Victory Junction enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment.
Imagine a place where children with ongoing medical problems can learn, grow, have fun and enjoy a fantastic camping experience. Can you picture it? Adam Petty did. In 1999 Adam and his family participated in a charity motorcycle ride to benefit Camp Boggy Creek, a camp for seriously-ill children in Florida. From that day on, Adam dreamed of building a camp like Boggy Creek in North Carolina for children who cannot attend normal summer camps due to their unique medical needs.
Adam passed away in 2000, but his parents, Kyle and Pattie Petty, took action to make Adam’s dream come true. As they worked at this, Kyle and Pattie became involved with the Association of the Hole in the Wall Camps founded by actor Paul Newman. With guidance from Newman’s program and help from the Pettys’ friends in NASCAR, Kyle and Pattie were able to raise the funds necessary to make Adam’s dream a reality.
Victory Junction opened in June 2004 and this year will be celebrating its fifth year anniversary. Working as a year round camp, Victory Junction serves children, ages 6-16, with a number of different health issues. During the summer, Victory Junction offers weeklong, disease-specific sessions with up to 128 kids per session. During the fall, winter and spring, family weekends are offered and serve up to 32 families per weekend. And, all this is possible thanks to the generosity of corporations, individuals, and organizations, no child or family has had to incur the cost of attending Victory Junction.
Located in Randleman, NC, Victory Junction is built upon 84 beautiful acres donated by Richard and Lynda Petty. Themed around NASCAR racing, the camp echoes the sights, sounds, and feel of a real racetrack! Victory Junction has 42 buildings and program areas, such as Adam’s Race Shop, Goody’s Body Shop (medical center), the Hendrick Motorsports Fuel Stop (dining hall), the Silver Theater, the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Water Park, the Michael Waltrip Operation Marathon Sportscenter, Kurt Busch Superdome, Jimmie Johnson Victory Lanes (bowling alley) and Jessie’s Horse Power Garage (stables and riding arena), there is no shortage of fun and empowering activities!
To date, Victory Junction has changed the lives of more than 10,000 children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses and their families. (Victory Junction Gang Camp)
The Victory Junction Gang is a charity that I hold near and dear. It is one of the two charities that I fully support and donate to each year, the other is St. Jude’s in Memphis.
Kyle Petty maybe the son of Richard Petty, and had to live in the show of greatness for all of his life. But what he really may be remembered for will nothing to do with NASCAR! I believe the legacy that both Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie will be remembered for will be for The Victory Junction Gang Camp and what they have been able to do for the chronically ill children!
It is quite impressive that Kyle and Pattie Petty were able to take an idea that their 18 year old son, Adam, had and make it become a reality!
I LOOKED IT UP SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!