Classic Cars Come to Montana - “Going to the Sun” Car Rally Honors Participants with Perpetual Trophy and $3000 Madison Valley Hospital Donation
| October 16, 2007 |  View for printing |
Rally creators decide to donate additional funds after inspiring 2007 Rally
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Welcome to the web site for “The 2007 Going To The Sun Rally”, a 1300 mile vintage car journey across Montana and this year into Canada. This is a drivers Rally so come prepared for fantastic roads, several days of long drives, drop dead views and great people, and, did I mention the "music". http://www.goingtothesunrally.com/
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Cameron, Mont., The Madison Valley Hospital and Clinic (MVH&C) Foundation, last week, received as custodians the “Going to the Sun Rally http://www.goingtothesunrally.com/ , Madison Valley Hospital Perpetual Trophy” along with a $3,000 check from the Rally organizers. The ceremony took place at 2:00 p.m. on October 12, 2007 at the MVH&C in Ennis, Mont.
Farnum Alston and Jim Sitton, who founded the Going to the Sun Rally in 2005 with the pledge to put 100% of the rally proceeds toward charities, presented the check and trophy to Dr. Bryan Finkle, Dave Haney and Jamie Davis, representing the MVH&C.
“The Going to the Sun Rally truly is a labor of love for Jim and me,” said Farnum Alston. “When we see the faces of the people who benefit from this rally, it makes it all worthwhile. This year, we are excited to contribute the Madison Valley Hospital. When Ted [Gildred] let us know how vital quality healthcare was to the people in Madison Valley, we knew this was an effort we wanted to bring attention to; it is inspiring to see what the hospital is doing to ensure quality healthcare continues for all of those in Madison County and beyond.”
The MVH&C is the latest recipient to be adopted as a beneficiary of the Going to the Sun Rally which this, year raised over $70,000. The original pledge was to be a $1,000 donation to honor one worthy rally participant. At the end of the Rally, however, Alston and Sitton decided upon three worthy recipients, bringing the total donation amount to $3,000. The three recipients of the MVH&C’s first perpetual trophy, Toby Haberman, Suzie Ksiazek and David Hammond were all returning rally participants who, this year overcame extreme obstacles to participate.
“The spirit and energy these particular individuals brought to the rally was extraordinary. They have so much heart and courage, we felt we had to honor them, said Sitton. “This rally is so special in that it gives people from all over the country a chance to participate in something they love while raising money for the people of Montana.”
Fundraising efforts for the new MVH&C have to date raised a total of over $3.5 million towards the $10.5 million cost of the new hospital thanks, in part by Project Giveback, a fund matching campaign started by Sun West Ranch creator, Ted Gildred and his wife, Heidi in August of 2006 with a pledge of a $1.1 million. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer helped break ground at the site of new MVH&C in August 2007. Construction of the new facility is underway and the new hospital is expected to be finished fall 2008.
About the Going to the Sun Rally
Entering its third year, the Going to the Sun Car Rally (GTTSR) has already gained notoriety as one of the top five rallies in the United States. The 1300 mile Vintage Car Rally is limited to 40 cars, from the years 1971 or earlier and the route varies from year to year. Next year’s rally is slated to go through the Madison Valley and past the new Madison Valley Hospital and Clinic. Each year, the rally chooses worthy local organizations in the areas of: Montana law enforcement, educational scholarships and programs, Native American culture, environmental protection, and rural medicine. Last year’s proceeds totaled $34,000 to local charities.
The biggest beneficiary of the Going to the Sun Rally is the Montana Highway Patrol Fallen Officers Fund. Last year, the GTTSR donated $25,000 to the fund, boosting the death benefit to victim’s families 200% from $250 to $750. This year the rally will donate $50,000 to the fund.
Donations may be sent to Going to The Sun Rally, PO Box 157, Three Forks, MT 59752. For more information on the Going to the Sun Rally, visit http://www.goingtothesunrally.com/.
About Madison Valley Hospital & Clinic
The Madison Valley Hospital opened in the summer of 1950. Over the following six decades, it expanded in size and services a total of seven times. The most recent expansion took place in August 2006 with the inclusion of a Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner extension temporarily housed adjacent to the existing hospital, awaiting a dedicated space in the new facility.
Additionally, the new hospital will connect to other facilities and specialists globally through a telemedicine network so that an X-ray, CT, blood draw, or other type of diagnostic test can be conducted in Ennis while analysis and interpretation can be enhanced by specialists in other medical facilities anywhere in the world.
JGA Architects and Engineers of Billings, Mont., has been engaged to design and engineer the new Madison Valley Hospital Clinic. Dick Anderson Construction from Great Falls, Mont. is the general contractor. The first phase of the medical facility is expected to be complete by the fall of 2008. For more information on the building project or to make a contribution, call 406-682-5923. 
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