It's not too often that Wisconsinites get to pair snowmobiles and bikinis - especially not in February! AmSnow contributor Jon Johnville was in St. Germain the first weekend of February to cover the action.
Did you know that in February in Wisconsin it is Bikini time? That’s right Discover Wisconsin and Boondock Nation host the Annual Snowmobile Radar Run and Bikini Radar Run. This event has a lot to offer with all kinds of vendors and racing action. They have practice runs and the Snow Outlaws Shootout on Friday night. On Saturday they have the Radar Runs, their Annual Bikini Radar Run and the Snow Outlaws Top Ten List Races.
This year’s Bikini Radar Run will again benefit the Pink Ribbon Riders it will also benefit the local Fire Dept. and Ambulance Squad. I had a chance to talk with Mark Hiller the director of the event who informed me that this is their 15th year putting this event on and should raise the most money to date. They get somewhere in the vicinity of 3000 spectators and this year they had 155 entries for the actual radar runs. They had 28 participants for the bikini radar run and they work very hard to raise the kind of money they do. The girls mainly focus on their friends and family groups to raise the money. The girls also raise money with a dinner that Amy Greenberg puts together. Amy is the assistant director of the event and does a lot of the bikini rally stuff. The event has grown every year since they started and the participant numbers have also growing being when they started they had only six entries. To explain the event a little more each one of the participants get in their bikini and take their snowmobile down the 660-foot snow track to get the fastest speed possible. This year the participant who went the fastest was Melissa Goldbeck going 102 mph in 660 feet. There is prizes and trophies for the girls for how fast they go and also for how much money they raise. Speaking of money raised this year they topped last year’s number again by almost $10,000 raising over $52,000 for the cause. Pam Riggs was the participant who raised the most with over $15,000 and she was also the second fastest in the radar run going 97 mph.
As I mentioned earlier some of the proceeds go to the Pink Ribbon Riders who have several events all year long. They are not just snowmobile either they do all kinds of events to help raise money to help people that are in active treatment for cancer. I had a chance to talk with Jody McKay who is the founder of the Pink Ribbon Riders. This is the 10th year that they have been associated with this event. The Pink Ribbon Riders is a great foundation that helps people who are actively being treated for cancer, they give a $500 gift certificate to people who apply so there is a process to receive this benefit. They hope that the gift card will make at least one day less stressful for the recipient. The Pink Ribbon Riders assist people in the states that they have fund raises which are New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming, North Dakota and Colorado. They help both men and women who as said are actively being treated. With all the different event that they do it would be easy for someone to volunteer to help or donate. You could just go to the Pink Ribbon Riders website and find an event or event donate online. So please let’s all help in the fight against cancer and why not with a foundation that is involved in the sport that we all love and enjoy.
Story and photos by Jon Johnville
JJ's Outlaw Photography