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Langley invited to pedal kart race to raise funds for Madison Place families after fire

Langley businesses partner up with SouthRidge church for the three-weekend pedal go-kart fundraiser

Some Madison Place tenants will be left without a thing to show of their former home if their building, the site of a ravaging July 17 fire, is rendered uninhabitable.

The people, head pastor Paul Olson of SouthRidge Fellowship, worries about most are the families without home insurance.

“They’ll have nothing to go back to,” Olson mourned.

“So we want to take in several families and help them in whatever they need,” he told the Advance Times.

Langley families to race and donate

For that, the SouthRidge Fellowship church is hosting a two-weekend SouthRidge Speedway.

Starting Friday and Saturday Aug. 14 and Aug. 15, a socially distant go-kart experience, open to the public, will round up community donations.

“This summer is not normal for families. They are looking for something safe and fun to do,” said organizer, children’s pastor Jonathon Grochowski.

By donation, up to six people – ages three and older – can register for a race on tracks made up on church grounds at 22756 48th Ave.

SouthRidge bought the pedal go-karts from Ontario this summer with a community mission in mind.

“After the fire, we decided to leverage the Langley event to continue to support these families,” he explained.

The Murrayville speedway experience, led by a member of SouthRidge’s pit crew, is expected to take an hour and 20 minutes.

There will be an adventure track, a time-trial track, and a family or group race.

RELATED: Murrayville church donates $10,000 to families displaced by Langley condo fire

COVID-19 safety measures will be implemented – including sanitizing go-karts between use, fewer than 50 people on site, and a staggered start time ensuring no overlap between groups.

Every participant and volunteer involved will have to sign a COVID-19 screening checklist.

If well-received, up to 125 people per weekend could race and donate to Madison Place families.

Following the first weekend Aug. 14 and 15 – group races will take place in time slots of Aug. 21 and 22, and Aug. 28 and 29.

READ MORE: Outpouring of support for displaced Madison Place residents comes after fire

Langley businesses sponsoring the event include Sports Replay, Kal Tire, Tim Hortons, Ralph’s Farm Market, and Signarama.

Register online for a weekend race at SouthRidge’s website here.

YOU'RE INVITED! SouthRidge Speedway is a fun, COVID friendly event for your whole family to enjoy. With our first event...

Posted by SouthRidge Fellowship on Friday, August 7, 2020
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Langley siblings Elizabeth and David Grochowski tested out the pedal go-karts ahead of the fundraiser, which will take place Fridays and Saturdays in August. (SouthRidge/Special to the Advance Times)