STURGIS, S.D. – The Greater Sturgis Foundation announced this afternoon that its Board has unanimously approved a $100,000 matching grant for the Sturgis High School Rodeo Boosters. The Match supports a June 29 Radiothon on radio station KBHB, where the Sturgis High School Rodeo Boosters will be seeking public help to develop and build a new rodeo arena just east of the Sturgis High School.
“It’s time for rodeo to return to Sturgis,” said Greater Sturgis Foundation Board Chairperson Brett Lynass, “this project just really hit all the marks for us. It brings Sturgis back to its roots, positively impacts youth and families and is both a social and economic win for the greater Sturgis area.”
The Sturgis High School Rodeo Boosters obtained a 99-year lease from the Meade School District to build an arena that will return rodeo to Sturgis as early as this fall. All horse enthusiasts will benefit from the new facility. There will be two full-size arenas, stalls, RV hook-ups, and a community building. The venue plans to hold all ages of rodeo practices, open riding for the community, and will be able to host several rodeo events which could include a SD Regional High School Rodeo, summer playday series, team ropings, barrel races, clinics, schools and much more. The Boosters vision is a place for the community to gather, celebrate, watch, participate and encourage the sport of rodeo.
At the June 29 Radiothon on KBHB, the group will be raising funds to complete Phase 2 of the project. “It would be hard to overstate what this match from the Greater Sturgis Foundation means for the fundraiser,” commented Ryan Casteel, a board member of the Sturgis High School Rodeo Boosters. “This literally means that every dollar pledged next Saturday morning will be matched with an additional dollar from GSF up to $100,000. Amazing!”
The Greater Sturgis Foundation, founded in 1988, is a permanent endowment fund that supports non-profit charitable projects and serves the City of Sturgis and the surrounding area. Its funds are managed exclusively by the South Dakota Community Foundation.
