Official Not-For-Profit Status Set For Kuttawa Cannonball Run

The remarkable generosity displayed by participants of the Kuttawa Cannonball Run during the past three years could reach new heights this time around—May 31-June 1—as Midwest Powerboat Association, LLC, the original parent company of the Kentucky event is now Midwest Powerboat Corporation, a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation.

Captured last November in Key West, Fla., Donnie and Cara MacLeod’s Outerlimits SC 37 catamaran will be in the 2024 Kuttawa Cannonball Run fleet—and the MacLeod’s have signed on as Royal Flush-level sponsors for the eighth annual event. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“That means any donations made to our event can now be written off 100 percent,” said Jeff Hoefling, who with friends Terry Martin and Stephen Miles founded and organizes the Kuttawa happening. “That’s good news for our already-generous participants.”

The Kuttawa Cannonball Run raises money for local charities including the Lyon County Sheriff Department programs for at-risk children.

Other strong signs also point to a banner fundraising year for the eighth annual event. So far 30 boats have been registered, which compares favorably to the 18 registered by today’s date in 2023.

The organizers also have signed up seven sponsors including Royal Flush-level backers Donnie and Cara MacLeod of Indiana, who own an Outerlimits SC 37 catamaran painted by Stephen Miles Design. Also worth noting is that sponsor-owned boats are not counted in the current 30-boat registration.

“Sponsorships didn’t start coming in until March last year, so we are way ahead of schedule this year,” said Hoefling. “Donnie and Cara are such good and generous people, not the ‘thumbs-in-the-suspenders’ types Nolan Ferris, our amazing auctioneer, jokes about.

“Terry is delivering the first batch of event T-shirts later today, so online merchandise will be for sale by the weekend,” he added. “We also have some very cool charity auction items this year that we’ll be announcing soon.”