The team behind Ride Through The Rockies

After three days and nearly 300 kilometres cycling through Pincher Creek and the surrounding area, all 36 riders returned with tired legs and plenty to celebrate.

Together, Ride Through the Rockies (RTTR) 2026 raised $449,167 for Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta. This year’s fundraising brings RTTR’s total contribution to more than $2.5 million since the event began in 2013.

The riders may be the most visible part of RTTR, but an entire team works behind the scenes to bring them to that finish line.

At the centre of that team is Star Building Materials Calgary.

Star has led the planning of Ride Through the Rockies since the beginning. Its employees help plan the event, volunteer throughout the weekend, and bring people from across the building industry together all in support of raising money for affordable homeownership.

More than putting a logo on an event

For Star, its commitment to RTTR is closely connected to the work it does every day.

“We understand the importance of home,” said Ken Crockett, Vice President of Star Building Materials Calgary and founder of RTTR. “It isn’t just a structure, but a foundation for family, security, opportunity and community.”

As a company rooted in the building industry, Star recognized an opportunity to leverage its expertise and relationships to make a meaningful difference.

RTTR provided a platform to bring the broader industry together, including builders, suppliers, trades, and industry partners to support its efforts.

“Continuing to lead the event for more than a decade has never just been about writing a cheque or putting a logo on something,” Ken said. “It has been about showing up year after year, building momentum and helping keep affordable homeownership visible as an important community issue.”

That commitment has helped turn RTTR into one of Habitat Southern Alberta’s largest annual fundraisers.

Where RTTR started

The idea for RTTR began with Ken, who had seen the momentum created by Ride Around the Lake, a cycling fundraiser sponsored by Qualico in Winnipeg. He wondered whether a similar event could bring Alberta’s building industry together.

“Cycling felt like the right fit because it creates a unique kind of connection,” Ken said. “When you ride together, you talk, you encourage each other, you struggle a bit together, and you finish with a shared sense of accomplishment.”

The building industry was a natural community to bring together. Its members understand what a safe, stable home can mean for a family.

“The idea was to create an event where suppliers, builders, trades, partners and friends could come together outside of the usual business setting and rally around a cause that connects directly to the work we all do,” Ken said.

The first RTTR was smaller and less polished than the event riders know today. What Ken remembers most was the energy and spirit.

“People understood that they were part of something new, and there was a lot of energy around that,” he said. “I remember the conversations, the camaraderie and the feeling that this could grow into something special.”

Thirteen years later, what started as an idea has become an industry tradition.

The Star team behind the RTTR

For the Star team, Ride Through the Rockies begins months before the event begins.

Employees work behind the scenes to turn the RTTR from an idea into a three-day event. Planning begins early, with countless details to coordinate before anyone clips into a bike. By RTTR weekend, many of those same employees are out on the route, helping everything run safely and smoothly.

Miriam serves as the RTTR’s First Aid Lead. Outside of making sure all required safety and first aid supplies are fully stocked and readily available, she spends the event weekend on the route, “checking that the route is clear, strategically placing volunteers along the route, monitoring wildlife activity, and keeping an eye on rider safety throughout the event.”

During RTTR, Star volunteers direct riders, watch for potential hazards, monitor wildlife activity and keep an eye on rider safety.

These are the jobs that are easy to overlook when everything goes according to plan. They are also the result of the preparation happening long before the riders set out.

After years of organizing RTTR, the Star team has become better at anticipating what may be waiting around the next corner.

“With many volunteers returning year after year, we have developed a strong understanding of what to expect and how to operate as a cohesive team,” Miriam said.

The weekend is not all logistics and safety plans. Miriam has also watched a distinct RTTR dynamic develop among the riders. They may want to beat each other to the finish line but they are just as committed to keeping each other safe.

That mix of friendly competition, teamwork and shared purpose is part of what keeps Star employees coming back.

“It is the dedication and commitment shown by the riders and volunteers,” Miriam said. “It is also very rewarding to know that the funds raised help give a family the opportunity to achieve their dream of owning a home.”

What Star Building Materials helped build

Over 13 years, RTTR has created something larger than a cycling event.

It has brought competitors, suppliers, builders, trades, and partners onto the same team. Friendships have formed, business relationships have deepened and the industry has built a community around giving back.

“When people ride together for a cause like Habitat, the dynamic changes,” Ken said. “The focus becomes bigger than any one company or project. That creates trust, respect and a shared sense of purpose.”

Star created more than a fundraiser. It created a way for people across the building industry to participate, lead, fundraise and build relationships around a cause closely connected to their work.

The riders have reached the end of the 2026 route, but the impact continues. The $449,167 raised this year will help make affordable homeownership possible for more families across Southern Alberta.