German automaker Audi recently announced that they have partnered with Best Buddies International, a world-wide non-profit organization created by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989. The said organization aims to encourage social integration of persons who have intellectual disabilities. The involvement of the automaker with the organization resulted in the staging of the Audi Best Buddies Challenge - a charity bicycle tour.
The automaker recently announced that a lot of celebrities have already announced their interest to participate in the said event. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver, sister of the founder of Best Buddies, will be among the guests of the event. Clint Eastwood, Lacey Chabert, Andy Baldwin, Tessa Horst, Kim Lyons, Gunter Schlierkamp, Marla Maples, Greg German, and Adrian Pasdar are just some of the celebrities who will grace the event with their presence.
Actor Rob Lowe of the show The West Wing and Brothers and Sisters will be leading the peloton for the first 20 miles of the 100-mile bike ride. Lowe will be leading the participants in an Audi RS4 Friendship pace car hand painted by the famous Brazilian artist Romero Britto. Although being a pace car means that the vehicle cannot show its real potential in terms of speed and acceleration, its performance has already been proven by a lot of Audi owner who have given Audi good reviews. With its reliable parts such as
Audi head gaskets, it has become one of the more popular nameplates of the automaker making it an obvious choice as a pace car.
Johan de Nysschen, the executive vice president for the Audi of America, said: "Since our partnership with Best Buddies began in June, the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle is the first major event we've had the opportunity to help lead." He also pointed out that the partnership between them and Best Buddies is a perfect fit saying: "Just as Best Buddies is leading its field through innovation and a pioneering spirit, Audi's constant dedication to engineering the best cars in the world makes our organizations a perfect fit. Nowhere is Audi's commitment to social responsibility better showcased than in extraordinary events such as this, which join luminaries across many industries to a tremendous charitable cause."
As can be expected, Audi is looking forward to the event. De Nysschen has this to say: "We are excited to welcome Audi and Best Buddies supporting guests, including California's Governor and First Lady Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood, Lacey Chabert of Mean Girls and TV's Party of Five, The Bachelor's Andy Baldwin and Tessa Horst, celebrity trainer Kim Lyons, Gunter Schlierkamp from Beerfest and The Hulk, The Ex-Wives Clubs' Marla Maples, actor Greg German and Adrian Pasdar from TV's Heroes and many others to help us raise money to further Best Buddies' great work."
The founder of the organization, Anthony Kennedy Shriver, has this to say about Audi's involvement in the event: "Audi's commitment to social responsibility is unparalleled, and Best Buddies is incredibly grateful for the dedication the entire company has shown to our mission of friendship and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. With its incredible fleet of automobiles and stable of celebrity supporters, the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle promises to be one of the most important charity events of the year."
