Volunteer Corner
Steve Rice
 My name is Steve Rice. I am married to Dawn Rice and between us we have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. Seven of them live in California and three of them live in Minnesota. We don’t see the CA kids as often as we'd like, but do keep in touch regularly. I have many extended family members here who are also friends, and we spend a lot of time with them socially. Of course, riding is my main hobby April through November. I am a carpenter and have recently been working in North Dakota as there is no work here in MN at this time.
I volunteer with LLBCAR because I feel that this is a well run group and a great cause. I have found a great market to sell raffle tickets this year in ND. Many buyers really like the fact that this money goes directly to cancer patients, as do I. As my wife is currently in treatment for breast cancer, I can vouch firsthand for the expenses involved. I am always impressed with the generosity of the people I interact with when selling tickets. Of course, everyone wants to win that bike!
Steve Rice has been an active volunteer with the LLBCAR for four years. He's been a road captain on the ride each year, last year he also re-built and painted our ticket spinner and this year he's in first place for ticket sales. Steve has already sold over 1,000 bike raffle tickets. Wow!
When congratulating Steve on his great tickets sales he turns the honors back to the generosity of the people he has approached. Once he presents the facts of the fund, the buyers agree it is an awesome cause and don't hestiate to buy the tickets.
His favorite memory of volunteering is when he meets breast cancer survivors and sees how happy they are.
Steve's dream vacation is an Alaskan cruise and if time allows, a tour of the USA on his Harley! He has done some traveling on his Harley with his wife, Dawn. In fact, his most embarrassing moment happened in 2005 on his trip to Sturgis. Somehow he didn't put his kickstand down or his feet and his brand new Ultra Classic tipped at Mount Rushmore. Lesson learned!! As you can tell by Steve sharing this story, he has a good sense of humor and is easy to talk to.
When I asked Steve the one thing no one would believe if they saw him doing this, his answer was "riding a Honda Goldwing".
Thanks to Steve for all of his hard work on the LLBCAR fundrasier. With volunteers like him, we will continue to raise money and help breast cancer patients with their fight!
Peggy Johnson
 I choose to volunteer with the Lynnda Laubach Breast Cancer Ride knowing that I may be able to help someone less fortunate that me. About 3 ½ years ago I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, went through surgery and chemo and today I am cancer free. My insurance and disability pay was fantastic, leaving me with no financial stress during my illness. The LLBCAR gives breast cancer patients less to worry about during their illness by providing financial assistance. I can’t image how stressful it would be to have financial struggles while you are ill and going through chemo. I want to help these individuals. My favorite memory over the last three years has been talking with a recipient who benefited from the LLBCAR. She is self employed, her husband on workman’s-compensation and diagnosed with breast cancer. I talked with her several months after she received her assistance. She couldn’t find the words to tell me how much the LLBCAR meant to her family. Often we work so hard to make the organization successful, it's nice to meet the people we positively impact everyday.
I currently work full time for Humana as a full lines Insurance Agent, and a very rewarding part-time job for the last 27 years has been teaching Mary Kay skin care. I'm blessed to have raised two beautiful daughters and now live with my favorite cat, Maggie.
My home town is Sleepy Eye MN and spent my childhood on a dairy farm. When I was 2-1/2 years old, my Dad and a neighbor were dynamiting tree stumps. My Mother put me down for a nap in a different bedroom that afternoon. One of the tree stumps went the wrong direction and ended up on the mattress where I would have been sleeping. Somehow national TV got drift of the story and the headline read, “Peggy was almost stumped!”
Throughout my years, I've dodged tree stumps, cancer and because I'm blessed with family and friends, I know I can overcome any other obstacles life sends my way. But for those who have greater struggles, I hope to do my part to lend a helping hand. |
