Mike Neff knew last weekend was an important one for his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car team. It wasn’t the fact that he was the defending Toyota NHRA SuperNationals event champion or that his primary sponsor, Castrol, had their headquarters just around the corner. Neff was anticipating changing some lives of children who participate in the Metro Ministries program based in New York City.
“I met Pastor Bill Wilson a number of years ago and I have been involved with Metro Ministries since then. This is the first time we have hosted a big group of kids and it was amazing. I have to thank Castrol and Lori Anne Gola for going the extra mile with goodie bags and the tickets. They are a great sponsor and to help these kids like that means a lot,” said Neff.
“It puts a lot in perspective when you talk with the kids, some who might never have had a chance to leave the city, and see that they are seeing a whole new world. You hope that this inspires them and encourages them to keep being good kids. It was an awesome experience for me personally and I feel lucky to have been able to help Metro Ministries.”
On Saturday with the help of Castrol, Neff hosted ten kids ages 10-13 along with three chaperones for a day at the races. The group arrived in the morning and was welcomed to the Castrol suite where the received reserved front row seating as well as goodie bags with hats, t-shirts, toys and stickers. Before the first Saturday qualifying session the kids toured the John Force Racing pit area and Neff spent time with the kids welcoming them to the races and getting to know their various stories. After the qualifying session the kids returned to the JFR pits and Neff gave them a personalized walk-through of the teardown process his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang was undergoing. The kids had many questions from “How does it feel to go 300 mph?” to “How sweaty do you get in your firesuit?”
The group also enjoyed the interactive displays throughout Nitro Alley especially the Traxxas display and the Harley-Davidson display. After a full day at the races the kids returned to the JFR pits to thank Neff for making a dream come true for them.
Metro Ministries is a Christian, non-profit organization dedicated to serving inner city children throughout the five boroughs of New York City and in various urban centers around the world. The organization was established in 1980 and has been serving low-income, inner city children and their families for more than a quarter of a century.
In 1980, Metro Ministries established its headquarters in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, New York. With the growth of the ministry and a desire for greater community outreach in 2008, Metro purchased a nearby facility, a former hospital, encompassing an entire city block. Today, that building is the Metro World Ministries Center.
Upon final renovation, the Metro World Ministries Center will be a cornerstone of Metro Ministries. The Center will house a Community Food Pantry as well as hold after school programs for inner city youth. In addition, the Center will enable Metro to expand International training programs and house those who come to us from all over the world hoping to impact their own cities or nations.
For more information or to make a donation visit www.metroministries.org
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