Tractor Drive Raises $ for Fallen Heroes
Published: Friday, May 27, 2022
Armed Forces Day was led off by the "Red loves the Blue" tractor drive hosted by Nappanee Power from the Past. The drive concluded National Police Week and raised over $4,700 for the Indiana Fallen Heroes Foundation.
"I was really frustrated in the past about the way the police were treated," Rob Meyers, the coordinator of the event, said. The drive, similar to ones held in the past, grew out of that frustration, he says.
"I think as an organization, you've got to be bigger than just a bunch of tractors," Meyers said. "It's a small price to pay to support the police."
Brian Robbins, a senior trooper in the Indiana State Police, participated in the drive.
"The Indiana State Police have had a lot of officers injured and killed in the line of duty," he said, noting that all the proceeds go to fallen officers. "I think it's great. Families deal with a lot when they lose a family member. It goes a long way."
Thirty-three tractors were
led by 10 police units from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department, Nappanee City Police, Wakarusa Police Department and Indiana State Police Department.
People came from all over to drive their tractors, says Jerry Schwartz, a member of Power from the Past.
Mike and Patty Gessner brought their blue Ford 8,000 from Columbia City for the drive.
They enjoy driving their tractor because they find it relaxing and satisfying to see the expressions on little kids' faces as they drive by. They noted that there were tractor drivers all the way from Michigan who came to show their support.
"The police force risks their lives for our safety," Patty said.
"If it wasn't for them, there would be chaos," Mike added.
Nappanee Power from the Past hosts a number of community events, including KOI Drags. The drags are 200-foot circuit drag races for all ages, with races starting as young as three years old. The drag events happen three times a year. It had a good turnout of participants, Tristan Ramer, president of Nappanee Power from the Past, said.
Sheri Miller has a 1957 Farmall 400. She and her husband, Kevin, are members of Nappanee Power from the Past and take their tractor to drives and tractor shows. Her grandfather bought it new, and it was in her family until it was sold at an auction, but found again "in a round-about way," Sheri said. After it was found, Kevin restored it.
"He has his dad's H that he wants to restore so that we can do it together, so that we each have a family history of tractors," she said. "We just love being a part of the farming community."
Liz and Rex Hoover and their friends Jan and Ed Evers heard there would be a tractor drive parading through Wakarusa last Saturday and came out to watch. The two families used to farm and came out to see all the different tractors.
"I think it's a great idea," Liz said referring to the tractor drive. "It's for our police officers, and it's a great patriotic event."
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