Where do I even begin!?
I have so many amazing people to thank and many of those stories will be coming up in future posts. But in honour of the National Finals Rodeo that is well under way I thought it might be a good time to say thank-you to my rodeo family!
When I heard that a Barrel Racing benefit was being held in honour of Jeff - put on by some AWESOME ladies - Monica Wilson, Staci Juhasz, and Jillian Monti. I was so humbled and so grateful. These events are not easily thrown together! They take time, people, a facility to hold the event, etc. The Cardston Agridome was willing to donate the facility for the evening and one by one I watched as the donations started pouring in! SO many people donated items to the Silent Auction that was held - AND I want to send out a special thank-you to those who showed up and actually bought the items! We had a pretty great turnout - but the amount that was raised from that group of people...unbelievable! We all felt very loved!
Due to the length of time that it took for Jeff to arrive back in Alberta, his funeral ended up on the same day as the event...but I couldn't have thought of a better way to end a very emotional day. Surrounded by family and friends AND horses! Nothing better then that!
One fun fact about Jeff...Back when I was competing in rodeo and still in the dating world, I made it a requirement for the boy I was dating to attend a barrel jackpot with me! How he handled this task could really make or break the relationship! ;) Well...I remember the day I took Jeff to his first Barrel Jackpot - A jackpot that had 200+ entries (of course I didn't tell him that prior to going). He handled it like a champ! After recovering from the initial shock that he was going to have to watch the same pattern be run 200 times...and even more shock after he realized that we raked the pattern after every 5....he got himself a few cheeseburgers and some Pepsi and started writing down times! And when it came to be my turn...he cheered... SO loud!. Partly mocking how us barrel racers cheer for each other - and partly because he really was so excited to watch. I knew he was a keeper ;)
Global News Lethbridge came to check out the event! Here is the link:
http://globalnews.ca/video/1690203/community-rallies-to-support-deceased-mans-family
I would like to send out a HUGE thank-you to the following for donating to the Silent Auction!
The list is long...we really are so blessed.
Cardston Extra Foods
Ryan Smith
Western Stockman
Bates Leather (Tanner Bates)
Randee Hegie
Fas Gas
Bruce Primeau
Kerri Walburger Nelson
Wildflower Tack - Cristy Duce
Jessica Loose
Boarderline
Executive Fly Fishing (Clay, Katelyn and Leah Campbell)
Rod Foggin
Valerie Nilsson
Raymond Dental
Monica Wilson
Laura McRae Loose
Review Printing
Molson Coors Canada (Abby Chomiak)
Paul Umpleby
Paige Leavitt
Dea J Higgins
Raymond Pharmacy
Jackie Leppington
Cheryl Wyner
Sizzle (Cardston Agridome Concession)
Moxies Lethbridge (Mike Bond)
Hewitt Equine
Stacey Kading
Charley Rae Carey and Pam Reeder
Jillian and Amber Monti
Shelbi Bates
Elliot Bit & Spur (Dave Elliot and Lousie Houben)
Chinook Rodeo Association
Raymond Napa Auto
Shaylee Rae French
Canadian Cutie (Stephanie Hall)
Prairie West Horse Pellet (Richard Wilde)
Jane Shaw
Susan Dixon
Kayla Zielke
Ben & Staci Juhasz
Roger Lewis
That is NOT including the ONLINE Auction...which is still going on so I will post about that once it is finished!
I couldn't thank everyone enough for helping with this event! It was awesome! Seeing all the riders in their camo...well let's just say I had a good cry about that one. Jeff would have loved it! So thank-you!
And to the three ladies that organized the event; Monica, Staci, and Jillian - you have no idea how much this meant to me. I have never felt so loved! :)
Dakota
When I heard that a Barrel Racing benefit was being held in honour of Jeff - put on by some AWESOME ladies - Monica Wilson, Staci Juhasz, and Jillian Monti. I was so humbled and so grateful. These events are not easily thrown together! They take time, people, a facility to hold the event, etc. The Cardston Agridome was willing to donate the facility for the evening and one by one I watched as the donations started pouring in! SO many people donated items to the Silent Auction that was held - AND I want to send out a special thank-you to those who showed up and actually bought the items! We had a pretty great turnout - but the amount that was raised from that group of people...unbelievable! We all felt very loved!
Due to the length of time that it took for Jeff to arrive back in Alberta, his funeral ended up on the same day as the event...but I couldn't have thought of a better way to end a very emotional day. Surrounded by family and friends AND horses! Nothing better then that!
Thank-you to all of the ladies and girls who came out to run that night! Some even donated their dollar winnings back! I couldn't believe that! I so appreciate it!
One fun fact about Jeff...Back when I was competing in rodeo and still in the dating world, I made it a requirement for the boy I was dating to attend a barrel jackpot with me! How he handled this task could really make or break the relationship! ;) Well...I remember the day I took Jeff to his first Barrel Jackpot - A jackpot that had 200+ entries (of course I didn't tell him that prior to going). He handled it like a champ! After recovering from the initial shock that he was going to have to watch the same pattern be run 200 times...and even more shock after he realized that we raked the pattern after every 5....he got himself a few cheeseburgers and some Pepsi and started writing down times! And when it came to be my turn...he cheered... SO loud!. Partly mocking how us barrel racers cheer for each other - and partly because he really was so excited to watch. I knew he was a keeper ;)
Global News Lethbridge came to check out the event! Here is the link:
http://globalnews.ca/video/1690203/community-rallies-to-support-deceased-mans-family
I would like to send out a HUGE thank-you to the following for donating to the Silent Auction!
The list is long...we really are so blessed.
Cardston Extra Foods
Ryan Smith
Western Stockman
Bates Leather (Tanner Bates)
Randee Hegie
Fas Gas
Bruce Primeau
Kerri Walburger Nelson
Wildflower Tack - Cristy Duce
Jessica Loose
Boarderline
Executive Fly Fishing (Clay, Katelyn and Leah Campbell)
Rod Foggin
Valerie Nilsson
Raymond Dental
Monica Wilson
Laura McRae Loose
Review Printing
Molson Coors Canada (Abby Chomiak)
Paul Umpleby
Paige Leavitt
Dea J Higgins
Raymond Pharmacy
Jackie Leppington
Cheryl Wyner
Sizzle (Cardston Agridome Concession)
Moxies Lethbridge (Mike Bond)
Hewitt Equine
Stacey Kading
Charley Rae Carey and Pam Reeder
Jillian and Amber Monti
Shelbi Bates
Elliot Bit & Spur (Dave Elliot and Lousie Houben)
Chinook Rodeo Association
Raymond Napa Auto
Shaylee Rae French
Canadian Cutie (Stephanie Hall)
Prairie West Horse Pellet (Richard Wilde)
Jane Shaw
Susan Dixon
Kayla Zielke
Ben & Staci Juhasz
Roger Lewis
That is NOT including the ONLINE Auction...which is still going on so I will post about that once it is finished!
I couldn't thank everyone enough for helping with this event! It was awesome! Seeing all the riders in their camo...well let's just say I had a good cry about that one. Jeff would have loved it! So thank-you!
And to the three ladies that organized the event; Monica, Staci, and Jillian - you have no idea how much this meant to me. I have never felt so loved! :)
Dakota
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