After a week of reflection following RAGBRAI’s visit to DeWitt, Kim Broders pondered whether she’d like DeWitt to host the event again.

“I would liken it to having a baby. Give me a few years,” she said with a chuckle.

Broders and hundreds of other Clinton County residents banded together July 30 and 31 to host thousands (RAGBRAI has not provided exact numbers) of bike riders as they made their way from Anamosa to Clinton, including an overnight stop in DeWitt.

That volunteer effort is what motivated DeWitt Chamber & Development Co. Executive Director Angela Rheingans to call the event a success.

“We could not have done it as one single group,” Rheingans said. “It had to be a collective effort of committee groups, volunteers and residents stepping up and saying, ‘While I’m not affiliated with any of the groups, I am going to volunteer my time.’”

Those volunteers showed up in droves to help with a bevy of responsibilities in anticipation of RAGBRAI riders coming into DeWitt on Friday. Some set up tents, others manned a welcome booth at the Fitness Center to provide a friendly smile and information, and yet others provided emergency services, sanitation, parking guidance, shuttle service and campground setup.

Deb Munro, a longtime Central DeWitt school bus driver, piloted a shuttle for riders to navigate DeWitt more easily and said she enjoyed the experience.