Disclaimer: Westlake Revelations is a sponsor of Soap Box Derby, and Westlake Revelations’ creator founded the Soap Box Derby event in Westlake Village and continues to chair the event.

Synopsis

The fifth annual Soap Box Derby returns on Sunday, May 15th 2011 (overall event open from 10am-2pm). 2011 will be the FIFTH annual event and this year is looking to be the largest Soap Box events we’ve ever done with more racers, more activities, and more of pretty much everything in one form another. The Triunfo YMCA/Westlake Village Soap Box Derby is very much a community event that the community makes happen. We’re expecting more than 1000 people to attend, more than 100 kids racing, and at least 100 volunteers on race day.

Interested in building a Soap Box Car and racing? If you are in the YMCA Family Programs, you’ll hear directly about how to sign up. For those outside the Y, see sign up and other information at https://westlakerevelations.com/soapbox/

This year’s event will also include Big Sunday activities (Big Sunday is the largest citywide community service event in America). Big Sunday activities, headed up by Dave Moorman, will include not only a drop off point for donations (food, clothes, baby items, school supplies, kitchen items), but also will have volunteers sorting donations from the previous week and craft projects to brighten the day for a senior in a care facility or for a medical shut-in. Volunteers needed for this activity: see below and contact Dave Moorman .

Joe Hecht’s DJ/Entertainment company “Time of Your Life!” will be on hand to provide the event with music, entertainment, and general fun for kids and adults of all ages.

Bouncers and more. Looking to have fun with the kids in between the Soap Box races? The Y will have a number of games, bounce houses, and more.

Agoura Hills NASCAR racing team High Point Racing will bring their NASCAR racing trailer, late model cars, and have drivers and the team on hand to answer questions about racing. Local Westlake Village teenage racer Jessica Clark will also be on hand with her late model and midget cars.

Westlake Village Boy Scout Troop 485 will be operating the community BBQ that will not only have economically priced meal deals on hand, but also help raise money for the scout troop’s activities.

Bruce Barkis will be heading up an expanded car show with a variety of antique and classic cars, as well as newer models. Attendees and car show drivers will be able to vote on their favorite cars, with prizes being. Volunteers needed for this activity: please contact Bruce Barkis .

The Triunfo YMCA is proud to sponsor its annual Healthy Kids Day event. Healthy Kids Day is a 20 year-old initiative hosted by local YMCAs throughout North America. The emphasis of the event is advocacy for healthy kids in local communities. Participating organizations will be local service providers who support better health for children and/or can offer healthy activities in which they can be involved. Organizations are either invited by the YMCA to be a part of Healthy Kids Day or are aware of the importance of the event and ask to participate. Physicians, dance and gymnastics studios, youth sports organizations and martial arts centers are a few examples of those types of businesses. During the event, these vendors demonstrate, provide information and distribute sample wares. Contact us if you are interested in participating.


Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are what make this event go. It is so complex an event, that we’ll have 100 or more volunteers on race day alone each doing their part. Interested in being a part of it?

Specifically, we need volunteers for:
Car show
Big Sunday
Soap Box Car Inspections
Car Building Mentoring
Setup and tear down

Unless otherwise indicated, drop us a note and we’ll connect you with the right core volunteer to help.

Big Sunday @ Soap Box Derby 2011

The public is encouraged to bring to Soap Box the following items:

– Food (non-perishable items and back yard fruit)
– Clothing of any type (including business attire)
– Shoes of any type
– School supplies (including back packs)
– Baby items (e.g., diapers, sealed baby food or formula, wipes, toys)
– Cooking/kitchen items (bowls, pots, plates, silverware, etc…)

On event day, we will need volunteers to help sort and organize items for distribution that are collected both on-site as well as prior to Soap Box Day. Big Sunday activities also need assistance in collecting items on the day prior to Soap Box. If you are able to volunteer for any Big Sunday activity, please contact Dave Moorman .

Big Sunday is the largest citywide community service event in America, empowering thousands of volunteers throughout the greater Los Angeles area to help the disadvantaged, and improve and repair community services. Although the primary focus of Big Sunday is the Big Sunday Weekend (May 14-15 this year), there are opportunities to help all year long. There are often a number of Big Sunday projects occurring each year in the local area, ranging from work projects to collections for the needy. For the past two years, a centralized collection and sorting event was held at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, and this year will be held in conjunction with the Triunfo YMCA Soapbox Derby and Healthy Kids Day. The event will be a drop-off point and sorting site for food and clothing collected through local schools and at local grocery stores, and craft projects will enable the whole family to create artwork to brighten the day for a medical shut-in or a senior in a care facility. Other projects will support additional charities. Big Sunday is dedicated to the belief that everyone has some way that they can help somebody else, and participating in this event is a good way to start, and a great way to instill in kids a commitment to service.

For more information, visit the Big Sunday website at www.bigsunday.org .

NASCAR Racing Trailer, Late Model and Midget Cars

For the past several years, Soap Box Derby has gotten a lot of support from Agoura Hills resident and Y participant, Tim Huddleston and his High Point Racing team. This year, not only is the team coming out with cars, but they’re bringing along a new driver who lives in Westlake Village.

Jessica Clark is a junior at Westlake High School and a native of the Conejo Valley. When Jessica was 6 years old she joined the Triunfo YMCA Indian Princess program with her dad and enjoyed several years of fun activities with friends from the community. She also played soccer for nine years and was fortunate to represent Agoura/Westlake at Nationals in Hawaii when she was 14.

Jessica is currently pursuing a career as a professional race car driver. Her passion for racing began when she was 11 years old. After finding success racing go karts, she learned to race a junior midget on dirt at Ventura Raceway. By the time she was 14, Jessica won a spot in Ron Sutton?s Winners Circle Driver Development Program (RSWC). RSWC is the largest, most established race driver talent scout and career development program, providing drivers to large multi-car NASCAR Sprint Cup teams.

In 2011 Jessica is racing two different cars with two different teams. She is racing a Limited Late Model NASCAR with High Point Racing, one of the top teams in California. She is also racing a Ford Focus Midget throughout the Western United States with Ron Sutton?s Winner?s Circle Racing Team.

To find out more about Jessica Clark go to:
http://www.JessicaClarkRacing.com