By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – When Tony Wallace, a former FFA member from Cassopolis, heard about the terrible fire that claimed the lives of two young Vandalia boys, he decided he wanted to help.
Wallace has known Leonard Baldwin and his family for years and has competed against them at many demolition derbies.
To Wallace, competition does not matter though when it comes to helping others. He wanted to bring other demolition derby drivers and mechanics together, to raise money for the Baldwin family. Wallace organized several derbiers to build a derby car to be raffled off.
Diana Myers was in charge of the ticket sales and more than 100 tickets were sold a month before the drawing.
On May 3, at Legends Restaurant in Edwardsburg, Leonard Baldwin drew out the winning ticket. Ron Dill, of Elkhart, Ind. won the completed derby car.
Dill was so excited about winning, he hung up the phone before Baldwin could finish giving him information. Dill had the opportunity to donate the car to someone, or to run it at the Barnyard Bash III. Dill decided to donate the car to his friend to run in the derby.
Baldwin thanked all of his friends that were involved in the building of the car and all of the businesses that donated to it. He said Truex Concrete, Green Brothers Tire, Battery &Towing, Cass Auto Supply, Russel's Automotive, Brad's Paint Shop, Gless Farms, Tony's Garage, Legends, and Hayden Hardware have all helped donate supplies to build the car.
The car will run at the Cassopolis FFA Alumni's Barnyard Bash III Demolition Derby on Saturday, May 17.
The derby will be held at the Cass County Fairgrounds in Cassopolis at 5 p.m. Pit Passes and tickets will be available at the gate.
There will be a class for suburban's/pickups/vans, a passenger derby for the sedans and wagons, and a mini class for 4 or 6 cylinder cars. There will be vendors for food concessions available. There is a $1,200 pay check for the first place winner.
The FFA is the largest youth organization in the United States with close to 500,000 members. The FFA mission statement is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Students from Niles, Edwardsburg and Cassopolis are members of the Cassopolis FFA.
For further information you can contact Tom Hartsell at (269) 445-8616.