SACO — The Southern Maine Garden Tractor Club held its first fundraiser to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation on Sunday in Saco. All the proceeds from raffle tickets, T-shirt sales and an auction were donated to the foundation.
“We’ve always wanted to do something like this,” said Punky Noble, chairman of the club. “We want to make it a yearly event.”
Members, their children and grandchildren showed up Sunday on Boom Road in Saco to share a tractor pull and barbecue with children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“It was fun,” said Taylor James, 8, who is a four-year survivor of cancer. “My dad wants to build me one now.”
James and the rest of the youth took turns pulling weight behind the tractors. A table was lined with trophies for the winners – those who pulled the most weight the furthest. Adults in the club helped children from Make-A-Wish ride the tractors.
Michelle James, Taylor’s mother, said her daughter wants to do anything to support the foundation after being sent to Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida after finishing treatment at age four. Taylor even has a piggy bank she donates to Make-A-Wish every year, said James.
Each wish costs an average of $6,000, according to Eileen Chretien, Make-A-Wish Foundation spokesperson. The foundation grants about 70 wishes a year in Maine, she said.
“We rely on folks like this to help us grant wishes,” said Chretien. “It gives these kids something to concentrate on other than living in hospitals.”
Chris Pierce, 12, whose grandfather is in the club, was happy to come out and spend the day riding tractors with the other children.
“I wanted to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” Pierce said.
The group was able to raise $1,460 for the foundation through their efforts Sunday. They hope to make the fundraiser an annual event, Noble said.
— Contact Robyn Burnham by calling 282-1535, Ext. 329, or via e-mail at rburnham@gwi.net.
