2019 No Sweat, Just Wet was a fun success

Ready for Immediate Release June 8, 2019
The 501(c)(3) public charity Ride for Bikes is happy to announce their six annual fun run, No Sweat, Just Wet on Saturday, at Jaycee Park was a huge success.

Everyone had to start by coming to registration to pick up their t-shirts and race numbers. Lupe Doporto was responsible for registration, a job she says she enjoys doing, “I just love seeing the excitement on everyone’s faces as they come up to register.” Assisting Doporto were past Ride to Meet the Challenge Scholarship winners; 2017 Artesia – Jalissa Ber Doza, 2018 Artesia – Kiersten Juarez Hernandez, and 2019 Lovington – Mackenzie Cuellar.

Hot New Country radio 92.9 performed a live broadcast of the event. Each water station tuned to that station so that the live broadcast was heard around the park. They also provided lively music for the participants on site and the warm-up exercise.

Also on hand were food vendors Starvin Marvin and the Little Red Trailer. They provided much-welcomed refreshment to the participants.

Lynn Fanning, started the No Sweat, Just Wet fun run by singing the Star Bangled Banner. Following her, Sarah Swoyer led the warm-up exercises. The run began with bikes taking off first, on their six-mile course, then runners, a 5k run, then walkers, a 1.5-mile walk.

Curt Pittam, Director of Events for Ride for Bikes, stated, “Everybody welcomed the new location at Jaycee Park. People took advantage of the shorter route and went around multiple times.”

Sarah Swoyer, Director of Events for Ride for Bikes, added, “Yes, it worked out better than planned. It was fun to be able to go around more than once, and many families took advantage of the park setting to hang out and enjoy the day.”

Pittam continued, “I saw many kids going down the slides and through the foam dome a bunch of times. It was fun to see everybody having fun.”
And speaking of fun, the whole premise of the event is to get wet. And the soaker teams made that happen.

“The soaker teams did a great job this year,” said Swoyer. “The fun run’s first soaker team station was Lovington’s Nor-Lea Hospital’s carwash. This year was their inaugural event.”

Amy Molinar was the designer and builder and who along with Eloy Hernandez headed up that effort. Hernandez commented, “We went around the course and got a lot of ideas for next year. We’ll be back.”

Swoyer continued, “Next was the Artesia Lanes and Strike it and their giant bowling pins, followed by the Cottonwood Fire Department’s water cannon, which thoroughly soaked anyone trying to get past.

Next up was Santo Petroleum’s water slide. This station was very popular with the kids as it was very tall and steep. Then came the Artesia Fire Department’s Foam Dome. This one had people going through over and over. No wonder it won last year.”

Pittam, who was in charge of this year’s event added, “After the foam dome we had the Navajo Fire department and their Surf’s Up soaker. Along with being one of the wettest stations, it also featured hula girls dancing and handing out lais to everyone.

Next in line was Mac Energy’s Mountain View, not one but two water slides.” Pittam thought out loud, “Are they trying to repeat 2017’s win?”

Swoyer finished up,” The last two stations were the Elk’s club’s Boot Camp Bublebath which had people crawling through soapy water under a camouflage net. The FLETC folks were the last group with their super soakers.

And the winner of the Super Soaker Team for 2019, is The Elk’s Club’s Boot Camp Bubble Bath, returning as the champion after a two-year drought.

Austin Construction supplied water and first aid to the participants.

“All of this would not be possible without the help of the water truck companies supplying water,“ said Brandi-Shetterly-Kelsey, Director of Logistics. “We truly appreciate all that the water truck companies do to make this event fun and wet. This year the companies supplying water are Hocker and Sons and SB Oilfield Services and Bullseye Construction. So tell them, thank you as you go by them.”

Swoyer added to that, “Ride for Bikes’ Miles of Smiles Project has given away almost 5,000 bikes to the children of southeastern New Mexico. The Ride to Meet the Challenge Scholarship program has awarded $96,000 of scholarships.

Those efforts are 100% community driven and would not be possible without all of the participants that are here today, so for that we thank you. Along with you, are the companies who have donated their time, provided water, volunteer, and given a heck of an effort. Without them stepping up and getting involved, this event would not be possible.

None of these things could happen without the huge community support we get from the people and companies of Artesia. All that we do comes from donations and volunteers. Thank you.”

Pictures and videos will be posted on youtube under No Sweat, Just Wet Artesia, New Mexico.

Donate at www.rideforbikes.com.