Ropin’ Wranglers
By: Jarlath Mortenson

The Pinedale Ropin’ Wranglers are a team of preschool through fifth grade students who jump rope to demonstrate how much fun exercise can be.  The team consists of three divisions allowing all students in our community an opportunity to participate; Travel Over Night (TON), Travel Only Days (TOD) and Local Events Only (LEO).  They practice twice a week for an hour and a half starting in the fall and continuing through March.

The TON team travels all over the state of Wyoming, averaging 2400 miles a season. During their travels the team visits about eleven of 22 counties, performing at over 40 assemblies reaching an estimated 1500 students. During their travels they still are able to eat healthy foods and exercise. This year their travels took them to the capital city of Cheyenne where they were introduced to the state legislature, performed in the capital rotunda and visited with Governor Dave Freudenthal.

The Ropin’ Wranglers are pleased to have had the opportunity to perform at the South Dakota and Wyoming combined state convention in Spearfish, SD; two Central District conventions in Rapid City and Cheyenne and the AAHPERD Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Pinedale Elementary School is proud to be a community of volunteers. Over the past 10 years the students of PES have collected funds for the AHA without accepting the thank you gifts. In an effort to be a TRUE volunteer, the students understand that doing something for someone else does not require a thank you gift.