Dementia Australia is back for a second year as the nominated charity for the Penrite Oil Sandown 500, which is returning to the Repco Supercars Championships calendar.
Supercars, Penrite Racing, and Penrite Oil nominated Dementia Australia as their charity partner as a tribute to its Patron, Supercars legend Allan Moffat OBE, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Dementia Australia chief executive Professor Tanya Buchanan said it was a privilege to be part of such an event in the Repco Supercars Championships calendar.
“Thank you to Penrite Oil, Penrite Racing, Supercars and most importantly to Allan Moffat and his network of supporters for continuing to give back to the racing community and helping all racegoers to know that if they are impacted by dementia – they are not alone,” Buchanan says.
“I also thank Steve Grove of Grove Racing, who partners with Penrite, for his support and generous donation to Dementia Australia in honour of a close family member. The Grove family, like so many Australians, has been impacted by dementia.
“As our Patron, Allan Moffat and his support network have been so generous in sharing his diagnosis and experience of living with Alzheimer’s disease to raise awareness in the community and vital funds for Dementia Australia.
“Allan first talked about his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in September 2019, and he has continued to raise awareness about it since then,” she says.
“It’s a privilege to be able to show our support for Allan, one of my heroes, and for Dementia Australia,” Penrite Oil brand manager Jarrod Harding says.
“With more than 421,000 Australians estimated to be living with dementia and more than 1.6 million people involved in their care, it’s an important cause for everyone and incredibly close to our hearts here at Penrite Oil.
“As an Australian family-owned business with strong community values, we feel it’s important to give back and support those who need it most. Penrite Oil will be working with Moffat and his support team to promote Dementia Australia’s work and to encourage community support for the charity’s activities.
“It’s exciting this year as racing enthusiasts at the event will be treated to seeing a tribute of the 1974 Ford XB Brut 33 Falcon on the 50th anniversary of Allan’s win at Sandown,” he says.
The three-day race event is from September 13 to 15 at the Sandown International Motor Raceway, Melbourne and across the event, racegoers and broadcast audiences will see Dementia Australia’s logo included in the historic livery on Penrite Racing’s Ford Mustangs.
Racegoers are encouraged to visit Dementia Australia’s marquee on-site across the three event days, where there will be information, and they can purchase merchandise and commemorative Allan Moffat OBE pins.
“The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 leads into Dementia Australia Action Week, which will run from September 16 to 22,” Buchanan says.
“I encourage anyone concerned about themselves or someone close to them to contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. It’s free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”
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