June 25, 2022
The 2022 SJS 50 will be held on June 25th,
Registration for a lottery will begin on January 15th and close on January 31st. 270 runners will be chosen for the runners list and the remainder will populate the wait list. At one point this year we had 270 registered runners and 84 on the wait list. However, only 217 started.
Changes are taking place in the administration of the San Juan Solstice 50. Race Director Jerry Gray has collaborated with EMS Director Buffy Witt to develop a stipend program to provide nominal compensation to our dedicated local EMS volunteers. Additionally, the SJS50 will now be able to support a scholarship program for local students, and to make excess funds available to other Hinsdale County nonprofits and public service entities, including additional EMS funding, SAR, Fire, and others.
When Chip and Kathy Lee turned over the Lake City 50 in 2002 to be used for the benefit of the community, the decision was made to coordinate race finances and donations directly with Friends of Lake City EMTs (Friends) in order to support Friends' mission of recruiting and retaining EMTs for Hinsdale County EMS. Over the course of the past 20 years, the race has generated a quarter of a million dollars. In 2018 alone, the race generated $36,000, all of which was donated to Friends.
The Race Committee is grateful for Friends serving as fiscal agent over the last two decades, but has decided to take a more direct role in the administration of race funds. To that end, the Race Committee has formed San Juan Solstice, Inc., a Colorado Non-Profit Corporation with 501c3 status pending approval.
Lake City’s EMS Team will remain the primary focus of funding. The race will fund, first and foremost each year, a stipend reimbursement program for EMS team members. The Race Committee has also decided to fund a scholarship program for graduating local high school students.
After funding the stipend program and the scholarship, any remaining race profits will be made available to other non-profit and public service entities in Hinsdale County through a competitive grant process. The Race Committee remains committed to supporting the EMS Team but recognizes that there are other non-profits and public service entities in Lake City with valid needs.
The Race Committee is excited to take SJS50 to this next level of community benefit while continuing to support the EMS Team.
