Kyle Miller, Morris Folk and Randy Runkel are pictured with students at Lakeland Christian Academy. Photo Provided.
Kyle Miller, Morris Folk and Randy Runkel are pictured with students at Lakeland Christian Academy. Photo Provided.
With the wet and soggy conditions, the Echoes of the Past unfortunately had to cut their event season short by cancelling their fall festival this year.  

Even with the cancellation of the October event, the club had a very successful year hosting several events, participating in area parades, supporting the 4-H fair members and the FFA chapters and continuing to pursue the Club’s goal of educating area youth about agriculture, according to a news release from Echoes of the Past.

For the first time, the Club held a tractor show at Mentone Airport at the same time of the Egg Festival this year. Patrons were treated to over 100 vintage and antique tractors, garden tractors and implements.  A chuck wagon was on hand to show those in attendance how travelers of the unsettled west would have cooked and made their way. Kids were able to drive tractors or take a ride on the kiddie train. The Club’s ice cream was a huge hit as always, the release states..

Another first for the Club was the addition of the tractor pull at the August event.  Vintage and antique tractors pulled the weighted sled on the new track made by Ransbottom’s Excavating. Tractors pulled late into the evening on Friday and then again on Saturday. Tractors of all makes and models were on display for visitors to enjoy. The tractor diving experience was available for the kids, as well as a coin treasure hunt, corn maze and tube slide.

Several members of the Club introduced agricultural to preschool and elementary students on different occasions this year.   Tractors were on display at Harrison Elementary School for the students to check out and ask questions. Lakeland Christian Academy also invited the club to bring tractors to display at the school.  Three members took a Farmall, John Deere and an International for the students to sit on and “drive.”

Although fair week was quite rainy this year, the Club was able to connect with a large portion of the community during the week. The Club provided the tractor driving experience to over 200 kids. Visitors to the Antique Village could feast on sweet corn, ham and beans, chili and ice cream.  Sawmill demonstrations took place during the week and was well received by those in observance.  

The fair was an opportunity for the Club to bid and help 16 4-H members for a total of $3,447. The Club was also able to help FFA chapters from Warsaw and Tippecanoe Valley this year with their programs.

For those who enjoyed any of the 230 gallons of ice cream that Echoes of the Past made this year, the Club thanks you for your donation. Funding of the Club is done through donation and sponsorship and its ice cream is a big portion of that.

All of the success of the club would not be possible without sponsors. Echoes of the Past thanks the following for their sponsorship: Brubaker Farms, Clunette Elevator, Cottage Watchman, Craig Welding, Etna Elevator, Fallen Timber, G & G Hauling, Hoffman Body Shop, Irwin Family Management, Lippert Components, Miner & Lemon, New Paris Tractor Parts, O & R Buildings, Parker & Sons Equipment, Polk Auction, Polk Equipment, Ransbottom Excavating, Reichert & Knepp, S & T, Silver Lake Agri-Center, Silver Lake Subway, Splendor Boats, Tractor Supply and Tuckers Golden Beef.

Echoes of the Past also thanks Wheels on Fire Cancer Crusaders for providing food at the events. Proceeds from their food sales benefit local cancer patients in Kosciusko and Fulton counties. Someplace Else Saloon also helped out this year providing food at the August event.  

The last big event is happening now as Echoes of the Past collects toys for Toys for Tots. If you would like to help, donate an unwrapped toy and drop it off at Splendor Boats in Warsaw on Winona Avenue or Splendor Boats on Ind. 15 in Silver Lake. Deadline to drop off is Dec. 1.

For more information about the Club or events, visit www.theechoesofthepast.com or visit the Facebook page.