AD SPACE

Wrangling up a rodeo


Mavis Gonshorowski
Makings for another exciting, thrilling, and action-packed Greenbush Rodeo are underway.
Keith and Dana Wojciechowski have been “dreaming rodeo day and night” and promise a couple of very entertaining days come July 4 and 5.
Are you “Tough Enough to Wear Pink?” will be the overall theme of this year’s Greenbush Rodeo. Be prepared to see the color pink everywhere.
Along with the Greenbush Rodeo, which is scheduled for July 4 and 5, the Wojciechowskis have some of the activities planned in which proceeds will be going to the Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund.
This year the rodeo will be held out at the site of Wojo’s Arena. Directions to the Arena are 4 miles east of Greenbush on State Highway 11, turn at the substation and go 1 mile south. Turn left at the dead end. Wojo’s Arena is the first place on the south side of the road.
Friday, July 4th, beginning at 7:00 to 10:00 a.m., the Wrangler Tough Enough to Wear Pink Breast Cancer Benefit Breakfast will take place at Wojo’s Arena. Proceeds are going to the newly-established “Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund” at LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.
If you enjoy going on trail rides, join the trail ride procession which will leave Wojo’s at 10:00 a.m. The destination is Greenbush. All trail riders are welcome to ride in Greenbush’s ever-fabulous 4th of July Parade. Horseback riders as well as wagons are most welcome. Participants in the Wrangler Tough Enough to Wear Pink Trail Ride must wear pink and sign waivers.
Be back at Wojo’s at 2:00 p.m. when the Rodeo kicks into action.
Events scheduled to take place are barrel racing, break away and bull riding; top bull riders will be in competition both days.
Now if you’re over 40 years old and still as active as a young colt who’s been turned loose for the first time, enter the calf-roping contest!
For those who are 12 years and under and you think you’re faster than Quick Draw McGraw, see how long it takes you to tie a ribbon on a goat’s tail!
Steer riding competition will be offered to those 15 years and under.
Youngsters weighing no more than 60 pounds...there will be a mutton-busting contest for you!
More fun and laughs are in store at 5:00. Teams of four, with 10 to 15 teams, will compete in the following categories: Wild cow milking, calf branding (no, it’s not done with a hot branding iron) and team doctoring.
At 9:00 p.m., when the sun is slowly fading in the west and the evening dew is setting in, enjoy DJ and Karaoke music.
Come the morning of Saturday, July 5, roll on out of bed, freshen up, slide into your western attire and head back out to Wojo’s. Put breakfast on hold! A trail ride is scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. and head on in to Greenbush were there will be a fund-raiser Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Greenbush Rescue Squad at the Greenbush Fire Hall.
The day’s events will continue with the Rodeo beginning at 2:00, the Ranch Rodeo at 5:00 and the DJ and Karaoke at 9:00.
Pre-registration would be appreciated if you plan to attend the breakfast and it is required of those who plan to join in on the trail ride, whether one or both days.
A petting zoo, pony-riding ring, food vendors and western apparel vendors will also be on the grounds of Wojo’s Arena.
Should anyone be in need of more information about any of the two-day events, Wojciechowskis may be reached at 23162 220th St., Greenbush, Mn. 56726 or telephone 218-782-3751 or 218-689-4009. Their website is www.wojoshorsetraining.com ; e-mail is dana@wojoshorsetraining.com .
Dana and I talked about the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” breast cancer awareness that she has become involved in.
Perhaps part of the Think Pink idea sparked when Dana read about breast-cancer survivor founder Terry Wheatley in the March 2008 issue of the Western Horseman.
At the 2004 National Finals Rodeo, Terry asked her son, team roper Wade Wheatley to wear a pink shirt for one performance. As the idea developed, Wade agreed and convinced many of his fellow contestants to take part. Wrangler Jeans and Shirts produced enough pink shirts for every NFR contestant to wear, if they chose to do so.
Terry’s daughter Katie, became involved in 2005, and works with Wrangler to run the campaign.
The “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” campaign has raised $4 million for breast-cancer research in less than four years!
“At the time when I checked into it, there was no local breast cancer fund to donate money to,” she said. “I contacted Carol Turnow who works with the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, as well as Susan Grafstrom, Development Coordinator, and Deb Haugen, Sr. Leader of Marketing with LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.”
In a recent news release from the LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau, Minnesota, the following is stated:
LifeCare Medical Center is pleased to announce the addition of the Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund to the LifeCare Health Care Fund Family. The primary focus of the fund is to provide financial support for patient transportation, education, equipment, and activities related to breast cancer programs within communities served by LifeCare Medical Center.
Established by Dana and Keith Wojciechowski of rural Greenbush, the Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund was created by the Wojciechowskis to provide support locally to people in our area facing breast cancer. It was their desire to create an avenue that kept dollars locally to benefit those affected by breast cancer. “Partnering with LifeCare Health Care Funds was a natural fit,” said Dana Wojciechowski.
LifeCare Health Care Fund is a component fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Founded in 2004 out of the generosity of Maggi Adams, the LifeCare Health Care Fund has grown from a Medical Equipment Fund to a group of 7 individual funds under the LifeCare Health Care Fund umbrella. These individual funds include the General Endowment, Hospice, LifeCare Roseau Manor, LifeCare Greenbush Manor, Eagles Auxiliary Diabetes and Dialysis Fund and the Parish Fund.
Dana commented, “All proceeds from the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” trail ride and breakfast on July 4th will go to the cancer fund.”
“There will be clothing available both days of the rodeo for purchase through the Wrangler Tough Enough to Wear Pink program with proceeds going to the breast cancer fund as well as a portion of the advanced rodeo ticket sales,” she added.
Rodeo contestants as well as spectators are encouraged to wear pink during the two days of rodeo.
So, who cares if pink doesn’t “match up” with red, white and blue 4th of July colors? True, it ain’t exactly “cowboy colors”, but if you’re tough, really tough, show up wearing pink!

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