News

Tractor pull raises funds for Billings agency

Tractor pull raises funds for Billings agency

December 15, 2016 in Agency Spotlight

The Annual Billings Antique Classic Tractor Pull is a tradition at the Billings Community Fair. Among the freshly painted antique tractors, bright lights of the Ferris wheel and enticing food carts are community members who care about their hungry neighbors.

Although many things remain the same for the tradition, this year’s tractor pulling event benefited the St. Vincent De Paul Society St. Joseph Food Pantry located in Billings and raised $625 for hungry community members.

A tractor pull is a motor sport in which modified farm tractors are dragged on a metal sled along a prescribed course.
The Annual Billings Antique Classic Tractor Pull took place on Sept. 2 and helped the food pantry raise its funds for the Walmart Hunger Challenge 7 matching grant.

“Our revenue has been down this year, and we were beginning to get worried about how we would offer as many services to our clients that we do,” said Pat Hutton, treasurer of the St. Vincent De Paul Society St. Joseph’s Food Pantry. “When I learned about the Hunger Challenge 7 matching grant and about how the Garbee Brothers wanted the tractor pulling event to benefit our pantry, I guess I did a little dance.”

The tractor pulling event always draws a large crowd and features many rules, a few of which include that tractors must be manufactured in 1938 or before, no overly large tires and participants must respect the judges’ decisions.

“This fair has been going on for 51 years and families look forward to it every time,” Hutton said. “The tractor pulling event is one of the biggest parts of the fair. Of course the prizes for winning the tractor pull aren’t that big, but the bragging rights are what the winners enjoy the most.”

The Walmart Hunger Challenge 7 grant was a pass through grant given to Ozarks Food Harvest to benefit its member network. Agencies were encouraged to use the funds as a matching grant in order to raise more money for hungry individuals.

If your pantry received the Walmart Hunger Challenge 7 grant and had a creative way of fundraising, contact Member Services at 417-380-5007 to share your story.