Challenge Day Race together with Life Enrichment Options (LEO), the Rotary Club of Sammamish sponsors a Soapbox Derby type race for physically and mentally challenged children each August in Sammamish. This event allows participants to experience the fun of a Soapbox Derby race.

The 2010 event is scheduled to be held on Saturday, August 14th.  

The race cars are 7' long and 29" wide and each car holds 2 children. The driver is an appropriately trained 11-13 year old volunteer; the co-driver is a special child. Lunch is provided for participants and their families following the race.

For the race, two youngsters climb into the seat of a sleek Soapbox Derby car which has been thoroughly checked out in an extensive safety check program prior to the race. With the slam of the starting gate, the car's wheels begin to turn. The cars, propelled by gravity, race down a blocked-off street in Sammamish and come to a safe stop with the onboard brakes applied by the volunteer child. What an exhilarating thrill for both!

By the end of the day, everyone's winner!

Double platinum Sponsor Charlotte Weigel waves the flag to start the race.

Above photos courtesy of Hartman Photography, Sammamish, WA.

Above photos taken from the Sammamish Rotary files.

The Challenge Race is an annual event in Sammamish. It would not  be possible without the vision of longtime Issaquah resident Leo Finnegan. Leo, the father of an adult son with a disability, brought the idea of continuing this type of race which Puget Power originally offered. Now, Challenge Day has come to the city of Sammamish, thanks to the efforts of volunteers from The Rotary Club of Sammamish with the co-sponsorship of Life Enrichment Options.

Life Enrichment Options (LEO) seeks to promote a good quality of life within the community for citizens who have developmental disabilities especially as it pertains to housing, employment and recreation.

For more information, contact LEO: Phone: (425) 392-5682 at www.leoorganization.org or Rotarian  Mark Buick at mhbuick@comcast.net  .

The Challenge Day race will commence at 228th Avenue SE and SE 24th Street, progressing about a quarter of a mile downhill. Public parking is available at Discovery Elementary School.

Thank you to our 2009 Annual Challenge Day Sponsors and Partners.