Duncan Dobie Is a NASCAR Award Finalist For Work With Camp Sunshine

Outdoor writer Duncan Dobie, of Marietta, is a finalist for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, a prestigious honor awarded by NASCAR. Most importantly, if Duncan wins, his chosen charity—Camp Sunshine—will receive $100,000.

Duncan is one of four finalists announced by the NASCAR Foundation. This is the third year for the award, which NASCAR says is "presented to one dedicated NASCAR fan who has made a profound impact on children in his or her local community."

The four finalists all receive $25,000 for the charity of their choice, with the top vote-getter receiving $100,000.

Duncan is an outdoor writer of national prominence, and author of numerous books including "Georgia’s Greatest Whitetails" and "Hunting Mature Whitetails the Lakosky Way," featuring Lee and Tiffany Lakosky. Duncan has been a frequent contributor to GON for more than 25 years and is the author of the current GON Fall Fiction Series, "Jupiter’s Legacy."

Through an easy-to-use, online voting system that will be in open until Dec. 5, 2013, the NASCAR finalist receiving the highest number of online votes will become the grand-prize winner. That person will receive $100,000 for his or her charity at the nationally televised NASCAR awards ceremony in Las Vegas on Dec. 6.

To cast your vote, watch the video, select the “vote” button for that video, and then complete the form by providing your complete name and e-mail address or log into your Facebook account from the website. You may vote once a day, so please remember to vote every day now through Dec. 5.

Duncan was named a finalist for his 31 years of volunteer service to Camp Sunshine, an organization in Morgan County near Rutledge that conducts year-round programs for children who have or have had cancer. Just this year alone, Camp Sunshine will conduct more than 130 different programs for children of all ages and their families including a week-long summer camp.

Duncan said, "I have been privileged to work with these courageous cancer kids in many different capacities over the past 31 years—ever since the camp started in 1983. My daughter Katherine, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 6, was a camper at the very first camp.

“Although I am honored to receive this award, it’s not about me. It’s about Camp Sunshine, and I need your help and support in soliciting as many votes as possible for this very worthy organization. I can’t begin to tell you how special it would be for Camp Sunshine to receive this money. All of us have been touched by cancer in some way, but it’s particularly heart-wrenching when children are involved.

"Camp Sunshine has inspired over 12,000 children in the past 31 years and has had an incredibly positive influence on the lives of countless people; including siblings of campers, parents, other close relatives and friends. Since the Camp Sunshine organization has always raised 100 percent of its own funds, this money would help fund dozens of special programs for children of all ages. Needless to say, fundraising has not been easy during the past few years due to the weak economy, and this money would be a Godsend to Camp Sunshine."

Watch the video, and please remember to vote once a day now through Dec. 5.