major okay to behavioralneuroscience, just because it
fit more of that psychiatrydescription, um, and I just was
(11:33):
more interested in that anyways,um, but I will say when I did
get into St Mary's I was really,really excited for the college
experience yeah um and just youknow, meeting new people, going
out and being at a fun dorm yeahand I was very excited for the
social aspect of it, um and Igot to St Mary's.
(11:57):
oh wait a minute you were likethat but um that's awesome I got
to saint mary's and my firstnight in the dorm was actually
like the most peaceful nightI've ever had of sleep ever, and
that was like my turning pointwhere I was like, oh god, what
did I just get myself into?
(12:18):
So I have probably been homefrom college every single
weekend that's hilarious, it'sjust not a party school.
It's not that kind of school, um, and that's okay.
You know, first semester I wasreally really upset about that
and cause I just had all theseexpectations of going out and
having, you know, all this funand making new memories, um, and
(12:40):
that's just not how it workedout for me.
But I think it was honestly ablessing in disguise, because I
love it.
Now I've really gotten used tothe culture of it and it's just,
it's really gotten me in tuneacademically, because I think
that if that lifestyle didhappen to me, I wouldn't be able
(13:05):
to really pursue my passions aswell, and I'm grateful that it
didn't work out in the way thatI intentionally wanted it to.
If that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
You're still finding ways to have fun though, right?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Yes, good, yes, my friends are still home in
community college.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
That's great, that's great.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
But yeah, I've, I've done.
I did a few visits to Chico andthen Long Beach soon which
should be really fun.
So, but not every weekend.
I'm really not an every weekendkind of college student I
really can't.
I can't with my major.
Well, I mean, I think, I thinktoo.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I mean I yeah, I don't know I went to college
late, I was older, I was workinga full-time job and you know, I
didn't.
I didn't graduate from collegetill I was 30.
So you know, I was, maybe I wasa loser, I don't know.
But, um, but the thing that, uh, the thing.
I think there's something aboutthe college experience that
really, I mean, it helps youdiscover who you are.
(14:10):
And you find yourself in themiddle of all of that.
So you might have certainexpectations where you're like
you know, I want to have thisamazing social life, I want to
party, I want to do all of thisbecause you don't have that
regular experience, you know,going into college.
But then when you get there andyou're like, you're like, ok,
didn't quite happen the way thatI thought, but then you spend
(14:33):
like the first year discoveringwho you are and like what is you
know, you know what does Micklook like in this new setting?
you know, and you're like I'mokay with actually getting a
good night of sleep every oncein a while and um, and not, you
know, out there partying everynight, but um, still being able
to hold onto the friendships andthe social life that you have
(14:54):
in other places.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Right and it's.
It's been such a positiveexperience.
I mean, for a while I thought Iwas going to transfer after
this year, but, um, I, I, I havethe opportunity to go out and
do that when I want to on theweekends.
Um, some of my friends, youknow, go to different schools
and I'll school hop there you go, but no, but seriously um, it's
(15:17):
just, it's with what I'm doingand my extracurriculars and my
major.
Um, I'm a STEM student, so I I'mslammed during the week and all
I want to do on the weekends isjust sleep you know, and
throughout high school I Ididn't take it seriously enough,
um, to get into.
(15:39):
You know, my dream school isStanford.
I'm hoping to do my residencythere Hopefully we'll see and I
just had wished that I had takenit more seriously my senior
year, and so for me now having anew opportunity, I feel like I
can redeem myself by takingcollege more seriously to get
(16:02):
into a good med school.
So that's kind of the approachI've had on it this second
semester.
But yeah, I think everythinghappens for a reason and I love
being close to home.
I love being close to my familyand my loved ones and my
friends and my dogs.
I don't think I would want itany other way honestly, that's
(16:25):
cool.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
I think you know, as you were saying, that I kind of
had this idea that I think youmight have to like.
I think there's a choose whenyou're going to pay the cost for
the kind of life that you wantto have.
In other words, you can pay thecost as a freshman and just go
out there and party it up, butthen you don't get the
(16:47):
opportunity of getting into agood med school, you don't get
the opportunity of landing theseother good postgraduate schools
or opportunities, and so youpay the cost on the front end
when you actually had nothing tooffer.
Versus you know, versus you dowell in undergrad.
You land a good med school, youland a good graduate school,
(17:09):
you're actually making money atsome point where you can
actually say now I can actuallyhave fun and I can do this.
It's not going to cost me a lotmore and I actually have a
lifestyle that will allow me tobe able to just enjoy you know,
pick and choose when I want tohave a good night out or when I
want to just want to you knowpick and choose when I want to
(17:32):
have a good night out or when Iwant to just want to.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
You know Right, and you know I have had really,
really fun nights out, but forme it's just what I'm doing now,
I think, is so much morefulfilling for my life than if I
were to be going out doing thatevery weekend.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Not saying that I don't like to have a good time
but not every weekend.
So, yeah, I completely agreeand I think that also, you know,
I have a long-term goal, I havea long-term vision and I'm not
picking a career that I'm justpicking for the money.
I'm picking it because it's mypassion, it's what.
(18:00):
I want to do, and you know whenI think about you know, maybe
I'll do this instead of studyingfor my test.
It's like, well, I, what about?
You know?
What about, like, my?
dream we're just going to landme Right, it's like I can't have
all these missed opportunitiesadd up and be disappointed that
I didn't, that I didn't putenough time into what I, what
(18:23):
really matters to me.
That's great.
I love it Very cool.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
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(18:47):
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(19:09):
You will not regret it.
So, wow, you have a lot goingon there.
The reason we're here, I guess,in some sense, is to find out
about your race for research andall the efforts that you've
done in that.
So, um, what happened on yourfirst two galas that you had?
(19:31):
Like?
Were they success?
What did you do?
How much did you raise?
Like, what did you learn fromthose?
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Our first year in 2023,.
Our goal of our total amountwas, I think, 50,000.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Was the goal 50,000?
50.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
It was either 30 or 50, I think yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I'm sure if we go back and listen to our original
episode, which would be episodeactually 61.
Okay, I made sure I knew whichone it was.
We could probably remember whatthe goal total was, or the
total of the goal was at thattime.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
I'm pretty sure it was 50,000, but I could be wrong
, but I'm pretty sure and I justremember I was so, so nervous
to find out during the eventbecause by the end of the night,
the end of the gala, we do abig check reveal.
So while we're doing ourclosing remarks, we have about
because by the end of the night,the end of the gala, we do a
big check reveal.
So while we're doing ourclosing remarks, we have about
(20:32):
10 people or so in the backcounting up all this money, all
this cash, adding up all ofthese donations, so that we can
announce at the end of the nightto all of these people, what
they did and what they raised,and I just remember, oh my gosh,
standing on the stage sonervous because my aunt knew the
number and she did not tell me.
(20:53):
I was like.
I was like, what is it?
What?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
is it?
Did she give you any indication?
Speaker 3 (20:56):
No, she was like I am not telling you, and I was like
this is my thing, Like.
I demand to know, and I justremember.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Is she on the board?
Did you threaten to remove herfrom the board?
I should have.
I'm going to do that actually.
There you go.
You need to tell me, or elseyeah.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, I will.
I will President's orders.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
So yeah, I just.
They revealed the check andflipped it around and announced
one hundred thousand dollars forour first.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Oh, my word, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
A year ago from that day, I would have never, ever,
ever thought in my life that wewould have raised $100,000.
Because at that time in my life, in 2022, in May, that was a
really rough period for me andthat was about when I really
started thinking about Race forResearch, I think, and just
(21:54):
thinking about how it'ssomething that I really wanted
to pursue, and to just go fromthat rough spot and, a year
later, raise a hundred thousanddollars in one year was just.
It just blew my mind and atthat point, it was something
where we realized this is notgoing to be a one-time thing.
(22:14):
This is, this is a long-termplan like this is going to
become a business that that'scool, and so we did it again our
second year and our goal was ahundred thousand.
Um, that was a really stressfulyear because I don't know if you
remember, but our first year wehad tied the event to a race
track and we had had a race thefollowing Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Um, and that was our incentive to get people to our
event, is you know?
Speaker 2 (22:42):
come see the race, participate in that and then
stick around for the.
Or was it the opposite wayaround it?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
was come to the event , stick around for the race the
next day.
Um and so for racers, it's alot for them to just travel up
from all over California um,just for an event, you know.
So we needed that racetrack andin, I think, around December or
January of 2024, 2024.
(23:08):
Yeah, it had closed.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Oh my word.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
So I found that out and my heart sunk to the bottom
of my stomach.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, I was like, I was so terrified stomach yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
I was, like I was so terrified, um, and I just
remember being so scared thatevent.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Um and I, they did the check reveal.
So where did you, where did?
Speaker 3 (23:34):
you hold the event the same place.
Same place.
Yeah, because we had already bythat point in December, we had
already placed the um hold onthe ballroom since August of
2024.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
So there was just no race then.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
No.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, and that was really scary, because how do you
advertise and how do you getpeople to your event when you
don't you know?
I mean, people don't want todrive three hours to an event,
and that's understandable.
So it was kind of a toss up,like you know, that event
jeopardized in some way and itwas, so I was devastated, I was
(24:28):
so nervous.
But anyway, fast forward.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
To the check reveal.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
To the check reveal.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
And this time my aunt let me watch her draw in the
numbers on the check.
And I just saw one.
And then I the check, and Ijust saw one, and then I saw
three, and then I saw zero.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
And I just lost my mind.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I was on stage crying so hard.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
We had raised $130,000.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
That's amazing.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
So to come from that struggle and raise more than we
did even the first year was justincredible.
So at this point we've raisedover a quarter of a million
dollars in two and a half years.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
Yeah, that's great it has been the most positive
experience of my life.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
That's great, yeah, and.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
I think a lot of other people's too.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
I think it's something that this community
really needed.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
That's awesome.
Yeah, that's awesome.
So we're on the verge of thethird annual event correct yeah.
So what is the date for this?
This is May 9th 9th.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
So May 9th, it's a Friday night.
And then we are having a racethis year.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
So I know it's a little far from Fremont, but we
did move it down to the CentralValley in Lemoore.
Okay, it's a small town nearHanford, Tulare.
Do you know where I'm?
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I know where the Central Valley is.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
A lot of people don't know where Lemoore is, that's
okay.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Well, the good thing is, we have, you know, google
Maps or whatever.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Google.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Maps or whatever we can get there.
We can find it.
It's like 30 minutes away fromFresno, I think Okay.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
But it's at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
It's a really nice Indian reserve resort.
Okay, beautiful, it's gorgeous,and what's exciting is that
we've outgrown their ballroomspace so much that we've
actually had to move our eventto the bingo hall oh, my word,
yeah, that's cool, so we'll see,yeah, um, how many tickets we
(26:26):
sell this year.
I definitely think it's goingto be a sellout at 400 wow yeah,
wow, that's awesome, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
So how many have you had in the previous?
How many, how many tickets haveyou sold for the previous
events?
Speaker 3 (26:37):
We have sold out both events at 300.
This year the capacity of theballroom is 750.
We're aiming for 400 because alot of the families are going to
be new Moving it down there.
It's a whole new culture downthere of people.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yeah, it presents a whole different list of
challenges, I'm sure, right.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
And you know Bay Area people and Central Valley
people are very different in thebest way possible.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
But yeah, so we'll see how people respond to it,
but I think just giving it roomto grow, I mean I think we are
going to put a capacity of 400-on it this year.
So it's definitely like firstcome, first serve on tickets.
But yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
So what do these events look like?
Like, I think we talked aboutthis before, but it's been two
years, right?
So what do the events look likefor the gala?
Like what kind of things ifpeople buy a ticket, they kind
of things if people buy a ticket, they show up.
If I buy a ticket right andshow up.
Like what am I expecting?
Like what am I going to bedoing?
What's my?
You know?
What do I have to look forwardto?
Speaker 3 (27:51):
right um, I'll just go through the agenda of the
night yeah, um.
So basically, people show up,um, we'll open the doors to the
ballroom and we'll have a silentauction of over 100 auction
items.
They're not just all racing wehave trips and beauty items,
(28:13):
food items, memorabilia sportsthings anything you can think of
.
There's something there foreveryone.
Experiences everything.
And after the silent auctioncloses, then everybody will go
to the ballroom in the gala,Everyone will take their seats
(28:35):
and I will be doing a shortopening speech this year.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
And then we will have dinner.
Um, we'll do some really coolthings with the celebrity
waiters.
One thing that we do is eachwaiter, um, oh, I should
probably mention this actuallyum, so I'm saying celebrity
waiters because they areactually our very own race car
drivers okay who's they sign upup to serve dinner to all of the
(29:04):
guests who come.
So we all dress up in our firesuits and we serve a salad, a
dinner and a dessert, and onething that we do that's really
cool to raise money is we have atip jar for every driver on the
table that they're serving.
We have a tip jar for everydriver on the table that they're
serving.
(29:27):
And it's funny because they getso competitive with their tips,
because the person, the waiter,who raises the most amount in
their tip jar, wins a freecustom fire suit which is at
value of, like I think it's,either $1,200 or $1,700.
Yeah, it gets reallycompetitive.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
So it's something to compete for for sure or $1,700.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
That's awesome yeah, it gets really competitive.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
So it's something to compete for for sure.
Oh yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
It's crazy we have all the little kids who do it.
They run around with their tipjars and they're asking people.
They're like can you spare somechange?
That's awesome.
Yeah, so that is really fun tosee.
And the little girl who's wonit the last two years she's won
it both years in a row her dad,her dad's wife, her mom is on
(30:11):
the race for research board and,oh my gosh, they ask so many
sponsors for money.
I swear she's raised like 4004,000 in her tip jar.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Oh my word, that's crazy.
Yeah, I know I'm like what areyou doing?
Speaker 1 (30:24):
She has like five suits Well you need to like.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
as soon as she becomes old enough, you
obviously need to hire her to bea part of the board she can put
this on her resume.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Exactly, that's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Yeah, she can like I have raised the most, most
amount of tips every year.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, I mean she'll get a job at a restaurant really
really fast Um but yeah, soanyway we do that, and then
after dinner we're going to havea really cool speech um with,
uh, an ex St Jude patient.
Her story is absolutely,absolutely incredible.
Her name is Tierra Herr and shewas um a St Jude patient when
(31:00):
she was five, six, seven.
She was diagnosed withneuroblastoma and, um, she was.
This was when research wasstill pretty new.
So she was in a group um ofother children just like her
with neuroblastoma and theytried all these um different
methods to try to cure them.
And she was allergic to thisone study that they did, or one
(31:28):
what am I trying to say?
This one procedure that theydid.
And she was the only oneallergic, and she was the only
one who survived.
Oh, my word, so she was a hugepart of developing research in
that way to show people this iswhat works and this is what
doesn't work.
So she is just a miracle thatshe's here today.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
She attended my dad's event back in the day, so she
has huge ties to us, so she'sgoing to be doing a speech
introducing somebody else whohas a similar story.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
And then after that we'll do a fund-a-need, so
people who want to do donationsor anything like that and we'll
also have a live auction.
I think some of our liveauction items this year are a
street bike valued at $8,000.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Oh, my word that's cool.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
It's really cool, valued at $8,000.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
I know it's, it's really cool Um trips to uh Vegas
and um Bali and um I'm tryingto think of what else.
We were going to do the countrymusic awards, but they got
canceled this year, I know, yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Oh, I did not know that.
That is crazy.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Um, but yeah, we have a night in the pits with the
pits, with a really well-knownsprint car driver.
Nice, super, super cool stuff.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
That's awesome, so something there for everyone.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
And then we'll do closing remarks and the check
reveal that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, very cool.
I love it.
So it's going to be a reallyfun night.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
It's pretty much the same format that it's always
been just some new material andwe have a great MC Um his name
is Caleb.
Hart.
He announces for some of thebiggest micro sprint races.
Um there are in the country andum yeah he's he's amazing.
He works at my biggest sponsorsum company, joe's racing
(33:16):
products.
So, he super close to my family.
He's amazing.
We have an amazing auctioneerwe hired this year.
His name is Freddy and he is sofunny and so entertaining.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
Sounds like you're picking the right group of
people to make this happen.
It's picking up, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
We're definitely getting some more experience to
know what our event needs tomake it better.
I think.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah, Do you have any nerves going into this?
This year I know you had achange with the race being
canceled.
I guess you're moving into anew event space so that's
obviously going to create alittle bit of uncertainty.
But any nerves going into thisa little bit?
I have a few.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
I have a lot different than I've had the last
two years.
I feel like within the last twoyears it's more so of are
people going to like it?
Are people going to donate, arepeople, you know?
Is this something where peopleare going to want to come back?
And obviously it's proven yes,it's proven to be a huge hit.
Um, I do have a little bit ofnerves because this is almost a
(34:16):
completely brand new group beingin the Central Valley.
Um, um.
This is about three hours awayfrom where our previous event
was, and this is a whole newgroup of drivers so a lot
different people, but I I thinkthat it will be something they
really enjoy um, I I think thisgroup will have a lot of fun
with it.
Um, I think my main concern isprobably our formatting for this
(34:42):
year.
Um, it's, it's a big ballroomor it's a big bingo hall so it's
it's hard to make that lookgood yeah so we're gonna do our
best.
Um, we've hired, you know,decorating services and gotten
tons of donations on how toreally make it look like a
formal gala, because this is notsomething that we want to look
(35:02):
like a spaghetti feed or banquetright, I mean this is like you
know.
Our philosophy is you spend 100bucks, you're gonna get your
money's worth.
You're gonna get a good dinner,you're gonna get an incredible
night and incredible memoriesthat you're gonna remember
forever.
This is not.
You know you, you put a ticketin a basket and see who's drawn.
(35:24):
You know this is a really formalevent.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
This is a gala, that's great.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
So yeah, I think just being in a new space is always
nerve-wracking.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
I think, yeah, that's cool.
So, since you've raised thesefunds over the last couple of
years and these monies have beengiven to St Jude's, like, have
you seen I know it was kind ofyour vision that you wanted to
recapture um two years ago andto to make this a reality, as
(35:53):
you've been able to maybeexperience giving those monies
to St Jude and being able to seewhat they're accomplishing what
have what has inspired you tocontinue to keep doing this?
Like, have you been able to goand see what the money that you
have um raised is going towardand how has that affected you
(36:14):
personally as you continue tolook at doing these into the
future?
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Yeah, soune um of 2024, I had the most incredible
opportunity, probably of my life.
Um saint jude had invited meand my dad to go back to the
hospital in memphis in tennesseeum for a new generation event.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
And the event was not super targeted towards me.
I was still a senior, I justhad graduated.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Just graduating, yeah .
Speaker 3 (36:51):
As a senior of high school, and so this was mainly
fraternities and sororities whowere there to kind of learn how
to embrace philanthropy withintheir fraternity or sorority.
And so I was put with thecollege students, but I wasn't
(37:12):
I'm not in a fraternity orsorority.
So I was just kind of walkingaround um and I have a really
good friend, hollis um belger,who does another St Jude
nonprofit called Juggling forJude.
She's raised almost a milliondollars.
Oh, my word so incredible personand so she was there as well.
So we kind of teamed up theentire week and really stuck
(37:33):
together, was I got to see andlisten to guest speakers, panels
, patients the most incrediblespeakers I've ever heard in my
life.
One thing that really, really,really stuck out to me was I got
to hear St Jude's CEO speak,and it was.
(37:57):
I mean, he is just such anadmirable man.
One thing he said that reallyreally stuck with me always that
.
I'm going to even incorporateinto my own speech.
This year is live charitably.
It doesn't even mean just tolike donate to.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
St Jude or give him 20 bucks a month for a T-shirt.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
It genuinely means live charitably.
Every once in a while, pay forthe person behind you, pay for
their coffee, spread joy intothe world.
I mean seriously.
You never know who isstruggling.
You never know.
You know what people are goingthrough.
And just imagine the world nowhow much better of a place it
(38:42):
would be if everybody did asmall action every day.
I mean seriously, when thosethings happen to you, I mean it
sticks with you forever,absolutely, or it makes your day
right yeah.
So, live, chair, livingcharitably is something that I
have really tried to incorporateinto my um, into my lifestyle.
And uh, my friend Hollis shehad a panel as well, talking
about how her passion of soccerhas helped her raise money for
(39:06):
seeing Jude.
Basically, she kicks a soccerball and she juggles a soccer
ball.
She has like the world recordor something.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
She can juggle a soccer ball for like an hour and
a half or something.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
It's crazy, that's cool.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
But her, you know, panel was just saying use your
passions to provide purpose inyour life, and that is something
that I've always stressed.
Personally, too, I resonatewith that so much because I have
used racing to pursue race forresearch, which has given me
fulfillment and passion andpurpose in my life.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
I genuinely think that living charitably to live
charitably, this fulfills thatpurpose if that makes sense Um
so I really don't think I'm evergoing to stop and being at the
hospital.
I mean, you see these kids,these sick kids, on TV, Um, but
when you're there in person it'slike it's real.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
It's all real.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
You see the children playing on the playgrounds with
their, their moms, and you knowit's, it's heartbreaking, but
also you don't think of it likethat way in the moment because
St Jude is just.
I mean I I've talked to peopleabout it and they're like, well,
it's just, it's just a hospital.
You know, why are you gettingso like worked up over this?
(40:22):
It's just a hospital.
I'm like, no, you don'tunderstand.
It's not just a hospital.
It's.
It's this incredible space thatDanny Thomas um, the original
founder, I mean.
It's where any child can becured of cancer for no cost, no
matter where you are from, whatyour background is.
(40:43):
I mean they don't care who youare.
If you need treatment, it'sthere you can get it.
And to spread that research, Imean they have hundreds of rooms
for research.
They have one building that Ithink is 15 stories tall.
It's a research building.
They have another researchbuilding and they're currently
(41:06):
building a 17 story researchbuilding right now.
Um, and I got to tour one ofthem.
It's incredible and I it's just.
I can't even put into wordslike how beautiful this place
really is.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
I really wish that it was something everyone got to
experience.
But yeah, and I mean, it's justso inclusive of everybody.
When you walk in to the mainresearch building, the first
thing you see is flags hung upon the ceiling of every single
country patients, patients havecome from, if that makes sense?
(41:42):
Yeah, for sure um workers arefrom international countries,
doctors, all these things.
It's amazing.
Their um k cafe, it's their maincafe in the main hospital yeah
um and they do not have aseparate cafe for patients and
doctors, all patients anddoctors they eat together all
(42:04):
the nurses, um, so you can fullon have a meal with your doctor.
I mean it's it's incredible andum, you know, there's this one
story that really sticks out tome, Um.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
I hope you don't mind me rambling about this.
No, this is great.
I love it.
This is what?
Well, you know it's.
Yeah, I mean it's, it's this.
Is it because it's like you?
Um, you focus on the raisingthe funds, part of it which is
important, I mean it's, you knowit's one of the things that
you've been inspired to do.
But then it's like you want tomake sure, and I think for
people listening that are alsointerested in, you know,
(42:35):
potentially giving funds andshowing up as well, they want to
know, like, what are the like?
What happens when I give likewhat?
Where does it go, what?
What other was the result?
And I love that there's kind oflike just lit us, you know this
, spark little fire and you'rejust like let me tell you about
it all you know.
So tell me this.
Yeah, tell me the story.
Tell me the story.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
I'm going to be.
It's just everything to me youknow, I try not to talk about it
because I'm not like a supercorny person, but it truly is
like.
This experience is truly thereason why I've based my life
(43:17):
and my future off of, if thatmakes sense.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
I mean, it's just, it was that impactful for me.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
That's amazing yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
Anyway K Cafe.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
So, um, there was this little boy, I guess who.
He was super, super sick and,um, I forget what kind of cancer
he had, um, but he did not wantanything that the chef had to
make.
Nothing on the menu.
And this little boy fromlouisiana, all he wanted was his
(43:48):
grandma's mac and cheese and hetold the chef how to make it.
And the chef tried and the kiddid not like it, he wouldn't eat
it.
Yeah, so the chef contacted hisgrandma, called her from
louisiana and she sent him therecipe.
Oh wow, the chef contacted hisgrandma, called her from
Louisiana and she sent him therecipe oh wow.
The chef made this little boyhis mac and cheese and he ate it
.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Oh, my word.
Speaker 3 (44:08):
I mean, but it's just those little things.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
You know what I?
Speaker 3 (44:11):
mean Because when your child is going through
something as terrible as cancer,I mean it is so hard to feel
like you can live a normal life.
I mean seriously we as ahealthy person, I take it so for
granted.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Oh yeah, um, we all do Right.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
Exactly, and um, you can't even have a meal that you
crave you know, Um and for StJude to design their practices
off of making these childrenfeel like they are at home or as
normal as they possibly canfeel.
It's something that that I gotto see in person and it's it's
(44:52):
amazing.
I mean, that's why people gointo St Jude and they say I
don't feel sad when I walkthrough St Jude, I feel hopeful.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
I feel happy and I feel like this is where this is
a positive place right, it's nota sad, dark hospital and it's
hope.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
It's hope that living charitably is like realized in
that space, you know.
For a chef to do that sort ofthing.
You know he's not just doing itbecause it's his job.
He's going way out of his wayto do something that he's not
being necessarily paid to do orasked to do specifically.
He's just living charitably.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
Exactly, and I think that when St Jude, you know,
hires their employees, that'sgot to be like a checkmark on
their resume that they have tohave, because, I swear, every
single person who works there isso moved by the cause.
It is not a place where youknow they're working there for
(45:50):
the good pay.
They're working there becauseyou know it's a nice hospital.
They're not working therebecause it's prestigious,
they're working there becauseit's it's their passion, it's
their livelihood, I mean, andwhen you're, when you see it in
person, you become so touched byeverything there.
It's like the most.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
I truly wish that I could just like take my
experience and just be able toright, but I can't Um and it's
just just so hard but you'retaking your experience and
letting it, you know, fuel thefire that you have right behind
what you're doing to to make adifference.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
Right, that's amazing yeah and um, yeah, it's.
It's just, it's amazing.
I mean to put in all thateffort and you know people
saying that they don't knowwhere their money goes.
Well, it goes to all of thesechildren who who feel like
something is wrong with themwhich you know physically there
is, but mentally you can feellike something's wrong with you
(46:49):
um and that's a really hardfeeling to to go through but, to
have that normality is just somentally important for these
children to not become, you know, depressed in a hospital while
they're sick yeah it'sincredible how they've
considered what these patientsgo through.
(47:12):
I mean these patients are notpatients.
Yeah, in saint jude's eyestheir family that's great um I
love that they.
They care about these childrenjust as much as they would their
own family, and that's great.
I love that.
All these different things.
And they have a recordingstudio so patients can sing in
there or record whatever inthere, but they also use it.
(47:46):
You know, if a child is goingto pass away, they use that
recording studio to record thatchild's heartbeat to give it to
their parents.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
I know that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (47:59):
I mean, the things that they think of to make to
comfort people is justincredible how they consider,
consider, you know, otherpeople's feelings Um so yeah, I
mean truly it's.
It's incredible.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
That's awesome.
Well, thanks for sharing allthat.
Yeah, I know I know that was alot.
You can, you can cut that down.
I know, really cool, I knowthat was a lot.
Speaker 3 (48:18):
You can cut that down if you need to, that's good, I
totally rambled on there.
No, that's great.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (48:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
I really love it.
Well, I'm glad that you wereinspired and I'm excited to see
how your fire for all of this,your excitement for all of this,
really pushes your effortsforward.
For all of this, um reallypushes your efforts forward and
I really, I, you know, I reallyhope that the um fundraising
effort that you're doing thisyear is a, um is a is a big win
(48:47):
for you, for you know, race forresearch, but also for these
kids.
Speaker 3 (48:52):
Right, I mean.
that's the reason why we do itand yeah, I mean I really, you
know, I was really trying tothink of what I wanted to say in
my opening speech this year andI really settled on I don't
want to do something sappy.
Um, I don't want to do I meannot sappy, but I don't want to
(49:12):
do something sad.
I don't want to.
I don't need to tell a storyfor somebody else.
This time I I want to take myexperience this time and and
inspire other people with that,because that is what.
That is what's going to makethis go a long ways in other
people's heads.
Um, so I'm, I think, I thinkit's going to be our most
(49:36):
emotionally impactful year.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
Wow, that's great Well, you are already inspiring,
I love.
Thank you yeah you are, and Ihave no doubt that you know,
years down the road, the workthat you're doing both for.
Race for Research and for thesekids, and then also the work
that you're doing to become theperson that you're going to be
you know psychiatrist, you knowwhatever, wherever that takes
(50:02):
you, I know that it's going tobe.
It's going to be amazing.
Speaker 1 (50:04):
And I get a chance.
Speaker 2 (50:05):
I'll probably be sitting in my like lounger
somewhere someday and saying Iinterviewed her and I was there
when she you know when she wasin high school and I remember
doing that and I remember, youknow.
So I'll get the opportunity topoint out and say she was making
a difference back when I knewher, and she's still making a
(50:26):
difference today.
Speaker 1 (50:26):
So that's gonna be really cool.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
So, very cool.
So, um, if people areinterested in knowing more about
race for research, uh, what'sthe best way, what's the best
place to you know, contact or toaccess the information?
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Yeah, we're on Instagram and Facebook.
Instagram is sjraceforresearchand then Facebook is just
raceforresearch and our logoswill come up in our accounts.
We only have one account andthen we have a website.
It's wwwraceforresearchcom.
(51:01):
Slash maxgivingbid or something.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
I don't know.
We can add it to the show notestoo, and people can access it.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Perfect.
And then we also have an email.
It's just sjraceforresearch atGmail, but most people will
message us on Facebook orInstagram, it's just easy.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
So yeah.
Speaker 2 (51:19):
So one last question before you go Are you still
racing?
Speaker 3 (51:22):
Yeah, I, I don't know what it's been.
I have gotten this question somuch this year.
Yeah, I think it's because I'vejust been super busy.
Speaker 2 (51:31):
Well, your life changes.
You go to college and you haveall these other things going on,
it was a fun high school sport,right and like?
Are you going to keep doingthat?
Speaker 3 (51:38):
I 100%.
I could not think of giving itup at this point in my life.
Maybe when I go to med schooland life starts becoming life a
little bit more.
Speaker 2 (51:49):
You need to let off some steam.
I need to go to the racetrackin med school, I'm sure.
Well, hopefully, yeah, that'sright If I have the time.
Speaker 3 (51:57):
No, no seriously, I definitely want to keep racing.
Speaker 2 (52:01):
Already have um a new car being put in the works,
right now being built um puttogether, it's a joe's um are
you gonna be racing after thelike, after the gala, the next
are you?
Speaker 3 (52:13):
yes, oh cool, I know, I feel like I have to you know
what I mean?
Of course, of course, yeah butyeah, so I have a 2025 Joe's
Racing Products chassis.
They just came out with it thisyear, so I'm going to be
running that this year, nice.
And then, yeah, same deal,awesome, yeah, same schedule,
and running in the CentralValley now.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
Great, that's awesome .
Well, it was great having youon here again.
Thank you and thank you forsharing your heart, your passion
, your stories, and I hope weget to do this again.
I know and if I get a chance,I'm going to try to come out
there to the gala.
I've wanted to do it every year.
Every time I've seen it I'mlike, oh, I need to get to that
(52:56):
and I'm going to try to make itwork this year.
Speaker 3 (52:58):
That would be awesome , and we have a hotel room
discount rate because it is at ahotel.
Speaker 2 (53:06):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (53:07):
So a lot of people will stay the night that night,
and I think our code is you haveto call Tachi and just say you
know I want to use code race forresearch and they'll give you a
discount on your room.
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (53:18):
Yeah, very cool.
Well, thanks for joining me.
Speaker 3 (53:20):
Thank you, good to spend some time with you.
I know it's so good to catch upfinally.
Exactly, I feel like it's beenway too long.
Speaker 2 (53:26):
It has been it has been, yeah, so good luck and
hopefully we'll see you aroundsome more.
Speaker 3 (53:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (53:32):
Yeah.
Ooh, oh yeah.
Every day is a new day here inFremont.
All the things you need arehere today and you meet some new
(00:25):
people might as well and waveand say hey something where
people can see you and you cansee your guests, because that
makes a difference.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
So yeah yeah well, I feel like definitely putting
something that you're.
I'm going to oh yeah, sure,sorry, no, no, you do you, I'm
just going to adjust everything.
So you're good.
Is that good?
That's perfect, Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
But I feel like, if you're going to put in how do I
say this the quality into somework, yeah, you have to be
interested in the work thatyou're doing exactly in order to
to make it your best right, youknow what I mean because
otherwise it's just whatever it,just something has to go out
(01:20):
and that's never going to be.
That's right.
Yeah, never going to work.
Well, that's right, yeah, nevergoing to work.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Well, and so in this case, what I want to do is I
just want to be able to um, likeI want to kind of stay on a
regular rhythm.
I don't want to.
I don't want to just be like,well, whenever I feel like it,
I'm gonna put an episode out.
Uh, I just don, and now I justneed to like stop doing it again
(01:45):
.
So in this case, I can have agoal, Like in my mind, a goal
would be at least twice a month,you know, maybe one on the
first and one on the 15th, orone, you know something like
that.
And then if I do more than that,then great, and if I do fewer
than that, then it's okay.
Just because I want to, youknow, space things out well in a
(02:06):
manageable, manageable time.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Well, I mean, I think it's the same way for things
that I go through with Race forResearch.
We have outside lives of ourpassions you know, unfortunately
, but it's just.
It's what allows us to do stufflike this.
So, as much as I wish I couldquit school and just do race for
research I totally would, butit's what's gonna allow me to do
(02:33):
it long term.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So most people and most of the non-profits that
I've talked with in even fremontand I've interviewed, it's run
mostly by volunteers like Likeyou have a few people that are
employed, but even you know whatthey're employed, you know the
amount that they're employed foris not enough really to keep
them, you know, functioning on areally high economic level, you
(02:57):
know.
So there it is.
It is when you, when you decidethat you're going to volunteer
for something and you're goingto do something, you kind of
want it to be something that youjust really love and that you
are able to make.
You know your thing.
So, um, what you've done withyour uh, with your race for
research?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
All of our board members do not get paid anything
.
And we've tried to becauseobviously all of them come to
our event.
And we've tried to say you know, board members will give you
your table or tickets at cost.
But our board members are just.
They say no, we want to pay thefull amount because that's why
(03:37):
we're doing this is becausethat's the exact purpose is to
raise money for St Jude.
It doesn't feel right to raisemoney for St Jude.
It doesn't feel right and youknow it's.
I would love eventually in thefuture, if this is something
that does happen to take offthat big, to be able to pay them
back for all of the work thatthey've done.
But as of right now, they justdon't want it because their
(03:58):
hearts are just so in it.
And I love it I mean I want togive them something for it, but
they just refuse.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
That's awesome.
Yeah, yeah, good for you tohave a board that is thinking
that way.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They're awesome.
That's great.
They're the best.
That's awesome, cool, yeah,well we're going to.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
I mean, we have some great footage here already, but
I'm going to get started.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
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Go to aloniedu slash fleamarket to sign up now.
I'm excited to just kind ofcatch up and have a casual
conversation.
I know it's been two years, twoor three years.
(05:20):
So yeah, I just checked.
So your episode when werecorded our first conversation
came out on March 3rd of 2023.
Oh my gosh, yeah, so this isMarch 7th that we're recording
this, so it's almost exactly twoyears ago.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
That's crazy.
Yeah, yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So yeah, so I'm excited about hearing everything
that's happened since then.
It's so good to see you.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I know.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
And we got you on camera so everybody else can see
you as well.
You look great.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Thank you.
Yeah, I know, I was listeningto a little bit of my podcast
from two years ago.
And I was like, oh God, thistime I really need to redeem
myself.
No, it was good.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I think everyone who hears themselves on audio
recordings or whatevereveryone's like.
Oh, that's the way I sound, oh.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I hate it.
Oh God, my voice.
Yeah, that's me, that'sdefinitely me.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Well, I became a critic for a number of reasons.
I was a critic of my own, likethe way that I ask questions or
the way that I leadconversations.
Even the way that I talk, I'mlike, oh man, why did I say that
again?
Why do I repeat myself so much?
And so I've become a critic.
But the only way you can reallybe a good critic is by going
(06:41):
back and listening to yourself,and you have to deal with a lot
of that.
Oh man, do I really sound thatway?
So, so it is nice to actuallyhave an editor where they can
just be.
They're the ones listening toyou.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
You're not the one.
Oh, you don't have to do it.
I don't have to do it.
Yeah, an hour.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Right and go back and say let's cut that out and cut
that out, you know, and soanyway, yeah, so when last time?
So we determined it was twoyears ago, yes, um, so we were
here last time.
I don't think that you had hadyour first fundraiser.
No, you like, we were talkingabout, like when your dad used
to do it, and it was somethingthat yes had not been done for
(07:15):
decades.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Right or at least god , like 20 years, I think he's
gonna listen to this.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
He's gonna be like hate you for that he, he's like
it was at least a century ago.
I'm just kidding.
Oh my gosh, he's going to.
Yeah, I'll tell him.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I won't tell him when this comes out, don't worry.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
That's right.
So I just remember us havingthis conversation and talking
about this dream and vision thatyou had of picking up something
that your family had been doing, you know, years before, and
you were wanting to start doingit yourself yeah, and so you had
not had your first uh gala,your fundraising event for this
(07:57):
race for research, um, and Ithink that, like on instagram,
we might have done a follow-upwhere we're like, oh great, this
is how much you raised, but wedidn't bring a lot of attention
to it.
So I'm super excited to haveyou on here, because you've
already been through one year.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
This one coming up is a third.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Third Wow.
I know.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
That's awesome.
So first of all, tell me what'snew in your life since we last
talked, and then let's talkabout, like, how the last two
fundraising galas have turnedout for you.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
What's new.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
What's new in your life?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Minus race for research.
Yes, just like in life, likewhat are you doing?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
What are you doing with your spare time?
Well right now you don't havespare time, I know.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I got accepted into St Mary's College of California
in Moraga, and so I'm there on ascholarship.
I'm an undergraduate and I'mstudying behavioral neuroscience
.
So once that's over I'm hopingto go to med school and then do
my residency and eventuallybecome a psychiatrist.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
That's what I'm studying for right now.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
So a quick question on that then, like what inspired
you to choose that route?
Psychiatry, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I have just always had.
I feel like it's very commonright now for a lot of people to
be very interested inpsychology and I that was.
That was me, um, in high schooland I took literally every
single psych class.
I was at Livermore high schooland, um, I took an ROP class
where I worked with second gradechildren, Um, and it was called
(09:38):
developmental psychology ofchildren.
So I did that every morning.
I got to work with secondgraders in their classroom and I
just I think that combining mylove for, for combining my
passion for, I think, helpingpeople and being so exposed to
(10:01):
St Jude and sick children orchildren in need, Um, and
meshing that with my passion forpsychology, and the human brain
.
I, I've just always wanted to dosomething within psychology,
and you know I want to make adecent living, so, um, no, but
(10:23):
seriously we have to do that.
Yeah, um, it's important but inall seriousness, I've always
been extremely interested in thebrain okay, as well brain
chemistry and neurobiology.
I am a total nerd for all ofthat.
I'm not gonna lie, I'll own it.
Um.
So psychiatry, just kind of itjust pointed in my direction and
um to be introduced to saintjude and have all of that, you
(10:48):
know, tie in with this,pediatric psycho psychiatry is
exactly where I want to be.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
That's cool.
I love that yeah, very cool isthere anything that you, I know,
I know you're?
I mean, you're fresh intocollege, right, so is there
anything that surprised you asfar as, like, choosing this path
or getting into college,anything that like?
Speaker 3 (11:10):
you know?
Yeah, I would say you know.
I submitted my application.
I got accepted as a psychologystudent and mid first semester I
my major okay to behavioralneuroscience, just because it
fit more of that psychiatrydescription, um, and I just was
(11:33):
more interested in that anyways,um, but I will say when I did
get into St Mary's I was really,really excited for the college
experience yeah um and just youknow, meeting new people, going
out and being at a fun dorm yeahand I was very excited for the
social aspect of it, um and Igot to St Mary's.
(11:57):
oh wait a minute you were likethat but um that's awesome I got
to saint mary's and my firstnight in the dorm was actually
like the most peaceful nightI've ever had of sleep ever, and
that was like my turning pointwhere I was like, oh god, what
did I just get myself into?
(12:18):
So I have probably been homefrom college every single
weekend that's hilarious, it'sjust not a party school.
It's not that kind of school, um, and that's okay.
You know, first semester I wasreally really upset about that
and cause I just had all theseexpectations of going out and
having, you know, all this funand making new memories, um, and
(12:40):
that's just not how it workedout for me.
But I think it was honestly ablessing in disguise, because I
love it.
Now I've really gotten used tothe culture of it and it's just,
it's really gotten me in tuneacademically, because I think
that if that lifestyle didhappen to me, I wouldn't be able
(13:05):
to really pursue my passions aswell, and I'm grateful that it
didn't work out in the way thatI intentionally wanted it to.
If that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
You're still finding ways to have fun though, right?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Yes, good, yes, my friends are still home in
community college.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
That's great, that's great.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
But yeah, I've, I've done.
I did a few visits to Chico andthen Long Beach soon which
should be really fun.
So, but not every weekend.
I'm really not an every weekendkind of college student I
really can't.
I can't with my major.
Well, I mean, I think, I thinktoo.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I mean I yeah, I don't know I went to college
late, I was older, I was workinga full-time job and you know, I
didn't.
I didn't graduate from collegetill I was 30.
So you know, I was, maybe I wasa loser, I don't know.
But, um, but the thing that, uh, the thing.
I think there's something aboutthe college experience that
really, I mean, it helps youdiscover who you are.
(14:10):
And you find yourself in themiddle of all of that.
So you might have certainexpectations where you're like
you know, I want to have thisamazing social life, I want to
party, I want to do all of thisbecause you don't have that
regular experience, you know,going into college.
But then when you get there andyou're like, you're like, ok,
didn't quite happen the way thatI thought, but then you spend
(14:33):
like the first year discoveringwho you are and like what is you
know, you know what does Micklook like in this new setting?
you know, and you're like I'mokay with actually getting a
good night of sleep every oncein a while and um, and not, you
know, out there partying everynight, but um, still being able
to hold onto the friendships andthe social life that you have
(14:54):
in other places.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Right and it's.
It's been such a positiveexperience.
I mean, for a while I thought Iwas going to transfer after
this year, but, um, I, I, I havethe opportunity to go out and
do that when I want to on theweekends.
Um, some of my friends, youknow, go to different schools
and I'll school hop there you go, but no, but seriously um, it's
(15:17):
just, it's with what I'm doingand my extracurriculars and my
major.
Um, I'm a STEM student, so I I'mslammed during the week and all
I want to do on the weekends isjust sleep you know, and
throughout high school I Ididn't take it seriously enough,
um, to get into.
(15:39):
You know, my dream school isStanford.
I'm hoping to do my residencythere Hopefully we'll see and I
just had wished that I had takenit more seriously my senior
year, and so for me now having anew opportunity, I feel like I
can redeem myself by takingcollege more seriously to get
(16:02):
into a good med school.
So that's kind of the approachI've had on it this second
semester.
But yeah, I think everythinghappens for a reason and I love
being close to home.
I love being close to my familyand my loved ones and my
friends and my dogs.
I don't think I would want itany other way honestly, that's
(16:25):
cool.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
I think you know, as you were saying, that I kind of
had this idea that I think youmight have to like.
I think there's a choose whenyou're going to pay the cost for
the kind of life that you wantto have.
In other words, you can pay thecost as a freshman and just go
out there and party it up, butthen you don't get the
(16:47):
opportunity of getting into agood med school, you don't get
the opportunity of landing theseother good postgraduate schools
or opportunities, and so youpay the cost on the front end
when you actually had nothing tooffer.
Versus you know, versus you dowell in undergrad.
You land a good med school, youland a good graduate school,
(17:09):
you're actually making money atsome point where you can
actually say now I can actuallyhave fun and I can do this.
It's not going to cost me a lotmore and I actually have a
lifestyle that will allow me tobe able to just enjoy you know,
pick and choose when I want tohave a good night out or when I
want to just want to you knowpick and choose when I want to
(17:32):
have a good night out or when Iwant to just want to.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
You know Right, and you know I have had really,
really fun nights out, but forme it's just what I'm doing now,
I think, is so much morefulfilling for my life than if I
were to be going out doing thatevery weekend.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Not saying that I don't like to have a good time
but not every weekend.
So, yeah, I completely agreeand I think that also, you know,
I have a long-term goal, I havea long-term vision and I'm not
picking a career that I'm justpicking for the money.
I'm picking it because it's mypassion, it's what.
(18:00):
I want to do, and you know whenI think about you know, maybe
I'll do this instead of studyingfor my test.
It's like, well, I, what about?
You know?
What about, like, my?
dream we're just going to landme Right, it's like I can't have
all these missed opportunitiesadd up and be disappointed that
I didn't, that I didn't putenough time into what I, what
(18:23):
really matters to me.
That's great.
I love it Very cool.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Very cool.
Yeah, let me tell you a littlebit about Jennifer Petrucelli of
Petrucelli Homes.
In 2023, I had the opportunityof working with her directly to
help sell a home.
An organization that I wasworking with was trying to sell
a home in Fremont and Irecommended that we use
Petrucelli Homes as our realestate agent, and I'm going to
tell you the process.
(18:47):
Everything that happened inorder to be able to get the
house on the market and get itsold was a breeze.
Working with JenniferPetrocelli was one of the best
things that we could have donein selling that home.
If you are looking to buy orsell a home in the Bay Area,
reach out to Jennifer Petrucelliof Petrucelli Homes.
(19:09):
You will not regret it.
So, wow, you have a lot goingon there.
The reason we're here, I guess,in some sense, is to find out
about your race for research andall the efforts that you've
done in that.
So, um, what happened on yourfirst two galas that you had?
(19:31):
Like?
Were they success?
What did you do?
How much did you raise?
Like, what did you learn fromthose?
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Our first year in 2023,.
Our goal of our total amountwas, I think, 50,000.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Was the goal 50,000?
50.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
It was either 30 or 50, I think yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I'm sure if we go back and listen to our original
episode, which would be episodeactually 61.
Okay, I made sure I knew whichone it was.
We could probably remember whatthe goal total was, or the
total of the goal was at thattime.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
I'm pretty sure it was 50,000, but I could be wrong
, but I'm pretty sure and I justremember I was so, so nervous
to find out during the eventbecause by the end of the night,
the end of the gala, we do abig check reveal.
So while we're doing ourclosing remarks, we have about
because by the end of the night,the end of the gala, we do a
big check reveal.
So while we're doing ourclosing remarks, we have about
(20:32):
10 people or so in the backcounting up all this money, all
this cash, adding up all ofthese donations, so that we can
announce at the end of the nightto all of these people, what
they did and what they raised,and I just remember, oh my gosh,
standing on the stage sonervous because my aunt knew the
number and she did not tell me.
(20:53):
I was like.
I was like, what is it?
What?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
is it?
Did she give you any indication?
Speaker 3 (20:56):
No, she was like I am not telling you, and I was like
this is my thing, Like.
I demand to know, and I justremember.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Is she on the board?
Did you threaten to remove herfrom the board?
I should have.
I'm going to do that actually.
There you go.
You need to tell me, or elseyeah.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, I will.
I will President's orders.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
So yeah, I just.
They revealed the check andflipped it around and announced
one hundred thousand dollars forour first.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Oh, my word, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
A year ago from that day, I would have never, ever,
ever thought in my life that wewould have raised $100,000.
Because at that time in my life, in 2022, in May, that was a
really rough period for me andthat was about when I really
started thinking about Race forResearch, I think, and just
(21:54):
thinking about how it'ssomething that I really wanted
to pursue, and to just go fromthat rough spot and, a year
later, raise a hundred thousanddollars in one year was just.
It just blew my mind and atthat point, it was something
where we realized this is notgoing to be a one-time thing.
(22:14):
This is, this is a long-termplan like this is going to
become a business that that'scool, and so we did it again our
second year and our goal was ahundred thousand.
Um, that was a really stressfulyear because I don't know if you
remember, but our first year wehad tied the event to a race
track and we had had a race thefollowing Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Um, and that was our incentive to get people to our
event, is you know?
Speaker 2 (22:42):
come see the race, participate in that and then
stick around for the.
Or was it the opposite wayaround it?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
was come to the event , stick around for the race the
next day.
Um and so for racers, it's alot for them to just travel up
from all over California um,just for an event, you know.
So we needed that racetrack andin, I think, around December or
January of 2024, 2024.
(23:08):
Yeah, it had closed.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Oh my word.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
So I found that out and my heart sunk to the bottom
of my stomach.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, I was like, I was so terrified stomach yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
I was, like I was so terrified, um, and I just
remember being so scared thatevent.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Um and I, they did the check reveal.
So where did you, where did?
Speaker 3 (23:34):
you hold the event the same place.
Same place.
Yeah, because we had already bythat point in December, we had
already placed the um hold onthe ballroom since August of
2024.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
So there was just no race then.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
No.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, and that was really scary, because how do you
advertise and how do you getpeople to your event when you
don't you know?
I mean, people don't want todrive three hours to an event,
and that's understandable.
So it was kind of a toss up,like you know, that event
jeopardized in some way and itwas, so I was devastated, I was
(24:28):
so nervous.
But anyway, fast forward.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
To the check reveal.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
To the check reveal.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
And this time my aunt let me watch her draw in the
numbers on the check.
And I just saw one.
And then I the check, and Ijust saw one, and then I saw
three, and then I saw zero.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
And I just lost my mind.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I was on stage crying so hard.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
We had raised $130,000.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
That's amazing.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
So to come from that struggle and raise more than we
did even the first year was justincredible.
So at this point we've raisedover a quarter of a million
dollars in two and a half years.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
Yeah, that's great it has been the most positive
experience of my life.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
That's great, yeah, and.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
I think a lot of other people's too.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
I think it's something that this community
really needed.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
That's awesome.
Yeah, that's awesome.
So we're on the verge of thethird annual event correct yeah.
So what is the date for this?
This is May 9th 9th.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
So May 9th, it's a Friday night.
And then we are having a racethis year.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
So I know it's a little far from Fremont, but we
did move it down to the CentralValley in Lemoore.
Okay, it's a small town nearHanford, Tulare.
Do you know where I'm?
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I know where the Central Valley is.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
A lot of people don't know where Lemoore is, that's
okay.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Well, the good thing is, we have, you know, google
Maps or whatever.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Google.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Maps or whatever we can get there.
We can find it.
It's like 30 minutes away fromFresno, I think Okay.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
But it's at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
It's a really nice Indian reserve resort.
Okay, beautiful, it's gorgeous,and what's exciting is that
we've outgrown their ballroomspace so much that we've
actually had to move our eventto the bingo hall oh, my word,
yeah, that's cool, so we'll see,yeah, um, how many tickets we
(26:26):
sell this year.
I definitely think it's goingto be a sellout at 400 wow yeah,
wow, that's awesome, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
So how many have you had in the previous?
How many, how many tickets haveyou sold for the previous
events?
Speaker 3 (26:37):
We have sold out both events at 300.
This year the capacity of theballroom is 750.
We're aiming for 400 because alot of the families are going to
be new Moving it down there.
It's a whole new culture downthere of people.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yeah, it presents a whole different list of
challenges, I'm sure, right.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
And you know Bay Area people and Central Valley
people are very different in thebest way possible.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
But yeah, so we'll see how people respond to it,
but I think just giving it roomto grow, I mean I think we are
going to put a capacity of 400-on it this year.
So it's definitely like firstcome, first serve on tickets.
But yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
So what do these events look like?
Like, I think we talked aboutthis before, but it's been two
years, right?
So what do the events look likefor the gala?
Like what kind of things ifpeople buy a ticket, they kind
of things if people buy a ticket, they show up.
If I buy a ticket right andshow up.
Like what am I expecting?
Like what am I going to bedoing?
What's my?
You know?
What do I have to look forwardto?
Speaker 3 (27:51):
right um, I'll just go through the agenda of the
night yeah, um.
So basically, people show up,um, we'll open the doors to the
ballroom and we'll have a silentauction of over 100 auction
items.
They're not just all racing wehave trips and beauty items,
(28:13):
food items, memorabilia sportsthings anything you can think of
.
There's something there foreveryone.
Experiences everything.
And after the silent auctioncloses, then everybody will go
to the ballroom in the gala,Everyone will take their seats
(28:35):
and I will be doing a shortopening speech this year.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
And then we will have dinner.
Um, we'll do some really coolthings with the celebrity
waiters.
One thing that we do is eachwaiter, um, oh, I should
probably mention this actuallyum, so I'm saying celebrity
waiters because they areactually our very own race car
drivers okay who's they sign upup to serve dinner to all of the
(29:04):
guests who come.
So we all dress up in our firesuits and we serve a salad, a
dinner and a dessert, and onething that we do that's really
cool to raise money is we have atip jar for every driver on the
table that they're serving.
We have a tip jar for everydriver on the table that they're
serving.
(29:27):
And it's funny because they getso competitive with their tips,
because the person, the waiter,who raises the most amount in
their tip jar, wins a freecustom fire suit which is at
value of, like I think it's,either $1,200 or $1,700.
Yeah, it gets reallycompetitive.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
So it's something to compete for for sure or $1,700.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
That's awesome yeah, it gets really competitive.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
So it's something to compete for for sure.
Oh yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
It's crazy we have all the little kids who do it.
They run around with their tipjars and they're asking people.
They're like can you spare somechange?
That's awesome.
Yeah, so that is really fun tosee.
And the little girl who's wonit the last two years she's won
it both years in a row her dad,her dad's wife, her mom is on
(30:11):
the race for research board and,oh my gosh, they ask so many
sponsors for money.
I swear she's raised like 4004,000 in her tip jar.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Oh my word, that's crazy.
Yeah, I know I'm like what areyou doing?
Speaker 1 (30:24):
She has like five suits Well you need to like.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
as soon as she becomes old enough, you
obviously need to hire her to bea part of the board she can put
this on her resume.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Exactly, that's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Yeah, she can like I have raised the most, most
amount of tips every year.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, I mean she'll get a job at a restaurant really
really fast Um but yeah, soanyway we do that, and then
after dinner we're going to havea really cool speech um with,
uh, an ex St Jude patient.
Her story is absolutely,absolutely incredible.
Her name is Tierra Herr and shewas um a St Jude patient when
(31:00):
she was five, six, seven.
She was diagnosed withneuroblastoma and, um, she was.
This was when research wasstill pretty new.
So she was in a group um ofother children just like her
with neuroblastoma and theytried all these um different
methods to try to cure them.
And she was allergic to thisone study that they did, or one
(31:28):
what am I trying to say?
This one procedure that theydid.
And she was the only oneallergic, and she was the only
one who survived.
Oh, my word, so she was a hugepart of developing research in
that way to show people this iswhat works and this is what
doesn't work.
So she is just a miracle thatshe's here today.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
She attended my dad's event back in the day, so she
has huge ties to us, so she'sgoing to be doing a speech
introducing somebody else whohas a similar story.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
And then after that we'll do a fund-a-need, so
people who want to do donationsor anything like that and we'll
also have a live auction.
I think some of our liveauction items this year are a
street bike valued at $8,000.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Oh, my word that's cool.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
It's really cool, valued at $8,000.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
I know it's, it's really cool Um trips to uh Vegas
and um Bali and um I'm tryingto think of what else.
We were going to do the countrymusic awards, but they got
canceled this year, I know, yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Oh, I did not know that.
That is crazy.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Um, but yeah, we have a night in the pits with the
pits, with a really well-knownsprint car driver.
Nice, super, super cool stuff.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
That's awesome, so something there for everyone.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
And then we'll do closing remarks and the check
reveal that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, very cool.
I love it.
So it's going to be a reallyfun night.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
It's pretty much the same format that it's always
been just some new material andwe have a great MC Um his name
is Caleb.
Hart.
He announces for some of thebiggest micro sprint races.
Um there are in the country andum yeah he's he's amazing.
He works at my biggest sponsorsum company, joe's racing
(33:16):
products.
So, he super close to my family.
He's amazing.
We have an amazing auctioneerwe hired this year.
His name is Freddy and he is sofunny and so entertaining.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
Sounds like you're picking the right group of
people to make this happen.
It's picking up, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
We're definitely getting some more experience to
know what our event needs tomake it better.
I think.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah, Do you have any nerves going into this?
This year I know you had achange with the race being
canceled.
I guess you're moving into anew event space so that's
obviously going to create alittle bit of uncertainty.
But any nerves going into thisa little bit?
I have a few.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
I have a lot different than I've had the last
two years.
I feel like within the last twoyears it's more so of are
people going to like it?
Are people going to donate, arepeople, you know?
Is this something where peopleare going to want to come back?
And obviously it's proven yes,it's proven to be a huge hit.
Um, I do have a little bit ofnerves because this is almost a
(34:16):
completely brand new group beingin the Central Valley.
Um, um.
This is about three hours awayfrom where our previous event
was, and this is a whole newgroup of drivers so a lot
different people, but I I thinkthat it will be something they
really enjoy um, I I think thisgroup will have a lot of fun
with it.
Um, I think my main concern isprobably our formatting for this
(34:42):
year.
Um, it's, it's a big ballroomor it's a big bingo hall so it's
it's hard to make that lookgood yeah so we're gonna do our
best.
Um, we've hired, you know,decorating services and gotten
tons of donations on how toreally make it look like a
formal gala, because this is notsomething that we want to look
(35:02):
like a spaghetti feed or banquetright, I mean this is like you
know.
Our philosophy is you spend 100bucks, you're gonna get your
money's worth.
You're gonna get a good dinner,you're gonna get an incredible
night and incredible memoriesthat you're gonna remember
forever.
This is not.
You know you, you put a ticketin a basket and see who's drawn.
(35:24):
You know this is a really formalevent.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
This is a gala, that's great.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
So yeah, I think just being in a new space is always
nerve-wracking.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
I think, yeah, that's cool.
So, since you've raised thesefunds over the last couple of
years and these monies have beengiven to St Jude's, like, have
you seen I know it was kind ofyour vision that you wanted to
recapture um two years ago andto to make this a reality, as
(35:53):
you've been able to maybeexperience giving those monies
to St Jude and being able to seewhat they're accomplishing what
have what has inspired you tocontinue to keep doing this?
Like, have you been able to goand see what the money that you
have um raised is going towardand how has that affected you
(36:14):
personally as you continue tolook at doing these into the
future?
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Yeah, soune um of 2024, I had the most incredible
opportunity, probably of my life.
Um saint jude had invited meand my dad to go back to the
hospital in memphis in tennesseeum for a new generation event.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
And the event was not super targeted towards me.
I was still a senior, I justhad graduated.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Just graduating, yeah .
Speaker 3 (36:51):
As a senior of high school, and so this was mainly
fraternities and sororities whowere there to kind of learn how
to embrace philanthropy withintheir fraternity or sorority.
And so I was put with thecollege students, but I wasn't
(37:12):
I'm not in a fraternity orsorority.
So I was just kind of walkingaround um and I have a really
good friend, hollis um belger,who does another St Jude
nonprofit called Juggling forJude.
She's raised almost a milliondollars.
Oh, my word so incredible personand so she was there as well.
So we kind of teamed up theentire week and really stuck
(37:33):
together, was I got to see andlisten to guest speakers, panels
, patients the most incrediblespeakers I've ever heard in my
life.
One thing that really, really,really stuck out to me was I got
to hear St Jude's CEO speak,and it was.
(37:57):
I mean, he is just such anadmirable man.
One thing he said that reallyreally stuck with me always that
.
I'm going to even incorporateinto my own speech.
This year is live charitably.
It doesn't even mean just tolike donate to.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
St Jude or give him 20 bucks a month for a T-shirt.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
It genuinely means live charitably.
Every once in a while, pay forthe person behind you, pay for
their coffee, spread joy intothe world.
I mean seriously.
You never know who isstruggling.
You never know.
You know what people are goingthrough.
And just imagine the world nowhow much better of a place it
(38:42):
would be if everybody did asmall action every day.
I mean seriously, when thosethings happen to you, I mean it
sticks with you forever,absolutely, or it makes your day
right yeah.
So, live, chair, livingcharitably is something that I
have really tried to incorporateinto my um, into my lifestyle.
And uh, my friend Hollis shehad a panel as well, talking
about how her passion of soccerhas helped her raise money for
(39:06):
seeing Jude.
Basically, she kicks a soccerball and she juggles a soccer
ball.
She has like the world recordor something.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
She can juggle a soccer ball for like an hour and
a half or something.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
It's crazy, that's cool.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
But her, you know, panel was just saying use your
passions to provide purpose inyour life, and that is something
that I've always stressed.
Personally, too, I resonatewith that so much because I have
used racing to pursue race forresearch, which has given me
fulfillment and passion andpurpose in my life.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
I genuinely think that living charitably to live
charitably, this fulfills thatpurpose if that makes sense Um
so I really don't think I'm evergoing to stop and being at the
hospital.
I mean, you see these kids,these sick kids, on TV, Um, but
when you're there in person it'slike it's real.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
It's all real.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
You see the children playing on the playgrounds with
their, their moms, and you knowit's, it's heartbreaking, but
also you don't think of it likethat way in the moment because
St Jude is just.
I mean I I've talked to peopleabout it and they're like, well,
it's just, it's just a hospital.
You know, why are you gettingso like worked up over this?
(40:22):
It's just a hospital.
I'm like, no, you don'tunderstand.
It's not just a hospital.
It's.
It's this incredible space thatDanny Thomas um, the original
founder, I mean.
It's where any child can becured of cancer for no cost, no
matter where you are from, whatyour background is.
(40:43):
I mean they don't care who youare.
If you need treatment, it'sthere you can get it.
And to spread that research, Imean they have hundreds of rooms
for research.
They have one building that Ithink is 15 stories tall.
It's a research building.
They have another researchbuilding and they're currently
(41:06):
building a 17 story researchbuilding right now.
Um, and I got to tour one ofthem.
It's incredible and I it's just.
I can't even put into wordslike how beautiful this place
really is.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
I really wish that it was something everyone got to
experience.
But yeah, and I mean, it's justso inclusive of everybody.
When you walk in to the mainresearch building, the first
thing you see is flags hung upon the ceiling of every single
country patients, patients havecome from, if that makes sense?
(41:42):
Yeah, for sure um workers arefrom international countries,
doctors, all these things.
It's amazing.
Their um k cafe, it's their maincafe in the main hospital yeah
um and they do not have aseparate cafe for patients and
doctors, all patients anddoctors they eat together all
(42:04):
the nurses, um, so you can fullon have a meal with your doctor.
I mean it's it's incredible andum, you know, there's this one
story that really sticks out tome, Um.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
I hope you don't mind me rambling about this.
No, this is great.
I love it.
This is what?
Well, you know it's.
Yeah, I mean it's, it's this.
Is it because it's like you?
Um, you focus on the raisingthe funds, part of it which is
important, I mean it's, you knowit's one of the things that
you've been inspired to do.
But then it's like you want tomake sure, and I think for
people listening that are alsointerested in, you know,
(42:35):
potentially giving funds andshowing up as well, they want to
know, like, what are the like?
What happens when I give likewhat?
Where does it go, what?
What other was the result?
And I love that there's kind oflike just lit us, you know this
, spark little fire and you'rejust like let me tell you about
it all you know.
So tell me this.
Yeah, tell me the story.
Tell me the story.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
I'm going to be.
It's just everything to me youknow, I try not to talk about it
because I'm not like a supercorny person, but it truly is
like.
This experience is truly thereason why I've based my life
(43:17):
and my future off of, if thatmakes sense.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
I mean, it's just, it was that impactful for me.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
That's amazing yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
Anyway K Cafe.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
So, um, there was this little boy, I guess who.
He was super, super sick and,um, I forget what kind of cancer
he had, um, but he did not wantanything that the chef had to
make.
Nothing on the menu.
And this little boy fromlouisiana, all he wanted was his
(43:48):
grandma's mac and cheese and hetold the chef how to make it.
And the chef tried and the kiddid not like it, he wouldn't eat
it.
Yeah, so the chef contacted hisgrandma, called her from
louisiana and she sent him therecipe.
Oh wow, the chef contacted hisgrandma, called her from
Louisiana and she sent him therecipe oh wow.
The chef made this little boyhis mac and cheese and he ate it
.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Oh, my word.
Speaker 3 (44:08):
I mean, but it's just those little things.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
You know what I?
Speaker 3 (44:11):
mean Because when your child is going through
something as terrible as cancer,I mean it is so hard to feel
like you can live a normal life.
I mean seriously we as ahealthy person, I take it so for
granted.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Oh yeah, um, we all do Right.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
Exactly, and um, you can't even have a meal that you
crave you know, Um and for StJude to design their practices
off of making these childrenfeel like they are at home or as
normal as they possibly canfeel.
It's something that that I gotto see in person and it's it's
(44:52):
amazing.
I mean, that's why people gointo St Jude and they say I
don't feel sad when I walkthrough St Jude, I feel hopeful.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
I feel happy and I feel like this is where this is
a positive place right, it's nota sad, dark hospital and it's
hope.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
It's hope that living charitably is like realized in
that space, you know.
For a chef to do that sort ofthing.
You know he's not just doing itbecause it's his job.
He's going way out of his wayto do something that he's not
being necessarily paid to do orasked to do specifically.
He's just living charitably.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
Exactly, and I think that when St Jude, you know,
hires their employees, that'sgot to be like a checkmark on
their resume that they have tohave, because, I swear, every
single person who works there isso moved by the cause.
It is not a place where youknow they're working there for
(45:50):
the good pay.
They're working there becauseyou know it's a nice hospital.
They're not working therebecause it's prestigious,
they're working there becauseit's it's their passion, it's
their livelihood, I mean, andwhen you're, when you see it in
person, you become so touched byeverything there.
It's like the most.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
I truly wish that I could just like take my
experience and just be able toright, but I can't Um and it's
just just so hard but you'retaking your experience and
letting it, you know, fuel thefire that you have right behind
what you're doing to to make adifference.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
Right, that's amazing yeah and um, yeah, it's.
It's just, it's amazing.
I mean to put in all thateffort and you know people
saying that they don't knowwhere their money goes.
Well, it goes to all of thesechildren who who feel like
something is wrong with themwhich you know physically there
is, but mentally you can feellike something's wrong with you
(46:49):
um and that's a really hardfeeling to to go through but, to
have that normality is just somentally important for these
children to not become, you know, depressed in a hospital while
they're sick yeah it'sincredible how they've
considered what these patientsgo through.
(47:12):
I mean these patients are notpatients.
Yeah, in saint jude's eyestheir family that's great um I
love that they.
They care about these childrenjust as much as they would their
own family, and that's great.
I love that.
All these different things.
And they have a recordingstudio so patients can sing in
there or record whatever inthere, but they also use it.
(47:46):
You know, if a child is goingto pass away, they use that
recording studio to record thatchild's heartbeat to give it to
their parents.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
I know that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (47:59):
I mean, the things that they think of to make to
comfort people is justincredible how they consider,
consider, you know, otherpeople's feelings Um so yeah, I
mean truly it's.
It's incredible.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
That's awesome.
Well, thanks for sharing allthat.
Yeah, I know I know that was alot.
You can, you can cut that down.
I know, really cool, I knowthat was a lot.
Speaker 3 (48:18):
You can cut that down if you need to, that's good, I
totally rambled on there.
No, that's great.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (48:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
I really love it.
Well, I'm glad that you wereinspired and I'm excited to see
how your fire for all of this,your excitement for all of this,
really pushes your effortsforward.
For all of this, um reallypushes your efforts forward and
I really, I, you know, I reallyhope that the um fundraising
effort that you're doing thisyear is a, um is a is a big win
(48:47):
for you, for you know, race forresearch, but also for these
kids.
Speaker 3 (48:52):
Right, I mean.
that's the reason why we do itand yeah, I mean I really, you
know, I was really trying tothink of what I wanted to say in
my opening speech this year andI really settled on I don't
want to do something sappy.
Um, I don't want to do I meannot sappy, but I don't want to
(49:12):
do something sad.
I don't want to.
I don't need to tell a storyfor somebody else.
This time I I want to take myexperience this time and and
inspire other people with that,because that is what.
That is what's going to makethis go a long ways in other
people's heads.
Um, so I'm, I think, I thinkit's going to be our most
(49:36):
emotionally impactful year.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
Wow, that's great Well, you are already inspiring,
I love.
Thank you yeah you are, and Ihave no doubt that you know,
years down the road, the workthat you're doing both for.
Race for Research and for thesekids, and then also the work
that you're doing to become theperson that you're going to be
you know psychiatrist, you knowwhatever, wherever that takes
(50:02):
you, I know that it's going tobe.
It's going to be amazing.
Speaker 1 (50:04):
And I get a chance.
Speaker 2 (50:05):
I'll probably be sitting in my like lounger
somewhere someday and saying Iinterviewed her and I was there
when she you know when she wasin high school and I remember
doing that and I remember, youknow.
So I'll get the opportunity topoint out and say she was making
a difference back when I knewher, and she's still making a
(50:26):
difference today.
Speaker 1 (50:26):
So that's gonna be really cool.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
So, very cool.
So, um, if people areinterested in knowing more about
race for research, uh, what'sthe best way, what's the best
place to you know, contact or toaccess the information?
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Yeah, we're on Instagram and Facebook.
Instagram is sjraceforresearchand then Facebook is just
raceforresearch and our logoswill come up in our accounts.
We only have one account andthen we have a website.
It's wwwraceforresearchcom.
(51:01):
Slash maxgivingbid or something.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
I don't know.
We can add it to the show notestoo, and people can access it.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Perfect.
And then we also have an email.
It's just sjraceforresearch atGmail, but most people will
message us on Facebook orInstagram, it's just easy.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
So yeah.
Speaker 2 (51:19):
So one last question before you go Are you still
racing?
Speaker 3 (51:22):
Yeah, I, I don't know what it's been.
I have gotten this question somuch this year.
Yeah, I think it's because I'vejust been super busy.
Speaker 2 (51:31):
Well, your life changes.
You go to college and you haveall these other things going on,
it was a fun high school sport,right and like?
Are you going to keep doingthat?
Speaker 3 (51:38):
I 100%.
I could not think of giving itup at this point in my life.
Maybe when I go to med schooland life starts becoming life a
little bit more.
Speaker 2 (51:49):
You need to let off some steam.
I need to go to the racetrackin med school, I'm sure.
Well, hopefully, yeah, that'sright If I have the time.
Speaker 3 (51:57):
No, no seriously, I definitely want to keep racing.
Speaker 2 (52:01):
Already have um a new car being put in the works,
right now being built um puttogether, it's a joe's um are
you gonna be racing after thelike, after the gala, the next
are you?
Speaker 3 (52:13):
yes, oh cool, I know, I feel like I have to you know
what I mean?
Of course, of course, yeah butyeah, so I have a 2025 Joe's
Racing Products chassis.
They just came out with it thisyear, so I'm going to be
running that this year, nice.
And then, yeah, same deal,awesome, yeah, same schedule,
and running in the CentralValley now.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
Great, that's awesome .
Well, it was great having youon here again.
Thank you and thank you forsharing your heart, your passion
, your stories, and I hope weget to do this again.
I know and if I get a chance,I'm going to try to come out
there to the gala.
I've wanted to do it every year.
Every time I've seen it I'mlike, oh, I need to get to that
(52:56):
and I'm going to try to make itwork this year.
Speaker 3 (52:58):
That would be awesome , and we have a hotel room
discount rate because it is at ahotel.
Speaker 2 (53:06):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (53:07):
So a lot of people will stay the night that night,
and I think our code is you haveto call Tachi and just say you
know I want to use code race forresearch and they'll give you a
discount on your room.
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (53:18):
Yeah, very cool.
Well, thanks for joining me.
Speaker 3 (53:20):
Thank you, good to spend some time with you.
I know it's so good to catch upfinally.
Exactly, I feel like it's beenway too long.
Speaker 2 (53:26):
It has been it has been, yeah, so good luck and
hopefully we'll see you aroundsome more.
Speaker 3 (53:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (53:32):
Yeah.
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