[WATCH] The Kelly Clarkson Show Surprises Iowa Nonprofit with $10K Donation

When I moved to Iowa four years ago there were a few things I was surprised by.

The fact that there are more pigs than people...

Pork tenderloin sandwiches...

And of course, RAGBRAI!

What is RAGBRAI?

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RAGBRAI also known as the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa has been a statewide tradition since 1973. It is the "oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world."

RAGBRAI 2025 Route & Key Details

Kicking off in Orange City on Sunday, July 20th, this year's ride is one for the history books.

This weeklong ride will be 406 miles long with 10,487 feet of climb, making it the second shortest RAGRAI ride in event history, according to officials.

Cedar Falls is actually going to be one of the towns that riders will make an overnight stop in! Check out all of the details about that stop here!

RAGBRAI Gets National Attention on The Kelly Clarkson Show

While almost every single Iowan who doesn't live under a rock is familiar with RAGBRAI, the rest of the country isn't clued in. Which is why, whenever there is a person who mentions it on national television, it's sure to catch our attention.

Andy Cohen Highlights RAGBRAI & Dream Team of Iowa

During the period of time that Kelly Clarkson was absent from the Kelly Clarkson Show, a whole slew of guest hosts would step in to assist.

Stars like Kal Penn, Simu Liu, and even Andy Cohen took over to host the Emmy winning daytime talk show.

During Cohen's guest co-hosting stint, three of the guests were a part of the Des Moines based organization Dream Team of Iowa. Director Scott Matter, and participants Ennovy and Jeremiah appeared on the program during the Rad Human segment.

All of them had flown out to New York City for the taping.

Plus, they were putting a national spotlight on RAGBRAI and it was clear that Andy Cohen was impressed!

What is Dream Team of Iowa?

Dream Team of Iowa is an organization that "uses the power of a bicycle to assist youth in developing a positive approach to life's challenges!"

This is a five-month program that partners youth with adult mentors and helps them build relationships, achieve personal growth, and learn life skills. All of this is in preparation for these adolescents to take on RAGBRAI in the summer.

Matter shared that at least eight of the kids that the organization is working with this year have never ridden a bike before. So, training for the longest bike ride is a major accomplishment!

Casey’s Gives a $10,000 Surprise Donation

Towards the end of the segment, Cohen announced that they had partnered with Casey's to donate $10,000 to the Dream Team.

You could see how visibly moved Scott was by the gesture, especially when Andy turned to him and sweetly said, "Thank you for what you're doing! It's so great!"

You can watch the full segment down below!

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