Blue Ribbon Trail Ride (2 page)

An hour later, Kate was so excited, she could barely stand still. Her parents had approved the idea of a trail-ride fund-raiser that would ultimately be a scavenger hunt on horseback. They'd been hesitant at first, but Melissa and Colt had done a great job explaining and convincing them it would work.

Kate's mom tapped her fingers on the kitchen countertop. “Are the four of you ready to go now, or do you want to wait until another day to get started?”

Kate's enthusiasm dimmed as it dawned on her what Mom was suggesting. “You think we should start asking for donations now? Yikes, Mom! I don't think we're ready to do that yet.”

Tori edged closer to where Kate stood. “If your mom is willing to drop us off in downtown Hood River, we could hit a few places today. Or we could ride our bikes to the Odell grocery store and start there.”

Colt nodded. “Great idea, Tori. It might be best to talk to a couple of businesses closer to home before we go to Hood River.”

Melissa shook her head. “I don't agree. We're not ready. We don't have any flyers to hand out that tell about the camp or the trail ride. Who's going to believe four kids who come walking in asking for stuff, when we aren't even prepared?”

Kate grinned. “And this is exactly why we put Melissa in charge, so we don't do stupid stuff and look like idiots.” She raised her hand for a high five.

Melissa slapped it and giggled. “Thanks. I thought you'd be mad that I was shooting down your mom's plan. How about we get on the computer and see what we can come up with? We can print a few handouts here. Then if it's okay with you, Mrs. Ferris, we could ride our bikes to the grocery store in Odell and practice on the owner.”

Kate's mom pulled a mug from the cupboard. “If you get something finished, and you want me to look at it before you print it, I'll be happy to help. And if there's time, I'll run you down to the grocery store so you can talk to Mr. Jacobs.”

“Cool!” Colt waved toward the doorway. “Kate, lead the way to the computer. I'm not very good at this stuff, but I'm guessing Melissa is—or Tori … or you.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “So you're pretty much worthless, is that what you're saying? You aren't going to back out on talking to people, are you?”

“No way. I think I'd make a killer salesman.” He shot her a cocky look and waggled his eyebrows.

Tori groaned. “Come on, let's get to work.”

Thirty minutes later, Kate and her friends stared at the computer screen. “Awesome,” Kate said. “That looks really professional. Good job, Melissa and Tori.”

Melissa ducked her head. “Thanks. Let's show it to your mom before we print a copy.” She shoved back her chair.

Kate's mom stood in the open doorway. “No need to get up.” She walked to the desk and leaned over Melissa's shoulder. “Hmm. You have the name—Blue Ribbon Trail Ride. That's good. Do you want to say anything about the date or how much it will cost to take part in the ride?”

Tori shook her head. “We were thinking we should put that in the flyers we hang around town or send to other horse clubs or barns. Right now we figured we only need information a business would want to know. Right, guys?”

Melissa nodded. “Right. We could say that the donations will be used for prizes, if you think we should.”

“It wouldn't hurt,” Kate's mom said. “You don't want too much information, but you need all the details a business would expect to see. You might mention that we're hoping to raise enough to fund a scholarship for autistic campers, and we'll put on all our flyers the names of businesses that donate.”

“Great.” Melissa swiveled to the computer screen and started to type. When she finished, she looked up. “What do you think?”

“Perfect. Print it, then let's head to the store so you kids can try out Colt's super-salesmanship.” Kate's mom ruffled his hair and chuckled. “I'll go tell Dad so he can come in and watch Pete.”

“I guess I stuck my foot in my mouth big-time, huh?” Colt gave a sheepish smile. “One of the girls might be a better spokesperson than me.”

Kate snorted. “No way! You said you'd make a killer salesman, and we're going to let you prove it.”

It only took a couple of minutes to print half a dozen copies of the handout, then Kate and her friends followed her mom to their Subaru Outback.

“I'm so nervous.” Kate buckled her seat belt and peered over her shoulder at her friends. “Colt, you should be sitting up here, since you're going to do the talking.”

He pulled the piece of straw from his mouth. “Naw. I figure whoever sits in the front seat should be the first one to talk, since it makes you look more official. Besides, girls are
such
good talkers, there's no way you can fail.”

He grunted as Tori and Melissa both poked him in the ribs with their elbows. “Hey, what did I say?”

Neither one replied, but as soon as the car rolled to a stop in the grocery-store parking lot, they pushed open their doors and got out. Tori looked at Kate as she shut the front door. “So, are you going to do the talking?”

Kate wiped the palms of her hands on her jeans. She didn't want to look like a wimp to her friends, but her stomach was in knots. This hadn't sounded hard when they'd talked about it at home, or when she thought Colt or even Melissa would do the talking. “What if I mess up? And what do I ask them to donate? Groceries? Melissa would do a better job than I would.”

Mom leaned against the car hood. “You could suggest a gift certificate but also tell them it's up to them what they'd like to donate, if they do anything at all. Don't make it sound like you expect it, but let them know you appreciate anything they're willing to give. Oh—and always ask to speak to the owner or manager.” She smiled. “I'm guessing it will help that Mr. Jacobs knows your dad. Be sure to tell him who you are.”

Kate nodded. “Okay, I guess.” She turned toward Colt. “But I still think Melissa or Colt is the best choice. He's always so laid back and sensible about everything, and Melissa's in charge.”

He held up his hand. “Tell you what. While you're in there, Melissa can tell me how it's done, and I'll do the next one. Promise.”

Melissa tipped her head to the side. “You need to do this one, Kate. Your family knows the owner, and I don't. Quit worrying. You'll do great.”

Kate squared her shoulders and faced the entrance to the store, feeling as if she'd been sent to the principal's office. The worst Mr. Jacobs could do was say no and kick them out of the store for bugging him, right? And maybe one or two business owners would care about their cause and bless them by contributing prizes. There was no way she'd find out unless she tried. She wasn't sure how she'd gotten saddled with this responsibility, but maybe it was only right that she be the one to talk first, since it was her brother they were trying to help. The thought of Pete lifted her spirits, and she strode forward with more confidence than she'd ever thought she could muster.

Mom's voice halted her several yards from the car. “Kate? Want me to come too?”

Kate wanted that more than anything at the moment, but she shook her head. “Thanks. I'm good.” This was her idea—hers and her friends'—and she'd do it with their help, or not at all.

Fifteen minutes later Kate and Tori came out of the store. Kate felt as though she'd won the biggest prize ever offered at any horse show. She waited until they were almost to the car, then twirled in a happy circle. “Awesome!”

Her mother's expression went from serious to excited in a second. “Good news, I take it?”

“Yeah!” Kate grabbed Tori and swung her around. “We nailed it!”

Melissa laughed and gave Kate a high five as she spun past. “You mean
you
nailed it. Colt, you're going to have to work your tail off to beat what Kate did.”

Colt's eyes sparkled. “Yep. That's a fact. I say we let her be our spokesman from now on. Why take a chance of messing things up when we have Kate on our team?”

Kate sobered and stopped in front of him. “No way. You said you'd do it next.”

“I know, but you just got an awesome pledge. I was hoping for maybe twenty-five.”

“All I did was think about Pete and other kids like him, and it made me realize I was being silly to worry about what I'd say or what the owner would think. I forgot about me and kept thinking about how great it will be if we raise enough money so Pete and at least one or two other kids can go to that camp.”

Kate's mom slipped her arm around Kate's shoulders and squeezed. “How wonderful, honey. I'm proud of you.”

Tori grinned. “That's so cool—and you didn't act even a little bit scared when you were talking. I'm going to remember that next time I have to do something that freaks me out. I'll think about somebody else instead of myself, and maybe it'll help.”

Kate smiled. “Trust me. It works.” She turned to her mother. “We're on a roll. Do you care if we hit the other businesses in Odell while we're here, since it's all of a block long? It's not like we can get lost or anything.”

“Sure. Go for it. I brought a book. But I have a suggestion that might make it go faster. Since Colt offered to go next, and you did so well, Kate, how about you split into two teams, and the two of you be the spokespeople next time. Then Melissa and Tori can do it if they want a turn.”

Tori kicked at a rock on the pavement. “But what if we—or I—don't want to? Is that bad?”

“Not at all.” Kate's mom patted Tori's arm. “Not everyone likes or is good at the same things. It's okay if you're there for moral support. How about you, Melissa?”

“Yep, I don't mind talking. Since Kate did so well, and Tori would like to be there to help, how about I go with Colt, and we'll switch off?”

Colt shrugged. “Sure. Works for me. We'll take one side of the street, and you girls take the other. We'll meet here at the car when we're done.”

Kate and Tori stayed on the side where the grocery store was located, while Colt and Melissa crossed the road and went over the railroad tracks to start at a business a little north of the store.

Tori shuffled along behind Kate until Kate swiveled and stopped. “What's up?”

Tori ducked her head. “Sorry I'm being such a scaredy-cat.”

“You are not. There's stuff I don't like to do, but it doesn't make me a scaredy-cat. Tell you what. You hand out the flyer, then give the people your nicest smile and pray. I'm so pumped about doing this now that I know nothing can go wrong. We're going to raise a ton of money and send a dozen kids to camp. You just see if we don't!”

Thirty minutes later, Kate wished she'd kept her silly prediction to herself. They'd talked to two more businesses. The owner wasn't at the first one, and the employee couldn't make any decisions. At the second business, the owner said the economy had been too bad, and he was sorry, but there was nothing he could do. When Kate asked if he'd consider a ten-dollar gift certificate, he shooed them out the door saying he was too busy to talk more. Maybe they could check back another time, but not today.

Kate and Tori met Colt and Melissa within a couple of minutes after they finished, and from the expression on both of their faces, it didn't look like they'd done much better.

Still, Colt held up an envelope and waved it in the air. “This isn't anything like what you got at the first store, but I guess it's better than nothing. The pizza place gave us coupons for twenty dollars' worth of pizzas. The owners weren't at the other two places.”

Melissa sighed. “So what did you and Tori get? Another fifty dollars, I'll bet. At least someone is good at this. We probably should have had Kate talk to everyone.”

Warmth rose in Kate's cheeks—not from embarrassment at the compliment but from guilt that she'd acted so excited about getting that first certificate and then bombed out so badly this time. “Naw. You did better than us. One owner wasn't there, and the other one said it's not in his budget.” She avoided her mother's gaze. “You guys think maybe we should give up? We could give the grocery certificate back, and the pizza coupons you got.”

Tori's eyes filled with tears. “But if we do that, what about Pete? The poor little guy won't get to go to camp.”

Melissa crossed her arms over her chest. “No way am I giving up. This wasn't fun. In fact, one time it was downright humiliating when an employee laughed at me and Colt and said we were just kids who were probably trying to steal money from business owners and use it ourselves. But I want to keep going for Pete's sake.”

Kate's mom cleared her throat. “Thanks, kids, for trying so hard. I don't want you to feel you have to do this. It
is
hard—I've worked fund-raisers in the past—and like Melissa said, it can be humiliating. But don't think that all the business owners you meet will be like that employee. I'm guessing he was young, right?”