An Evening on Route ‘91: Boots ‘n Bids 2026!
On October 23rd, Coyote Hill hosted our annual Boots ‘n Bids fundraiser, raising a record-breaking $291,000 for children in mid-Missouri! This year marked special milestones: 35 years of ministry and the reveal of the new Coyote Hill logo. In the spirit of the evening, the entire event focused on looking back at our memories as a ministry to look ahead to what’s in store.
“For 20 years, Boots ‘n Bids has been the most fun charity event in Columbia, so that was still very true this year.”
The theme, Route ‘91, was all about remembering the road that brought us to where we are today: a foster care ministry with a Foster Care Neighborhood and four other locations across mid-Missouri, all dedicated to licensing, training, and supporting foster families in their own homes. We reflected on where all of this began, with Larry and Cathy McDaniel in 1991. Larry spoke during the program, reminding all in attendance that “every person can be a player, every player has a part, and every part is important.”
Coyote Hill Chief Operating Officer, Kari Hopkins, reflected on the significance of the theme, “Route ‘91,” and honoring our history. “The road to the original property in Harrisburg was a gravel dirt road, and that represents our starting point of, little by little, we literally had to carve a road into just an open field,” Kari reflected. “Now that road is paved, and there’s a lot more people that go down that road. That road has grown beyond Harrisburg, and so the path now leads to five different cities.”
Although Larry’s wife, Cathy McDaniel, passed away from cancer in 1994, her legacy was remembered through our featured video of the evening, which highlighted her integral influence in the founding of Coyote Hill. Larry also spoke in the video, and other voices of Coyote Hill staff who have been with the ministry for years were featured as well. The video also revealed Coyote Hill’s new logo, which is inspired by Matthew 5:14:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
The new logo also came with the reveal of our new Coyote Hill mascot: Foster the Coyote Pup! Guests received their own stuffed coyote pups to remember the significance.
Several founding board members, early supporters, and their families were also in attendance, such as Pete and Brenda Cummings, David and Marilyn Jobe, Jim and Mary Foutz, and Wayne Walker. The room was filled with respect for those who had a heart for this ministry 35 years ago, and for those who are carrying that legacy forward today!
Our Chief Executive Officer, Bill Atherton, also spoke at Boots ‘n Bids. In reflecting on the founding board members and others who were in attendance, he emphasized the importance of honoring them.
“It’s special because we go back to our roots, and we remember where we came from and why we exist,” Bill said. “It’s valuable for us all to remember the reason why, and that we stay on mission and keep our vision. Our vision has not needed to change, and it’s fun to celebrate with people who started it all.”
In addition to an evening of remembrance and looking ahead, the event was all about good times, games, and memories for the 360+ friends who joined us around each table. Guests participated in both our silent and live auctions, bidding on special goodies, vacation homes, experiences, and more, with all proceeds going toward Coyote Hill children and families. The live auction was facilitated by professional auctioneer Wes Tiemann. Our emcee, Aric Bremer, led other games of the evening, such as Heads or Tails, a game whose winner provides a Memory Makers experience for a Coyote Hill family! Generosity filled the room as people gave in big ways.
“Many of those people have walked along our side up to this point, and a good number of them will continue to walk with us moving forward,” Bill said. “And it’s exciting to have more people join us, to join the cause, and to bring others in addition to those. That’s how ministry continues to grow and prosper and serve more children.”
The evening was made possible by our Title Sponsor, Ratliff Tree, and our Silent Auction Sponsors, Clint Miller at Shelter Insurance and J-Squared Engineering. Our Live Auction Sponsor, The Crossing Church, also provided the space for the event.
“It’s just really neat to see that big of a group of people really rallying around what Coyote Hill is doing and making a difference. Boots ‘n Bids is one of the highlights of our year.”
We are so thankful for every supporter who stands with Coyote Hill, whether you attended Boots ‘n Bids or not. The evening is a small reminder of the larger mission: to give children in Missouri A Safe Place to Be a Child™.
Thanks for traveling Route ‘91 with us!