Ride the River 2012
“We are extremely excited to bring this unique and special event back again.” noted Central Illinois Green Club president John Evans, Sr. in the months leading up to the ride. “The 2008 and 2010 rides created a substantial scholarship fund for KCC Ag and Horticulture students, and will be helping two students attend college this fall. We’re looking forward to growing the fund through this event and helping more students to earn their education.”
The scholarship fund did grow again thanks to everyone’s support of Ride the River 2012. An additional $12,000 was presented to the Kankakee Community College Foundation in the weeks following the ride. This brings the total amount of money raised and deposited into the scholarship fund by the Ride the River tractor drives to $30,000. This scholarship fund benefits students at Kankakee Community College students studying agriculture.
Ride the River is a fun way for tractor collecting enthusiasts to get together and show off the tractors that they have worked so hard to restore. It also allows them to see other rare and magnificently restored pieces of machinery and enjoy a scenic ride through the country. Most importantly it provides a way for a future generation of agriculture students to be able to afford a college education.
The ride costs each driver only $60 and in includes coffee/donuts, lunches, commemorative hats, pins, and videos of the tractor drive, and even refreshment stops. Not to mention the 50 mile tractor drive, mutual camaraderie and fun. The sponsors for the tractor drive contribute the bulk of the money to the scholarship fund and each year the sponsorship has grown. In 2010 there were 28 sponsors. That number grew in 2012, and actually doubled to 56.
The entry fee for Ride the River is $60. Cost includes coffee/donuts at registration, lunch, a commemorative hat and pins, refreshment stops, a commemorative video of the day, and a beautiful 50-mile stretch of touring, camaraderie, and fun.
A thank you from the President
After each ride, President John Evans, Sr. has written a heartfelt thank you to all participants and sponsors of the drive. This year was no different. Please read the letter sent to all sponsors of Ride the River 2012.
Ride the River Photo Gallery
We would also like to thank all the club members that took pictures of the ride and the activities that occurred during the ride. Check out the Ride the River 2012 photo gallery and enjoy all the photos submitted to the website.
Ride the River 2012 Itinerary
Each ride has had an itinerary and this ride was no different. The itinerary and route plan is still available for download to provide an idea of how the ride is structured.
Sponsorship Information
Over 50 companies and individuals signed up to sponsor Ride the River 2012. The 2012 Signature Sponsor was Hogan Walker. We would like to thank all the sponsors. Here is the sponsor list in alphabetic order.
| All Power Equipment |
| Arends Hogan Walker |
| Benoit Aerial Spraying, Inc. |
| Bob’s Repair |
| Bunge |
| Chapman Tractor Restoration |
| Charles & Jean Kestel |
| Chebanse Ag. Service |
| Stan & Janeen Dietz |
| Dumas Farm |
| Earl A. Datweiler Insurance |
| Eye Physicians of Kankakee |
| Bruce & Kathy Fierke |
| First Farm Credit Services |
| George Schaaf |
| Grosso Construction Co. |
| Hendrix Town and Country, Inc. |
| Heritage FS, INC. |
| Herscher Auto Tech Inc. |
| Herscher Grain |
| JK Steel Erectors |
| John Panozzo Fruit Market |
| Kankakee County Farm Bureau |
| Kankakee Starter & Alternator Service, Inc. |
| KRK Plumbing, Heating & AC INC. |
| Kroger |
| Lindgren Enterprises, INC. |
| Craig Long |
| McDonalds – Linman Family Owned |
| Melco Transfer, Inc. |
| NDY Manufacturing |
| Norman Bauer Trucking |
| Country Fruit Market Inc |
| Pioneer Value Partners |
| Pontiac RV |
| Premium Specialties |
| ProHarvest Seeds, Inc. |
| Rotors and Wings |
| Shamrock Manufacturing Co. |
| Slow Boys Tractor/Engine Club |
| Smolkovich Farms |
| State Bank of Herscher |
| Stoller International, Inc. |
| Superior Silk Screen |
| The Farmer’s Daughter |
| Tony’s Pizza, Peotone |
| Ultra Foods |
| Walmart – Rt 50 North |
| Widman Farms |
| Will County Threshermens Association |
| Mark Chapman |
| Bill Hengl & Carol Churilla |
| Don & Judy Buck |
| Hogart Wielgus |
| Kevin Hengl & Kim |
| Weber Printing |
Press Information
The official Press Release for Ride the River 2012 is also still available.
Once again we would like to thank everyone for their support!
We hope to see all of you again at our next tractor drive!