(Left to Right) Sherman Bielfelt of FISH, Jerry Wheeler of Infineon Raceway and NASCAR West Series driver P.J. Pedroncelli, of Sonoma, unloading food at FISH from the 9th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
Infineon Raceway distributed more than 5,500 pounds of non-perishable food items to Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) and the Salvation Army Vallejo Food Pantry on Monday during the raceway's 9th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
The amount marked the most Infineon Raceway has distributed in one year since the inception of the food drive in 2000. Infineon Raceway has distributed more than 17,500 pounds of non-perishable food items since 2000.
“I can’t thank Infineon Raceway and everyone else that participated in this food drive enough,” said Sherman Bielfelt, a volunteer for FISH. “This food is critical to the survival of many people, and I know they are very thankful.”
FISH has been serving needy Sonoma Valley residents since 1970, while the Vallejo Food Pantry will serve 100 of the neediest families with Thanksgiving food boxes and will put together another 300-400 boxes of food during the Christmas season.
“Food drives like this help to strengthen our ability to make an impact in the community,” said Capt. Fred Rasmussen, North Bay County coordinator for the Salvation Army. “I would guess this food will serve at least 250 people.”
Infineon Raceway was not alone in its efforts. It was joined in the food drive by four Northern California Mary’s Pizza Shack locations; the Vallejo Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; Sonoma Girl Scouts; Innerstave; Levy Restaurant; tenants of the Infineon Raceway Motor Sports Industrial Park; and Destination RKA and Santa Rosa BMW Triumph in Windsor. Sonoma Gourmet of Cotati also made a generous donation of six pallets of gourmet food items.
P.J. Pedroncelli, 19, who lives in Sonoma and drives in the NASCAR Camping World West Series, also participated in the food drive, representing Pedroncelli Motorsports.
