Nicole Hiron, 15, was the top junior fundraiser at the 25th anniversary Stars Rumsey Ride last Sunday. She brought in $5,250. She is pictured here with her ride Sheena and the STARS crew.
Riders from age 2 to 86, as well as a pretty cool chopper, came out for the 25th Annual Ride for STARS last Sunday at the TL Bar Ranch.
And what a day it was, with 165 riders enjoying the trails.
“It was way busier than our 20th year,” said an elated Kendra Kiemele, who helped organize the ride. “Usually 120-130 riders would be a good year, but this was just crazy.”
Typically, the ride will bring in $25,000 in pledges - this year they are looking at in the area of $47,000. This doesn’t include the breakfast, barbecue, and dinner, quilt sale, silent auction or the poker run totals.
While the numbers are not finalized, they may have exceeded their expectations by having in the area of $60,000 generated from the day.
This puts their 25 year total at $624,389.
There was all kinds of fun once you got there, even if you didn’t ride. Country singer Eli Barsi and Cowboy poet Doris Daley kept participants entertained. The Rumsey Fire Department supplied the breakfast, and Freson Bros. and “Gooch’s Gang” put on a barbecue for the afternoon.
STARS was onsite selling their memorabilia, including smart looking red bandanas to mark the 25th anniversary. STARS was even able to come and land its chopper to mark the quarter century of the ride.
The top fundraiser was Lynn Tanner, who brought in over $11,500, edging out Ernie Goddard who collected over $10,300. Riley Helmer brought in $1,450 for third place. He collected it all in about a week.
In the junior category, Nicole Hiron, 15, was the top fundraiser, with $5,250. Chase Andersen, 5, raised $4,715, and in third place, Noel Kiemele raised $2,990.
“There were 11 people who brought in $5,00 or more dollars, and for those 11 people, about 85 per cent of the pledges came from them,” said Kiemele.
“A lot come and pay the $15 or $20 to ride, but they support the breakfast and help out with the silent auction and buy supper, so everyone contributes a lot. It is incredible support we have had over the 25 years.”
