June 25, 2022
The 2022 SJS 50 will be held on June 25th.
270 runners are on the runners list and the waitlist stands at 69. Registration is currently closed. If the wait list drops to 20 before the race, registration will open again.
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 for Friends. 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.
The race committee reserves the right to cancel or alter the race due to conditions outside of our control, such as weather, snowpack, high stream flow, fires, avalanches, other acts of nature, or health concerns. Should the race be cancelled, a choice will be offered between rolling registration over to the next year or a refund of $100.00. Please remember that we incur a lot of expenses and this is a non-profit event. Runner's, volunteer’s and community’s safety is our priority.
