Pulling for a purpose: Lansing Tractor & Truck Pull and Big Horse Power & Pride Truck Show help raise over $15,000 for pair of area families

The Lansing Tractor & Truck Pull and the Big Horse Power & Pride Truck Show held each year in conjunction with the annual Lansing Fish Days festivities have involved a great deal more than just a display of power and pride for entertainment and prizewinnings each of the last two summers. A special event held during that tractor and truck pull each of the last two years has helped event organizers raise more than $15,000 to assist a pair of area families who each have children experiencing extensive medical treatments and expenses.

“Like other sporting events, pullers become part of a family,” shared organizers of the Lansing Tractor & Truck Pull. “The competition is great and the camaraderie is even greater.”

Each of the last two years, that special pull event involved Eldon Jaeger of Worthington offering his pulling semi “Midwest Pride in Your Ride” for an exhibition pull down the track to the highest bidder in an auction conducted for that prize. Jaeger has been traveling the Midwest for several years, helping raise funds for cancer awareness after losing his daughter to breast cancer in 2013. His efforts have helped raise over $652,000 in the past six years, with all proceeds going to help those who may be suffering in some way.

At last year’s pull event in early August, the decision was made to try and raise funds for Brogan Gavin, son of Tom and Alaina Gavin of rural Lansing who had been diagnosed with leukemia. An auction was held for the opportunity to drive Jaeger’s “Midwest Pride in Your Ride” down the pulling track and the high bid for that prize came in at $1600. Event organizers then announced that additional donations would continue to be accepted for the Gavin family to help with medical related expenses.

Again this year, Lansing Tractor & Truck Pull, along with Big Horse Power & Pride Truck Show, conducted that same special event, raising funds for the JayR and Jerrica Brink family of rural Waterville, whose infant daughter, Lorelei, nearly lost her life to influenza in early 2019 and requires ongoing, intensive treatment. This special event over the past two years has raised more than $15,000 in assisting the Gavin and Brink families.

“This has been a very moving event, seeing the tractor and truck pull community come together to help others in need,” event organizers summarized. “The Lansing Tractor & Truck Pull and Big Horse Power & Pride Truck Show are proud to be part of raising over $15,000 at their last two pulls to help a couple local young families.”