Rodeo Bucks
By: Ruth Nicolaus
Hamel Rodeo is fundraiser for area charities, has raised over $2 million
The LUCAS Chest Compression System was purchased in part with Hamel Rodeo funds, by the Hamel Fire Department. The rodeo is a fundraiser for five area charities. Photo courtesy Chief Jeff Ruchti.
Hamel, Minn – Because of the volunteer efforts of a handful of service organizations, homeless veterans have a place to stay, high school students get help paying for college, and the community is safer because of new equipment at the local fire department.
When the Hamel Rodeo kicks off, there’s plenty of cowboys and cowgirls, horses and bulls and fans.
But it’s so much more than that.
In the last 41 years, more than $2.75 million has been raised for area charities, after the rodeo’s bills are paid.
That money goes to help the community in a variety of ways.
The Hamel Fire Department purchased a natural gas generator for the station, so if the electricity goes out, it kicks in within 15 seconds. The fire department is able to buy equipment with funds raised by the Hamel Rodeo. Photo by Chief Jeff Ruchti.
Five organizations are designated to receive those funds: the Hamel Volunteer Fire Department, the Heinzen-Ditter VFW, the Hamel Lions, the John Pohlker American Legion Post and the Lord of Life Military Family Support Ministry in Maple Grove.
For the Hamel Lions, they’ve been involved with the rodeo since it started in 1981. The rodeo is about half of their annual fundraising, and the money goes towards a variety of things: scholarships, Minn. Lions Vision Foundation, Can Do Canines, food shelters, veterans organizations, and more. This year, the Lions awarded $10,000 in scholarships.
“We’re all volunteers,” said Greg DeVos, president of the Hamel Lions. “One hundred percent of the money goes to charity.”
The Lord of Life Military Family Support Ministry uses proceeds from the Hamel Rodeo to buy yearly passes to the Magnus Veterans Foundation for veterans and their families. They support Minn. Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), this year donating new mattresses, sheets, linens, pillows, toiletries, and more.
They provide scholarships for military families, this year awarding nine for a total of $3,500.
The Hamel Rodeo is their only fundraiser, said Greg Burns, volunteer with the Military Family Support Ministry.
The Hamel Fire Department uses rodeo funds for equipment, said Chief Jeff Ruchti.
From trucks to flashlights, rodeo proceeds are used to purchase equipment, and it needs to be quality that can be counted on in emergencies.
The compressor is used to fill air bottles, so the firefighters have clean air to breathe while fighting fires. Photo by Chief Jeff Ruchti.
“You have to purchase quality equipment,” Ruchti said, “and quality comes with a price tag.”
The fire department has updated from gas to electric chainsaws, to make sure they start when needed. They’ve purchased a new LUCAS Chest Compression System six years ago (with funds from the rodeo and the Hamel Lions), and just purchased a natural gas generator with an automatic start for the station, so if the electricity goes out, the generator starts within fifteen seconds.
In return for receiving funds, all five organizations donate time and labor in producing the rodeo.
The Hamel Lions run the concession stand on the west side and order the food and beverages. The Military Family Support Ministry takes care of ticketing, and the Hamel Fire Department helps with parking. All five groups help with setup and tear down, since that’s a big job.
The groups are grateful for the chance to fundraise in such a fun environment as the rodeo.
“The rodeo’s been going a long time, and we hope to keep doing it for a long time,” Lions president DeVos said. “That’s the amazing thing about it.”
This year’s Hamel Rodeo is July 6-9 at Corcoran Lions Park in Corcoran. Performances begin at 7:30 pm each night, with a 1 pm matinee on Saturday, July 8.
All tickets are general admission and are $25, except for the Saturday matinee; those tickets are $18.
To purchase tickets and for more information, visit the website at HamelRodeo.org.