Event raises money for Shinefest week of service

 

The 11th annual Shinefest Tractor Ride will take place Saturday as a fundraiser for the Shinefest week of service.

The tractor ride will start and finish at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds, said organizer Mark Light.

The day begins with breakfast served from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Fairlane Building at the fairgrounds. The meal is open to the public for a freewill offering, as well as participants registered for the ride.

Tractors will line up and then leave out of the north exit of the fairgrounds onto Richway Drive around 9 a.m. and will drive past all of the nursing homes and care facilities in Albert Lea before leaving the city. The first destination out of the fairgrounds will be Oak Park Place, followed by Thorne Crest Senior Living Community, Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea, St. John’s Lutheran Community on Fountain Lake and then St. John’s Lutheran Community off of Minnesota Highway 13.

The group will then travel to Ascension Lutheran Church at about 10:30 a.m. before traveling to Round Prairie Lutheran Church.

Light said the ride will stop at Round Prairie Lutheran Church for lunch, and then to Myrtle and Hayward before coming back in Albert Lea by 5:30 p.m. for a supper meal at the Fairlane Building for participants. The entire ride is about 55 miles.

Cost to participate is $45, which includes the breakfast, lunch and dinner meals and the ride.

Light said last year the event had 70 tractors and includes not only local tractor enthusiasts but some from Iowa and Wisconsin as well. He said one father and son participate from Summerset, Wisconsin, who used to live east of Clarks Grove.

“It’s a really fun way to spend a day,” he said.

Light said even if people don’t want to participate on a tractor themselves, a lot of people have fun sitting on the side of the road and waiting for the tractors to come by.

The Shinefest organization is made up of churches throughout Freeborn County that have pulled their resources together to benefit the community.

In May, this year’s week of service included work at homes near Bellview Park in Albert Lea.

People with questions can contact Dale Grotsun at 383-2766 or Light at 402-0794.

 

Shinefest Tractor Ride county route schedule

• Ascension Lutheran Church to Round Prairie Lutheran Church

Depart at 11 a.m. and arrive at noon

• Round Prairie Lutheran Church to Bethlehem Lutheran near Myrtle

Depart at 12:45 p.m. and arrive at 2:30 p.m.

• Bethlehem Lutheran Church to Hayward Lutheran Church

Depart at 2:30 p.m. and arrive at 3:30 p.m.

• Hayward Lutheran Church to Frank Hall Park in Albert Lea

Depart at 4 p.m. and arrive at 5 p.m.

• Frank Hall Park to Freeborn County Fairgrounds

Depart at 5:15 p.m. and arrive at 5:30 p.m.