Ride for Chris & Bitterroot Gym
Donation protected
In 2015 I lost my son, Chris Ramsey, in a car accident due to a freak storm. He was 21 years old. It shouldn’t have been his time.
Chris was a gifted student, a good friend, a son who made his parents so proud. He was accomplished and talented in most things he took on: he was a great musician, played cello, guitar, wrote music and songs; his compelling essays showed his talent as a writer.
But his true passion in life was gymnastics. He was a natural athlete and determined to make his body master the routines – the “tricks” as he called them - he took on. His sweat, sore muscles and bruises paid off: he either won or placed in several state and regional competitions.
Since his senior year in high school, he taught and coached at Bitterroot Gymnastics . This gym was his home, it’s where he had his friends, it’s where he touched his students’ lives, where he taught them that you can make yourself do impossible things when you put your mind and body to it.
I miss Chris every minute of every day. I want to honor his life by doing something physically and mentally hard myself. I have chosen to ride the Tour Divide on a specially designed mountain bike which I called Dirty Medicine. This self-supported ride will take me on backroads and trails from Banff, Canada to the southern border of New Mexico, following the Continental Divide. I plan for this to take me 50 days and I will dedicate every drop of sweat and every bit of soreness and aching to Chris’ memory.
I hope my friends and family will sponsor my effort. All donations will go directly to the Bitterroot Gym. The donations’ goal is determined by a detailed equipment list, see below. It would be Chris’ most wonderful legacy if we can complete this goal and have “his” gym flourish in his memory.
Thank you.
-Kathryn
Bitterroot Gymnastics
Mission statement:
Our goal goes beyond creating great athletes and artists. We hope to assist in the process of growing individuals who are confident, responsible and love the process of learning. We strive to sincerely accept every individual in our programs for who they are in an open and caring way. We reward sincerely and openly each success big and small.
Although our greatest and most important tools are our teachers, having a variety of good and safe equipment and replacing worn and outdated equipment helps us to better fulfill our mission. With each added piece of equipment Chris will be remembered an honored.
“Chris was an awesome individual. We all loved him and appreciate deeply the time, experiences, friendship, and association we had the privilege of sharing with him. He was family to so many of us. He was also a great role model and mentor to the kids he coached. He was kind, gentle, fun, goofy, sweet and encouraging. He was a talented athlete and for many years Roots was his home. Anyone who knew Chris knows he is dearly missed.”
David Stark
Owner
Bitterroots Gymnastics
Chris was a gifted student, a good friend, a son who made his parents so proud. He was accomplished and talented in most things he took on: he was a great musician, played cello, guitar, wrote music and songs; his compelling essays showed his talent as a writer.
But his true passion in life was gymnastics. He was a natural athlete and determined to make his body master the routines – the “tricks” as he called them - he took on. His sweat, sore muscles and bruises paid off: he either won or placed in several state and regional competitions.
Since his senior year in high school, he taught and coached at Bitterroot Gymnastics . This gym was his home, it’s where he had his friends, it’s where he touched his students’ lives, where he taught them that you can make yourself do impossible things when you put your mind and body to it.
I miss Chris every minute of every day. I want to honor his life by doing something physically and mentally hard myself. I have chosen to ride the Tour Divide on a specially designed mountain bike which I called Dirty Medicine. This self-supported ride will take me on backroads and trails from Banff, Canada to the southern border of New Mexico, following the Continental Divide. I plan for this to take me 50 days and I will dedicate every drop of sweat and every bit of soreness and aching to Chris’ memory.
I hope my friends and family will sponsor my effort. All donations will go directly to the Bitterroot Gym. The donations’ goal is determined by a detailed equipment list, see below. It would be Chris’ most wonderful legacy if we can complete this goal and have “his” gym flourish in his memory.
Thank you.
-Kathryn
Bitterroot Gymnastics
Mission statement:
Our goal goes beyond creating great athletes and artists. We hope to assist in the process of growing individuals who are confident, responsible and love the process of learning. We strive to sincerely accept every individual in our programs for who they are in an open and caring way. We reward sincerely and openly each success big and small.
Although our greatest and most important tools are our teachers, having a variety of good and safe equipment and replacing worn and outdated equipment helps us to better fulfill our mission. With each added piece of equipment Chris will be remembered an honored.
“Chris was an awesome individual. We all loved him and appreciate deeply the time, experiences, friendship, and association we had the privilege of sharing with him. He was family to so many of us. He was also a great role model and mentor to the kids he coached. He was kind, gentle, fun, goofy, sweet and encouraging. He was a talented athlete and for many years Roots was his home. Anyone who knew Chris knows he is dearly missed.”
David Stark
Owner
Bitterroots Gymnastics
Organizer and beneficiary
Kathryn Ramsey
Organizer
Portland, OR
David Stark
Beneficiary