In January 2018, 24 full-time riders completed and more than 33 total riders took part in the Trans-Montana Charity Ride, which is organized by the Montana Snowmobile Association (MSA).
During the week-long trip many other riders joined this dedicated group of men and women riding across the beautiful state of Montana. The charity ride supports NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), which works with various schools, military groups, veterans and agencies to provide support for mental illness such as PTSD and teen suicide prevention. All of the money raised stays within the Montana Chapter of NAMI.
The TMR is a week-long ride visiting six different riding areas in Montana. This year, it started off with a kick-off banquet in Columbia Falls hosted by the Flathead Snowmobile Association (FSA). The group then rode the Stryker Peak area before moving on to Lincoln, Helena, Wise River, Ennis/Virginia City and ended with an awards banquet in West Yellowstone. During the week, an auction and benefit dinner was held in Helena and the group raised more than $5000 of the $19,000 total that will be given to NAMI. This nearly doubled the efforts of the riders from the previous year.
Each day, the local snowmobile club would provide guides and lead the group to the best areas and best snow—and did they. The TMR would like to thank the following clubs for their leadership and hospitality: Flathead Snowmobile Club, Ponderosa Sno-Warriors (Lincoln), Helena Snowdrifters, Jackpine Savages (Wise River), Vigilante Snowmobilers (Virginia City) and the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce.
The TMR is an annual ride and everyone is invited to join either for the entire ride or just a day. Men and women ranging from teens to 76 years young rode all week long. Riders came from Minnesota, California, Nevada, Colorado and of course Montana.
For more information, contact Ron Albee leader@transmontana.org or go to www.trans-montana.org for more info about the upcoming year’s schedule and how to sign up. The TMR is also looking for corporate sponsors. It’s a great way to get your company name out there for all to see.