Garrett Holowath (20) of Rumsey, Alberta, will play baseball for the U21 Alberta team at the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg from July 28 to August 13.

After one of the coaches in the same men’s league approached him to play for the team, Holowath made his way through try-outs to make the Alberta team.

“I’m left handed and that really helped me,” said Holowath. “I think it gave me a little advantage compared to the rest of the guys.”

After lots of experience and games, Holowath was ready to tackle something higher on the ladder.

“I’ve been playing ball for most of my life so it just kind of worked out and an opportunity presented itself to go and I took it and now we are in Manitoba,” Holowath said.

The team officially formed in October of last year and have been practicing ever since. They have competed at senior men’s tournaments for the last month and a half in order to prepare for the upcoming Summer Games.

For the next 17 days, Holowath will be playing at the John Blumberg Softball Complex in Winnipeg. Sure to be in the cheering section would be Holowath’s family as his grandparents reside in thecentre province.

“My grandparents live in Manitoba so I’ve been coming out here to Portage, Oakville area for my entire life every other summer,” said Holowath.

Holowath is excited and proud to be representing his home province of Alberta.

“It’s a great opportunity and I’m pretty pumped to be out here.”

In a tradition of success and fun, the annual Ride for STARS raised more than $45,000 for STARS Air Ambulance.

The 28th annual Ride, hosted by the Rumsey and District Ag Society took place on Sunday, August 13 at the TL Bar Ranch.

This year they had a great turnout with 146 riders who brought in $35,026 in pledges.

Rob Richmond of the organizing committee was very happy with the results.

“It was a very solid, a very awesome day,” said Richmond.

While the event has had great staying power and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, he says every year they are rolling the dice on attendance, which is dependent on the weather and other events.

Riders hit the trail at 10 a.m. after a great breakfast put on by the Rumsey Fire department.

This year they broke a record for poker run sales, with 235 hands. They also had a successful silent auction and quilt raffle.
Ember Resources was also supportive with a $2,500 donation. He is grateful for all the support the event has received from riders, volunteers, and donors.

The event also had special visitors including Miss Rodeo Airdrie Sarah Park, as well as STARS Very Important Patient Deena Hill of Linden. STARS saved her life following a car accident on Highway 2 in 2006.

Organizers of the Rumsey Ride took a moment out to honour one of the founders of the annual ride, Ernie Goddard. At the presentation are (l-r) Ernie, Rob Richmond, Jill Broadie, Eleanor Richmond, Ricky Andersen, Mary Newton. Missing is Joanne Richmond.
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They also took some time to honour one their Founders. Ernie Goddard has been with the ride since the beginning, and there is hardly a year that he isn’t in the running for top fundraiser. At 92 he was in the saddle again for the ride this year

Organizers presented a portrait to Ernie done by local artist Lee Cawiezel.

“We had a ceremony to honour Ernie and the hard work he has done over the years, he was one of the founders.” said Richmond.

The Rumsey Ride for STARS kicks off Sunday, August 13, at the TL Bar Ranch near Rumsey and Trochu.

As the longest standing STARS volunteer fundraiser in Alberta, this year has lots to offer.

“Most charity organizations maybe only last five or six years as the shelf life but we’re kind of like the energizer bunny, we just keep going and going,” said Rob Richmond, the spokesperson for the event. “It’s kind of the calling card of all the rides and all the charity fundraisers for STARS.”

The volunteer fundraiser for STARS is considered a ‘huge, huge event’ with the trail rides raking in the most cash.

“The bulk of it is for the trail ride, they have it down at the ranch and Ricky and Jamie Anderson and the Lynch’s and have done it for years now down there. Depending on the year there is usually 100 or so riders.

Tons of other functions are available on the day of the annual Ride for STARS event like a special Ducks and Dogs demonstration from Jill Brodie, a quilting prize raffle, and a silent auction.

“My sister has donated probably 20 quilts over the years for the raffle,” said Richmond. “I mean there is so much stuff going on that it’s absolutely crazy.”

A smorgasbord of food will let no one become hungry as a large lineup of well known local groups aid hunger pangs.

To kick off the day, the Rumsey volunteer fire department puts on a pancake breakfast followed by Gooch’s Gang hotdog lunch from 12 to two p.m. Later on in the afternoon from four until 6 p.m., Mary Newton of the Country Cookers puts on a beef supper.

“I say it’s the best barbecue beef supper around and I challenge anybody to it,” Richmond exclaimed.

A STARS booth will be set up for everyone to check out with lots of neat souvenirs.

“They have people there and they’ll sell their swag and I heard they are going to have lots of new stuff this year,” said Richmond.

Over $40,000 was raised last year alone for STARS with over $700,000 raised in the past 27 years.

“That’s what makes it such a big thing is the volunteers,” Richmond highlighted. “It’s not just organizers, it’s the people that come down and help out; the Rumsey Ag Society, the

Rumsey volunteer fire department, the Alix fire department, and everybody else.”

The trail rides have been dedicated to the Ride for STARS president Ernie Goddard for this year.

“We have all these great folks and volunteers that have helped. Ernie has been the president for years – he still rides and is 80 plus years old,” said Richmond.

Each year as a fun tradition, a contest is made for all the trail riders. Prizes are awarded to both the youngest and the oldest.

“It’s a pretty cool thing,” said Richmond.

If donating money is not an option, time certainly can be the currency. Richmond encourages folks to take part in the event by volunteering their time and energy.

Keep up with upcoming videos created by Richmond. It can be found on their Facebook page here.