October 3, 2007 – Australian Champ Car star Will Power has traded the ultimate experience with Team Australia at this year's Lexmark Indy 300 with Pet Rock kids Hannah and Luke Sinclair in aid of Queensland charity Youngcare on the Gold Coast today.
Power arrived in Australia this morning ahead of the Lexmark Indy 300 on October 18-21 and exchanged the package with Hannah and Luke for a 2006 Wallabies jumper signed by the Australian Rugby Union squad at the WPS/WOW Racing workshop.
Power was happy to be a part of the unique charity program and liked the creative approach the Gold Coast siblings had taken in assisting Youngcare by trading up to the final goal of a transport vehicle for young people with severe injuries and disabilities.
"Hannah and Luke are doing something really great with the Pet Rock Charity Project and I am happy to be a part of it," said Power.
"On behalf of the whole Team Australia program we are pleased to be involved. The people who trade with Hannah and Luke for the Team Australia experience are certainly going to have a weekend they will never forget.
"Hopefully I am handing them a pair of race-winning gloves on October 21.
"It is a very worthy cause and a very creative way of helping out. I look forward to keeping in touch with Hannah and Luke as they keep trading for the vehicle for Youngcare.
"With the opportunity we are giving two people for this year's Lexmark Indy 300 I hope the vehicle is not too far away."
Broadbeach Waters sister and brother Hannah and Luke Sinclair have been slowly trading their way towards a new car for Brisbane charity Youngcare. The project started in June and involved Hannah, 14, and Luke, 11, initially swapping their pet rock 'Oscar' for a souvenir Elvis Presley dinner menu.
Since then, the pair has continually traded items and experiences. Their latest trade item is a signed and framed 2006 Wallabies Rugby jersey, today handed to Power and Team Australia in return for the ultimate Team Australia experience at this year's Lexmark Indy 300.
The trade took place at WPS/WOW Racing's Gold Coast workshop in front of a Team Australia Champ Car. WPS/WOW Racing is competing in this weekend's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and is the sister team to Team Australia, with Queensland businessman Craig Gore the co-owner of Team Australia and the team owner for WPS/WOW Racing.
"Hannah and Luke should be commended for the initiative and effort they have shown by starting this pet rock trade scheme for Youngcare," said Gore.
"Team Australia is happy to help out and get them one step closer to their final goal. Whoever successfully offers the next trade is certainly going to have a weekend they will never forget."
Hannah and Luke are now in search of their next trade as they work towards a transport vehicle for Youngcare. The siblings will pursue a trade for the Team Australia package, which includes two general admission passes to the Lexmark Indy 300, two signed Team Australia shirts and caps, an exclusive pit tour of the Team Australia garage, the chance to meet drivers Power and team-mate Simon Pagenaud, a signed one-off framed picture of Power's victory in the Grand Prix of Toronto earlier this year, Power's gloves from this year's Gold Coast event and the chance to watch this year's race from the Team Australia pit box.
The package amounts to a money-can't-buy opportunity and the ultimate experience at this year's 2007 Lexmark Indy 300.
"We are so excited to get the Team Australia offer but the challenge is now on the trade it between now and the big race day,'' Hannah, 14, said.
"We want everyone to think about something to trade but would love a car dealer to come on board and help Youngcare with that one magical trade.''
"All my friends know about Will Power," Luke, 11, said.
"He's a legend and we're rapt to be able to meet him.''
Youngcare Director Simon Lockyer expressed his thanks to Hannah and Luke's continued support and was excited to see what offer would come after this once-in-a-lifetime Team Australia opportunity.
"The kids have been fantastic in bringing so much publicity to Youngcare," said Youngcare director Simon Lockyer.
"Our first apartments for youth and young Queenslanders with high care needs open in December. Let's hope they can complete this exciting trade project between now and then."
About Hannah and Luke's Pet Rock Charity Project ...
A couple of years ago, Hannah and Luke Sinclair saw a story about a man in Canada who swapped a paper clip for a house. Amazed by the story, the Gold Coast sister and brother started talking about how they could use that same idea to do something for Queensland kids and young adults who need help.
The charity Youngcare was chosen by the siblings, but they didn't think Youngcare would want a house so the duo rang Simon Lockyer at Youngcare. Simon explained what Youngcare does and said that the many families who visited their injured children at Youngcare's special accommodation really need specially designed vehicles to take their children out for day trips.
So the project was born; to trade Oscar the pet rock, all the way up to a new car for all Youngcare families to use. The vehicle will need to be able to carry a wheelchair and be easy to drive so all families can use it.
Click Here to visit www.hannahluke.com
About Youngcare ...
Youngcare is a nationally registered charity and non-profit organisation formed to help young Australians with high care needs. We are independent and non denominational.
Through researching the issue, the Youngcare board was surprised to learn that young Australians with long-term high care needs have few options. The only real alternatives being aged care nursing homes or part time support from community groups at home, with family taking on the remaining responsibility. In fact, in Australia today, there are 6,300 young people residing in aged care nursing homes. Clearly this is inappropriate.
Many thousands more reside in hospitals, or isolated not by choice, living by themselves within the community leaving them lonely, vulnerable and without the necessary care for their needs.
The issue of caring for these people is broad and complex. Perhaps that's why very little has been done. Youngcare's aim is to raise awareness of the issue and through forming partnerships with Community, Business and Government seeks to develop viable, sustainable solutions that provide the care and dignity we all deserve. Youngcare collaborates with those who need care, their families. We do not tell them this is what you get. We have asked what do you want and this is how we will provide it. |