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Beat The Heat, Inc Racing For Education ( A Non-Profit Organization; Established 1992)
Mission of the Beat The Heat, Inc program. - To help EDUCATE the young people of our communities about the real problems of illegal drugs and alcohol use, - To EDUCATE everyone to the horrors of alcohol or drug impaired driving, - To EDUCATE the general public about DRAG RACING, and encourage everyone to not race in the street.
BEAT THE HEAT Program (Dickinson)
In 2004, Team Gator Racing Team was created by Officer Wayne Stewart and members of the Dickinson Police Department. The Team is a part of a nationwide “Cops and Kids” program called Beat the Heat. The program uses race cars and show cars dressed up like police pursuit vehicles as a catalyst to help at risk and handicapped youths. Beat the Heat is a 501( c )( 3 ) Non-profit organization and uses ZERO TAX DOLLARS in this educational program. All monies and equipment are donated by citizens and businesses that support this program. In 1999, members of Beat the Heat attended over 758 events, drove over 307,673 miles and saw over 1.3 million kids. The numbers have increased each year. The program is working!
TEAM GATOR RACING TEAM Gator wins Modified Champion at the Beat the Heat “Guns and Hoses” Shootout in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2005
BEAT THE HEAT HISTORY
Beat the Heat was formed in 1990 with 2 cars. In 1991 there were 3 cars. In 1992 there were 5 cars. In 1993 there were 18 cars. In 1994 there were 25 cars. In 1995 it grew to 35 cars. As you can see the program was spreading. As of today there are over 400 members in 36 states as well as international members in Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia and the UK.
Beat the Heat are in partnership with NHRA and the U. S. Army in the NHRA Youth Education Services (Y.E.S.) Programs. Beat the Heat has been featured in National Dragster magazine and on numerous ESPN programs.
In 2009 Beat the Heat Johnny Lightning collectible cars went into production. These are 1/64th cars that are painted to resemble the original cars. Gator is on that production list for a future time. The models can be found at Walmart, Target and on Ebay.
THE CAR (GATOR) and DRIVER
The car used by Team Gator Racing Team is a 1955 Chevrolet 2 door Sedan owned and driven by Officer Wayne Stewart. The car is powered by a 383 cubic inch Chevrolet stroker motor with RHS 43cc chamber heads and a high rise single plane intake, with a 750 Elelbrock carburetor and a 350 turbo transmission. The rear end is a posi-trac set up from a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. Aftermarket disc brakes all the way around to stop the car. Officer Wayne Stewart has owned the car for over 10 years and put the car in the Beat the Heat program in 2005. He never expected it to take this memorable journey.
The car is actually named 11Gator One but Gator for short. The number 11 stands for the first letters in the call signs to Dickinson Police Department, Gator is for the Dickinson High School Gators and One is for the first car in Beat the Heat from the Dickinson Police Department. Gator has the luxury of being carried around on a trailer that was donated from funds collected by volunteers and the Dickinson Citizens Patrol Academy Alumni Association (DCPAAA). Gator attended its first car show withBeat the Heat on November 27, 2004 at Kemah on the Boardwalk. There were many photos taken at the show. On December 3,4,5, 2004, Gator was entered into the 2004 Houston Autorama and won 4th place in its class. A few modifications were made to “Gator” and it was entered into the Houston Autorama in 2005 and won Outstanding in Class.
“Gator” was featured in the Galveston Daily News along with “Backdraft” , the City of Galveston’s Fire Department car at the Shriner’s Burn Hospital. Gator has also been featured in the Houson Chronicle, L .A. Times and a Tulsa Oklahoma newspaper. Gator can usually be found attending functions involving the City of Dickinson, Galveston County and Beat the Heat events. In 2010, Gator attended the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America at Moody Gardens in Galveston, the Galveston County Fair and Galveston County Fair parade in Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce Car Show. Gator just took first place in show at the UTI campus car show in North Houston. Photos of gator can be found atwww.pdheatracing.com. The Future In keeping with the trend of community based policing in the City of Dickinson the Dickinson Police Department intends to utilize the Beat the Heat program to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the local youth of our Community. Gator will be traveling throughout the area to schools, shopping centers, cars shows, parades, etc as a rolling educational program to reach young and old alike to educate them against drugs, alcohol, street racing, texting and using the cell phones and that it is cool to stay in school. A dream of Gator is to have a totally enclosed trailer to carry and organize its appearances. A television to show videos to assist in this educational program, literature to hand out about alcohol, drugs and street racing, a computer, printer and digital camera to print photographs of children and events and a fingerprint station for children. If Gator can reach but one child and save their life from drugs, alcohol or death from street racing, using a cell phone, then a dream has come true and the cost and time were well worth it.
DONATIONS: There will be and are no tax dollars spent on this program. The program operates strictly on donations and dedication. Many local residents and businesses have already contributed to this program but more assistance is still needed. If you wish to make a donation to “Gator” Beat the Heat program please make checks payable to DCPAAA and write Gator or Beat the Heat in the memo section of the check. You can either mail the checks to the Dickinson Police Department at 4000 Liggio, Dickinson, Texas 77539 or drop it off in person. Thank you for your continued support in “Racing for Education”. “Gator” wants to thank the following people and businesses for their support in the Racing for Education program: Liggio’s Goodyear, Gay Pontiac, GMC and Kia, Mr. John Vacek, C&T Driveshafts, Space City Jewelry, Butch’s Transmission, The Dickinson Fire Department, Dickinson High School Auto Mechanics Class, Dominic’s Paint and Body Shop, Mobil Graphics, Awesome Automotive Accessories, O’Reilly’s in Friendswood and Dickinson, Dickinson Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association.
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