Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Bar relay line up
Heidi Keen
The third year of the Palouse Days’ Barley Bar Relay will be for a special cause. With the “Heidi Keen Classic” added at the top of its name, the afternoon run will be a benefit in remembrance of the event’s originator.
Keen died last month at age 32.
Because she had been organizing the Sept. 14 relay when she was struck with a myocarditis virus, it was left with no leader.
Palouse resident Marie Dymkoski and a group of volunteers decided to take the mantle.
“We decided, to hell with this, we’re gonna do it,” said Dymkoski, who met Keen on the day she pulled into Palouse with a U-Haul trailer in 2009. At the time of her death, Keen was two months shy of her receiving a WSU doctorate degree in animal sciences from WSU.
The new race organizers have designated the proceeds from the event to a fund in Keen’s name.
As recently as July 22, Keen appeared at a Palouse City Council meeting to ask approval for another Barley Bar Relay for Palouse Days Sept. 13-14.
The council gave its blessing, along with allowing the event to use part of Beach Street and move its start to the city’s Brownfield site on Main Street.
Four days later, Keen drove herself to the hospital in Pullman with chest pains.
The next day, she was flown to Coeur D’Alene and later transferred to Sacred Heart in Spokane where she died of an inflammation of the heart.
“The virus settled in her heart,” said Dymkoski. “Her body was fighting the virus but it was in her heart.”
The Barley Bar Relay began at Palouse Days in 2011 with four teams. Each runner ran eight tenths of a mile then drank a pint of beer. Once complete, they passed the baton.
“To chug a beer after running eight tenths of a mile is harder than you think,” Dymkoski explained.
Meanwhile, timers kept track of the lap and the chug.
Last year, the event grew to seven four-member teams.
Prizes were given out for team times, chugging time, male, female and costume.
“This is a dress-up affair,” said Dymkoski, noting the various wacky themes and outfits which have shown up at the race.
This year’s Barley Bar Relay will be the latest of several benefits which have been held for Keen, beginning when she went into the hospital.
On an open mic night at the Green Frog in Palouse, all proceeds went to her fund, which brought in $1,200. Palouse Tavern also donated all their proceeds from the same night.
Another benefit at Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman raised $500 in a wine raffle and all restaurant proceeds from the day went to the cause.
Emily Bagott, 12, of Palouse, also had a lemonade stand which generated almost $500.
“There is over $10,000 in this account,” said Dymkoski. “The race committee will decide how we want to distribute it in Heidi’s name.”
She added that it will be a combination of support for the WSU Animal Sciences grizzly bear research project which Keen worked on, along with Palouse organizations which she was involved with, such as the Palouse Grange and Palouse Audobon Society.
The cost to enter the Heidi Keen Classic Barley Bar Relay is $80 per team. Each member receives a t-shirt and beer is provided by Paradise Creek Brewery.
Registrations are being taken now and on race day. The starting gun fires at 4 p.m.
“I think this year will see some growth in it because of the circumstances,” said Dymkoski.
The event will be the first organized use of the Brownsfield site, an environmental cleanup property in downtown Palouse.
“Heidi gave so much to the community,” said Dymkoski. “This is a way to show how much she meant to the community, even though she didn’t live here very long.”
To get a race registration form, call Dymkoski at (509) 595-1650.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
Reader Comments(0)