National Finalists Vie For Top Carpool Parenting Honors
22 April 1998
National Finalists Vie For Top Carpool Parenting Honors
Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington
Produce 'Unsung' Carpooling Heroes
LOS ANGELES, April 22 -- How do you keep a minivan of
children safe and amused while carpooling hours every month?
For the five finalists in the Nissan Quest Carpool Parent of the Year
competition, representing the Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Central and
Western regions, the answer is simple: with patience, good humor and
ingenuity.
Leslie DeBrocky-Fusfeld, mother of six, credits a "Map-in-the-Cap" and a
"do-it" bag with helping her survive the shuttle between school, sports
practice and other activities. DeBrocky-Fusfeld, of the Philadelphia area,
will represent the Northeast region. For Susu Abu-Shawareb, of the Atlanta
area, "universal" carpool rules help in her daily carpool endeavor. Abu-
Shawareb, mother of three, will represent the Southeast region.
Thomas Kearney, the Central regional winner, a Chicago-area resident and
father of two, believes that strict safety rules help in his daily carpool
routine. For Gail James, the mother of two, a daily planner is the key to a
successful carpool. James, a Roanoke, Texas, resident, is the Southwest
regional winner.
"Sanity, safety and silence" are the "carpool helping hands" for Patricia
Hughey, Spokane, Wash., resident. A mother of three, Hughey is the Western
regional winner in the Nissan Quest Carpool Parent of the Year contest.
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. launched the Nissan Quest Carpool Parent
of the Year contest to applaud the moms and dads who tirelessly transport the
neighborhood children to school, sports practices, dance classes and swimming
lessons.
Nissan found that the average carpool parent spends seven hours in the car
with three children every week through a random survey of 300 carpool kids and
300 carpool parents. To be eligible to enter the Nissan Quest Carpool Parent
of the Year Contest, the finalists had to carpool at least three children for
a minimum of six hours a month, have a safe driving record and had to submit
up to 10 tips for fun/safe carpooling. After reviewing all entries, the
regional winners were chosen to represent their regions based on practicality
and originality of their submissions.
Hailing these five finalists as the "unsung heroes of carpooling," Brad
Bradshaw, vice president of marketing for Nissan Motor Corporation, applauds
the practicality, originality and safe driving - not to mention courage in the
face of tantrums and traffic - that led to the honor.
The grand prize winner will receive a 1998 Nissan Quest minivan. With
unique passenger/cargo versatility and advanced safety features, the Quest
enjoys the benefits of car-like handling and ride comfort. The versatile
Quest adapts to multiple combinations of people and cargo hauling needs due to
its QUEST TRAC Flexible Seating System.
The first runner-up will receive a prepaid gas card good for up to a year's
supply of gasoline. Second, third and fourth runners-up will each receive
$500.
Judges for the finals will be Dr. Dorothy Singer, child psychologist at
Yale University; a carpool mom; a carpool dad; a carpool child; and a Nissan
representative.
In North America, Nissan's operations include styling, engineering,
manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate financing, and industrial and
textile equipment. Nissan in North America employs more than 20,000 people in
the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates nearly 70,000 jobs through
more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent. More
information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and
Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissan-na.com.
SOURCE Nissan Motor Corporation
