Donor RegistryCar Show Raises Awarnness of Organ and Tissue Donation
Event honors life of young hero who gave the gift of life
Lubbock, Texas (Apr. 13, 2010) - The Lubbock community will celebrate the legacy of Christopher "Toadbucket" Barnes on Saturday, Apr. 17 during the Third Annual "Toadbucket" Nationals Classic Car Show. The event, which will showcase nearly 100 classic cars, pays tribute to Christopher, a young boy who saved the lives of four people through the gifts of organ and tissue donation.
Christopher loved car shows, which is why his parents, Gail and Jody Barnes, decided to honor their son's life with this annual event.
"The car show is not only an opportunity for the community to learn about classic cars, but also about the importance of organ and tissue donation," said Gail. "It's a true celebration of life -- of Christopher's life and the lives of the people he saved."
Proceeds raised from the exhibit-vehicle entries will benefit LifeGift, the Lubbock-based organ and tissue recovery organization that faciliated the Barnes' wish to donate the gift of life. LifeGift will use the funds to cover expenses for reuniting donor families with their loved ones' organ and tissue recipients.
The Barnes family reunited with Ernesto Slater, a Dallas man who received one of Christopher's kidneys two years ago at the "Toadbucket" Classic Car Show. They also have met the little boy who received his liver and the little girl who received his heart.
"The donor family/recipient reunions are so special and tie both families that much closer together," said Gail. "Christopher's recipients have become an extension of our family."
The car show takes place annually in April -- during National Donate Life Month -- a month dedicated to raising awareness of the critical need for organ and tissue donors across the United States. Currently, there are more than 106,000 men, women and children across the country waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant and more than 9,000 of those are Texans.
The Third Annual "Toadbucket" Nationals Classic Car Show will take place at South Plains Mall, located at 6002 Slide Road in Lubbock from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is a $20 entry fee per car.
For more information on organ and tissue donation, visit www.donatelifetexas.org or www.lifegift.org.
