The Lone Star Park Charitable Foundation for Grand Prairie - a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization - awarded $60,000 to 18 Grand Prairie, Texas charities on Thursday, March 17, during a ceremony at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie.

"It is truly gratifying to be able to touch people in the great city of Grand Prairie through charitable giving and community involvement," Lone Star Park President Corey Johnsen said. "Our steadfast goal is to improve the quality of life for others in our community, and we've been fortunate to raise and award more than $220,000 for worthwhile Grand Prairie organizations through various fundraising efforts since the Charitable Foundation was formed in the summer of 2001."

The 18 charities chosen to share in the $60,000 were: Boy Scouts/Circle Ten Council; Brighter Tomorrows; Children First Counseling Center; Crime Stoppers Inc., Grand Prairie and South Grand Prairie High Schools; Crisis Pregnancy Center of Grand Prairie; Deloach Kidz; Disabled American Veterans; Drug Free Youth in Texas, Grand Prairie and South Grand Prairie High Schools; Grand Prairie Arts Council; Grand Prairie Boys and Girls Club; Grand Prairie Food and Clothing Assistance Co-op; Grand Prairie NAACP; Grand Prairie Pride Special Olympics; Grand Prairie United Charities; Grand Prairie Wellness Center; Grand Prairie YMCA; KIDS in Need of Clothing; and LifeLine Shelter for Families Inc.

The first Lone Star Park Charitable Foundation fundraising event for 2005 will take place Wednesday, April 13, the night before Lone Star Park begins its 67-date Spring Thoroughbred Season. Lone Star Park's all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen, the Eclipse Award finalist for champion trainer who saddled a North American record 555 winners in 2004, will be honored during a "Welcome Back Party" at the racetrack that evening.

Funds raised at such events are annually distributed to local non-profit organizations through grant applications at year's end.

Lone Star Park has been active in other fundraising efforts, as well. In 2004, the racetrack hosted and assisted in charitable events that raised more than $2 million for Dallas-Fort Worth charities, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Diabetes Association, Dallas Symphony League and Retina Foundation.