Agent to match Friendly Town donations

By Jennifer Bailey, Commercial-News (Danville, IL)
May 20, 2009

DANVILLE — Sports agent Doug Barnette of Danville, chief executive officer of Player Management International, has fond memories of being a child and riding around Friendly Town.

“Friendly Town has always been close to my heart,” Barnette said.

Having race-car driver friends, and after almost being killed in an automobile accident in 1992, he says, “nothing is more important to us than traffic safety.”

Barnette got choked up talking about his love of Danville — where he still eats breakfast with his high school coaches — and his good friend, Indianapolis 500 driver Paul Tracy, who also was on hand at Friendly Town Tuesday morning.

Barnette announced he’ll match any community donations up to $5,000 for more Friendly Town renovations next year.

Barnette already has donated $15,000 to help operate Friendly Town during the last three years.

Now local businesses and individuals are challenged to make a donation to the program.

Because of Barnette’s donations, Friendly Town will undergo a complete renovation starting this summer.

The goal is to add some new features, but spruce up and paint current features too, like the barn and church.

The mechanics garage will be changed to look like a pit garage from the Indianapolis 500.

Mayor Scott Eisenhauer said thanks to Barnette’s donations the city hasn’t had to cut the traffic safety program due to budget constraints.

“It now needs some freshening up, updating (and) renovations,” Eisenhauer said about reenergizing the program over the next 10 to 15 years.

Public Safety Director Larry Thomason said Barnette is “truly someone who believes in the community and knows his roots are back in Danville.”

He said the goal of Friendly Town, which dates back to 1970 and has gone from electric cars to gas cars to pedal cars, has always been traffic safety and knowing the rules of the road whether walking or traveling by other means.

“It will continue to be a vital part (of Danville),” he added.

Added police officer Doug Weaver, Friendly Town has survived the ups and downs of the economy.

Friendly Town is a safety education program for all children in Vermilion County ages 4 through 9. The classroom and practical instruction are under the supervision of trained police officers.

The little town includes streets, buildings, a working traffic light and a railroad crossing to help teach kids bicycle safety among other lessons.

Indy 500 driver Paul Tracy, the 2003 Champ Car champion, who has literally raced around the world with Barnette, said “I never had anything like (Friendly Town) when I was a kid.”

He learned from his dad how to race cars.

He adds, any information passed along about traffic safety is invaluable.

Tracy, driver of the No. 15 GEICO car for KV Racing Technology, is making his first visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2002 when a controversial ruling sent him home with a runner-up finish. The Indy Racing League ruled he passed Helio Castroneves under caution on the final lap of the race despite video evidence indicating otherwise.

Also excited to see Tracy and the No. 13 GEICO NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car of driver Max Papis parked at Friendly Town were fifth-grade students from Garfield Elementary School.

The students pedaled around Friendly Town’s streets, struggling a little with their long legs.

Taylor Rangel and Abigail Ziegler were excited to meet Tracy and said they’ll be watching him race Sunday in the Indy 500.

They also had fun pedaling the bikes.

“I want to ride again,” Rangel said.

“It was awesome,” Ziegler said.