The Kemmerer Athletics and Recreation Association (KARA) continues to grow and now has official non-profit 501(c)(3)  status as it works to create more chances to play sports for south Lincoln County kids. 

“KARA is a non-profit, focused on improving and bringing more athletic opportunities to south Lincoln County,” said organizer Adam Calkins, who is also the Kemmerer District Ranger for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. “Over the past year to year and a half, myself and a group of other parents have focused on bringing ice hockey to the community and we are also working on bringing outdoor soccer to the community.”

RELATED: RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ADAM CALKINS REGARDING THE KEMMERER ATHLETICS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION –

Calkins acknowledges the help of many including the city of Kemmerer. 

“We’ve been very grateful for their help and support as we’ve done [this],” he added. “But we’ve realized that wasn’t a long-term permanent solution so we created KARA. We are starting with these two programs with the possibility of bringing some adult programs and maybe bringing other sports into the fold in the future as we continue to grow.”

With more families and industry coming into the area, momentum appears to be in favor of helping KARA moving forward.  

“We felt like this was a really good time,” Calkins continued. “We are grateful to the organization in Douglas for donating their old rink to us so we will have a full size NHL hockey rink which will be ready for us this next winter. Partnering with the city [of Kemmerer], the rink will be just south of the events center on city property. We are really grateful to keep bringing these things to Kemmerer and south Lincoln. We just hosted our first outdoor soccer program this spring and we’re hoping to do it again this fall.”

With their official non-profit status now in hand, Calkins encourages interested parents and kids to come to their meetings which take place every other Tuesday. Their next meeting is August 18 at the Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School library at 8 p.m.

“We would encourage any parents who might be interested to come and attend one of our meetings and see what we are all about,” he stated. “We are focused on player development and player IQ’s as we help them become better all-around athletes and move into the junior high and high schools.”

Donating to KARA is an option as well. 

“We’ve been fortunate to work with the Kemmerer Rotary who has helped sponsor this new rink and other odds and ends,” Calkins said. “Anybody who is interesting in donating to the program is welcome to do so. We feel like this is a great opportunity to bring more good things to the county.”

Calkins hopes for continued growth moving forward. 

“Short term we want to build the program and the base,” he noted. “We are focusing on the younger kids for now up until they get to the junior high. Five to ten years down the road I think there’s an opportunity to be a more competitive program and compete across the state in both hockey and outdoor soccer.”

Be on the lookout for social media and website options as KARA develops them.