Patty Aber - Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Finalist

Patty Aber's love of volunteerism began more than 30 years ago, and her resume of service is proof enough. With more than 1,700 hours volunteered and thousands of children served within the last five years, Patty's contributions are hard to put into perspective.

Patty's passion lies with the Bridge of Books Foundation, an organization that helps bring the world and all its possibilities to underprivileged children in New Jersey through books. In the past two years alone, Patty has devoted more than 1,000 hours of service to help the volunteer-based foundation raise nearly $20,000 and collect approximately 50,000 books for donation to underprivileged children. Patty's responsibilities include but are not limited to organizing book drives, maintaining databases to help track donations, serving as Foundation representative at community events, soliciting gift-in-kind donations and developing a successful volunteer program. According to her husband, Tom, "Patty is an inspirational humanitarian in every sense of the word." Patty works nonstop to help the Bridge of Books Foundation achieve its mission of helping as many disadvantaged children as possible.

The Bridge of Books Foundation is a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to Patty's volunteer repertoire. A selfless, dedicated and passionate volunteer for The NASCAR Foundation, Patty has provided more than 370 hours of volunteer service to the sport's charitable arm. She currently holds the position of The NASCAR Foundation Lead Fan Ambassador for the Dover, Pocono and Watkins Glen regions. From selling NASCAR Day pins locally to organizing large-scale donation projects for The NASCAR Foundation, Patty's work with the sport goes well beyond the call-of-duty.

Further illustrating her love of volunteerism and NASCAR, Patty has served as an active volunteer for the Kasey Kahne Foundation for more than three years. With approximately 130 hours of volunteer service, Patty has helped raise more than $500,000 and helped serve more than 20,000 children. The pinnacle of her accomplishments with the Kasey Kahne Foundation is a charity walk she organized in October 2010 in her local community in New Jersey. Raising more than $1,400 for the Foundation from the walk alone, Patty helped Ronald McDonald House Charities purchase a children's mobile medical unit to be used in underserved communities throughout the United States.

Patty strives to attend five to ten NASCAR races per year, where she spends most of her time at the track volunteering with The NASCAR Foundation and cheering for her favorite driver, Kasey Kahne. If she wins the Betty Jane France Humanitarian award, Patty will donate the $100,000 to the Bridge of Books Foundation, allowing the organization to expand and help children across the United States.

To vote for PATTY to win the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, log on to http://WWW.NASCAR.COM/award

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Nonprofits & Activism

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