The Lone Star Park Charitable Foundation for Grand Prairie - a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization - awarded $60,000 to 16 Grand Prairie, Texas charities last Thursday during a ceremony at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie.

Charities chosen to share in the $60,000 were – Boys & Girls Club of Grand Prairie; Brighter Tomorrows; Children First Counseling Center; Crime Stoppers, Inc.(Grand Prairie High School); Crime Stoppers (South Grand Prairie High School); DeLoach Kidz; Drug Free Youth in Texas; Grand Prairie Arts Council; Grand Prairie Food & Clothing Co-operative; Grand Prairie United Charities; Grand Prairie Wellness Center; Grand Prairie’s Pride Special Olympics; Kids in Need of Clothing, Women’s Club of Grand Prairie; Lifeline Shelters for Families; Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Prairie; and YMCA Grand Prairie.

"We are very pleased to be able to make contributions to these worthwhile organizations during the City of Grand Prairie’s Centennial Celebration," said Foundation President Drew Shubeck. "Since its inception in 2001, the Lone Star Park Charitable Foundation has given back more than half-a-million dollars to the community. We will continue to work hard to raise funds through our two major fundraisers this year."

The Welcome Back Party, the first of two Lone Star Park Charitable Foundation fundraising events this year, will take place Wednesday, April 8 - the night before Lone Star Park begins its 2009 Spring Thoroughbred Season. The second event will be the Mistletoe Ball, a holiday extravaganza, in early December.

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

Lone Star Park has been active in other fundraising efforts, as well. Since its opening, the racetrack hosted and assisted in charitable events that have raised millions for Dallas-Fort Worth charities, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Diabetes Association, Dallas Children's Advocacy, Retina Foundation, Light House for the Blind, Cancer Research Foundation of North Texas and Dallas Symphony League.

For more information on the Lone Star Park Charitable Foundation, contact Sharon Ayers at (972) 237-1114.

Lone Star Park’s 2009 Spring Thoroughbred Season will run four days a week every Thursday and Friday at 6:35 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. starting on April 9. The Lone Star Million program on Memorial Day will start at 1:35 p.m. and special twilight programs with post-race holiday fireworks on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 (Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration) will commence at 5 p.m. (All times are Central Time). For more information, visit LoneStarPark.com.

Lone Star Park’s 31-day, 2009 Quarter Horse Fall Meeting of Champions will be held from September 25 to November 28.