MONDAY, August 24, 2026|
Photo – Rawlins Jam members present check to CCSD#1 – Courtesy Rawlins Jam
Local sponsors and motorcycle enthusiasts donated $10,000 to help homeless students.
On Thursday, the Rawlins Jam Motorcycle Rally Committee announced that the organization had donated $10,000 to support Carbon County School District One’s McKinney‑Vento program, which provides educational access, stability, and support services for homeless students.
Rawlins Jam Committee member John Rutherford explained that the motorcycle rally, originally called Jill’s Jam, was established 25 years ago by Mark and Jill Carrico, the former owners of Bi-Rite Sporting Goods in Rawlins. Rutherford said the Carricos established a committee to solicit donations and distribute the funds to local charities.
The Rawlins Jam Motorcycle Rally, as it is now called, is an annual charity poker run and group ride through Carbon County held in late June. Participants travel a 195‑mile circuit from Rawlins to Saratoga, Encampment, Baggs, and back to Rawlins. Committee member John Rutherford said donations from local businesses and money raised during the event now go to support a variety of causes.
Rutherford said this year, the Rawlins Jam raised enough money to donate $10,000 to Carbon County School District One’s McKinney‑Vento program. He said the group’s members were concerned that Carbon County students could be forced to miss out on educational and sports opportunities due to housing instability.
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan signed the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, later renamed the McKinney‑Vento Homeless Assistance Act, into law. The bill was created to address a growing national homelessness crisis by funding emergency services, coordinating federal programs, and ensuring children experiencing homelessness have equal access to public education.
According to the National Center for Homeless Education, 1.54 million students experienced homelessness during the 2023 through 2024 school year. Carbon County School District One reported that roughly one percent of its 1,610 students are considered homeless. Statewide, that number is 2.3 percent, or 2,162 homeless students, kindergarten through 12th grade.
Rawlins Jam Committee member John Rutherford said every year, the committee selects a charity to receive the funds raised during the annual motorcycle rally.
Rutherford thanked the individuals and sponsors that helped raise money for Carbon County’s McKinney‑Vento program.
The next Rawlins Jam Motorcycle Rally is scheduled for summer 2027. For more information, call Rawlins Jam Committee member John Rutherford at 320-7964.
