The Norwalk Lions Club will host it’s 56th annual Tractor pull this weekend. Many of the clubs’ original members never thought that a tractor pull could ever be even a minor success. Never in their wildest dream could they have imagined the success that the event would enjoy in this modern age.
In the Spring of 1967, the general fund of the Norwalk Lions Club was approximately $15. Dave Schreier, who was a new member to the club at the time, felt that the club needed to host a fundraiser.
As part of running his John Deere implement business with his brother Dick, Schreier had been attending several tractor pulls and suggested that the club should host its own tractor pull in Norwalk, as an effort to raise funds.
“They decided to hold a ‘Norwalk celebration,’ refusing to even call it a tractor pull,” Schreier said. “At that time, tractor pulls weren’t what they are today. They were considered some backyard thing where two guys hooked their tractors together. They had little confidence that it could make any money at all.”
During a regular monthly meeting in June of 1967, the decision was made to hold a fundraiser, and Schreier was appointed chairman of the “celebration” by the club’s then President, Len Degenhardt. Schreier and the rest of the club’s members had less than two months to plan and put on a tractor pull.
The first tractor pull in Norwalk was on August 13, 1967 and had 97 tractors registered. “It was all farm tractors right from the field,” Schreier said.
There were small cash prizes for pullers, live music, airplane rides, numerous games and races for the children. Charcoal chicken and refreshments were available throughout the day with a total of 624 dinners served.
Following the first tractor pull the Norwalk Lions Club showed a balance in their checkbook of $2,029.95 in October of 1967. The next year, attendance increased for the event and 56 years later here we are.
The Norwalk Lions Club Annual Tractor Pull continues to make improvements and continues to be a success.
Today the tractor pull is a National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) Regional National sanctioned event. This year, multiple classes of tractors will pull over the weekend starting with the farm classes on Friday night.
On Friday, the club also has a fish fry at the Village Park starting at 5p.m, and the Norwalk parade will begin at 7:30p.m.
Saturday will be mostly for the pullers, including a kids pedal pull at 4p.m. The club will have food and refreshments available at the grounds.
On Sunday, starting at 11a.m., the club will be serving charcoal chicken, just like in 1967. The ever-popular duck races begin at noon in the Village Park, and pulling starts at 12:30p.m.
There is free admission for children ages 8 & under all weekend. See you in Norwalk this weekend.
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