<![CDATA[Pink Gravel - Blog]]>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 05:56:06 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[2025 Match day result]]>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/2025-match-day-resultResults of this years work was as always so rewarding.  This year was particularly rewarding as Pink Gravel had the assistance of three individuals (pictured below) reaching out to turning a planned ride into a fundraiser for the fund and Match Day efforts.  Their ride alone raised $1,535.00 of this years donations.  

I want to personally thank the 2025 Matching Donors.  Without these people, families, foundations or organizations none of this would be possible.
Thank you, Clint Bowyer 79 Fund.
Thank you, ECF Fund for the Future.
Thank you, Emporia Masonic Lodge No.12, A.F. & A. M.
Thank you, Gilpin Family Fund
Thanks to the WS  & EC Jones Testamentary Trust,
   Bank of America, N.A. Trustee
Thank you, Laurent Charitable Family Fund
Thank you, Curtis McCreary Legacy Fund
Thanks to the Patterson Family Foundation
Thank you, Preston Family Trust
Thank you, Merry and Charles Rayl
Thanks to the Jane and Bernard Reeble Endowed Fund
Thanks to the Trusler Foundation
]]><![CDATA[Lauf Part II]]>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/lauf-part-ii
The Pink Gravel Fund hosted another give away with a our 2nd Lauf Cycles Seigla frameset.  This was a frameset donated to the Fund awhile back and we have been sitting on it waiting for the right time to give it away.  

Those that made donations to the Pink Gravel Fund during a date range ending on the last day of the All Things Gravel Expo in Emporia, Ks would be entered in the drawing for the now discontinued color Lauf Seigla frameset.  A little over $2100.00 was raised in the short and sweet fundraiser.  For the little time to put this together, I am very pleased with this result.  I am also thrilled to put another person on a sweet frame by Lauf!

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]]><![CDATA[match day 2024 - success!]]>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 23:33:04 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/match-day-2024-successThe Pink Gravel Fund was fortunate to have been accepted as a participant in this year's Emporia Community Foundation's Match Day event making it our second year.  Our intentions are always to do more and go harder each year, so of course we wanted to improve on last year.  While it didn't quite happen, we still raised a good chunk of change.

Thanks to all of you that support Pink Gravel by sharing our social media, donating, wearing our shirts, jerseys, etc., attending our events and just being out there with us.  None of this would happen without you all!

We are also very appreciative for all the wonderful organizations and families that contributed to Match Day as the events Matching Donors.  
]]><![CDATA[2023 ecf Match Day Results]]>Wed, 29 Nov 2023 06:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/2023-ecf-match-day-results
WHOOP! WHOOP! THANKS TO ALL THAT DONATED!
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Emporia Area Match Day was held on Monday, November 13, 2023 and held incredible opportunity for nonprofit organizations within the greater Emporia area. On that day, online & check contributions were matched on a prorated basis.  There was $175,000 in matching funds from: the Antes Charitable Family Fund; the Clint Bowyer 79 Fund; the ECF Fund for the Future; the Emporia Masonic Lodge No. 12, A.F. & A.M.; Joyce French; the Gilpin Family Fund; the WS & EC Jones Testamentary Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee; the Laurent Charitable Family Fund; the Fred and Paula Neuer Fund; the Preston Family Trust; Merry and Charles Rayl;  the Jane and Bernard Reeble Endowed Fund; and the Trusler Foundation.

The money earned by each non-profit group was an outright donation and may be used as they wish. PINK GRAVEL FUND choose to keep donations in the fund with the Emporia Community Foundation for future use toward grants offered year round to breast cancer patients and survivors. ​
]]><![CDATA[EMPORIA MATCH DAY - NOVEMBER 13, 2023]]>Thu, 09 Nov 2023 22:12:31 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/emporia-match-day-november-13-2023
ON NOVEMBER 13TH please visit ​https://www.emporiamatchday.com/ to make an online donation that will count towards our Match Day Total.

​On November 13th, this Match Day Page will open up to where you can make direct donations to the PINK GRAVEL FUND and any others that appeal to you.  There are many great folks doing great things, so I encourage you to check them out too.

There is $175,000 pooled Match Day dollars available to 35 funds & organizations.  Funds are matched by a percentage.  So the more given to our Fund on Match Day, increases our share of the pie.  I like pie. *smile*

FOR EXAMPLE: Let's say that on Match Days all 35 participants raised $100,000.00 in total.  Let say during Match Days, the Pink Gravel Fund raises $5000.  That is 5% of funds raised by all participants.  Therefore, the Pink Gravel Fund would also earn 5% of the $175,000 which would add another $8,750.00 on top of the 5,000 making the total earned by the Pink Gravel Fund $13,750.00!

PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK AND ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DONATE TO THE PINK GRAVEL FUND ON NOVEMBER 13, 2023. 
​ANY AMOUNT HELPS.
THANK YOU!
]]><![CDATA[ecf match day video]]>Tue, 10 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/ecf-match-day-video
]]><![CDATA[information dump. . .]]>Mon, 28 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/information-dumpJust a blog to put some things out there as I feel I am not doing a good job keeping active on social media and such.  I do have a regular full time job, 3 teenage girls at home starting school (scary right?!?), gravel events, community/foundation meetings, and occasionally talking to my husband to catch up on each others week.  

  • Pink Gravel's The Event Center & Campsites are up and running.  There is some cosmetic things to still do (gravel parking area & decor), both are functioning and open for bookings.  We are getting a lot of interest for 2024, so if you are sitting on the fence to reach out, please do so sooner than later.  Book a campsite via HipCamp and click the link on this website for The Event Center.

  • The Pink Gravel Fund held with the Emporia Community Foundation (ECF) in Emporia, Ks is the non-profit arm of Pink Gravel.  My husband and I do our best to make this clear.    We can guarantee all donations made via expos, events & the Pink Gravel website is being forwarded to the Pink Gravel Fund. We are thrilled to have the Pink Gravel Fund participate in this years ECF Match Days event!  We will have a nice video coming out about the Fund and will be sending donor letters out about how your donation can make a larger impact just due to when it is received. 

  • Our Just a Chill Ride - 50k is happening on October 7, 2023.  This year marks the 5th year of putting on this event.  I like to think that the ONLY thing that changed in the 5 years is this: instead of riders waiting for me to tell them which way to turn on the course, I picked up a subscription to Ride with GPS so that folks can download the route. Ha ha!​

With that, we will see ya at the Pony Express Gravel Dash in Marysville, Ks in a couple weeks!


]]><![CDATA[bounce with it (this post)]]>Sun, 23 Jul 2023 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/bounce-with-it-this-post
An emotional moment occurred and I need to share.

Stumbled on a random, unexpected Facebook comment thread where someone mentioned me and Pink Gravel.  Got me in the feels and tears emerged.  That is proof to me that we, human beings, never know the kind of impact or the impression we may make on another till days, months or years later.
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I, personally, have been on a two year non-riding hiatus.  My bikes collecting dust - Blue, Fatboy and Kona Love have not been feeling the love lately.  Sorry my literal bike tribe. . . next year (I promise). Till then, I will continue to work SAG and Checkpoints for gravel events; because, if I am not participating, I am going to encourage and support others so they can feel the win of completing the current ride/race.  

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I believe I was meant to find gravel cycling and the awesome gravel family to prepare me for the mental and physical struggles the diagnosis of breast cancer brought in my life.
And if you, the public, don't know, it was my husband who introduced me to this sport of gravel and the Black Squirrel Cycling League out of Marysville.  (Jon, remember that when I tell you that Pink Gravel has added another weekend of gravel to the calendar.  You played a huge roll in this :) 
   
Pink Gravel exist due to a diagnosis of breast Cancer and my (and Jon too) love of gravel cycling. 🧡👍🤪 
On that note, we will see you again up at Gravel Worlds / Pirate Cycling League in August for their Expo and race.  Don't be a stranger, stop by and say hello.  We don't bite. 

See, emotional. . . 

As this post was a little all over the place . . .  like your front bike tire bombing a hill with fresh chunky flint hills gravel!  Just relax the hands  and bounce with it 😉
]]><![CDATA[big Pink gravel fund news! ! !]]>Tue, 09 May 2023 21:46:20 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/big-pink-gravel-fund-news
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Today, May 9, 2023, my husband and I attended the Emporia Community Foundation live announcement of  the 35 Funds/Organizations selected by the Match Day Committee to participate in the 2023 Match Day event.  To be even considered an application was completed and evaluated as to the mission, budget, projects/programs, and the number of people served among other aspects.

Todays announcement involved a live broadcast on KVOE in which a rep from each organization or fund shared a bit about what they do and what participating could do for them.  I admit, I was very nervous as well as excited.   I don't really remember what I said when it was our  turn, but my husband said I did good.

After everyone spoke, it was announced that $175,000 dollars is up for grabs on Match Day!

We will attend meetings leading up to the Match Day to help us get ready and plan for a busy and and rewarding day.

Please watch for more information and instructions on how to make your  donation count double in November!​
]]><![CDATA[2023 Gravel Season begins]]>Sun, 12 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMThttps://www.pinkgravel.com/blog/2023-gravel-season-begins
This past weekend was our kick off to the 2023 gravel season by attending The Mid South expo  followed by the main event, the gravel race on Saturday.  I was excited for this expo as they had a smaller space for vendors which also made it feel "busier" with people be it the vendors themselves or visitors.  Felt more apart of things in Stillwater this year.

It was also nice as The Mid South held their rider check in, in a large tent just to the right of us which meant those in line finding themselves looking at the Pink Gravel booth.  Maybe one of you folks reading this received a piece of candy from me as I treated those waiting with candy.  BTW, did you know Payday is a gravel favorite?

I was also thrilled to see several riders in Pink Gravel jerseys cross the finish line.  Thank you Trisha, Tayla, Jon, Doug & Tony for looking so "drip" by representing Pink Gravel.  Oh yeah, I just said that. ha!

I can tell this is going to be another great Pink Gravel season!

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