Guest blog post by Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District
Sixth-grade students at Cross Timbers Middle School got a special visit from NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin as part of a FedEx Racing “Race to Prepare” program at the school on Thursday. Approximately 250 students participated in an assembly presented by FedEx and the American Red Cross to teach students about the importance of being prepared for any emergency. As part of the program, 28 students competed in a “Race to Prepare” relay to build emergency kits containing items such as batteries, First Aid supplies, water, flashlights and whistles. Patti Davis, GCISD executive director of administration, kicked off the event with a district welcome. Guest speakers included Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota Camry; Kevin Sisk, senior manager of operations for FedEx Express; Leslie Palmer, interim chief executive officer of the American Red Cross North Texas Region; and Chief Steve Bass of the Grapevine Fire Department. Before the event, students were able to tour a vehicle display including an actual #11 FedEx Toyota Camry race car (now retired), a FedEx delivery truck, a Red Cross Hummer and a Grapevine fire truck.
“We are excited to be able to partner with FedEx and the American Red Cross to bring such a great program to our district,” Davis said. “GCISD has a comprehensive emergency management plan and we practice drills regularly to teach students how to respond to emergencies at school. Now, through this partnership, we are taking those efforts a step further to reinforce the importance of emergency preparedness at home and in our community.”
Each year, four cities from across the nation are selected to host a FedEx Racing “Race to Prepare” program in their community. The program works in conjunction with Red Cross efforts to educate and prepare the public for emergencies through the “Do More Than Cross Your Fingers” campaign. Both programs emphasize emergency preparedness through building emergency kits, creating a family communication and evacuation plans, and educating the community about disasters. Through this program, FedEx also announced a $10,000 donation to the North Texas chapter of the Red Cross to support local efforts throughout the community.
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