Rona Rodeo Facebook Telethon to Wrangle Up Support for Ranch and Rider Recovery Fund
This Friday, on April 10th, for 24 hours, the horse, ranch and rodeo communities will come together for a 24-hour Rona Rodeo Facebook Telethon to raise funds for Coronavirus relief starting at noon. The “Rona Rodeo” will raise funds for the Ranch and Rider Recovery Fund which is being formed as a 501c3 nonprofit organization. This will be an ongoing foundation with the mission of assisting people in the horse and livestock community with unforeseen emergency expenses. Funds will be allocated by a committee to those in greatest need. The support will be provided as needed with no cash handed out, instead groceries can be paid for or feed provided as examples of possible support.
These are tough times for many in the horse and ranch industries and the Rona Rodeo has two goals, the first goal is to build awareness and raise funds for the foundation. The second goal is to showcase a virtual trade show where upon approval, vendors can display products and services at no charge.
The Rona Rodeo Facebook Telethon event will be responsibly broadcast live from, the Sommervell County Expo Center in Glen Rose, TX and filled with celebrity appearances. With special hosts Dru Mouser (as seen on Grey’s Anatomy, Bones and more) and DJ Ricki Ramirez. Currently on the schedule are performances by AQHA World Champion Cleve Wells, 6x World Champion Cody Ohl, World Champion Caleb Smidt and Recording Artists Rich O’ Toole, Carson Jeffrey and Jamie Lin Wilson.
The schedule is being finalized but will include appearances by many World Champions, professional horsemen and women, artists and industry experts from farriers to hat shaping. This 24-hour Facebook live telethon will have entertainment for all ages. Interviews, music, games, business highlights, music and more will fill the day! The event will be shot on iPads, phones and go pros using the technology in people’s homes to bring them together virtually into your home.
Donations will be accepted online for the Ranch and Rider Recovery Fund throughout the Rona Rodeo Facebook Telethon and beyond as the Rona Rodeo reaches out to their community to support those in greatest need.
The Rona Rodeo was born from an idea Jeff Sims had come to him. He felt a calling to help his community after hearing the desperation and devastation in his friends and client’s voices as the horse world came to a crashing halt, with the spread of the Coronavirus. Just days before the virus hit he reconnected with Dru Mouser who he had gone to school with and it seemed fate that she would come on board as a host and the chairman of the board for Rona Rodeo.
The idea snowballed from there with countless people lining up to donate their time and expertise to help grow the telethon. Celebrities, athletes, industry professionals and countless behind the scenes workers and businesses have donated their time and talents to make this happen.
Mark your calendars for Friday April 10th, and stay tuned as we will provide the full schedule as soon as it is finalized. It is going to be a very Good Friday, indeed.
