ESTEVAN — A popular fundraiser in the southeast Saskatchewan motorcycle community is celebrating a milestone this year, but a new organizer will be needed for it to continue.
The Prairie Winds' 25th annual Ride for Ronald McDonald House will occur Sept. 10 starting at the Estevan McDonalds location. Participants are asked to start showing up at 1 p.m. for registration, and the ride will begin an hour later.
It will follow the same route as previous years, as riders will travel to Lampman and Arcola, and then they will head to Stoughton's Crossroads Inn for a beef-on-a-bun supper and a raffle before heading home.
Pam Currie, who has been an organizer of the event since its inception alongside her husband Paul, said they have raised about $80,000 over the past 24 years. It has grown to 100 participants per year.
"It really is hard to believe," Currie told the Mercury. "I say that a lot with lots of things, but the fact that we've been doing this for the community for 25 years, I'm pretty pleased about it."
Currie recalled the ride was originally started by the Retreads Motorcycle Club, which is an international organization that had chapters in lots of communities. The Curries, Nancy Dorwart and Marcel Vanloo thought a fun ride was needed to raise money for a cause. Dorwart had friends who stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon and viewed the proverbial home away from home as a valuable asset.
The club informed Ronald McDonald House about the fundraiser and they were on board.
"The Ronald McDonald House helps kids and families, so it was perfect," said Currie.
The Prairie Riders took over the initiative and now it is run by the Prairie Winds, which is a women's motorcycle club, but the ride is open to men and women.
Currie's not surprised at how the event has grown over the years. They've consistently had 100 bikes for years, and they have always had nice weather.
"They're always eager to buy raffle tickets, so that helps support it even more, and going to businesses and asking support from them, they're always very, very generous and helpful as well," she said.
When she found out the ride had raised over $80,000 over the first 24 years, she was pretty happy with the figure.
"In the end, it's about the support for the Ronald McDonald House, so it's about the generous society that we live in," said Currie.
She has reached out to as many people from the Retreads, the Prairie Riders and Prairie Winds who have helped make the event a success. She hopes they will all be here so she can acknowledge them and their efforts to keep the ride going.
"I really do appreciate the help that I have received over the years. Without help, it's very difficult to achieve our goal."
The director of Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon is scheduled to be in Estevan for the event on Sept. 10, and Currie said they have some "really wonderful" raffle tickets available to purchase.
She is grateful for the support from the Crossroads Inn over the years, too. The business offers the supper for a nominal fee and donates any profits to the ride.
Currie said she and her husband are stepping down from organizing the ride, leaving it with a murky future. They moved to Esterhazy in 2017 but have continued to help with the organization. The Curries believe the 25-year mark is a good time to hand it off to someone else.
"I put it out there last year, and I put the bug into people's ears, hoping that they might be interested in taking it on," said Currie. "It's not a whole lot of work. It's a little bit of legwork the couple of months beforehand."
The Ronald McDonald House has also expressed their desire to keep the event going, Currie said.
If someone does step up, Currie said she would provide all the information from previous years. The new organizer needs to reach out to businesses for donations, including raffle prizes if that part of the event is to continue. And if the event continues, the Curries will still come to Estevan for the ride.
"It has been the most wonderful experience and 25 years of memories," said Currie.
