My contribution to the Tribute to the Troops Race!

What's up everyone. The Tribute To The Troops Race is getting ever closer. Everyone seems to be very excited about this event, including myself. I've decided to share with you a copy of what I've sent to all the local news stations via email. Please note that I did change the invitation to reference each station direction with their appropriate names. Just because this example refers only the News Channel 9 doesn't mean all stations received this exact invite verbatim.

Here's what I wrote:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am contacting your news station in reference to a unique opportunity for our city and News Channel 9. Speed World, in conjunction with Team Valadez Hobbies, is hosting the 1st Annual Tribute To The Troops RC Race. You may be asking yourself, "What is RC?" RC is short for Remote Control, and is usually used as a reference to remote control small scale vehicles and airplanes.

El Paso is very lucky to have Speed World, an indoor climate controlled facility located at 480 Talbot Dr. in Canutillo TX (Near the Outlet Mall off I-10). Speed Wolrd offers over 10,000 sq ft of off road dirt racing every weekend and Wednesday nights. THe Tribute To The Troops race is going to be held on May 25th and 26th. This is a two day event and all proceeds collected will be donated our local Military.

We'd like to invite News Channel 9 to get involved in this wonderful event. Speed World is also interested in a special race for your station! We would like you to select one employee from your station to race against other stations in an El Paso Newscaster Shootout!! You'll definitely want your cameras rolling for this event!!

My personal contact information is as follows:

Gino DeSantis
915-588-1694
ginodesantis@gmail.com

Hope to hear from you soon as we are very excited to host this event in honor of our troops!!

It may not be perfect, but it's an honest attempt to get our local news stations involved. I did go out on a limb with the newscasters race, as I'm POSITIVE most of you wouldn't mind lending your car to the newscaster for one 5 minute race. I'm going to be lending them one of my cars, so lets all get behind this and help our Troops along with RC!!!

Excellent Gino. Really hope they hop on board with this.

I hope so too. We'll see I guess. I have a car ready to go!

Nice one Gino!!!!

No replies from any of the news stations thus far.

Did any of the stations ever show up Gino?

I sent out press releases for our West Texas Shootout for Autism Awareness boat race and couldn't get a response from the times or any of the stations. The El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau also assisted in contacting the media for us. NO LUCK at all this year.

I finally got ahold of Beau Bagley through twitter. He was interested - but never received the press releases and already had other stories slated..

I left Paul Cicala at several voice mails and emails and couldn't get a simple response. However, it was nice to watch him do a piece recently on "The Garden and the Swim Parties" prior to his departure. Priorities...

We did have one small story done by KTSM the day prior to us presenting the Autism Society with a check for $4,223.37 from our event. Pretty disheartening that we can't get more coverage for worthy events like the Tribute to the Troops, etc.....