Thursday, April 7, 2011

Casey Hemji Road Rally honors Justin Kumke

Justin Kumke, of Campbell was only 29 when brain cancer ended his life in May of 2010. His close friend, Casey Hemje was only 28 when an auto accident took him in September of 2008.
Justin and Casey were good friends and roommates at Southeast community College at Beatrice.
"They were two men who were so much alike, willing to do anything for anyone. They were hardworking, both had a passion for farming, and they were two guys you would always see with a smile on their face." Said Tiff Minnick.
So when Minnick helped organized an event to raise money for a good cause in honor of her brother's memory this past summer she included the memory his good friend Justin Kumke in the planning. Kumke's expressed wish was that people would memorialize him with support for the Cancer Research Institute, a charitable organization based in New York City.
With the help of Kumke's employer the Monsanto Co., Minnick and the other organizers of the second annual Casey Henje memorial Road Rally in Hildreth were able to donate $5,000 to the Cancer Research Instgitute in memory of Justin Kumke of Campbell.
The 2010 Casey Hemje Memorial Road Ralley was held August 7, and was followed by a barbecue in the Hildreth park prepared and served by members of the Macon Lions club, Numerous items were donated by people and business and organizations from area commnities and were raffled off dring the Barbece.
Three times as many people attended the 2010 road rally as did in 2009 for the first ralley. To make the second Ralley a tribute to Kumke and help out the Cancer Research Institute wasn't a hard decision to make said Tiff Minnick, because of the close connection between the two men.

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