PHILLIPSBURG – The Phillipsburg rodeo, along with six participating sponsors, has raised $11,959.83 this year for cancer patients in Phillips and the surrounding counties.

On its annual Tough Enough to Wear Pink night August 3, 1,625 fans came through the gates of the rodeo in pink; that amount was matched by the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association, Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy, Farmers State Bank, Kansas Crop Care/Nebraskaland Aviation, McClain Seed Sales, and Rodgers and Associates Insurance, Inc., making for a donation of $9,750.

In addition, voluntary donations of $1,709.83 were picked up during that night of rodeo, and the Phillipsburg Chamber of Commerce also donated $500.

The money raised will go to the Hope in the Heartland fund, established under the Phillipsburg Western Heritage Foundation, which gives money to area cancer patients.

People are generous with their giving, said Kera Willer, administrative assistant at Prairie Horizon. “I was blown away by the money we raised,” she said. “It’s huge. It’s amazing, going into the crowd (to pick up donations). There’s no hesitation.”

Rodgers and Associates Insurance, Inc., has been a matching sponsor for the last four years, and Kim Beach, owner of the business, enjoys it. “I think it’s a fantastic thing to do. What I really love about it, is my donation stays locally. Even though we don’t have a huge amount of funds to help, any little amount we give to somebody, it’s amazing what it does for a family. It relieves the stress they’re having.”

Since the rodeo began hosting its Tough Enough to Wear Pink night, over $83,000 has been raised to fight cancer.

Next year’s rodeo is August 2-4, 2018. For more information on the rodeo and its pink campaign, visit the website at www.KansasBiggestRodeo.com.