Skip to content

An impressive $45K raised at Rumsey STARS ride

Lynn Tanner brought in the highest pledge of $9,225 to the table.
8085338_web1_Rumsey
Rumsey Record. FILE PHOTO

Patty Steen

Rumsey Record

It’s been another good summer weekend with the 28th annual STARS ride concluding successfully. Thank you to all the volunteers who put together a great fundraiser for a worthy cause. The grand total that was collected came to $45,065! That is truly impressive. The pledges brought in $35,026 with the top pledge collection coming from Lynn Tanner who brought $9,225 to the table. She received the Ag Society Buckle as a thank you for all her efforts. In second place, Ernie Goddard collected $6,404 in total pledges with Nikki Hiron bringing $3,600 as the third top pledge gatherer. In the Junior category, the top pledge collector was Rylee Jones who brought $3,438 in pledges to the ride, Meah Richmond brought in $1,994 as the second place winner with Easton Comte bringing $410 to place third. Thank you to these hard working people and their support teams and to all the other pledge contributors because every dollar counts. In total there were 146 riders who participated in the ride through the beautiful hills and river valley.

The Poker rally sold 237 hands and generated $770 towards the grand total along with the silent auction which raised $2,100 and awarded many beautiful prizes out to people from generous businesses and donators in the area. The oldest rider this year was Marvin Donaghy at age 89 years young and the youngest rider was Easton Comte at three years old! The raffle table was another successful draw as people were buying tickets well before this day and then throughout the day as well, raising $2,580 in profit towards the grand total. The winners were: Deb Newton – handmade quilt by Joann Richmond; Vi Adie – Freson Gift Card; Cas Spruyt – Alberta Prairie Steam tour train tickets; Ken Garbutt - $100 Bashaw Meat gift certificate; Darren Hiron – pencil sketch by Lee Cawiezel’s art work. We certainly have some very talented people in the area. With the help of many volunteers, this ride was once again considered a great success with the distinguished claim of being the longest running fundraiser for the STARS organization.

As everyone knows we have been suffering through an extended period without any rain with our last decent rain having been June 13 when we got an inch of rain. Since then, we – on our farm as I know the showers have been scattered and varied – have received five-tenths on July 3, and six-tenths on Aug. 5 with scorching temperatures in between. Out of curiosity, I looked back in my farm records to 2007 and we were equally as dry back then. By the end of June we had received close to nine inches of rain but then only four tenths on July 16 and a long wait through temperatures averaging around the 25 to 30 degrees Celsius until Aug. 27 when we received an inch of rain. The harvest started early that year as it looks like it will this year. I doubt anyone will consider this encouraging except that we made it through then and we will make it through again this year. Good luck to all the farmers starting their harvest preparations.

Have a great week everyone.