News
Riders bring awareness to Breast Cancer
Scott Wagar
01/14/2014
The Pink Ribbon Riders (PRR) came to Bottineau over the weekend to raise money for women and men who are diagnosed with breast cancer. The group spent Friday afternoon riding the trails in the Turtle Mountains from Twin Oaks to the International Peace Garden and back. Friday evening, the PRR held a welcome party with appetizers, a number of contests, a fish bowl fundraiser and a dance with a live band. On Saturday, the large group of snowmobilers hit the trails and sledded from 60 to 100 miles. They ended the event Saturday evening with banquet dinner party. Overall, PRR raised $30,000 during the two day event.
PRR was established by Alia Brown and Jody McKay in 2005 in remembrance of their friend, Kelly Shires, who passed away in 2004 from breast cancer. Shires, a Canadian, had originated snowmobile rides in Canada to raise money for breast cancer.
Prior to Shire’s death, Brown and McKay promised Shires they would start snowmobile runs in America, and in March of 2005 they held the first event with the Tug Hill Snow Run where they raised $2,500. The money from the event was given to the Roswell Cancer Institute in New York.
Today, the PRR have events in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Each year. the non-profit organization raises thousands of dollars for breast cancer and brings awareness of this deadly disease to large groups of people.
To learn more about the PPR, go to pinkribbonriders.com.