Meagan McCain’s legacy lives on through nonprofit
The Meagan's Legacy nonprofit educates on the dangers of impaired driving, and gives scholarships to young people.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Donna McCain, her husband Mark, and their daughter Meagan spent most of their free time as a family competing in the rodeo.
“Most of the time, it was just the three of us,” Donna said. “And so, when she was nine, she started competing at junior rodeo.”
As a kid, Meagan competed in every junior event that she could.
But as she got older, Donna said Meagan’s love for the rodeo only grew.
“She learned in that first year of college that she genuinely loved it herself,” Donna said. “Like it was just, it was a big deal. That was like part of her identity was that she was a cowgirl.”
In 2009, Meagan was tragically killed by a drunk driver.
This loss sparked Donna and Mark to establish Meagan’s Legacy.
It is a nonprofit that educates on the dangers of impaired driving while also providing scholarships to other rodeo kids.
The McCain’s raise money for these scholarships through their annual Meagan McCain Memorial Barrel Race.
Donna said over its 15 years, the race has evolved to not just be about Meagan’s memory, but the opportunities for riders and volunteers to grow.
“A peewee barrel race, I’m guessing around 5-ish,” Donna said. “She walks in with her $5 by herself and she’s come to enter herself in the peewee. And she’s telling me her name and her horses name. And she’s just all confident. And, you know to see that, I think that this environment does so much for young people. And, you know, we see it from the peewees, we see it in the youth, and we see it in our student volunteers. And to see those young people grow is invaluable to me. And it’s also such a great experience for them.”
Chloe Joiner said volunteering for the barrel race is about more than just the scholarship.
“You’re getting to work with people, so you’re learning people skills,” Joiner said. “You’re learning how to communicate with others. Like yesterday, I was announcing. And so that was kind of nerve wracking for me, but I did okay. But it means a lot to me. It just, it’s a great cause. It’s a great race. And this is one of my favorite ones of the year.”
Donna said the pain of losing a child never truly goes away.
But to see Meagan’s legacy live on and be celebrated means the world.
“We want her legacy to be: that people understand how important their choices are, and how those choices always have ripples,” Donna said. “They always have ripples. And so, we need to think about as we make our
choices, that it’s not always just about us.”
This was the third Meagan McCain Memorial Barrel Race held in Starkville.
