Annual Belt Sander Race

32nd Annual Belt Sander Fundraiser Sets Attendance Record And Three Million View It on Social Media.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Patricia Miravich, Bertie’s Inn 610-507-7549

2024 Belt Sander Charity Race Returned to Exeter/Oley on July 13, 2024 to set records: Bertie’s Inn Supported Olivet’s Boys & Girls Club of Reading, Pa.

Exeter/Oley, Berks County, PA – July 16, 2024 –

The sun has set on the 32nd annual belt sander race fundraiser but not before setting an attendance record and going viral on social media.

“We had over 750 people attend. We will need more bleachers next year to view the race,” said Patty Miravich, the owner of Bertie’s Inn. “We had great help from our staff, our community volunteers, Sue Perrotty, the Olivet’s Boys & Girls Club of Reading Board President, Olivet’s staff and Olivet’s volunteers. We will announce the total raised and present the check on Sunday of Labor Day weekend September 1, 2024 during a weekend celebration.

In addition to the record attendance on the grounds of Bertie’s Inn, the belt sander race went viral on social media. Emily Allebach, a member of Bertie’s staff, posted a TikTok of the race @ladyracerems and her post exploded on social media with nearly 3 million views and over a hundred thousand likes as of this press release. “I have actually been drag strip racing since I was 15 years old at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton (Pa.). So, I have some practice with lighted starter trees like the one at Bertie’s. There are similarities!”

Olivet’s volunteers included Sue and Craig Perrotty, Roger Gray, Peg Gill, and Kurt Bamberger. In attendance from Olivet’s staff was Nick Phillipedes, Tim Schad, Brianna Williams, and Richard Bradbury.

Each year brings a few new things to the race. Shannon Neiman and Faith Miravich provided children with face painting and the good folks at Escape Goat, a canned seltzer cocktail, provided baby goats to entertain the young and the young at heart. Because the race takes place in Bertie’s parking lot, attendees this year got shuttled to and from their cars parked in a field by a tractor and hay trailer.

For the past three decades, the belt sander race has been a cornerstone in raising charitable funds and this year’s event raised funds for Olivet’s Boys & Girls Club of Reading, Pa. Last year’s event raised over $16,000 for Mary’s Shelter. “We expect to beat the $16,000 amount this year and we will continue to take donations, sell commemorative t-shirts and balloon door-price chances, to increase the total going to Olivet’s until the big announcement on September 1 at Bertie’s,” added Miravich. “The t-shirts are true collector’s items.”

Miravich said, as the new owner, she kind of started from scratch; she had a new track constructed and purchased six new belt sanders. But with the unwavering support of numerous community-minded individuals, the race set records in 2024 in its 32nd year, and its third under the restaurant’s new ownership.

For those who are unfamiliar with the electrifying belt sander race, please watch this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9hCPe4KNtg(https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9hCPe4KNtg__;!!Ls64Rlj6!0yYL32lBd5SB0V8jrnvpYb0E3eGrBJL8DWrEFZ2FK3uScPWhoVgqKDDAa5PwcVlMA59AO08EObSCVngjOItSjzfJcKRkCerQjg$).

To learn more about Olivet’s and its valuable work, please visit Olivet’s website: https://www.olivetbgc.org

Winners of the 32nd Charity Belt Sander Race at Bertie’s Inn, Exeter (Berks County), Pa. included (left to right) Sarah Deck of Ruthless Deck (1st), Autumn Haas of Jerry Geleff Media (2nd), Gabby Walleigh of Hartman Construction (3rd), and Madeline Griffin (4th) of Gehringer Canvas & Repair Co.