OAKFIELD, Maine – The ninth annual “Mike and Heidi Memorial Ride, in memory of Mike Kitchen and Heidi Pratt, returns Saturday, July 9.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. at the Oakfield Community Center. A safety briefing and presentations will be held at 9:45 a.m. Motorcycle riders are scheduled to leave at 10:15 a.m. with police escorts. There is no registration fee. Participants can purchase a wrist band for $10 which gives them a meal following the ride.
People not riding but wishing to walk to the couple’s house lot will do so immediately after the bikes leave.
This year’s event marks the 9th anniversary of the couple’s death. An event was not held in 2020, due to the pandemic. The couple were murdered in their home in 2013. An event was not held in 2016, at the request of the District Attorney’s Office.
The final ride will take place in 2023, which will be the 10th anniversary. Planning will begin immediately after this year’s ride.
“This 2023 event will be a celebration of sorts,” explained Ken Bustard, president of the Mike and Heidi Community Fund. “We will have the biggest auction ever, with incredible donations, to make that last push toward funding the scholarship endowment and other community projects.” “It will also be an opportunity to say thank you to the many riders who have been with us all 10 years. We will ditch the hotdogs and have steak and lobster. That’s the plan right now at least.”
Bustard said there will be no memorial balloon release again this year. Instead, they are asking for people to bring donations for the Ark Animal Sanctuary. The Ark Animal Sanctuary is where Kitchen and Pratt adopted their cat, Monkey. It is believed the cat perished in the fire that day, as he was never found.
“We have made past donations to the Ark in memory of Mike and Heidi,” he said. “This annual event is a perfect opportunity to increase community awareness of the great work done at the Ark.”
Upon returning to the Oakfield Community Center following this year’s ride, participants can enjoy a hot meal of hot dogs and Hamburgers, salads and desserts. An auction will be held at 1:00 pm as well as drawing of raffle tickets toward prize baskets.
The Mike and Heidi Community Fund, a public nonprofit, is overseen by a board of directors. 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, Ken and Pearl Bustard of Bucksport and Jill Bustard of Merrill.
Numerous individuals and businesses have supported this year’s event with monetary donations and sponsorship of raffle baskets
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 Ride 2022” Facebook page is another way to make contact or get more information about the event.
