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April 2, 2008
Formula SAE Team Races for a Cause: Make-A-Wish Foundation®
Engineering students at Michigan State University will race their custom-made Formula SAE car this summer for more than bragging rights. They hope to raise enough money to give a child suffering from a life-threatening disease a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.
The Michigan State University Formula Racing Team, a volunteer group of students who design and fabricate a half-sized Formula One car to learn practical lessons in automotive engineering, is seeking pledges based on the number of laps this year's entry will complete at races in Michigan and California. All proceeds from the pledges will be donated directly to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.
"Our team has done very well against other universities in this international competition in previous years, and now we have an even stronger reason to compete successfully," says Adam Zemke, operations manager for the team. "We hope to fulfill the dream of a child who is facing some truly serious challenges."
Zemke says the team will be soliciting pledges based on the number of laps that Car 51 makes in endurance competitions at Michigan International Speedway in Irish Hills on May 17 and at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, on June 28. The MSU Formula Racing Team has the potential of making a total of 44 laps if it competes in both races and finishes both races. The team hopes to raise $5,000, which is the average cost of a wish through the Foundation.
Since its inception in 1984,
the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan—a chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation ® of America—has brought joy into the lives of thousands of people in our Michigan community through its wish-granting mission. The Foundation has granted more than 5,300 wishes in its 24-year history and grants 400 wishes annually.
"We are very pleased that the MSU Formula Racing Team is supporting our cause," said Kedrin Gall, Manager of Community Development of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. "We have every bit of confidence in the team's ability to raise the funds for a wish, given their 'track record' in past races." Cars fabricated and raced by MSU students have been featured over the past two years at the North American International Auto Show, in Popular Science magazine, and on Jay Leno's Garage Web site.
The races are sponsored through the Society of Automotive Engineers to encourage college students to become involved in automotive design and engineering. Michigan State's team is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, student-run organization whose purpose is to promote collegiate education through the design, manufacturing, and marketing of a small, open wheel racecar. The team is funded solely through cash and in-kind donations by sponsors and run entirely by students at MSU.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan challenges our community to join in the magic of making a difference through the gift of Make-A-Wish. More than 80% of expenditures are directly related to program services (wish granting). The Foundation has offices in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids. For more information, call 734-994-8620 or visit www.wishmich.org.
Specific questions can be answered by Adam Zemke at 734-645-3186.
 MSU Formula SAE Racing Team Documentary
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