Minot sunset. Submitted by Thomas Sparn, BRN 10950.
It came and went so quickly, and now the 69th International Rally is in the rearview mirror. What a week!
From seminars and shopping, to concerts and Prom, to crafting and fitness activities, neighborhood block parties, and even a visit from Teddy Roosevelt, Airstream Club members filled the fairgrounds with energy, fun, and friendship. Some crazy weather was had, too, with Airstreamers lending a hand, checking on neighbors, and showing once again what makes this community so special. And beyond the great memories, our community came together to make a meaningful difference in Minot and beyond.
Rally Memories
Don’t forget to share your Rally photos to our Photo Album! The album will be open throughout September for you to share and enjoy each other’s photos.
Enchanted Highway in North Dakota. Submitted by Jeanie Hunter, BRN 3049.
A Record-Breaking Rally Blood Drive
A huge thank-you to everyone who donated, volunteered, or even attempted to donate at this year’s Rally Blood Drive! The three-day drive brought Airstreamers together to make a meaningful impact in Minot.
- 194 donors signed up or walked in — 14 more than last year.
- 120 first-time Vitalant donors rolled up their sleeves.
- 181 blood units collected — nearly 60 more than last year and a five-year ACI Rally record!
- 60-plus volunteers gave their time across multiple shifts to make the drive possible.
- Each unit can save up to three lives, potentially helping hundreds of people.
- At an estimated $400 value per unit, that’s roughly $70,000 in community and healthcare impact.
A special thank you to Scott Graham, our Blood Drive Committee Chair, for his leadership and dedication. Thank you, too, to Region 9 and Vitalant for helping make this record-breaking effort possible. If you can give, please consider donating in your community or at a future Rally — we’re already looking toward another record in Rock Springs!
Members from the Palmetto State Airstream Club parked together. Submitted by Elizabeth Thompson, BRN 5599.
Giving Back, Together:
The Backpack Buddies Program
Our Airstream community showed up in a big way for the Souris Valley United Way Backpack Buddies program, proving once again what we can accomplish when we come together.
- 2,300 food bags packed by Airstreamers in less than two hours Thursday afternoon. That’s a record packing event for Minot’s Backpack Buddies program!
- 20,000+ food items donated, weighing hundreds and hundreds of pounds.
- $40,330.49 raised for Backpack Buddies, thanks in part to a generous matching gift from the Minot Area Community Foundation.
Funds were raised through online donations to Souris Valley United Way, cash and check donations throughout the week, Grapes & Grains and the Grapes & Grains Sipping Through the Dakotas Caravan, raffle tickets for a quilt crafted and donated by Kim Anger, raffle tickets for a permanent ceramic coating donated by Vinnie’s & Molecular Advanced Coating, Craft & Flea vendor donations, and the Airstream Club food drive sponsorship.
Full stats on the impact of this incredible effort are coming soon. A special thank-you to Barb Hansen, Community Service Committee Chair, for all of her hard work leading up to and at Rally to make this project a success. And thank you to every Airstreamer who donated, packed a bag, bought a raffle ticket, or helped spread the word. Together, we made a meaningful difference for the kids in Minot.
Airstream Golf Scramble at the Souris Valley Golf Course. Submitted by Diane Giusti, BRN 9799.
We Want to Hear from You!
Be sure to fill out your session and Rally surveys. You can find them in Cvent. Just click on your photo in the bottom right corner of the screen and look under “My Links” for the Surveys button.
The Rally Planning Team uses these surveys to help design the programming for the rally. We appreciate your feedback!
We’re grateful to have been welcomed so warmly by Minot—and we hope we left a little of our Airstream spirit behind as we headed home. Thank you, Minot, for being part of our journey.
We’ll See You Down the Road in Rock Springs, Wyoming!
