EMS Magazine`s Resource Guide: Pediatric Care: Laps of Hope Benefits Kids

When they aren’t fighting fires, Brian Blaise and Mike Hoehn race sports cars under the name Blaise Motorsports, Inc. In 2002, when they became aware of a charity called the Connecticut Burns Care Foundation, which runs a Children’s Burn Camp every summer, they realized they could combine their passion for racing and their expertise as firefighters to support a great cause. For the past three years, their racing and sponsorship proceeds have been donated to the Children’s Burn Camp.

Late last year, Brian and Mike enlisted help from one of their sponsors—the consulting firm of Holdsworth Pelton International—to increase their visibility and donations. Since HPI is a firm with a dedicated philanthropy program, the concept fit their organization’s profile perfectly.

“This past off-season, we got together and asked, ‘How can we get more sponsors so we have more operating money and more money to give away?’” says HPI owner Bob Holdsworth. “We knew there had to be more to this than one race car and one burn camp, and, since we’re connected at a national level and the guys are connected nationally through IAFF, we knew we should be thinking about doing something more than just helping a small group of kids in Connecticut.”

That’s why they established the Laps of Hope.

“The goal this year is to race in Connecticut, generate awareness on a national basis and solicit others to open chapters in other parts of the country to truly make this a national charity,” says Holdsworth. “Next year, the goal is to move up to a more visible racing venue and open chapters across other sports lines to raise money for sick and injured kids. A percentage of local monies raised will pay for perpetuation and maintenance of the organization, but the lion’s share of money raised by chapters would stay within that local chapter’s service area.”

As of this writing, Laps of Hope is a mere six weeks old, but it’s moving quickly. By the time you read this, there will be a functioning board of directors, a website that will include an application form for anyone interested in forming a state or local chapter, and an online store. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, visit www.lapsofhope.org.

—MN