Everyday Champion Winner Honored at NASCAR Hall of Fame

“Thank you so much for choosing me to be the 2023 Whelen Everyday Champion. I will continue my dedication to community service until the day I am physically unable. I will also continue to encourage others to join me. It takes only one random act of kindness that can make a difference in someone’s life. Who knows, maybe someday in this whole process my understanding husband will get his garage back, but definitely not before we use his space to build 2000 easter baskets for the Shoreline Food Pantries!“

Sandy Voss
2023 Whelen Everyday Champion

In November of last year, Whelen named Sandy Voss of Clinton, Connecticut as our 2023 Everyday Champion award winner. On January 20 of this year, Voss was formally inducted into the Whelen Hall of Champions at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sandy has been with the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department for more than 35 years and spends countless hours giving back to her community through a variety of projects and outreach efforts. She was nominated for the Everyday Champion award by her granddaughter, Autumn, who summed up her feelings by saying, “Sandy is kind, loving, and always puts others before herself.”

To get an idea of how right Autumn is, watch the video we made that tells Sandy’s story. While Voss does not like attention for her efforts, this award is clearly well deserved.

So, with friends and family by her side, Sandy graciously accepted the Everyday Champion award at a ceremony inside the High Octane Theater at the Hall of Fame. Pete Tiezzi, Whelen’s General Manager of Motorsports, shared a heartfelt message of congratulations from everyone at Whelen, and presented Sandy with the Everyday Champion trophy. Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the Hall, was also in attendance for the ceremony and surprised Sandy with a cart full of Hall of Fame-themed stuffed animals, or “stuffies” as Sandy calls them. Kelley was inspired to donate the toys after hearing about Sandy’s latest effort—making 2,000 easter baskets for deserving children in the area where she lives.

After the ceremony, Sandy and her family and friends had a chance to view her exhibit which is now on display in the Whelen Hall of Champions at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The exhibit features Sandy’s picture and story, her Clinton Volunteer Fire Department turnout coat, along with a monitor to view the video we made, so visitors to the Hall can see for themselves why Sandy is so deserving of the award. Visitors can also learn about Whelen’s previous Everyday Champions at the exhibit.

Several Whelen employees made the trip to North Carolina for the induction ceremony, and we all felt honored to play a role in recognizing Sandy and her efforts. It was an extra special moment for us at Whelen because first responders are always at the forefront of our thinking. We know that they count on us to help keep them safe, and that’s a responsibility we take very seriously. Having the opportunity to show a first responder like Sandy how much we appreciate and value the work she does made it a truly rewarding experience.

As it says on the exhibit wall above where Sandy’s picture hangs, “Champions come in many shapes and forms. Whelen’s Everyday Champion annually honors the bravery and heroism of Police, Fire, and EMS departments or individual members nationwide. Each year a new champion will be recognized and featured for their selflessness, humility, and courage. By providing public safety and protecting our quality of life, those featured here are true everyday champions.”

Congratulations, Sandy Voss, on being Whelen’s 2023 Everyday Champion!