MX for children was founded by Paul Gross, a motocross enthusiast and father, while his son William was in the hospital after being born 10 weeks early in January 2005. During one of his 24 hour “shifts” at Children’s Hospital, he starting mulling over ways that he could “give back” to the hospital that saved his son’s life. MX for Children was born out of his thinking about how to connect a cause that people value with a sport that he was passionate about. William, has hydrocephalus — an excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain — as a result of the trauma of his birth. Hydrocephalus is the #1 cause of pediatric brain surgeries and affects approximately 1 million people in the United States. It has no cure and the primary treatment — the surgical implantation of a shunt (or tube) to re-direct the fluid in the brain — has a very high failure rate subjecting those affected to multiple brain surgeries. William has already had four brain surgeries in the first 2 years of his life.
The mission of MX for Children is to help Children’s Hospitals across the country.
The vision is to create a replicable, sustainable charitable donation program for Children’s’ hospitals across the country that draws on the growing popularity of motocross locally to build a grass roots giving campaign that feeds into a larger annual fund raising event centered around a premium experience at the AMA Supercross stop in a hospital’s local city. This grand vision is being implemented first in Washington State with the goal of expanding to other cities/states over time.
The local grass roots giving campaign is called MX Ride for Children which occurs at a local track each summer. The family oriented events raises money through gate fees and a pledge drive that riders are encouraged to participate in. The person that raises the most pledges is rewarded with the “Highest Flier” award — some cool MX gear that has been donated in kind by a local motorcycle shop. The day’s events are documented by a professional photographer and a free motocross school is conducted as well.
The larger fundraising event is run in conjunction with the arrival of Supercross in that locale. Pledge drive participants are rewarded with the Inside Line Experience which will give them an unforgettable experience at Supercross including small group meetings with top racers, a track walk, rig tours, attendance at the pre-race press conference, pit passes and great seats. When available, a raffle drawing for a motocross bike during the main event (donated in the past by American Suzuki Corporation) is another key element of the Supercross “Triple”. Finally, a silent auction gave fans an opportunity to buy rare and autographed race gear. These three events are called the The Seattle Supercross Triple Charity for Seattle Children’s.
The long term goal for MX for Children is to expand these types of events across North American to benefit local Children’s Hospitals.
If you are interested in participating in events locally in Seattle, Houston, or Toronto send mail to: info@mxforchildren.org to get more information.
If you are interested in starting your own MX Ride event or organizing a Supercross Triple Charity in your city, send mail to: paul@mxforchildren.org.
