NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Chrome wheels and revving engines weren’t the only things drawing attention outside Todd Stadium this weekend.
The annual Newport News Car and Bike Show returned with sleek rides and roaring engines, but this event was about more than showmanship. It was about saving lives.
“This gives them a comfort to know that if their loved one wanders away, that there’s a means to try to help track them and recover them,” said Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan.
The fundraiser supports Project Lifesaver, a safety initiative that provides tracking bracelets to individuals with dementia, autism, or other cognitive conditions that may cause them to wander or become disoriented.
Morgan says each bracelet cost around $300 and are offered at no cost to families in need thanks to community fundraising like Sunday’s show.
“We have more and more families that are caregivers for people with memory loss and autism,” he said. “Project Lifesaver gives them peace of mind.”
Morgan says around 70 Newport News residents are enrolled in the program and deputies are able to locate a missing person wearing a Project Lifesaver bracelet in under 30 minutes.
For attendees like Morgan, it was a chance to admire some incredible vehicles, but more importantly, to support families who may one day need that same help.
Their next fundraiser is in October at their annual bike ride.
