Among all the surprising clubs that can be found in Fauquier County, the Unistars might be the most unique. Currently consisting of 27 members beween the ages of 8 to 18, the club meets at the Vint Hill gym to practice.  All of the people involved have one thing in common, a love of unicycling.

     Started in August of 2005 by Linda McLaughlin, the Unistars has grown in popularity. 

     “I began the UniStars for my daughter who had previously ridden with another unicycle group that no longer existed,” McLaughlin said.  “She and I picked a name, colors, a logo, and then found a place to practice at the Vint Hill gym. Over time, by running classes through Parks & Rec, we have grown the group from 6 original riders to 27 performers.”

     The group partakes in a number of events in the area including the Annual Cherry Blossom parade in Washington, D.C., at the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia and the Joe Gibbs Youth for Tomorrow Country Fair and Auction. 

     “[I like the] parades because I get to make people smile,” sophomore Michael Granche said. 

     Granche joined the Unistars after hearing about it from a friend.  

     Junior Morgan Rice has been a part of the program for many years. 

     “We found out about the beginner’s class in a Parks & Rec brochure when I was about nine,” Rice said. “It was kind of just something that seemed unique and fun, so I decided to sign up for the class.”

     The group also offers beginner/advanced unicycling classes. 

     “The advanced riders in this class learn many of the formations and stunts that the group performs which enable them to perform with the group,” McLaughlin said.    

     Granche has used the skills to do some amazing things. 

     “I jumped rope on my unicycle in my eighth grade talent show,” he said. 

     Rice summed the group up by saying “the awesome thing about the UniStars is that we’re really like one big family. We can always count on the other members to help us when we need it, and it has introduced me to some amazing people.”