- November 25, 2024
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Boulders and construction debris are typically unwelcome at the Daytona International Speedway, but not if Charlene Greer has anything to do with it.
Greer, an Ormond Beach resident and 2020 winner of the NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, is the chairwoman of Jeep Beach 2021. She met with the Ormond Beach Observer on April 16 as 200 dump truck loads of dirt and 18 loads of boulders were being pushed around to create an obstacle course in a portion of the DIS infield.
“We are partying and playing with a purpose,” said Greer, wearing hot pink and driving her custom-made Jeep Rubicon.
Jeep Beach 2021, which is expected to draw a record 20,000 Jeeps to the Daytona Beach area, is a nonprofit event. Greer and 300 volunteers put in 4,500 hours of service to make the event a success and raise what Greer hopes will be about $500,000 to benefit 35 local charities. The nonprofit also helps individual families and veterans.
And why do people travel to Daytona from around the country for Jeep Beach? There are events all week, including the main event at DIS, where Jeep lovers can admire each other’s modifications and practice their “Jeep wave.”
The obstacle course brings together both the toughest off-roaders and the novices who need some instruction about how to even put their Jeeps in four-wheel drive for the first time (everyone signs a liability waiver).
“Our mission here is to have something for everyone,” said Jerry Strickland, who arrived at DIS at 4:15 a.m. April 16 to begin creating the obstacle course.
"Our goal is to come back large and loud and proud this year."
CHARLENE GREER
Jeep owners are one big happy 'Jamily,'" Greer said. “We will have a mud runner worth $1,000 still pounding it, still running over rocks, and a $200,000 epic Jeep show build, and they’ll wave at each other as they’re driving down the street.”
Greer got involved with Jeep Beach in 2011. The event is now in its 18th year, after the pandemic canceled the party last year. But now, many of the volunteers are vaccinated, and she trusts people will follow pandemic protocols to allow the event to be safe.
"Our goal is to come back large and loud and proud this year," Greer said. "We are saving lives, changing lives, and impacting lives. That's why we do what we do."
