Our History
On July 19th, 2016, Sierah "Ce" Joughin set out on a bicycle ride in rural northwest Ohio. Tragically, she was abducted less than 500 feet from her home and later found to have been murdered by a previously convicted violent offender.
In the wake of this devastating loss, Keeping Our Girls Safe (KOGS) was founded in August 2016 by Sierah's mother, Sheila Vaculik, in partnership with the Kolasinski family-longtime loved ones of Sierah, including her boyfriend Josh. Established in honor of Sierah's life and legacy, KOGS is dedicated to advocacy, education, and empowerment, with a mission to prevent violence against women and strengthen community safety.
Our initial fundraising efforts
Sierah Joughin Memorial Motorcyle Ride
Keeping Our Girls Safe's initial fundraiser was a Memorial Motorcycle Ride, first organized by the Kolasinski Family in 2016. The annual event quickly grew to become one of the largest motorcycle rides in Northwest Ohio and served as a primary fundraising effort to support our self-defense courses. The ride continued successfully through 2022, helping to establish a strong foundation for the organization's ongoing and expanding mission.
2016 - First Memorial Motorcycle Ride
https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2016/09/19/Motorcycle-riders-honor-Sierah-Joughin.html
2017 - 2nd Annual Memorial Motorcycle Ride
2018 - 3rd Annual Memorial Motorcycle Ride
2019 - 4th Annual Memorial Motorcycle Ride
2020 - Ride Cancelled due to COVID restrictions
2021 - 5th Annual Memorial Motorcycle Ride
2022 - 6th Annual Memorial Motorcycle Ride - August 14th, 2022
Even with inclement weather - 273 bikes and 410 riders were in attendance
The Memorial Ride came to an end with the 2022 season.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED OUR INITIAL FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, AFTER SO MANY YEARS, WE ARE STILL SERVING THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT.