Fathers from as far away as Oregon and Idaho will gather at the Ellensburg Rodeo Arena starting Friday, June 18, 2010 for a three-day celebration involving barbecue, team roping and barrel racing.
Steve Mezich has wanted to make Father's Day a time for the children ever since he lost his 21-year-old son, Luke, to a car accident in 1996.
"He was a team roper and a calf roper," Mezich said of his son. "He and I used to rope quite a bit together as a hobby."
Profits from the 14th annual Luke Mezich Memorial Team Roping event will go to Sparrow Clubs USA, an organization that raises money for children in medical crises.
As a member of the Sparrow Clubs USA board of directors, Mezich thought it would be fitting to give all the funds raised during the memorial competitions to other families in need.
"(The event) gives us a chance to keep our son's name in high esteem and forever acknowledged, and at the same time provide support for a charity that's really dear to our hearts," he said. "It's a chance to gather up with a lot of other dads and bring our families together in celebration of our kids, life and the Sparrow story."