By Mani Souphom – R & J Broadcasting | June 20, 2025
WARROAD, Minn. – All-In Warroad, the local non-profit that hosts Warroad’s annual Yeti-Fest, also spearheads a lending bike library as part of their “Pedal Warroad” initiative. This bike library is located at the parking lot of Hugo’s Family Market (formerly Doug’s Supermarket) in Warroad, Minnesota. KQ92 FM and KRWB AM sat down with Patti Hodgson, President of All-In Warroad, to get the details on how local residents and tourists can take part in this program, along with some exciting updates locals can look forward to seeing in the future.
Hodgson gave us some background on All-In Warroad and its beginnings, from their connection to Special Olympics Minnesota in 2013, tied to the Polar Plunge, and the impact of community events post-Covid that led to Yeti-Fest, through to Yeti-Fest becoming All-In Warroad in 2024, with the goal of community inclusivity at its core:
When asked about the inspiration and driving forces behind Pedal Warroad and the bike lending library, Hodgson considered some people that had been integral to the process. “We wanted to provide some opportunities in our community for some of our Special Olympics athletes to be active… Christina Steele… Pat Frolander… Chuck Lindner… we … thought, well biking–that’s a fun thing that everybody should be able to do.”
In order to take part in Pedal Warroad’s bike lending library program from the summer to the fall, Hodgson explained that there were several ways locals could get involved; from the lending program itself, using a no-cost check-out system involving the Caribou Coffee located inside Hugo’s, to making both monetary and equipment donations at Security State Bank of Warroad:
A common thread for many initiatives in rural communities like Warroad is the challenge of recruitment of volunteers to sustain programs like Pedal Warroad. Though All-In Warroad has been fortunate enough to have dedicated community leaders driving the program to this point, those looking to lend their time and effort to the cause are always welcome.
The organization is currently headed by a small committee of local volunteers that has worked hard to accumulate grant funding from the state of Minnesota’s SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership) program, approximating over $48,000 in grants for 2025.
Fundraising efforts from local businesses(incl: LifeCare Medical Center, Security State Bank of Warroad, Warroad VFW, Warroad Sons of the American Legion, Warroad Lion’s Club, Warroad Community Center, and private community members) has provided another $17,500 to the purchase of equipment and infrastructure to support the bike lending library, while All-In Warroad’s annual Yeti-Fest supplied all funding for the bikes in the program from the donations they received from the community during their event fundraiser.
Students from Jeremy Culleton’s class of the Warroad School District will be assisting in the building and placement of signage and work stations, where program participants can repair or adjust their bikes, around the community of Warroad. Hodgson expressed excitement about the program’s progress, and provided details on what else residents could expect to see for Pedal Warroad next. She indicated that there was still much work to be done, with the hope of obtaining more bikes for the program, and an automated check-out system for the program that would expand the hours of operation of the bike lending library, as well as provide more convenience for tech savvy persons:
For more information regarding Pedal Warroad’s Bike Lending Library located at the Hugo’s Family Market parking lot in Warroad, Minnesota, Patti Hodgson can be contacted at 218-242-2160 or a note can be left at the Caribou Coffee counter, and a member of All-In Warroad will be in touch.