Power From the Past helpless against Mother Nature
Members of the Northern Indiana Power From the Past Inc. Board and fans of the event will have to wait until next year to enjoy the tractors, antiques, vendors and fun.
The decision to cancel the event was made after much consideration regarding flooding, soggy grounds and the safety of all those involved in the four-day event that was scheduled for July 16-19.
Power From the Past president Josh Wilder said the directors and others met to discuss the situation on July 9.
“The grounds are wet and there was projected flooding again. It just became very obvious, once we had that other rain and the projected flooding, it was a no-brainer at that point,” Wilder said. “The only option we had was to cancel because we couldn’t move things to somewhere else. There are just too many things that go into the show to make the show that we couldn’t move it to anywhere else.”
Bob Smith, one of the many directors of the event, said the group is usually already at the fairgrounds setting up for the event.
“It’s kinda like being all dressed up and no place to go,” Smith said. “We usually come in the Saturday before the show. We are all kinda disappointed and I feel the community is. We are working on next year’s show already.”
In the last 38 years, this is the first time the event has been cancelled. Wilder said the event was once cut short when they “had to get out in the middle of the night, back in ‘96.” The river was slowly creeping up during the show but didn’t make an impact until Saturday night when it rose rapidly.
“We had to get on the phone and call people to come and get their tractors — anything and everything to get everything out,” Wilder said.
If the organization does something this year it will be setting up the sawmill, according to Wilder. The group also plans to thresh the wheat that was recently cut and may do that on Saturday, based on the weather. Wilder said the owner of the wheat will then sell it.
“We are all disappointed that it can’t happen. We work all year and plan then we get to this point and you can’t have it. It’s kind of a big letdown for everyone,” Wilder said. “Not only to us as a group but the town too. There are a lot of folks who come here every year.”
Wilder said there are people who have been to the event for the last 30 years and look forward to it each year.
This year the Northern Indiana Chapter 33 IH Collectors Club was to be featured. This year would have celebrated 25 years.
Wilder said that event would have made for a good show and a lot of people attending.
“This is the first time it’s run us out in 38 years. We have had some rain a few times along the way and it has gotten wet and a little muddy. It’s a little bit like farmers. They plant the crop in the spring and hope it’s good in the fall. If it isn’t they still come back the next year and do it again,” Wilder said. “There are a lot of people suffering this year because of the rain and it has affected a lot of people, maybe more so than us.”
Smith, who has been with the organization since almost the beginning, said there are a number of organizations that use the Power From the Past as a fundraiser and will be impacted.
“It’s just one of those things with Mother Nature, that you can’t battle it all the time,” he said. “We hated that it happened. We waited until the last minute to cancel it but we had to. That’s all there was to it.”
Smith was looking forward to all the people attending the event and having a good time and reminiscing.
“I was waiting to see the big tractor, the Mogul. It is a monstrous piece of equipment and the man has completely restored it,” said Smith, who does the event announcing.
He was also looking forward to the new items brought in by the antique collectors and the flea market. He will also miss the horse pull on Saturday night.
As they look to the next show, the organization is already plowing ahead. Smith said the event planned for next year, will be as it was supposed to be this year.