GLENDO – In her own words, Candy Geringer of Marge Cares Foundation tells a little about her experience traveling the state with her sister Rena and seeing iconic Wyoming locations while pulling “Holy Smokes,” a moose statute created and donated by Glendo native Bill Foy. “We traveled through western Wyoming last week to promote the silent auction for ‘Holy Smokes’ and Marge Cares Foundation, stopping to talk to people along the way,” Candy said. “The moose statue is such a beautiful way to repurpose things and is an amazing piece of art.”
“Holy Smokes” was donated as an online auction item to benefit the recent Marge Cares Foundation fundraiser. Foy created the moose statue by piecing together unique old farm tools and iron pieces, and included various artistically creative aspects to the piece.
“Every time I look at It, I find something new. A little boy in Saratoga was looking closely at ‘Holy Smokes’ on the trailer and excitedly pointed out there was a lizard hidden in the design. It’s an amazing piece of art,” Candy said.
Since last August, Foy and other volunteers have taken “Holy Smokes” to various locations around the state; and last week, Candy and Rena took the moose on a tour of the western side of the state, visiting with people along the way and bringing awareness to Marge Cares Foundation.
She wrote and posted on Marge Cares Foundation Facebook page a bit about some special sites she visited with “Holy Smokes”:

“After spending the last few months roaming up and down I-25 in southeast Wyoming, ‘Holy Smokes’ took a tour of the western side of the state. Three days and 979 miles later, we visited the North Platte River in Saratoga, took in some history at the prison in Rawlins, visited with local law enforcement in Fort Washakie, and then paid our respects to the many men and women that served our country at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois. After cruising around town (many times) we enjoyed lunch and headed over Togwotee Pass to Jackson. As always, the Tetons were beautiful and the highlight of our day was getting to see Grizzly Bear 610, the Princess of the Tetons, whose mother was the famous Grizzly 399. A quick picture by the Antler Arches in Jackson and we settled down for the night. The next morning we headed off to Pinedale, over South Pass, down into Lander and then back to Glendo,” Candy wrote.
Marge Cares Foundation is a non-profit set up to assist patients in small rural communities with the cost of travel to and from medical facilities for necessary appointments and procedures. Last year, Marge Cares Foundation gave away $65,000 and was able to help approximately 100 rural patients with their travel needs. All funding is provided directly to individuals in need following a simple application process, and everything is made possible because of generous donations and support of the annual Marge Cares Fundraiser.
The annual fundraiser was held April 24 at Glendo School, bringing in a gymnasium full of people for a chili dinner, followed by 15 games of Bingo with winnings from $25 to $250. The Bingo was sponsored this year by Carolyn Brewer, The Fertig Family, Mike and Genelle Petsch, Curtis and Patti Fields, Baldrey Construction, Lacy and Rowdy / Rowdy Brooks Trucking, Kaylee Jacobson / Wake-N-Bakery, Ellie Orr, Dennis Foy, The Sahl Family, Rage and Deziray Geringer. The fundraiser also featured the raffle of a Glock 9mm, Big Green Egg smoker, and DeWalt tool set; a live auction, silent auction, and of course, time to visit and enjoy a Saturday afternoon with neighbors, friends – some old and some new.
“It’s an amazing event in our community. When we start reaching out to ask for donations, things come from all over the country – a lot of it is mailed to us,” Candy said.
There was a wide variety of items donated to the fundraiser, including beautiful quilts from local quilters. This year there was a large buffalo quilt by Sandy Engling and a unique lap quilt by Guylene Creach, Darin Geringer fashioned a Wyoming bucking horse out of license plates, Abby Stroud made and donated a horseshoe cross, and of course the headliner “Holy Smokes” moose statue. The 9mm handgun raffle item was donated by Al Teel of Teel Gunworks. He happened to win the raffle, then donated it back as an auction item, demonstrating the spirit of giving which Marge Cares Foundation is all about. Cooper Gray was the volunteer auctioneer again this year.
Bidding on the moose began during the Marge Cares Foundation annual fundraiser
on April 26, and ran through Saturday, May 3. The online auction was hosted by McPherson Auction and Realty.
All together, between the online auction and the day of giving, there was $51,250 donated to the foundation.
“This has been a fun project. Thank you so much to Bill Foy for making and donating this moose to the Marge Cares Foundation,” Candy said. “The fundraiser event was wonderful as always. It was really a great turnout, and the people (volunteers) who are a part of Marge Cares are wonderful. We are grateful for the use of the Glendo School facility and the staff that works so hard for us… And thank YOU to everyone who shows up to be a part of this great event and for supporting the Marge Cares Foundation.”
Anyone wanting to make a donation directly to Marge Cares Foundation can mail a check to Marge Cares Foundation, P.O. Box 86, Glendo, WY 82213, or check out the Marge Cares Foundation Facebook page.