LAC LA BICHE - On Aug. 10, a group of youth from the Lac La Biche area not only enjoyed an evening of races at the Edmonton International Raceway, but also got to meet the race car drivers and get autographs.
The participants are members of the Teen Social Club, a summer program for youth aged 13-18 that is run by Lac La Biche County FCSS. Christine Martin, a community outreach worker with FCSS, said the kids enjoyed themselves and had a great time at the event.
After travelling from Lac La Biche, the group stayed long enough to watch six races but, due to the long drive home, had to leave before the event was over.
“Many said their favourite part was meeting the racers and getting their autographs, and also getting to look under the hoods of the cars,” Martin told Lakeland This Week. “The racers were extremely generous with their time, and they spent a lot of time speaking with the teens and even let some sit in the driver’s seat of their car.”
When asked about how officials with Lac La Biche County FCSS were able to arrange for the youth to meet the racers and see their cars up close, Martin explained that after speaking with the vice-president of the Edmonton International Raceway, they found that the racing track company offers special VIP packages for groups.
If watching a series of exhilarating races and hanging out with professional racers wasn’t exciting enough, one of the Teen Social Club participants even got to go for a ride-along with a driver.
Martin said when the teens signed up, they could enter the draw for a ride-along during the intermission of the racing event. They were required to fill out a waiver just in case one of them was selected, and when the group arrived at the raceway, they did a draw and picked a winner.
Martin explained that the goals of the Teen Social Club program are to give teens the opportunity to try things they may never have done before, get them outside as much as possible, and to do activities that limit or eliminate technology.
“We believe this activity hit all three goals,” she said.
Martin added that the program is low-cost or no-cost, which helps with the barrier of finances some families may face.
“We always include a supper, so it ends up being a very well-rounded, social activity for youth and their peers,” she explained. “They get to make new friends, and it’s also a great transition time for some of the younger ones to start meeting other kids who they might go to high school with.”
