OAKFIELD, Maine — The third Memorial Ride, remembering Mike Kitchen and Heidi Pratt, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. at the Oakfield Community Center. A safety briefing and presentations will be held at 10 a.m. The ride is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. and those not riding, but wishing to walk to the Kitchen/Pratt house lot for a balloon release will do so immediately thereafter. There is no registration fee.
Participants can purchase a wristband for $10 which also gives them a meal following the ride. Several vintage automobiles from North Country Cruisers, as well as private individuals, are planning to participate.
Automobiles will travel in the opposite direction as the motorcyclists, meeting approximately half way. Motorcyclists will travel Route 212 to Route 11, then through Mount Chase, Patten, Sherman, Island Falls and back to Oakfield. The ride is expected to last approximately 60 minutes. Some motorcyclists as well as vintage car owners may invite participants to join them, as happened during the 2015 event.
Upon returning to the Oakfield Community Center, participants can enjoy a hot meal of Italian sausage, salads and desserts. An auction will be held at 1:30 p.m. as well as drawing of raffle tickets toward prize baskets.
Customized plaques will be presented to the Maine State Police, Fire Marshall’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office. The plaques are signed “on behalf of a grateful community.” These presentations are in recognition of their efforts from the initial crime to the trial and eventual verdict.
“This year’s event marks the fourth anniversary of Mike and Heidi’s death,” said Ken Bustard, one of the event organizers. “An event was not held in 2016, at the request of the District Attorney’s Office, as a jury selection was in process and it was feared that the additional publicity might compromise the jury selection process.”
This year’s event was coined the “Victory Ride,” in acknowledgement of the conviction of Matt Davis of Houlton, who was sentenced on Feb. 10 to two life sentences for murder as well as multiple years for additional charges.
The initial planning committee has formed a non-profit organization — “Mike and Heidi Community Fund.” Proceeds from this event will go into that fund. Board members include Heidi Pratt’s son, Paul Suiter of Portland as well as her sister Brenda Hersey of Oakfield. Additional board members are Joe and Becky McLaughlin of Limestone, Torri Bates of Smyrna, Jerri Russell and Shannon Lloyd of Oakfield and Ken and Pearl Bustard of Bucksport. The stated purpose of the Mike and Heidi Community Fund is to “support families and youth in Maine.”
To date, they have issued two scholarships, donated funds to Oakfield Fire Department, the Ark Animal Shelter in Houlton, volleyball for Merrill Millstream Park as well as Christmas goodie bags for “Christmas in The Park.” The board of directors recently voted to partner with Oakfield to support the newly developed park that is underway.
Anyone wishing more information or wanting to volunteer can contact Ken Bustard at 659-2018 or accountingcoach@gmail.com. Shannon Lloyd of Oakfield is also a contact person at 267-0480.
The “Mike and Heidi Victory Ride 2017” facebook page is another way to make contact or get more information about the event.
