Marco sends in this announcement…

The 1st Annual Madison Ave Soapbox Derby was in October 2011 and created by a group of neighbors on Madison Ave (in Oakhurst). We were inspired by a neighbor who decided to get involved with the opening of Gigi’s Playhouse, a Down Syndrome Awareness Center. Our motivation was to support one of our own by coming together as a community.

Our vision was to create an event that encouraged parents and children to work together. Our priorities were to raise money, support Decatur children, and have fun!!! As a result, we accomplished all three! The turnout for the 2011 derby was amazing. We had 60 registered drivers of all ages. T-Shirts were donated by friends, food was donated by our local Publix, bales of hay were donated by the local Ace Hardware and baked goods donated by moms. At that end of the day we were extremely proud to write an oversized check for $4,500 to Gigi’s Playhouse. All of this organized and accomplished by a group of neighbors with an idea.

We are looking forward to the 2nd Annual Madison Ave Soapbox Derby. This year’s event will support Our House, a child care and support center for homeless families in Decatur. The mission is the same: money, children, and fun! The event is Sept. 29th, 2012 and begin at noon. Please visit madisonavesoapboxderby.org for details and follow us on Facebook for constant updates. Our goals have grown, but our grassroots efforts have stayed the same. Please come out and cheer on our racers, and help support Our House.

For more info on Our House, please visit OurHouseGA.org