Children Raced the Clock to Stuff Carts Full of Presents for Themselves and Family
Charlotte, N.C. (Dec. 21, 2015) – Four Charlotte area children recently displaced when their homes were destroyed by fire still had a Merry Christmas a few days early as guests of the Kevin Harvick Foundation for a shopping spree at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet on Monday.
The four children, ranging in age from six to 11 and members of two families, were treated to a four-minute shopping spree at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet in Matthews, N.C. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, co-founders of the Kevin Harvick Foundation, partnered with Ollie’s for the holiday shopping blitz. Harvick drives the No. 4 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. As a last-minute surprise, the Harvicks also treated the two mothers of the children to a shopping spree.
“I’ll never forget how frightened DeLana and I were when we had a small fire at our home a couple of years ago,” Kevin Harvick said. “We were incredibly lucky to catch it early, but not everyone is as fortunate. We cannot imagine what these children and their families went through, so we are overjoyed to partner with Ollie’s to give back to the community and bring a little Christmas cheer in the midst of personal tragedy. On another note, these kids know how to shop!”
The four children comprise two sets of siblings from two families – a boy, 9, and his sister, 11; and two brothers ages eight and six – were accompanied by their family members. When Blaze, the Charlotte Fire Department’s mascot, waved the green flag, the kids had four minutes to pack their shopping carts, steered by Kevin and DeLana Harvick and two firefighters, full of Christmas presents for themselves and family members. Some of the most popular items were: comforter sets for their bedrooms and their parents’ bedrooms; Nerf guns; LEGO Spider-Man; LEGO Dino Park; a tablet; Bluetooth headphones; aFrozen Olaf stuffed animal; vacuum cleaners; a crockpot; and a coffeemaker.
In addition to the Harvicks, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet District Team Leader Mike Ciolfi and Capt. Sylvia Smith-Phifer, Charlotte Fire Department Chief, were on hand for the holiday fun and festivities.
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet first partnered with Harvick in 2009 as a personal sponsor on his race car before joining the Kevin Harvick Foundation.
About Kevin Harvick Foundation:
Established in 2010 by NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, the mission of the Kevin Harvick Foundation (KHF) is to support programs that positively enrich the lives of children throughout the United States. The foundation works to not only improve the quality of life, but to help underprivileged youth find and realize their dreams. To learn more about KHF, go to www.kevinharvickfoundation.org
