CELINA, Ohio — ABN Radio will host the second annual Great Buckeye Tractor Cruise July 25, which begins 8:30 a.m. at the Mercer County Fairgrounds.
The 40-mile drive, given the slogan “A Few Miles for Many Smiles”, raises funds for Camp Quality, a program that allows children with cancer to enjoy summer camp.
Organizer of the cruise and ABN Radio host Andy Vance said the Great Buckeye Tractor Cruise was inspired by the Show-Me Tractor Cruise in Missouri, which also raises funds for Camp Quality.
Hosting its seventh annual cruise at the end of June, the Show-Me event has now raised more than $236,000 for Camp Quality in Minnesota.
“We’re so excited to bring this concept to Ohio,” Vance said.
“Last year, we raised about $6,000. We’d love to see both the number of drivers and the funds raised increased this year.”
All about the children
Vance considers the relationship between ABN Radio and the directors of Camp Quality to be one of “mutual excitement.”
“The people at Camp Quality are so wonderful to work with and so passionate about helping the children,” he said.
Some of the campers were able to attend last year’s tractor cruise, and ABN Radio even produced a video about Camp Quality to show to the tractor drivers before the cruise.
“I think one of the best things about Camp Quality is that each camper is paired with an adult mentor — a companion,” Vance said.
“The children and their companions remain in contact throughout the year after camp.”
Goals
About 35 drivers participated in the first tractor cruise last year. Vance is hopeful the cruise will see 50 drivers or more this year, with the goal of raising at least $20,000.
To participate. The registration fee to drive in the cruise is $30, which goes toward a T-shirt, meals and snacks for the driver, as well as liability insurance and other costs to host the event. Registration is due by July 3.
Each driver is encouraged to raise at least $100 through pledges and donations to contribute to Camp Quality.
Volunteer
Vance said the event relies on about 40 volunteers to help drivers register and to serve meals, snacks and water throughout the day.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact Lyndsey Murphy at murphy@buckeyeag.com.
Donate
To help ABN Radio meet its goal of $20,000, visit www.buckeyetractorcruise.com and click “Contribute” to donate online, or mail donations to Great Buckeye Tractor Cruise, 2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43210.
Sponsor
A number of sponsorship opportunities are also available, ranging from $250 to $2,500.
For more information, visit the Web site or contact Lindsay Hill at 614-206-7286.
For general questions about the Great Buckeye Tractor Cruise, visit the Web site, e-mail murphy@buckeyetractorcruise.com or call 937-869-6280.
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