Musselman’s Apple Sauce, Venturini Motorsports Set to Launch Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign
Concord, North Carolina (March 27, 2017) Musselman’s Apple Sauce and Venturini Motorsports (VMS) have announced a partnership with safety advocate and charitable organization, ‘The Nikki Kellenyi Foundation – People Against Distracted Driving’ (PADD®) in effort to launch a multi-tiered, nationwide distracted driving awareness campaign.
Beginning in April, also Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Musselman’s, VMS and PADD® will join forces and unveil a year-long distracted driving educational campaign designed to create attention to this modern day epidemic. Using government, community involvement, social media, and the national reach of professional motorsports, the group’s combined efforts will target all demographic ages, but mostly adolescence, to promote safe and responsible driving.
PADD®, a nationally recognized non-profit organization, is one of the country’s leading authorities on distracted driving awareness advocacy providing education and support to thousands of families affected by injury or death as result of automobile accidents caused by distracted drivers. PADD®’s primary objective is to raise public awareness, offer 24/7 support to victims of inattentive driving and to influence legislation regarding distracted driving reform.
“The Musselman’s Family is honored and proud to support PADD’s efforts and take part in such a worthy cause,” said Kevin Blacker, Knouse Food’s Director of Marketing. “As a family based company we realize that the dangers of distracted driving put each and every one of us at risk. Standing together to help raise awareness and promote safe driving falls directly in line with our company’s core values.”
As part of their strategic partnership and Musselman’s longstanding sense of community obligation, these three groups will work together to implement a number of ‘Stay Alive Don’t Text and Drive’ public service initiatives. The program will include providing cost-free high school student body ‘distracted driving awareness’ presentations, donation of anti-texting/distracted driving road signage to local communities, schools and race tracks throughout the country and to engage in a national social media blitz focusing content on the dangers of distracted driving.
In 2013, New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, signed “Nikki’s Law” into state legislation after PADD® founder Mike Kellenyi’s daughter, Nikki Kellenyi, was killed in a car crash. “Nikki’s Law” calls for state transportation agencies to put up signs and use electronic signs to inform drivers that using a handheld phone or electronic device while driving is illegal. Nikki Kellenyi was 18 when the car she was a backseat passenger in crashed into a pick-up truck as a result of suspected distracted driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.
Technology allows us to make phone calls, dictate texts or emails and update social media while driving – all actions that are proven to increase crash risk. The National Safety Council observes April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month to draw attention to this epidemic.
Corporations, Communities, Public or Private Schools interested in participating should contact PADD®at Info@PADD.org. For more information on PADD® also visit www.PADD.org.
ABOUT MUSSELMAN’S APPLE SAUCE
A family tradition, deeply rooted in quality. Musselman’s BIG CUP satisfies appetites of teens and adults with active lifestyles, while Musselman’s Squeezables is the healthy snack Mom can provide to her children who are on-the-go.
Musselman’s was founded in Biglerville, PA, in 1907 by Christian and Emma Musselman. The original plants in Biglerville and Gardners, PA, provided much needed canned goods for the servicemen during WWI including corn, tomatoes, and of course apples. They focused on the processing of the abundant local fruit in the area, producing apple sauce, apple juice, and their now-famous Musselman’s Apple Butter.
In 1984 the C. H. Musselman Company was purchased by a cooperative of local fruit growers (Knouse Foods, Inc.). The Musselman’s name, which reflects quality, tradition and value was preserved and remains a thriving brand today under the ownership of the growers who still tend to their fruit orchards.
Knouse Foods, Inc., established as a growers’ co-op in 1949, has a long history of providing outstanding fruit products. They believe making healthy, delicious fruit products is more than just a job; it’s a way of life. And that’s why the growers who have spent their entire lives nurturing their orchards and harvesting their fruit also own the company. That pride and care are the key ingredients that make Knouse fruit products the very best.
For more information visit www.Musselmans.com & #MusselmansRacing
ABOUT VENTURINI MOTORSPORTS:
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Erik Jones, William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Ryan Blaney, Brennan Poole, Daniel Suarez, and Brandon Jones. Over the years the Venturini name has become synonymous with modern-day racing in America. In 2012, the Venturini family was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (www.NIASHF.org) and now find themselves enshrined with such sports icons as Joe DiMaggio, Mario Andretti, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda and Rocky Marciano.
Sources: Tommy Venturini/Venturini Motorsports PR